There is hereby established a Fire Department of the Village,
as a principal department of the Village, which shall consist of a
Chief of the Fire Department and such other members as may from time
to time be determined by the Village Manager or by a contract approved
by the Board of Trustees.
[Amended 9-5-2017 by Ord.
No. 2017-3297; 8-20-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-3417]
The Chief of the Fire Department shall be the officer in charge
of the Fire Department, and shall be appointed either: (a) by the
Village Manager or (b) by a contract approved by the Board of Trustees.
He or she shall serve an indefinite term or until his or her successor
is appointed and qualified. The Fire Chief may be removed or discharged
by the Village Manager pursuant to the procedures set forth in the
Illinois Municipal Code.
The Fire Chief shall be responsible for the performance of the
Fire Department and all of its functions, and all persons who are
members of the Department shall serve subject to the orders of the
Fire Chief. He or she shall serve as a member of the Village management
team, and shall in addition perform the following duties:
(A)
He or she shall inquire into and investigate the cause of all fires
which may occur in the Village as soon as may be after they occur,
and keep a record of the circumstances of each case.
(B)
He or she shall at least once each year inspect or cause to be inspected
all commercial and multifamily residential buildings in the Village
for the purpose of determining the safety of such buildings, including
the sufficiency and adequacy of doors, passageways, aisles, stairways
and, generally, facilities for egress in case of fire or other accident,
the overloading of floors, and storage of combustibles, and shall
cause to be prosecuted all violations of the ordinances of the Village
in any way concerning the prevention or extinguishing of fires.
(C)
He or she, or a designated subordinate, shall have the right to enter
upon the premises wherein any fire has occurred, if necessary, in
order to investigate the origin of the fire.
(D)
He or she shall, if in his or her power, attend all fires happening
in the Village. In the case of his or her absence from any fire, it
shall be the duty of the highest ranking officer in command of the
Fire Department at such fire, to take charge of the Department. Such
officer shall have and exercise all powers of the Fire Chief.
(E)
He or she shall, in coordination with the Department of Community
Development: (1) examine all buildings and walls reported dangerous
or damaged by fire or accident; and (2) examine all buildings under
application to construct, raze, enlarge, alter or rebuild, and make
a report of the condition thereof as requested.
(F)
He or she shall make such periodical reports as may be required by
the Board of Trustees.
(G)
He or she shall perform those duties and responsibilities set forth
in this Code, by applicable law, or as may be directed by the Village
Manager.
The Fire Chief or any other employee, officer or independent
contractor designated by him or her shall have the following powers:
(A)
The Fire Chief, or in his or her absence, the person in command at
any fire, shall have the power to cause the removal of any property
whenever it shall become necessary for the preservation of such property
from fire, or to prevent the spreading of fire, or to protect adjoining
property; and may direct the members of the Fire Department to cut
down and remove any building, structure, or fence for the purpose
of checking the progress of any fire.
(B)
The Fire Chief, or any other person in command at any fire, may prescribe
limits in the vicinity of any fire within which no persons, except
firemen, policemen, and those admitted by any officer of the Fire
Department, shall be permitted to go, and the Department of Police
shall, upon the request of the Fire Chief, or other officer in command
of the Fire Department at any fire, enforce the provisions of this
section.
(C)
It shall be the duty or responsibility of the Fire Chief, or any
other employee, officer or independent contractor designated by him,
to enforce and administer the Village Fire Code and the Village Life
Safety Code.[1]
(D)
The Fire Chief and other person in command at any fire shall have
the right to give orders to any person present at a fire concerning
the extinguishment of the fire and the removal and protection of property.
[Amended 11-16-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-3574]
It shall be the duty of all persons at or near the scene of
a fire to obey all the orders of the members of the Fire Department
on duty there with respect to keeping away from the scene of the fire
or the handling of or interference with the apparatus of the Department
or of any property in the temporary custody of the Department.
