The Fire Department of the City shall consist of the Chief,
one Deputy Chief, three Battalion Chiefs, three Lieutenants, paid
members and paid part-time members as shall be provided for and appointed.
The City Council shall appropriate funds to provide for operation
and for such apparatus and equipment for the use of the Fire Department
as it may deem expedient and necessary to maintain efficiency and
properly protect life and property from fire. The City Council may
also, by contract, secure the cooperation of fire departments within
adjacent municipalities.
All appointments of paid members to the Department shall be
made according to § 62.13, Wis. Stats. All civilian appointments
shall be made per the personnel policies of the City.
A. Appointment of Chief. The Chief of the Fire Department shall be appointed
by the Police and Fire Commission. If the office of Chief shall become
vacant, the ranking officer shall perform the duties of the Chief
until such vacancy has been filled.
B. Appointment of members. All members of the Fire Department shall
be appointed by the Chief subject to approval of the Police and Fire
Commission.
C. Removal of Chief. The Chief shall immediately assume office and shall
hold office until removed for cause only after a hearing by action
of 3/4 of the members of the Police and Fire Commission unless his
services be sooner terminated by resignation or death.
D. Applicants. Any person desiring to be a member of the Fire Department
may file with the Fire Chief thereof an application in such form as
the Police and Fire Commission may require. The name of any applicant
approved by the Fire Chief shall be presented to the Police and Fire
Commission for confirmation.
E. Firefighter Department membership shall be competent members who
are actively engaged in firefighting or reserve functions of the department.
All active firefighters shall be subject to such requirements as are
from time to time established under Wisconsin Administrative Codes
DSPS 330 and DSPS 332.
F. Compensation of Fire Department members shall be approved by Common
Council.
G. Right of appeal to Commission. Any member or officer of the Department
who has been expelled or demoted for any offense or neglect of duty
or insubordination may appear before the members of the Police and
Fire Commission and state why such penalty should not be confirmed.
The Police and Fire Commission may, by a 3/4 vote of the members,
order the Chief to reinstate the member or officer as outlined in
§ 62.13, Wis. Stats. The Fire Chief shall report the name
of each person expelled or demoted to the Police and Fire Commission.
Authority at fires. The Chief and his officers in command at
any fire are hereby vested with specific police authority at fires.
A. A firefighter may enter property. (§ 213.095, Wis. Stats.)
Any firefighter, while acting under the direction of the Fire Chief
or other officer in command, may enter upon the premises- or premises
adjacent to or in the vicinity of any building or other property then
on fire for the purpose of extinguishing such fire or rendering emergency
medical services, and no person shall hinder, resist, or obstruct
any firefighter in the discharge of his duty.
B. Evacuate neighborhood and command needful assistance for the suppression
of fires.
C. Require an insurer to furnish any information in its possession specifically
relating to fire loss. [§ 165.55(14), Wis Stats.]
The Fire Department shall charge a fee for ambulance service
and supplies. The fee shall be determined by a fee schedule approved
by the common council.
The Fire Department will follow the City's records retention
schedule for all fire department records.