[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Fox Crossing 7-13-2020 by Ord. No. 200713-1.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This chapter derives from §§ 5.01 to 5.05 and 5.07 of the former Municipal Code, adopted 7-24-1995 and amended 7-1-2002, 11-28-2005, 12-19-2005, 3-8-2010 and 7-10-2017 by Ord. No. 170626-1.
[Amended 11-25-2024 by Ord. No. 241111-1]
Pursuant to § 61.65(2)(a)1, Wis. Stats., the Village of Fox Crossing has established a department to provide fire prevention and protection services for the Village of Fox Crossing residents, visitors and investors.
A. 
Fire Department mission. It is the mission of the Fox Crossing Fire Department to provide the highest level of emergency prevention and preparedness services through effective code compliance, educational programs and community service to all who live, work, visit or invest in our community.
B. 
Services provided. The following services are provided to the community:
(1) 
Local and state fire and life safety code inspections.
(2) 
Fire investigations.
(3) 
Public safety education.
(4) 
Fire suppression services.
(5) 
Environmental response and protection.
(6) 
Hazardous materials response as first responders only.
(7) 
Light-duty rescue (air bags, extrication, forcible entry, etc.).
(8) 
Surface and ice water rescue.
(9) 
Emergency medical services, first-responder level.
[Amended 11-25-2024 by Ord. No. 241111-1]
A. 
Organizational structure. The Fox Crossing Fire Department shall be made up of a combination of full-time, part-time and paid-on-call staff. The personnel staff levels of full-time, part-time and paid-on-call staff shall be reviewed at appropriate intervals as requested by the Village of Fox Crossing Board of Trustees. The Fire Chief of the Fire Department shall make recommendations for appropriate staffing levels to maintain the Fire Department mission.
B. 
Fire Chief.
(1) 
Appointment. The Police and Fire Commission [in accordance with §§ 61.65(3g)(a) and 62.13(3), Wis. Stats.] shall appoint the Chief of the Fire Department. Following the appointment, he or she shall hold the office during good behavior, subject to suspension or removal by the Police and Fire Commission for cause.
(2) 
Powers and duties. The Fire Chief shall enforce the Wisconsin Statutes, the Wisconsin Administrative Code and all local codes in matters relating to fire prevention, code enforcement, public education and fire suppression within the Village. It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to direct the operation of the Fire Department. The Fire Chief shall report monthly to the Village Board of Trustees all fires occurring in the Village, together with the amounts and value of the property destroyed.
(3) 
Department standard operating guidelines. The Fire Chief shall develop and maintain Fire Department Standard Operating Guidelines regarding the operation of the Department, which shall be reviewed by the Village Manager. All members of the Department shall be furnished a copy of the Standard Operating Guidelines.
C. 
Legislative intent. The provisions of this chapter, as far as practicable, shall be construed in conjunction with and in furtherance of the provisions of §§ 61.65 and 62.13, Wis. Stats., and Chapter 589 of the Laws of 1921 and Chapter 423 of the Laws of 1923, and Chapter 586 of the Laws of 1911,[1] and shall be construed as an enactment for the purpose of providing a uniform regulation of the Fire Department in the Village of Fox Crossing, consistent with the statewide enactment regulating cities and villages.
[1]
Editor's Note: See §§ 62.13(12) and 66.0101(11), Wis. Stats.
A. 
Scope. The provisions of this section set forth the authority of the Fire Department and its officers and staff and set forth limitations to the public for interacting with the Department.
B. 
Limited access and removal of property. The Fire Chief or designated officer may prescribe certain limits in the vicinity of any emergency incident within which no persons, excepting firefighters and police officers and those admitted by order of any officer of the Department, shall be permitted to be present. The Fire Chief 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 the adjoining property, and during the progress of any fire he/she shall have the power to order the removal or destruction of any property necessary to prevent the further spread of fire and the authority to preserve evidence of suspected arson. He/she shall also have the power to cause the removal of all wires or other facilities and the turning off of all electricity or other services where the same impedes the work of the Department during the progress of a fire or other hazardous situation.
C. 
Resistance to operations. It shall be lawful for any firefighter while acting under the direction of the Fire Chief or any other officer in command to enter upon the premises adjacent to or in the vicinity of any building or other property then on fire or in a hazardous environment for the purpose of extinguishing such fire or mitigating such hazards. In case any person shall hinder, resist or obstruct any firefighter in the discharge of his duty as is hereinbefore provided, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of resisting firefighters in the discharge of their duty.
D. 
Damage to Fire Department property. No person shall willfully injure in any manner any hose, hydrant or fire apparatus belonging to the Village of Fox Crossing, and no vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of the Fire Department when laid down on any street, private driveway or any other place, to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the Fire Department officials in command of the emergency.
A. 
Scope. The provisions of this section set forth the requirements of the Fire Department to investigate fires within its jurisdiction.
B. 
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall investigate the cause, origin, and circumstances of every fire occurring in the Village of Fox Crossing by which property has been destroyed or damaged and, so far as possible, shall determine whether the fire is the result of deliberate intent, carelessness or design. Such investigations shall begin immediately upon occurrence of such a fire. The Fire Marshal shall take charge immediately of the physical evidence and shall further cooperate with local, county, state or federal authorities in the collection of evidence and in the prosecution of the case. Every fire shall be reported, in writing, to the Bureau of Fire Prevention within five days after the occurrence of the same by the Fire Department officer in command of the fire. Such report shall be such a form as shall be prescribed by the Fire Marshal of the Village of Fox Crossing Fire Department and shall contain a statement of all facts relating to the cause, origin, and circumstances of such fire, the extent of the damage thereof, and the insurance upon such property, and such other information as may be required, including the injury, death, or rescue of persons.
C. 
Outside investigation agencies requesting copies of Village of Fox Crossing Fire Department fire investigation reports shall be assessed fees in accordance with the Village Fee Schedule, reference this Code section.
A. 
Scope. The provisions of this section set forth the jurisdictional limits of providing service for the Village of Fox Crossing Fire Department.
B. 
The fire limits of the Village shall be set forth by the Village Board.
[Amended 11-25-2024 by Ord. No. 241111-1]
A. 
Scope. The provisions set forth in this section identify the relationship the Fire Department will have with the Department of Community Development as it pertains to the preplanning for public safety and the Department's ability to provide service to all residents and businesses within its jurisdiction.
B. 
The Village of Fox Crossing Fire Department will work cooperatively with the Community Development Department by participating in the site plan review process. As new projects are proposed for development in the Village of Fox Crossing, the Fire Department will have the opportunity to comment, in writing, on the ability of the Fire Department to provide emergency services and make recommendations for site plan amendments.
C. 
The Fire Department shall participate with the Building Official in a plan review process to ensure that local code provisions regarding building construction and fire safety are addressed. Plans shall be reviewed by the Fire Chief or his/her designee and conditionally approved.
D. 
The Fire Marshal shall participate with the Building Official on all new and existing construction projects for code compliance
E. 
No person shall occupy or change the occupancy of a building or structure covered under the Wisconsin Building Code until such building or structure has been inspected and approved by the Fire Department. The Fire Department shall sign off on the occupancy issued by the Community Development Department.