[R.O. 1991 § 205.010; CC 1978 § 70.010]
There is hereby established a Fire
Department for the City, which shall consist of a Chief, one (1) Assistant
Chief, and such organized volunteer firefighters as may be enrolled
by the Chief with the consent of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.020; CC 1978 § 70.020]
The Fire Department shall have charge
of the fire apparatus and shall keep the same in good order for immediate
use, and for more effectually perfecting the firemen in discharge
of their duties shall as often as practicable thoroughly test the
condition of the fire fighting apparatus. Upon arrival at any fire,
the members present shall take all necessary and proper action to
extinguish such fire as quickly as possible and with the least damage
possible. The Department shall take all reasonable steps necessary
under the circumstances to prevent the spread of the fire and damage
to adjoining property.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.030; CC 1978 § 70.030]
A.
Fire service outside the corporate limits
of the City will be provided in the following circumstances:
1.
To a City with which Vandalia has
a cooperative agreement, according to the terms of such agreement.
No fee will be charged by the Vandalia Fire Department.
2.
To any other area outside the City,
only upon the request of the Vandalia Rural Fire Department and then
only when in the sole and absolute discretion of the Fire Chief it
shall seem to him/her advisable — considering the availability
of fire protection for the City (i.e., the number of men and the amount
of equipment available, rural conditions, water supply, and similar
conditions).
[R.O. 1991 § 205.040; CC 1978 § 70.040; Ord. No. 10-1099 §§ I — II, 2-9-2010]
The Chief shall be appointed by the
City Administrator by and with the consent of the Board of Aldermen
at the first regular meeting of the Board after the City election.
The Chief shall hold office for a term of one (1) year and until his/her
successor is appointed and qualified.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.050; CC 1978 § 70.050]
A.
It shall be the duty of the Chief to examine
and report quarterly to the Mayor the condition of the Department
and its equipment and to recommend such alterations and additions
and changes as the Department may in his/her judgment require. It
shall also be his/her duty to ascertain and report to the Mayor the
condition and efficiency of the Fire Department and if the Department
fails to observe and enforce its rules and regulations so as to impair
its efficiency to report the same, with such suggestions as he/she
may deem most appropriate.
1.
The Fire Chief shall examine all
buildings and all places where explosives and inflammable materials
are kept in the City and to report their condition at least once a
year to the Mayor, and the Fire Chief is hereby authorized to enter
any and all buildings and places for the purpose of inspecting same.
3.
The Fire Chief shall from time to
time report to the Mayor the condition of fire escapes on public buildings
and on other buildings required by law to be provided with fire escapes.
4.
He/she shall keep an inventory of
all the City Fire Department's property and equipment and report the
same to the Mayor at least once a year.
5.
He/she shall keep informed and make
a report as to the condition of the City water supply and fire plugs.
6.
He/she shall keep the Department
in good condition and at all times ready for inspection.
7.
In the exercise of these duties,
the Fire Chief may delegate to other Department members such responsibilities
as in his/her judgment may be required.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.060; CC 1978 § 70.070]
The firefighters shall be under the
immediate control and direction of the Fire Chief, and upon an alarm
of fire shall, without unnecessary delay, report to the endangered
premises with the City fire apparatus.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.070; CC 1978 § 70.080]
The compensation paid to members
of the Fire Department by the City shall be as set from time to time
by the Board of Aldermen by ordinance.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.080; CC 1978 § 70.090]
The Fire Chief shall have full power,
control and command over all persons at a fire. He/she shall station
the fire apparatus and see to it that all persons belonging to the
Fire Department perform the duties required of them. It shall also
be the duty of the Chief to direct at all fires such measures as he/she
shall deem advisable for the extinguishment and control of such fires.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.090; CC 1978 § 70.120]
No person shall use, or as owner
thereof permit to be used, any siren, whistle or whistles not installed
on Fire or Police apparatus or in some way pertaining to fire without
first obtaining permission from the Fire Chief.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.100; CC 1978 § 70.130]
It shall be unlawful for any person
to interfere with the movement of the vehicles of the Fire Department
while going to or returning from a fire. No person shall follow such
fire vehicles to a fire or block traffic on any public street within
the City by parking near a fire.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 1035 §§ I – II, adopted 10-11-2005, repealed R.O. 1991 Ch. 205, Art. II, Mutual Aid Agreement, containing Sections 205.110, 205.120 205.130 and 205.140. Only Section 205.110 was replaced. Former Sections 205.120 – 205.140 derived from CC 1978 §§ 70.510 – 70.530; Ord. No. 473 § 1, 9-1-1981. At the editor's discretion, these sections have been reserved for the City's future use.
[R.O. 1991 § 205.110; CC 1978 § 70.500; Ord. No. 1035 §§ I – II, 10-11-2005]
The City of Vandalia is hereby authorized
and empowered to contract for mutual aid with other Missouri Cities
to create a pool of firefighting equipment and personnel from the
Fire Departments of the respective contracting Cities and to set up
a plan of mutual assistance in case of major conflagration or disaster
occurring in any of the respective Cities; and such mutual-aid agreements
shall be approved by the Vandalia Board of Aldermen; and such agreements
shall be recommended by the Vandalia Fire Chief.
