[Adopted 6-14-1976 by Ord. No. 710 (Ch. 26, Art. I, of the 1982 Code)]
There is hereby reestablished a Fire Department in and for the Borough of South Plainfield, to be known as the "South Plainfield Fire Department" and to consist of one fire company, namely, South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc. The fire company hereby created shall not have more than 80 members and must comply with all the requirements of this article and any rules or regulations promulgated hereunder.
The officers and members of the South Plainfield Fire Department shall receive such annual compensation as may be determined from time to time by the governing body in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-36 et seq. and amendments and supplements thereto.
All apparatus, accessories, vehicles, equipment and supplies necessary for the maintenance and operation of the said Fire Department shall be bought and paid for by the Borough of South Plainfield and shall remain the property of the Borough of South Plainfield.
No discrimination shall exist due to race, color, creed or sex.
A. 
No person shall hereafter become a member of the Fire Department of the Borough of South Plainfield unless:
[Amended 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
(1) 
The applicant is at least 18 years old.
(2) 
The applicant is a citizen of the United States.
(3) 
The applicant is a resident of the Borough, is employed within the Borough limits or is a resident outside of the Borough limits within a reasonable response time as determined by the Board of Firematics of the South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.
(4) 
The applicant is physically fit to perform the duties of a fire fighter as evidenced by a certificate to that effect.
(5) 
The applicant is in good moral standing.
(6) 
The applicant shall be sent for and pass a premembership drug screening at a location used by the Fire Department. The preemployment screening shall be paid for by the Fire Department.
B. 
There shall be a Police Department check of all applicants.
C. 
Each new member confirmed by the Mayor and Council shall, within two years of acceptance, submit a certificate stating that he has completed a course in the County Fire School or its equal which is deemed acceptable by the Fire Chief. Failure to do such shall be a cause for removal from the Fire Department by the Fire Chief.
D. 
Every person seeking to join the Fire Department shall make application to the Fire Chief or his designated Personnel Officer. Upon completion of the requirements for membership set forth within § 52-5, and any requirement of the bylaws of the South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc., the information shall be forwarded to the Borough Council for confirmation of the applicant's membership as a probationary fire fighter of the Fire Department. After confirmation by the Borough Council, the name shall be entered on a roll of fire fighters kept by the Municipal Clerk. The applicant shall be given a badge of membership, which badge shall be delivered up to the Chief at anytime upon demand of the Chief or whenever said person shall be under charges involving moral turpitude or neglect of duty or for any cause shall cease to be an active fire fighter. Upon completion of one year of duty as a probationary fire fighter, the applicant shall be recommended for status as a regular fire fighter or discharged from the service by the Board of Firematics of the South Plainfield Fire Company No. 1, Inc.
[Amended 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
E. 
Applicants that have been active with another Fire Department within two years of their date of application for membership to the South Plainfield Fire Department and have proof of New Jersey State required fire fighter certification(s) may have their probationary period reduced. The probationary period can be reduced to six months if approved by the Board of Firematics of the South Plainfield Fire Company No. 1, Inc.
[Added 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
A. 
The Chief of the Fire Department and the Board of Firematics of the South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc., shall be responsible to see that this article is observed by the officers and members of the Fire Department. The Chief is empowered to take disciplinary action such as expulsion, suspension or censure.
B. 
In the event that disciplinary action is taken against a member by the Chief, the member has the right to appeal to the Board of Firematics of the South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc.
Every member of the Fire Department shall:
A. 
In each and every year perform at least 60% of actual attendance and duty at fires and drills. A record shall be kept of each attendance and duty by a Fire Officer(s) as designated by the Chief of the Fire Department.
[Amended 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
B. 
Obey all lawful orders of superior officers.
C. 
Obey all his company's bylaws.
Exemption certificates will be issued to members of the South Plainfield Fire Department who shall have served seven years' active duty, under municipal control as required by law. Said certificates shall be signed by the municipal officers and the Chief of the Department, recorded in the County of Middlesex and a copy forwarded to the New Jersey Firemen's Relief Association.
[Amended 1-18-2005 by Ord. No. 1682]
The officers of the South Plainfield Fire Department shall consist of One Fire Chief; Two Deputy Chiefs; Three Captains and Three Lieutenants.
Officers shall be elected in accordance with the bylaws of the South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc.
A. 
The Chief of the South Plainfield Fire Department shall be responsible for heading the South Plainfield Fire Department and shall be the chief executive officer of the Fire Department.
B. 
Annually, the Chief shall submit to the Public Safety Committee an inventory of all fire equipment and the condition thereof.
C. 
The Chief shall report to the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee monthly on the activities of the Department.
D. 
The Chief shall be responsible for all Fire Department property, excluding buildings and grounds.
E. 
The Chief shall be responsible for preparing the annual budget request and for the proper expenditure of funds as prescribed in the fiscal policy of the Borough.
F. 
The Chief of the Fire Department shall, in all cases of fire threatening injury to or destruction of property, take prompt and effectual measures and use the means of the Department to extinguish the fire.
G. 
The Chief shall at all times have the sole and absolute control over the fire scene and command over the fire apparatus and over the members of the Fire Department and all other fire apparatuses aiding and assisting the Department in the event of fire.
[Amended 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
Duties of fire officers. Duties of the fire officers shall be assigned by the Chief of the Department. Duties may include, but are not limited to, records of fire alarms drills and other related functions, apparatus maintenance, SCBA, communication equipment, fire-fighting equipment, fire-fighting gear, health/safety, personnel and any other duties as needed to maintain Fire Department operations. A record of the Fire Department activities shall be submitted to the Public Safety Committee at the end of each calendar year.
[Amended 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
In the absence of the Chief, command shall devolve upon and the Chief's duties be performed by the Deputy Chiefs; in the absence of the Chief and the Deputy Chief's command shall devolve upon and the duties shall be performed by the Captains; and in the absence of the Chief, Deputy Chiefs, and Captains, command shall devolve upon the Lieutenants of the fire company in attendance at said fire or in the absence of all the aforementioned officers, the senior fire fighter present shall be in charge. The said officers are hereby vested will all powers, for the time being, of police officers of the Borough, and also while proceeding to, attending upon and returning from a fire, in answer to an alarm of fire, to the end they may and shall preserve the peace and protect all property, both public and private.
No fire apparatus shall be permitted to leave the corporate limits of the Borough for fire-fighting purposes without permission being first had and obtained for such removal from the Chief, Deputy Chief, Captain or Lieutenant, in the order of their availability.
The line officer making the decision to respond to a mutual-aid call shall be responsible for notifying the police desk.
No fire apparatus shall be permitted to leave the Borough for any other purpose without the consent of the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee.
[Amended 8-8-2006 by Ord. No. 1744]
No fire apparatus shall leave the firehouse except for fighting fires, holding drills, training purposes, normal maintenance, inspection or testing, public relation appearances, public safety education appearances and or any function not listed herein when approved by the Mayor or Chairperson of the Public Safety Committee.
The South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc., shall have the power to adopt bylaws for the conduct and management of such company and the officers and members thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this article or any ordinance of the Borough of South Plainfield or any statutory law applicable thereto.