The Lock Haven Fire Department shall consist of two companies,
each of which shall individually be organized by the election of a
President, secretary, District Chief and such other officers as each
company may deem necessary. The City may entrust to such companies
the fire apparatus and the property and appliances connected and used
therewith under such rules and regulations as the City may from time
to time make and approve.
Each of the two City fire companies shall appoint two members
of their organization to serve on the Fire Department Advisory Board.
One member of each company shall be appointed for a term of two years,
and the other member to a term of four years. After initial election
or appointment, all terms of offices, except that position held by
the Fire Chief, as hereinafter provided, shall be for four years,
beginning on July 1 of even-numbered years. Advisory Board appointees
shall have been members of their companies for at least six years
at the time of appointment. The fifth member of the Fire Department
Advisory Board shall be the Fire Chief and shall automatically become
a member by virtue of the appointment as Fire Chief. Any member appointed
to the Board will not be a City employee except the Fire Chief. This
includes Auxiliary Drivers and members that work as employees in other
departments such as Public Works, Police, etc.
A.
Qualifications. The Fire Chief and District Chiefs appointed by the
City shall have been a member of the Lock Haven Fire Department for
a period of at least six years at the time of said appointment. Any
Chief Officer shall have satisfactorily completed an acceptable training
course in firefighting according to the standards established by the
City.
B.
Selection and term of office. The term of office for District Chief
will be six years, beginning on July 1 of 2022. Upon completion of
said six-year term of office, the fire companies shall recommend to
the Fire Advisory Board a candidate. The Fire Advisory Board will
review the candidate and then recommend to the City Manager for appointment
or reappointment. Should the person recommended to the Advisory Board
not be qualified, the company from which the nominee is a member shall
be notified of the same and shall recommend another member for consideration
until the vacancy is filled. The Manager shall have the right to suspend
or deprive of office those persons appointed at any time for proper
cause.
C.
The Fire
Chief and Administrator will be appointed by the City Manager with
the consent of City Council. The City Manager shall have the right
to suspend or deprive of office those people appointed at any time
for proper cause.
A.
Qualifications. Paid fire truck drivers shall be members of one of
the two City fire companies and shall have a background of experience
and knowledge in firefighting and the operation of the emergency equipment
related thereto. They shall be at least 21 years of age and shall
submit to a physical examination once each year upon request by the
City. The cost of such physical examination will be paid by the City.
Paid drivers shall also be required to attend training programs related
to the driver's responsibilities when requested to do so by the City.
Paid drivers shall meet the qualifications included in the position
description, as prepared by the City of Lock Haven and amended from
time to time.
B.
Term of and conditions of employment. Paid fire truck drivers shall
be employees of the City of Lock Haven. They shall be subject to policies
and regulations which are established by the City and may be suspended
or deprived of employment by the City at any time for proper cause.
They shall be under the control of and responsible to the City Manager,
Director of Public Safety or the Fire Chief as described in the job
description for the position.
Auxiliary and relief drivers shall be subject to the requirements of § 59-4A of this chapter. They shall be under the control of and responsible to the City Manager, Director of Public Safety or the Fire Chief as described in the job description for the position.
Should a vacancy in office occur on the Fire Department Advisory Board, except that office held by the Fire Chief, from whatever cause, the company from which the office holder is a member shall immediately elect or appoint one of its members to complete the unexpired term. Such elected or appointed member shall be qualified according to provisions of § 59-2.
In case of a vacancy in the office of District Chief from any
cause, the company from which the outgoing District Chief is a member
shall immediately recommend one of its members to the Fire Advisory
Board for appointment to the City Manager. Upon completion of such
unexpired term, the office holder may be appointed for a complete
term.
A.
Should a vacancy occur in any position of part-time, auxiliary or
relief driver in any company, the company in which the vacancy exists
shall recommend one or more of its members to fill said vacancy. The
Board shall then recommend to the City Manager that person most qualified
to fill said vacancy. Should it not be possible for the company in
which the vacancy exists to fill the same from its membership, the
Advisory Board shall notify the other companies and solicit recommendations
from their membership for the position.
B.
In case of a vacancy in the position of full time driver, the same
procedure shall be followed, with the exception that at least two
names shall be recommended by the Company with the vacancy, and the
Advisory Board shall recommend at least two names to the City Manager,
with those names ranked in order of qualifications from high to low.
