[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Swatara 9-6-1995 by Res. No. R-1995-37 (Ch. 1, Part 10A, of the 1990 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Volunteer Fire Department — See Ch. 27.
Fire prevention and fire protection — See Ch. 128, Art. III.
[Amended 9-8-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-6]
The Swatara Township Fire Marshal shall be the highest fire official in Swatara Township and shall be a full-time Township employee serving at the pleasure of the Board. The compensation of the Fire Marshal shall be fixed, from time to time, by the Board of Commissioners.
[Amended 7-9-1997 by Res. No. 1997-28]
A. 
The Fire Marshal shall serve as a member of the Fire Committee of the Board of Commissioners in an advisory capacity only. He shall report his activities directly to the Fire Committee and/or the full Board of Commissioners. The Fire Marshal shall act as a liaison between the Fire Committee or Board and the Swatara Township Volunteer Firemen's Association, Township fire and ambulance companies.
B. 
The Fire Marshal shall serve as an advisor to the Fire Committee, and/or the Board, to develop a coordinated Township-wide management plan for the operation of fire services. Included will be financial and personnel management, equipment selection, fire protection engineering, fire prevention, fire safety education, research and planning, maintenance, training, community relations, safety and health and other related activities.
C. 
The Fire Marshal shall act in a supervisory capacity in relation to all activities of the Swatara Township fire companies relating to training. Specifically, the Fire Marshal shall:
(1) 
Require each fire company to establish and maintain a training and education program with a goal of preventing occupational accidents, deaths, injuries and illnesses.
(2) 
Require each fire company to provide a written training program indicating the areas in which training will occur, the frequency of training and the names and qualifications of instructors providing such training.
(3) 
With Board approval, require modification in the training programs of any company found to be deficient as well as requiring fire companies to establish specific training programs when necessary.
(4) 
Review with instructors the materials and methods of instruction.
(5) 
With Board approval, require removal of instructors not deemed to be qualified.
(6) 
Require each fire company to certify to him the completion of training in each training program area for each individual fire company member. In conjunction with this certification, if the Fire Marshal is on the scene of a fire or emergency and observes a person not certified as trained in an area in which he is engaged or about to be engaged, the Fire Marshal shall be authorized to instruct the chief of that company to remove said uncertified person from performing the specified activity. If the chief refuses to remove such person from the specified activity, the matter will be brought to the attention of the Board for any further action.
D. 
The Fire Marshal shall act in an advisory capacity at the scene of any fire or emergency situation. When responding on the initial alarm, and no designated area officer is responding, the Fire Marshal may take the appropriate action to provide the level of protection needed. He shall offer advice to, or respond to requests for advice from, the fire chief or line officer of the company or companies in attendance. The Fire Marshal shall have no authority to require or mandate a chief, line officer or company to act in any specific manner at the scene of a fire or emergency situation, unless he becomes aware of a decision or observes an action that is clearly inappropriate and puts at risk lives or property.
E. 
The Fire Marshal shall investigate injuries to fire company personnel which may result in a workman's compensation claim and shall assist the individual involved in properly making the appropriate claim.
F. 
The Fire Marshal may act as a liaison between the property owners of the Township and various fire companies serving them in relation to securing plans of the premises to be utilized by fire companies in fire-fighting and emergency situations, to recommend actions to be taken at the property to facilitate fighting of fires or providing of emergency service, as well as related matters.
G. 
The Fire Marshal shall provide annual training regarding hazardous materials first awareness certification to the Police Department, fire companies, highway department, fire police and ambulance companies.
H. 
The Fire Marshal shall approve the emergency response system (fire boxes) sent to the Dauphin County Emergency Management Agency to ensure appropriate coverage and response and that the Township is properly covered which fire equipment is dispatched on mutual aid outside the Township.
I. 
The Fire Marshal shall use his best efforts to keep individual fire companies informed on pertinent data relating to fighting of fires and providing of other emergency services. The Fire Marshal shall not be required to give individual companies advice on financial matters or the internal operations or running of their fire companies not otherwise provided for in this chapter.
J. 
The Fire Marshal shall supply to and receive from all Township fire companies all fire and incident reports.
A. 
The Fire Marshal shall investigate or cause to be investigated every fire or explosion occurring within Swatara Township that is of a suspicious nature or which involves the loss of life or serious injury or causes destruction or damage to property, in accordance with Article 1 of the BOCA Fire Code Chapter on Administration and Enforcement as adopted by the Township under the provisions of the BOCA Fire Prevention Code, 1987.
B. 
The Fire Marshal shall prepare reports of investigation and submit them to authorized agencies.
A. 
The Fire Marshal shall enforce the provisions of the BOCA Fire Prevention Code, 1987 Edition, pursuant to the authority of Chapter 128, Code Enforcement, § 128-23, of the Code of Swatara Township.
B. 
The Fire Marshal shall carry out the aforesaid enforcement provisions in cooperation with any and all other Township departments including, but not limited to, Administration and Building and Code Enforcement.