Whenever a complaint is made against the Bellefonte Fire Department
Chief, the complaint shall be made in writing with required signature.
The complaint shall be addressed to the BFDEC The BFDEC will take
the necessary measures to investigate the complaint, appointing municipal
members to investigate. Recusal is mandatory where a conflict of interest
exists by virtue of the Investigative Committee member's professional,
financial or personal relationship with the Bellefonte Fire Department
Chief. The Bellefonte Borough Council, upon receiving a signed complaint
and recommendation of the BFDEC, may place the Bellefonte Fire Department
Chief on administrative suspension pending investigation. If investigation
is sustained and appropriate to do so, the BFDEC shall recommend dismissal
of the Bellefonte Fire Department Chief from office to the Bellefonte
Borough Council for a decision. If a dismissal occurs pursuant to
this section, the BFDEC will recommend an interim Bellefonte Fire
Department Chief to Bellefonte Borough Council for approval of recommendation
to fill the unexpired term.
The Bellefonte Fire Department Chief and Deputies, when appointed
to such offices, shall be sworn into office by the Mayor to perform
their respective duties with fidelity and to the best of their ability.
The Bellefonte Fire Department Chief, or his/her delegate, is
hereby authorized, with the aid of the Police Department and the Fire
Police, hereinafter provided for, to prevent every person from in
any manner interfering with the functions of the Bellefonte Fire Department
while on duty at an emergency scene.
The Bellefonte Fire Department Chief and the Company Chiefs
of the Bellefonte Fire Companies, with the assistance of the BFDEC,
shall make such rules and regulations as they deem proper and necessary
to regulate the work of the recognized fire companies in the Department
during training, upon arriving at incidents, while remaining at incidents
and while returning from incidents and in caring for and preserving
all property, apparatus and equipment of the Bellefonte Fire Department.
Each and every member of the Fire Police shall be sworn before
the Bellefonte Mayor.
At no time and under no circumstances shall any truck, fire
apparatus or other equipment belonging to the Bellefonte Fire Department
be removed from the Bellefonte Fire Department primary coverage area
without the consent of the Bellefonte Fire Department Chief, unless
the same is required to assist at a fire in a neighboring municipality,
in which event the following regulations shall apply:
A. The Bellefonte Fire Department Chief and the company Chiefs are jointly
responsible for the instruction of all officers of the Bellefonte
Fire Department in such a manner that the exercise of good judgment
with respect to the authority granted in the preceding subsections
will be assured so that trucks, fire apparatus and other equipment
not necessary to fulfill the fire protection responsibility at any
given fire will be available in reserve to meet other emergencies.
A member of Bellefonte Borough Council shall not be eligible
for the election to the office of Bellefonte Fire Department Chief
of the Bellefonte Fire Department during the term of office for which
he/she has been elected. No member of Bellefonte Borough Council who
belongs to a Bellefonte Fire Company in the primary response area
shall be appointed to the Bellefonte Fire Executive Committee and
shall abstain from casting a vote at a Bellefonte Borough Council
Meeting related to a motion affecting the Bellefonte Fire Department.