The Board shall have, among its other powers, the power:
6.40.1 To control and regulate methods for preventing and extinguishing
fires.
6.40.2 To authorize any building to be razed in case of an extensive
fire in said city, if deemed by it necessary in order to prevent the
spreading of such fire, and the city shall be liable for the value
of such building and shall make compensation therefor.
6.40.3 To investigate every fire that occurs and ascertain the
cause thereof if possible.
6.40.4 To regulate the sale, storage or conveyance of combustible
substances.
6.40.5 To authorize any city officer or any person designated
by them to inspect any place for the purpose of ascertaining whether
the same is in a safe condition, and if not, to require it to be made
so; and, for the purpose of fire prevention, to regulate the carrying
on of manufacturing which tends to promote or produce fires or explosions.
6.40.6 To protect the property of individuals at time of fires,
to appoint guards for the protection of the same, and to prescribe
their powers, duties and compensations.
In case of any grave or serious emergency, a majority of the
board shall have power to order without advertising such apparatus,
supplies, or repairs as may be necessary, upon passing a resolution
therefore which shall be approved by the Mayor in writing and filed
with the Clerk of the Board. And no bill for such extraordinary expenses
shall be audited unless such resolution or a certified copy thereof
is attached thereto.
6.44.1 It shall be the duty of the Board to fix and define the
limits and boundaries in the city within which all buildings and structures
shall thereafter be constructed of fireproof or fire resistant materials
to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector, in accord with the
provisions of the State Building Code. These limits and boundaries
shall be known as the fire limits of the City of Glens Falls. Such
fire limits when so made and defined shall be published at length
by the Board in the official newspaper in the city for a period of
not less than one week.
6.44.2 After the fire limits shall have been established, it
shall not be lawful for any person, firm, corporation or association
to build, erect, repair or alter within such fire limits any building
or structure whatever, unless the work be done with the approval of
the Building Inspector, in accord with the provisions of the State
Building Code. Nor shall it be lawful within said fire limits to make
any addition to any existing buildings without using for such addition
the materials herein required for new construction.
6.44.3 The Board shall have full power and authority in all
matters relating to the construction, equipment, alteration, repair
or removal of buildings or structures within these fire limits. It
may adopt and enforce such rules and regulations relating thereto,
not inconsistent with the general laws of this state and the provisions
of this charter, as it shall deem necessary. Such rules and regulations
shall have the same force and authority as an ordinance of the Common
Council, duly adopted, passed and published.
6.44.4 Any owner, occupant, builder or other person offending
against any of the provisions of this section, shall for each and
every violation pay such damages as the city shall have suffered,
to be recovered in an action brought in the name of and for the benefit
of the city, in any court having jurisdiction thereof. In any such
action when brought in the Supreme Court, the said court, or any justice
thereof, or the county judge of Warren County may grant a temporary
injunction and thereby enjoin and restrain such owner, occupant, builder
or other person from violating the provisions of this section during
the pendency of such action; and on the trial of such action, and
in the judgment when no trial has been had, the court shall also have
power perpetually to enjoin the defendant or defendants from constructing
said building or structure, so built in violation of any of the provisions
of this section, and order the same to be removed or taken down.
6.44.5 The Board may, however, an written application of the
owner or owners thereof and the approval of the Fire Marshal, grant
permission to build or make repairs or additions, with other than
the materials mentioned herein, to structures used solely and only
for private residences, situated within the fire limits, but detached
from other buildings, and not of themselves constituting an exposure,
or hazardous risk. This modification shall not apply to business blocks,
or buildings used for commercial pursuits of any sort or kind. The
Board shall have power to compel the owners or occupants of private
dwellings to have scuttles in the roofs thereof, and stairs or ladders
leading to them, when needed for the safety of the persons dwelling
therein; and to compel the owners, occupants or trustees of all public
buildings, churches, hotels, schoolhouses, factories and all places
of amusement or entertainment to provide the same with complete, sufficient
approved and effectual fire escapes and means of exit.
6.46.1 The title to all of the property, buildings and lots
used by or in connection with said Fire Department shall be vested
in the City of Glens Falls.
6.46.2 The Board may, from time to time, sell and dispose of
such personal property as it shall not need, and shall account for
the proceeds to the Common Council and pay the same to the City Controller. [Amended 7-20-2000 by L.L. No. 5-2000]
6.46.3 The funds which shall arise from the fines collected
from members of the Fire Department in pursuance of this charter,
or the bylaws under its authority, or from certificates of memberships
to the pension fund of the Fire Department, the Board shall pay to
the pension fund of the Fire Department.
6.48.1 The Chief of the Fire Department shall, under the direction
of the Board of Public Safety, have the general superintendence and
custody of all property pertaining to the Fire Department. It shall
be his duty to see that the same be kept in proper order, and to submit
to the Board a written report on the state of the Department on the
last day of February in each year. This report shall include: a complete
inventory of all property in his charge; anticipated needs for the
coming year; a particular statement of all fire alarms and fires in
the city during the preceding year, with the causes of all fires,
as far as they have been ascertained; a particular statement of losses
caused by such fires, and all insurance thereon: the names of all
officers and members of the Fire Department and the companies therein;
the names of all other persons in the employ of the Department; a
statement of all expenses within his knowledge; such other information
relating to the Department as he shall deem proper.
6.48.2 It shall be his further duty to be present at fires and
to take command of all operations at such fires.
6.48.3 He shall also have the power and discretion to suspend
from duty for not more than 15 days any member of said Department.
He shall report the same in writing, with his reasons therefor, to
the Board of Public Safety for its action.
The Chief shall have the duties imposed by his office, under
the regulations of the Board of Public Safety, including the duties
of a fire marshal, with authority to assign those duties to any member
of the Department under his command.
It shall be the duty of the Assistant Fire Chief to be present
and aid the Department Chief at all fires; and in case of the absence
of the Fire Chief, his powers and duties shall be exercised and discharged
by the Assistant Fire Chief.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall have authority, subject
to the laws of the state and the approval of the Board of Public Safety,
to divide the personnel of the Department into platoons; to provide
for tours of duty, both regular and emergency; and to provide for
annual vacation periods of not less than 21 consecutive days for each
officer and member.
No person who is now serving as fireman in said city shall be
deprived of any exemption or privilege to which he has become entitled
by reason of such service, by any act of the Board, except for good
and sufficient cause. All persons who shall serve as firemen for the
period prescribed by law, shall, at the expiration of such period,
receive from the Chief a certificate of such service, which shall
also be signed by the City Clerk. Thereupon such persons shall possess
and have all the privileges and immunities resulting from such service
which are now enjoyed under the laws of this state by exempt firemen
of every city.
A multiple dwelling shall be defined as provided in Article
1, § 2, 3 and 4 of the Multiple Dwelling Law of the State
of New York.
6.58.1 The City of Glens Falls hereby adopts provisions of Chapter
950 of the Laws of 1946 of the State of New York and the amendments
thereto, and also so much of the provisions of Article 8 of the Multiple
Dwelling Law as are enumerated in § 308 and 309 of such
chapter.
6.58.2 Wherever in said § 308 and 309 appears the
word "department" the same shall refer to the City of Glens Falls,
and the enforcement shall be through the Building Inspector as its
agent.