[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 1; Ord. No. 153, § 2; Ord. No. 300, § 1; Ord. No. 521, § 1; Ord. No. 9, § 1, 12-30-1966; Ord. No. 211, § 1, 2-28-1974; Ord. No. 1148, § I, 9-29-2015]
The Fire Department of the City shall consist of a Fire Chief and not more than the following: one Deputy Fire Chief who shall be chief of fire prevention, one Deputy Fire Chief who shall be chief of fire division, four other Deputy Fire Chiefs, 12 Fire Captains, one Captain of Fire Prevention, one Captain as training officer, 12 Fire Lieutenants, one Lieutenant of Fire Prevention, four fire inspectors, one Chief's aide-firefighter, 108 permanent firefighters and one master mechanic for fire and motor equipment. The lieutenants shall be appointed from the regular permanent firefighters who have served not less than three years in the Department and shall be next in rank to the captains.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 7-1.1, Height, weight, etc., requirements for fire fighters, Ord. No. 631, § 1, as amended by Ord. No. 2, § 2, 12-27-1966, which immediately followed, was repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 7-2, Reserve firemen force, R.O. 1947, Ch. 19, § 2, was repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 3; Ord. No. 1148, § II, 9-29-2015]
The Fire Chief shall assign all officers and members, except the Deputy Fire Chiefs, to companies and may transfer officers or members from one company to another; provided, however, that each officer and each member shall serve for at least three months in each year at the central station.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 298, § 1, adopted 11-22-1977, provided for the repeal of Sec. 7-4. Former Sec. 7-4, pertaining to the outside employment of certain personnel, was derived from R. O. 1947, Ch. 19, § 4; Ord. No. 74, § 2; Ord. No. 221, § 2; Ord. No. 251, § 3; Ord. No. 273, § 1; and Ord. No. 54, § 1, adopted 5-22-1968.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 5; Ord. No. 1148, §§ III—IV, 9-29-2015]
The Mayor and City Council may suspend any officer or member of the City Fire Department for cause sufficient in their discretion. The Fire Chief, by order in writing, may suspend any officer or member who shall refuse to obey the orders of their superiors, or who shall be guilty of improper or disorderly conduct, for a period not exceeding 30 days, or impose a fine not to exceed in amount the salary of one month, or may impose both penalties. There shall be a right of appeal to the Mayor and City Council from any decision of the Fire Chief hereunder, provided that such appeal shall be filed in writing with the City Clerk within 10 days of the date of such suspension or fine.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 6]
A person appointed an officer or member of the City Fire Department who fails to qualify at the office of the City Clerk within seven days of their appointment shall be deemed to have declined the same. Any member who shall remove from the City shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Department.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 7; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
Each firefighter shall faithfully observe and obey all laws and regulations for the government of the City Fire Department, and the orders of all officers appointed over them. Each officer shall obey the lawful orders of all their superior officers.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 8; Ord. No. 1148, §§ V—VII, 9-29-2015; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
The Fire Chief shall have charge of the extinguishing of fires and the protection of life and property in case of fire. The Fire Chief shall be responsible for the discipline, good order and proper conduct of the officers and firefighters constituting the Fire Department of the City. The Fire Chief shall have the care and superintendence of all motor apparatus, ladders and all other equipment owned by the City and used for the extinguishing of fires. The City Council shall have the power to establish by order, from time to time, rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this chapter for the government of the Fire Department; and the Fire Chief shall, subject to confirmation of the City Council, make such rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this chapter, and with the rules and regulations established hereunder by the City Council, for the government of the Fire Department and the extinguishment of fires, as the Fire Chief shall from time to time deem expedient.
