[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Mullica 12-13-1924; revised 6-12-1968. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There shall be created in Mullica Township a
Fire Department to be known as the "Fire Department of Mullica Township."
[Amended 6-3-1959; 11-8-1972; 3-8-1988 by Ord. No. 1-88; 6-22-1999 by Ord. No. 13-99; 2-13-2001 by Ord. No. 2-2001]
A.
The Fire Department shall consist of four companies
as follows with membership as stated herein:
(1)
One station in Elwood to be known as the "Elwood Volunteer
Fire Company No. 1" which shall not have more than 30 active members.
(2)
One station in Nesco to be known as the "Nesco Volunteer
Fire Company No. 2" which shall not have more than 30 active members.
(3)
One station in Weekstown to be known as the "Weekstown
Volunteer Fire Company No. 3" which shall not have more than 30 active
members.
(4)
One station in Sweetwater to be known as the "Sweetwater
Volunteer Fire Company No. 4" which shall not have more than 30 active
members.
C.
Each newly appointed active member shall not be less
than 18 years of age, shall complete an application and shall be given
a physical examination and shall be confirmed by the Township Committee.
Junior members shall be between the age of 16 and 18 years of age
and abide by the bylaws of their respective companies. Further, any
newly active member to be entitled to any benefits shall be in compliance
with the rules of the New Jersey State Fireman’s Association.
[Amended 8-31-2021 by Ord. No. 12-2021]
Any volunteer fire company which may hereafter
be organized may be admitted to this Department by and with the consent
of the Township Committee.
The several fire companies comprising said Fire
Department shall be subject to all the laws of the State of New Jersey
pertaining to the fire departments in towns or townships and may receive
any benefits resulting therefrom.
[Added 4-27-2010 by Ord. No. 10-2010[2]]
A.
The Director
of Fire Department Affairs shall be under the direction of the governing
body and shall be appointed by the Township Committee, upon recommendation
of the Mullica Township Fire Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs, for a period
of one year. The Director of Fire Department Affairs shall meet the
following minimum requirements:
B.
The Director
of Fire Department Affairs’ duties shall include:
(1)
Auditing
of the Fire Association;
(2)
Attending
scheduled meetings of the full Fire Department and attending Fire
Chief’s Meetings, from which information can be brought to the
governing body;
(3)
Liaison
with dispatch services, rescue/EMS services and Mullica Township Emergency
Management;
(4)
Research
of and application for grants for equipment;
(5)
Dissemination
of federal, state, county and other government mandates to the fire
companies and to the governing body; and
(6)
An inventory
of fire equipment as needed.
C.
The Station
Chief will maintain command over his incident location at all times;
however, the Director of Fire Departments Affairs will assist the
Chief at the Chief’s discretion.
D.
The Director
of Fire Department Affairs cannot enter into any binding agreements
in the name of the fire companies or of the Township of Mullica.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Ordinance No. 10-2010 provided that any
reference to the Township Fire Chief or Township Assistant Fire Chief
in any existing Township ordinance would be deemed to refer to the
Director of Fire Department Affairs.
[2]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed former §
19-5, Command of Department.
The Fire Chief or Assistant Chief shall call
each year at least six drills of the Department so as to keep the
men thoroughly drilled in the use of the apparatus and equipment.
The Chief or in his absence the Assistant Chief shall have charge
of all apparatus, hose and all fire equipment and shall command the
men at all fires, drills or any emergencies that the Department shall
be called out on.
The various fire companies comprising this Department
shall make suitable rules to compel all members to attend fires, drills,
meetings and all emergencies of the Department and, to this end, may
impose fines upon the various members for nonattendance, according
to bylaws that each company may adopt.
[Amended 11-8-1972; 4-27-2010 by Ord. No. 10-2010]
The Secretaries of the various companies shall
keep an accurate record of all fires and drills and the members answering
roll call.
[Amended 7-10-1990 by Ord. No. 10-90; 6-22-1999 by Ord. No. 13-99]
A Fire Chief or any members of the Department
shall immediately report to the Police Department any person interfering
with or hampering the firemen at any fire or at any scene to which
any of the fire companies set forth in this chapter have responded.
Upon the conviction of any chapter violation, misdemeanor or other
criminal charge for such interference, a person may be convicted of
a fine of up to $1,000, community service up to 90 days and/or imprisonment
in the county jail for up to 90 days, all in the discretion of the
Municipal Court Judge.
The companies may excuse their members for nonattendance
at fires or drills in case of sickness upon presentation of a medical
certificate from a physician certifying that such member was physically
unfit to attend such fire or drill. In no case shall the fines imposed
in any year upon any member exceed the sum of $5.
[Added 2-13-2001 by Ord. No. 2-2001; amended 4-27-2010 by Ord. No. 10-2010]
Within 45 days of December 31 of each year,
the Fire Chief shall submit to the Chief Financial Officer and Township
Clerk a financial report of the Fire Department, including financial
information as to the income and expenditures of each fire company
within the Township.
