Section 1. The common council, for the purpose of guarding against the calamities of fire, shall prohibit the erection, placing and repairing of wooden buildings, within the limits prescribed by them, without their permission, and direct and prescribe that all buildings within the limits prescribed shall be made or constructed of fireproof materials, and to prohibit the building or repairing wooden buildings within the fire limits when the same shall have been damaged to the extent of 30 percent of the value thereof, and to prescribe the manner of ascertaining such damages; to declare all dilapidated buildings to be nuisances, and to direct the same to be repaired, removed or renovated, in such manner as they shall prescribe or direct; to declare all wooden buildings, lumberyards, wood and coal yards, manufactories or shops within the fire limits which they may deem dangerous to contiguous buildings, or in causing or promoting fires, to be nuisances, and to require or cause the same to be removed or abated in such manner as they shall prescribe.
Section 2. The city council shall have power:
First:
To prevent and prohibit the dangerous construction of chimneys, flues, fireplaces, stovepipes, ovens and any other apparatus used in or about any building or manufactory, and cause the same to be removed or placed in a secure and safe condition when considered dangerous.
Second:
To prevent the deposit of ashes in unsafe places, and to appoint one or more officers to enter into buildings and enclosures to examine whether the same are in a dangerous state, and to cause such as may be dangerous to be put in a safe condition.
Third:
To regulate and prevent the carrying on of manufactories and shops, and works, dangerous in promoting or causing fires.
Fourth:
To regulate, prevent and prohibit the use of fireworks and firearms.
Fifth:
To direct and prohibit the management of houses for the storage of gunpowder and other dangerous and combustible materials within the city; to regulate the keeping and conveying of the same, and the use of candles and other lights in stables and other like houses.
Sixth:
To regulate and prescribe the manner and order the building of parapets and partition walls and partition fences.
Seventh:
To compel the owners or occupants of houses or other buildings to have scuttles on the roofs, and stairs or ladders leading to the same.
Eighth:
To authorize the mayor or other officers of said city to keep away from the vicinity of any fire all idle and suspicious persons, and to compel all officers of the city and all other persons to aid in the extinguishment of fire and in the preservation of property exposed thereat, and in preventing goods from being stolen.
Ninth:
And generally to establish such regulations for the prevention and extinguishment of fires, as the city council may deem expedient.
Section 3. The city council may procure steam fire engines and other apparatus used for the extinguishment of fires, and have the charge and control of the same, and provide, fit and secure houses and other places for keeping and preserving the same, and shall have power:
First:
To organize hook, hose, ax and ladder companies.
Second:
To appoint and pay during their pleasure a competent number of able and reputable inhabitants of the city as firemen, to take the care and management of the engines and other apparatus and implements used and provided for the extinguishment of fires.
Third:
To prescribe the duties of firemen, to make rules and regulations for their government, and to impose reasonable penalties upon them for violation of the same, and for incapacity, neglect of duty or misconduct, to remove them.
Fourth:
The city council shall have power to appoint a chief and assistant engineer of the fire department, and they, with the other firemen, shall take the care and management of the engines and other apparatus and implements provided and used for extinguishment of fires, and their powers and duties shall be prescribed by the city council.
Section 4. The firemen during their services as such shall be exempt from paying any poll tax, or serving on juries. The name of each fireman shall be registered with the city clerk, and the evidence to entitle him to exemption provided in this section shall be the certificate of the clerk under the corporate seal for the year for which the exemption is claimed.