A Fire Department of the Borough of Hawthorne, being a division
of the Department of Public Safety, be and the same is created and
established and equipped within the territorial limits of the Borough
of Hawthorne, to be known as the "Hawthorne Fire Department." The
use of the fire apparatus of said Borough be and the same is hereby
entrusted to Hawthorne Fire Co. No. 1, Hawthorne Fire Co. No. 2, Hawthorne
Fire Co. No. 3, Hawthorne Fire Co. No. 4 and Hawthorne Rescue Co.
No. 5. The members and officers of said Fire Department shall consist
of the members of the aforementioned companies upon the signing of
the membership roll of said Fire Department, whereby they promise
to perform the duties of firefighters as prescribed by this article
or any other ordinances which may be hereafter adopted and the bylaws
of the Board of Fire Commissioners. All changes in the personnel of
the Fire Department shall be reported to the Board of Commissioners
for its approval.
Each of the companies of the Department shall consist of not
more than 30 members actively serving in a firefighter capacity, not
less than 18 years of age at the time of their acceptance as members,
who are residents of the Borough, or reside within a one-mile radius
of the Borough, and citizens of the United States. It is understood
that residents of the Borough shall receive preference over nonresidents
of the Borough in making appointments to any of the companies. A member
who moves to a town bordering Hawthorne may continue his membership
if he so desires. A member moving to a noncontiguous town may apply
to the Fire Board for a waiver from the residency requirement which
may be granted in the discretion of said Board. Such members of the
Department shall be approved by the Board of Fire Commissioners. Notwithstanding
the same, members on the roster for each company as of the effective
date of this article shall be deemed members without regard to residence.
The Board of Fire Commissioners, by a majority vote, and with the
concurrence of the Mayor, may waive the described maximum age limitation
and period of residency (as defined by the New Jersey State Firemen's
Association). In addition, they may waive the requirement of residency
within the Borough in any case where the applicant is regularly employed
full-time within the Borough and if found to be available for fire
duty.
In addition to establishing the duties and responsibilities
of all officers of the Department, the Board of Fire Commissioners
shall establish duties of all members of the Department, provided
that such shall not be in conflict with this article.
No resignations shall be accepted until approved by the Board
of Fire Commissioners. A member of the Department who resigns a member
in good standing who wishes to return to the Department within one
year of the acceptance of his or her resignation may return to the
Department, upon approval by the Board of Fire Commissioners, without
requirement that the individual serve a probationary term and without
requirement that the member undergo a physical if the last physical
taken by the member is within the required time parameter for the
taking of a physical.
Each member, upon election to membership, shall be presented
with Borough equipment, which must be returned upon resignation or
expulsion from the Department.
All requests for repairs and supplies for the various companies
of the Department shall be presented to the Board of Fire Commissioners
for approval or recommendation of said Board by the Assistant Chief
of such company at the time the monthly report is submitted. In case
any apparatus shall become so disabled that immediate repairs are
necessary, any member of the company operating such apparatus shall
immediately report the condition of the same to the Assistant Chief
for him to take up with the Chief, who is empowered to have the same
repaired.