[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Lee 5-12-2011 by Art. 39.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: These provisions were previously included in the Code as Ch. 210, adopted 1954 (Appendix A of the 1971 Code).
This organization shall be known as the "Lee Fire Department."
Its objects shall be the preservation and protection of life and property from and during such fires as may occur in the Town of Lee and vicinity.
The officers of the Department shall be a Chief, a Deputy Chief and a First, Second, Third and Fourth Assistant, a Captain and a Lieutenant.
The Lee Fire Department shall consist of a maximum of 65 firefighters, with the Lee Department to carry a top figure of 45 members and the South Lee branch to carry not more than 20 firefighters.
Officers shall be appointed by the Chief of the Fire Department from the list of members of the Department, said officers to have been members of the Department for a period of at least five years.
All applicants for membership in the Department must submit a letter of application, and the Chief shall make all appointments from these letters when there is a vacancy in the Department, each applicant to be at least 18 years of age and a voter in the Town of Lee and to be of good character.
Any member wishing to leave the Department must submit a written letter of resignation to the Chief.
Any member who is to be discharged from the Department must be notified in a written letter from the Chief.
A. 
The Chief shall be the head of the Fire Department, subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the rules and regulations herein adopted.
B. 
The Chief shall be held responsible for the general condition and efficient operation of the Fire Department, the training of members and the performance of all other duties imposed upon him or her.
C. 
Any officer or member of the Fire Department appointed by the Chief may be suspended or discharged from the Department by the Chief at any time for cause and after the member or officer has been given a hearing by the Chief.
Special meetings and drills to be held at a specified time and place may be called by the Chief. All members must attend. Any member absent from three successive meetings, drills or fires within a period of one year, without permission from the Chief, shall be removed from the membership roll.
A. 
The Deputy Fire Chief shall report to the Chief at fires and assist him or her in the discharge of his or her duties.
B. 
In the absence of the Chief, the Deputy Chief shall command the firefighters in all respects with the full powers and responsibilities of the Chief. After the Deputy Chief, authority falls in succession to the First, then the Second, the Third and finally the Fourth Assistant.
A. 
Drivers shall be appointed by the Chief from the membership of the Fire Department. They shall be appointed for their driving and mechanical ability and shall be thoroughly familiar with the operation of the apparatus to which they are assigned.
B. 
In order to become a full-fledged operator after being picked by the Chief, the appointee must be capable of driving all fire trucks in the station.
C. 
No member of the Fire Department shall drive the fire apparatus except the regularly appointed drivers unless directed to do so by the officer in command.
D. 
Each driver shall be thoroughly familiar with the territory to be served by the Fire Department, including conditions of routes during the different seasons and the locations of all water supplies.
E. 
Upon arrival at a fire, if there shall be no commanding officer present, the driver shall assume command and give orders until the arrival of one of the officers of the Department.
F. 
After returning from a fire, the truck shall not be left until it is washed, fully equipped and ready to go out again.
G. 
No driver shall leave a fire or take the apparatus that he or she is driving therefrom without orders or permission from the superior officer in command.
A. 
All members shall give obedience to the orders of their appointed and elected officers.
B. 
When the fire alarm is sounded, members in the neighborhood of the fire station shall promptly report to the station and assist in getting the apparatus to the fire and in operation. If the apparatus has departed, members shall immediately proceed to the fire by the most direct route to assume their assigned duties or assist in any work necessary. Members not in the neighborhood of the fire station shall respond for service by the best possible route.
C. 
Work at fires and drills shall be done in a quick, orderly and quiet manner.
D. 
No member shall borrow the apparatus or any part of the apparatus without the consent of the Fire Chief.
E. 
No member shall appear at the meetings of the Department or on duty under the influence of drugs or alcohol or shall be guilty of using insulting, indecent or improper language or be guilty of conduct unbecoming a member of the Department, under penalty of dismissal.
These rules and regulations are effective upon acceptance.