The Fire Chief shall be the chief executive officer of the Fire
Department. The Chief shall be appointed by the Police and Fire Commission,
and shall be subject to suspension or removal by the Police and Fire
Commission, all in accordance with W.S.A. § 62.13.
The Chief shall be the chief executive officer of the Fire Department
and shall have direct control and management of all members of the
Department in the lawful exercise of their duties, subject to applicable
state and federal law and City ordinances and subject to such other
lawful written orders of the Mayor or Common Council as provided by
law. The Fire Chief shall be responsible for all Department operations,
subject to review and recommendations of the Common Council. The Chief
shall report regularly to the Common Council regarding operations,
including the fiscal condition of the Department. The duties of the
Fire Chief shall include:
A. Providing for regular training for the Fire Department personnel
in accordance with national standards, state statutes, local ordinances,
and Department guidelines.
B. Maintaining equipment and vehicles in good operating condition and
replacing vehicles and equipment in accordance with NFPA recommended
practices.
C. Maintaining an inventory of fire suppression equipment and supplies.
D. Establishing rules of procedure and protocols for firefighting and
for Department operations in accordance with all applicable national,
state, local regulations, ordinances and standards.
E. Maintaining accurate and complete records of all Department operations
as required by City ordinance or policy, applicable state and/or federal
law or regulation.
F. Preparing and maintaining rules and regulations for Department operations.
Proposed rules and regulations shall be reviewed by the Public Safety
Committee before implementation.
G. Preparing an annual budget for the Fire Department, subject to review
by the Joint Fire Advisory Board, Public Safety Committee and the
Common Council.
H. Making recommendations to the Joint Fire Advisory Board, Public Safety
Committee, and the Common Council for short- and long-term needs of
the Department.
I. Serving as liaison between the Joint Advisory Fire Board, the Police
and Fire Commission, the Public Safety Committee and the Common Council.
J. Such other duties as assigned by the Public Safety Committee or the
Common Council.
K. Responsibility for physical facilities.
All Fire Department compensated personnel shall be considered
employees of the City of Hudson, regardless of pay structure and shall
be afforded coverage under the City of Hudson worker compensation
and liability insurance policies. All Fire Department employees shall
be subject to the City of Hudson employment policies or handbook,
and shall be further subject to Fire Department rules and regulations
regarding operations specific to the Fire Department. Firefighters
and other Fire Department personnel shall be appointed by the Fire
Chief, subject to the approval of the Police and Fire Commission in
accordance with W.S.A. § 62.13(4)(a).
The Fire Chief, at the Chief's discretion, may appoint
supervisory officers to command various shifts or Departments within
the Fire Department. Such supervisory officers may include Assistant
Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, and Fire Inspector. The Fire Chief
and each supervisory officer and firefighter, and inspector shall
perform such duties as may be required by law, ordinance or City regulation.
The Fire Chief shall be the Fire Marshal of the City and shall
have the power to appoint one or more Deputy Fire Inspectors and shall
perform all duties required of the Fire Inspectors by the laws of
the State of Wisconsin and the rules of the Wisconsin Administrative
Code, particularly W.S.A. § 101.14. While acting as Fire
Inspector pursuant to W.S.A. § 101.14(2), the Fire Chief
or any officer of the Fire Department designated by the Fire Chief
shall have the right and authority to enter any building or upon any
premises in the City of Hudson at all reasonable hours for the purpose
of making inspections or investigations which, under the provisions
of this Code of Ordinances, he/she may deem necessary. Should the
Fire Inspector find that any provisions of this Code relating to fire
hazards and prevention of fires are being violated, or that a fire
hazard exists which should be eliminated, it shall be his/her duty
to give such directions for the abatement of such conditions as he/she
shall deem necessary.
The Common Council shall appropriate funds for Department operations
sufficient to operate the Department in compliance with state, local
and NFPA standards, including, but not limited to apparatus, equipment,
and training.
The City may contract with other municipalities to provide emergency
fire suppression and rescue services to those municipalities. All
such contracts shall be approved by the Common Council and the governing
body of the municipality receiving the service.
If any section or portion of this chapter shall be declared
by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable,
such decision shall apply only to the specific section or portion
thereof directly specified in the decision, and shall not affect the
validity of any other provisions, sections, or portions thereof of
this chapter. The remainder of this chapter shall remain in full force
and effect.
This chapter shall become effective after adoption and publication
as required by law.