There shall be one clerical assistant assigned to the Fire Department who may be classified as Clerk-Typist, Senior Clerk-Typist, or Principal Clerk, as the case may be, whose duties shall consist of clerical work only.
A. 
Appointment of Chief and Deputy Chiefs; terms. The appointment of the Chief and the Deputy Chiefs shall be made by the Mayor, and confirmed by the City Council, subject to the civil service laws of the state.
B. 
Appointment of other members. All other members of the Fire Department shall be recommended by the Chief, and shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, subject to the laws relating to civil service.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 159-11, Fire Department mechanic, amended 3-20-1989 by Ord. No. 39B and 2-16-2016 by Ord. No. 013, was repealed 5-20-2024 by Ord. No. 046.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall have sole and absolute control and command of all the other members of the Department and all other persons present at fires. The officer in command of the company which first arrives at a fire shall be the officer in command until the Chief or a Deputy Chief arrives.
[Amended 5-20-2024 by Ord. No. 046]
In the absence of the Chief of the Fire Department, or in case of the Chief's inability to act, the Chief's duties and powers as herein provided shall be vested in one of the Deputy Chiefs selected by the Chief.
A. 
Establishment. There shall be a Fire Chief as provided in MGL c. 48, §§ 42 to 44, who shall be the head of the Fire Department, which shall be responsible for the coordination of all the fire protection services of the City and for the supervision and coordination of all activities of all City agencies in relation to any firesafety programs, fire suppression and extinguishing fires and emergency management and medical services.
[Amended 2-16-2016 by Ord. No. 013]
B. 
Duties regarding Department and fire apparatus. The Chief shall file, on a monthly basis, a detailed and written report to the Committee on Public Services regarding the following:
(1) 
A log of time spent by the mechanic on fire apparatus. Detail must be provided specifying the nature of work and to which vehicle the time was applied. Time is to be differentiated between regular and overtime hours.
(2) 
Any work not performed by the mechanic, but by an outside contractor. Specific detail is to be provided as to the nature and cost.
(3) 
A listing of materials, parts, etc., purchased to effect the work in Subsection B(1) above.
(4) 
The Chief shall file, annually, on or about June 30 of each year, a detailed and written report to the Committee on Public Services outlining the present condition and repairs necessary, if any, for all fire vehicle apparatus.
[Amended 2-21-1989 by Ord. No. 39A]
C. 
Chief in charge of buildings; purchases. The Chief of the Fire Department shall have the superintendence and control of the engines and hose house and other buildings used for the Department, of the furniture therein and of the engines and apparatus and other property pertaining to the Department, and shall have charge of the ordinary repairs thereof. All materials and supplies required for the Department shall be purchased through the Purchasing Department as required by law, and shall first be referred to and approved by the standing Committee on Public Services (and by the Planning and Construction Committee per Charter Section 5-6).
D. 
Chief to make rules and regulations. The Chief of the Fire Department shall make such rules and regulations for the proper government of the Department as the Chief may from time to time deem expedient, and which are not repugnant to the laws of the Commonwealth or any ordinance of the City.
[Amended 5-20-2024 by Ord. No. 046]
No Fire Department apparatus shall be taken from the City without special permission of the Chief of the Fire Department or ranking officer in charge of the Department, and in all cases such apparatus shall be returned to the City as soon as practicable.