The ultimate responsibility to provide fire protection services
to the members of the community of the Village of Hudson Falls lies
with its Village Board of Trustees. In order to meet its responsibility,
the Village Board of Trustees has endeavored to maintain and upgrade
its substantial asset inventory of trucks, equipment and facilities
utilized for the purpose of providing such fire protection services.
The corollary responsibility of the Village Board is to assure that
its firematic assets are utilized by qualified, active officers and
firefighters who are properly trained, physically fit and who have
accepted the responsibility to abide by the "Firefighter Code of Ethics
and Conduct."[1] Therefore, in furtherance of its responsibilities to provide
fire protection services to the community, the Village Board of Trustees
hereby establishes a Fire Council to oversee the firematic duties
of all active firefighters providing fire protection services to the
community. By enacting this chapter, it is the intent of the Village
Board of Hudson Falls, as an exercise of its police power, to promote
the general health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Village.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Code is included as an attachment to this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The administrative arm of the Village Board of Hudson Falls
created for the oversight and supervision of the active firematic
services to be provided for firefighting and fire protection within
the community. All active firefighters and officers shall comply with
rules and regulations adopted by the officers of said Fire Council
and approved by the Village Board of Trustees, which rules and regulations
shall govern the admission, suspension, removal, discipline, powers
and duties of all active firefighters and officers who have been admitted
to the fire service of the Fire Council.
All non-officer, active firefighting members duly admitted
and serving the organization of the Hudson Falls Fire Council.
A dangerous situation at an incident where an individual
carries out tasks alone or without being assigned; a violation of
personnel accountability procedures.
The refusal or neglect, while on duty, to obey or execute
any order from the officer in charge at any fire, drill, inspection
or review.
Those firefighters who are members of the Fire Council approved
by the Village Board of Trustees in the grade of fire chief, assistant
fire chief, captain and lieutenant.
The administrative rules, policies and procedures promulgated
by the Fire Council and approved by the Village Board of Trustees
for the purpose of the efficient and safe provision of fire protection
services within the Village of Hudson Falls.
The powers and duties connected with and incident to the control,
government and discipline of the Fire Council of the Village of Hudson
Falls, except as herein otherwise provided, shall be vested in the
Village Board of Trustees.
The officers of the Fire Council of the Village of Hudson Falls
shall consist of a fire chief and any assistant fire chiefs, captains,
and lieutenants as the Village Board of Trustees may deem necessary.
The Fire Chief of the Fire Council shall be an active firefighter
and shall, under the direction of the Village Board of Trustees, have
the general superintendence and custody of the fire engines and other
fire apparatus and conveniences for the prevention and extinguishment
of fires. It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief or his or her assigned
assistant chief's duty to see that the same are kept in proper
order and to make periodic written reports to the Village Board of
Trustees of the state of the Fire Council, and at such times as said
Village Board of Trustees may require. It shall be the Fire Chief's
further duty to be present at fires and to take command of the firefighters
present, and to exercise a general supervision and control of the
operations and proceedings of the firefighters present and to give
directions concerning the same. The Fire Chief shall also have the
power and discretion to suspend from duty any member of the Fire Council
and report the same to the Village Board of Trustees for action, subject
to the provision of disciplinary actions and procedures hereinafter
provided.
All bills for expenditures and services connected with the Fire
Council must be first authorized and audited by the Village Board
of Trustees. The Fire Chief shall, on or before the first day of March
in each year, present to the Village Board a report showing the complete
inventory of all property under his or her charge, which report shall
also exhibit a particularized statement of all fire alarms and fires
which have occurred during the preceding calendar year, together with
the cause of all fires, as far as the same have been ascertained.
A.
Eligibility. Applicants for membership as officers and firefighters
serving the Fire Council must meet the following criteria:
B.
Application procedure. The procedure for application for membership
in the Fire Council shall be as follows:
(1)
The applicant shall submit a written application in the form provided
by the Fire Chief who shall deliver the application to the officers
of the Fire Council for the purpose of investigating and verifying
all information provided on the membership application. Applications
may be rejected if information is unfavorable, false, incomplete or
missing. If the application is disapproved by the Fire Chief, the
applicant shall be denied admission to the Fire Council. The Fire
Chief shall notify the Board of Trustees upon disapproval of an application.
If the application is approved, the Fire Chief shall recommend appointment
to the Board of Trustees which may approve or disapprove of the application.
(2)
A member's first year of membership beginning on the date of
appointment by the Village Board of Trustees shall be designated as
a "probationary period" and the member shall be designated as a "probationary
member." Probationary members must complete all requirements for mandatory
training as set forth by the Fire Council and satisfy the overall
attendance requirements established by the Fire Council for its firefighters.
Probationary members who do not receive the recommendation of the
Fire Chief, or who fail to satisfy attendance or training requirements,
may be expelled without recourse by the Fire Chief at the end of their
probationary period, unless the probationary period has been extended
by the Fire Chief for good cause shown.