[Ord. No. 9, 12-30-1966, § 2; Ord. No. 1148, §§ VIII—XI, 9-29-2015; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
There is hereby established in the Fire Department a fire division to be headed by a Deputy Fire Chief who shall be known as "Chief of the Fire Division." The Chief of the Fire Division shall be appointed by the Fire Chief of the Fire Department, and shall serve at the Fire Chief's pleasure, and for such periods as such Fire Chief shall designate. The Chief of the Fire Division shall have such duties as are assigned to them by the Fire Chief and shall be under the general supervision of the Fire Chief.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 9; Ord. No. 1148, §§ XII—XV, 9-29-2015; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
The Fire Chief shall have sole and absolute control and command of all other officers and members of the City Fire Department and of other persons present at fires. In case of the absence of the Fire Chief at a fire, a Deputy Fire Chief shall, during such absence, have and exercise all the power and authority of the Fire Chief and shall perform the duties of the Fire Chief's office. If neither the Fire Chief nor a Deputy Fire Chief is present, the Captain first arriving at the fire shall exercise such authority and perform such duties until the arrival of their superior officer.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 10; Ord. No. 1148, §§ XVI—XVII, 9-29-2015; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
The Fire Chief shall keep exact rolls of the several companies in the Fire Department of the City, specifying the name, age, occupation, residence and date of admission and discharge of each officer and member of the Department. The Fire Chief shall keep an accurate account of all property belonging to the City Fire Department. In accordance with Section 2-155, the Fire Chief shall annually report to the Mayor and City Council the transactions of the Fire Department and Fire Prevention Bureau during the preceding fiscal year.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 11; Ord. No. 734, § 1, 5-12-1993; Ord. No. 869; § 1, 3-28-2000]
A. 
No unauthorized person shall open any signal box connected with the fire alarm system of the City unless the use of such signal box is necessitated by reason of a fire or other emergency; or interfere with the wires or poles or other supports of wires of such system; or drive or operate any vehicle over or across any hose or other apparatus in use at a fire or at a place to which the Fire Department has been summoned upon a fire alarm. The Fire Chief shall cause to be prosecuted every person who intentionally raises a false fire alarm.
B. 
Any person found to be in violation of Subsection A of this section shall be subject to criminal and noncriminal penalties as provided for by Sections 4 1/2-1 and 4 1/2-2 of Chapter 4 1/2 of the Code of Laws of the City of Pittsfield.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 12; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
No person, personally or by an agent, shall sell or use, or authorize the sale or use of, fireworks or firecrackers within the City, except that there may be a display of fireworks if a permit for the same is granted by the officer designated by the State Fire Marshal to grant permits under MGL c. 148, § 10A, subject to the rules and regulations of the Office of Public Safety and Inspections of the commonwealth, and provided that such display is under the supervision and control of a person who is engaged in the business of displaying or exhibiting fireworks and who has given the bond required by § 42 of such chapter.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 19, § 13; Ord. No. 1148, § XVIII, 9-29-2015; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
The Fire Chief shall forthwith, upon the imposing thereof, certify to the City Accountant the amount of any fine imposed upon any officer or member of the Fire Department of the City under this chapter, and such fine shall be deducted by the auditor from the stated compensation of the person fined.
[Ord. No. 206, § 1; Ord. No. 611, § 1; Ord. No. 1148, §§ XIX—XX, 9-29-2015]
A. 
In addition to the compensation otherwise paid to members of the Fire Department, the City shall pay the full cost of expense for the purchase of the following portion of the official dress blue uniforms prescribed for the members of such Department: caps, dress coats and trousers. The City shall also pay the full cost of all other caps normally required in the discharge of the duties of the members of the Fire Department. The expenditure of municipal funds for uniforms of the Fire Department shall be under the direction and supervision of the Fire Chief.
B. 
The expenditure of municipal funds for uniforms for members of the Fire Department shall be made subject to, and in accordance with, the terms and provisions of such rules and regulations established by the Fire Chief and approved by the City Council.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 7-15, Principal clerk, Ord. No. 5, § 1, as amended by Ord. No. 36 and Ord. No. 1148, § § XXI through XXII, 9-29-2015, was repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.
[Ord. No. 870, § I, 3-28-2000]
A. 
Key box required; new construction; contents. All newly constructed buildings, other than residential buildings of less than six units, which have a fire alarm system or other fire protection system shall provide a secure key box that is accessible to the Pittsfield Fire Department in case of emergency. Such key box shall contain keys to fire alarm control panels and other keys necessary to operate or service fire protection systems. The key box shall be a type approved by the Chief of the Pittsfield Fire Department and shall be located and installed as approved by the Chief or their designee.
B. 
Existing buildings. All additions to, reconstruction, remodeling and alterations or repairs of existing buildings, other than residential buildings of fewer than six units, which have a fire alarm system or other fire protection system and which require a building permit or which are so defined by a state or local inspector shall include an installed approved key box if the work costs $100,000 or more.
C. 
Violations and penalties. Any building owner found to be in violation of any provision of this section shall be subject to criminal and noncriminal penalties as provided for by Sections 4 1/2-1 and 4 1/2-2 of Chapter 4 1/2 of the Code of Laws of the City of Pittsfield.