State Law References — Fire protection, §§71.370
to 71.510, RSMo.
[CC 1990 §9-1; CC 1978 §2103; Ord.
No. 312 §1, 1-10-1996]
There is hereby established within and for the City of Belle
a Fire Department which shall consist of all such able-bodied citizens
of the community as may be accepted by the said company into membership
by a majority vote.
[CC 1990 §9-2; Ord. No. 312 §2, 1-10-1996; Ord. No. 351B, 2-12-2003]
A.
Upon
passage of this Article the Board of Aldermen shall appoint some suitable
person as Fire Chief who shall serve for two (2) years or until their
successor is appointed and qualified. The Chief may receive compensation
for his/her services in an amount allowed from time to time by the
Board of Aldermen. The Fire Chief shall appoint a first (1st) Assistant
Chief and a second (2nd) Assistant Chief to assist in the operation
of the department. The Chief shall on all occasions have supreme command
of the department or company and shall preside at all meetings of
the company. In the absence of the Chief the first (1st) Assistant,
and if they both be absent, the second (2nd) Assistant, shall perform
the duties of the Chief. At the first (1st) meeting in April of each
year the members shall elect by majority vote a Secretary and a Treasurer.
The same person may be elected the Secretary and the Treasurer.
B.
The
Secretary of the department shall keep the books and records of the
department in which shall be kept an itemized statement of all the
fire extinguishing appliances belonging thereto, and shall also keep
a list of the members of the department, and make out such reports
that may be required by the Board of Aldermen.
C.
The
Treasurer shall receive and safely keep all monies of the department,
paying out the same only on the order of the Chief countersigned by
the Secretary.
D.
The
Fire Chief shall accept the names of interested persons for the positions
of officers for the Fire Department. Those nominations shall be forwarded
to the Board of Aldermen in March of each year along with the recommendations
of the Chief. The Board of Aldermen shall then accept the Chief's
recommendations or direct the Chief to present new recommendations
to the Board of Aldermen. The Chief shall be required to attend all
scheduled Board of Aldermen meetings and shall be required to regularly
report as to the state of the Fire Department.
[CC 1990 §9-3; Ord. No. 312 §3, 1-10-1996]
It shall be the duty of the Chief and his/her assistants to
see that all the property belonging to the Fire Department be kept
and returned to and be, except when in actual use by the department,
always in its proper place, and that it is always ready for use, and
in good repair, and if repairs are necessary to immediately have them
made and report the bills to the Board of Aldermen for their approval.
[CC 1990 §9-4; Ord. No. 312 §4, 1-10-1996]
It shall be the duty of each member of the company upon an alarm
of fire being given to report immediately to the place where such
fire extinguishing apparatus is kept and thence to the fire, to use
their best endeavors to save life and property, to obey all such orders
and commands of the Chief or other officer in charge, so long as such
orders do not violate existing laws or ordinances. The first (1st)
officer arriving at the place of assembly shall have command until
a senior officer shall arrive, and if no officer arrives, the first
(1st) member who arrives shall have command until such officer shall
arrive.
[CC 1990 §9-5; Ord. No. 312 §5, 1-10-1996]
The Chief or other officer in command shall have authority to
appoint certain members of the company, as fire police, who shall
be authorized to keep all suspicious persons and others not necessary
away from the fire, and to protect property.
[CC 1990 §9-6; Ord. No. 312 §6, 1-10-1996]
The commanding officer of the fire company may, at a fire, require
any bystanders not members of the company to assist the company in
extinguishing the fire, saving property or prevent the spreading of
fire. Any bystander who shall refuse to comply with the orders and
commands of such officer shall be deemed guilty of an ordinance violation.
[CC 1990 §9-7; Ord. No. 312 §7, 1-10-1996]
The members of said company are authorized, in case of fire,
when necessary, to enter any premises to prevent the spreading of
fire or to procure water and may tear down fences, sheds, or other
structures, when necessary, to prevent the spread of such fire, and
they shall not be liable for trespassing for so doing.
[CC 1990 §9-8; Ord. No. 312 §8, 1-10-1996]
Any member may be expelled for misconduct or disobedience by
a majority vote of all members present at any meeting, after having
been notified of such charge.
[CC 1990 §9-9; Ord. No. 312 §9, 1-10-1996]
It shall be the duty of the fire company to pass such bylaws
as will insure good discipline and efficiency in handling the engine,
hose and appliances of the company. But said company shall always
be under the control of the Board of Aldermen and subject to such
ordinances as the Board may, at any time, pass, and whenever required
by the Board, the officers of such fire company shall make report
of their acts and proceedings to the Board of Aldermen.
[CC 1990 §9-10; Ord. No. 312 §10, 1-10-1996]
It is hereby declared unlawful for any person to drive any automobile,
wagon, buggy, or other vehicle over, upon or across any fire hose
at any time when said hose may be in use or lying upon or across any
of the streets, avenues or alleys of the City of Belle, and every
person violating the provisions of this Section shall be deemed guilty
of an ordinance violation.
[CC 1990 §9-11; Ord. No. 312 §11, 1-10-1996]
It is hereby declared unlawful to park or leave standing in
front of, or within twenty (20) feet of, any fireplug in the City
of Belle any automobile or other vehicle at any time, and every person
violating the provisions of this Section shall be deemed guilty of
an ordinance violation.
[CC 1990 §9-12; Ord. No. 312 §12, 1-10-1996]
The Fire Department vehicles shall have the right-of-way in
any street, avenue or alley and through any procession, when in the
regular course of their proper duty and every person driving any vehicle
along any street, avenue or alley of the City of Belle who shall interfere
with any of the vehicles of said Fire Department, when the same are
in the regular course of their proper duties, shall be deemed guilty
of an ordinance violation.
[CC 1990 §9-13; Ord. No. 312 §13, 1-10-1996]
The driver of a vehicle on the approach of a fire engine or
any other fire apparatus shall immediately draw said vehicle as near
as practicable to the right-hand curb and parallel thereof and bring
it to a standstill until said fire vehicle has passed and every person
violating the provisions of this Section shall be deemed guilty of
an ordinance violation.
[CC 1990 §9-14; Ord. No. 312 §14, 1-10-1996]
Every person, firm, or corporation convicted of the violation
of any Section of this Article shall be punished by fine of not less
than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00)
or by imprisonment in the City Jail for not less than one (1) day
nor for more than three (3) months, or by both fine and imprisonment.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sections 203.150, Volunteer Fire Chief,
and 230.160, Fees Collected From Non-Members/Non-Subscribers for Services,
were repealed 3-9-2021 by Ord. No. 607. For ease of use the former
Sections numbers have been combined into the Reserved Sections that
immediately followed.
