[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee (now Council) of the Township of Galloway 1-18-1971 by Ord. No. 393 as Ch. 7 of the 1971 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Police Department — See Ch. 77.
Dangerous buildings or structures — See Ch. 123.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 199.
Charitable roadway solicitations — See Ch. 319, Art. I.
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
The Fire Department of Galloway Township shall consist of such properly incorporated fire companies as now exist or hereafter may exist and shall accept the conditions and provisions of this chapter, which said acceptance shall be in writing, signed by its President and Secretary with its official seal attached thereto, and placed on file in the office of the Township Clerk; provided, however, that no further increase in number of companies now composing said Department shall be authorized or additional companies admitted except by resolution of the Township Council. Each township fire company shall maintain a written set of rules and regulations in the form of a constitution and bylaws for the purpose of, but not limited to, governing company proceedings, and membership requirements, responsibilities, and conduct.
[Amended 3-19-1951 by Ord. No. 159; 4-2-1973 by Ord. No. 441; 2-19-1980 by Ord. No. 607; 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
A. 
The object of these companies is the protection of life and property. Active membership of each company shall not exceed 50 active firefighters. Persons wishing to join and/or maintain membership as an active firefighter in a Township fire company must reside or be employed within the Township or within a reasonable response distance of the prospective fire company's primary response area. Each Township fire company's constitution or bylaws shall stipulate the residency or employment locale requirements for membership as well as what is defined as a "reasonable response distance" for the purposes of that particular company.
B. 
Persons wishing to join a Township fire company as an active firefighter shall also:
(1) 
Submit to a medical evaluation the New Jersey State Firemen's Association is currently using at the time of application (excepting any reference to age therein) to determine and ensure his/her medical fitness to perform the duties of an active firefighter.
(2) 
Submit to a criminal background check performed by, or under the strict direction of, the Township Police Chief to determine and ensure that the membership candidate's eligible and does not pose a physical or material threat during the performance of firefighting duties to the citizens, or property thereof, who are protected by the Township Fire Department.
[Amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
(3) 
Possess, or agree to obtain, all training and/or certifications required by state regulation to be an active firefighter within a reasonable period of time, as stipulated in the individual company's bylaws, after acceptance into a company and prior to engaging in any interior firefighting operations.
(4) 
Have reached a minimum age of 18 years old, but not reached 57 years old, except as noted in the following subsections.
[Amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
(5) 
There is no fundamental right to membership in the Galloway Township Fire Department.
[Added 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
C. 
Have reached a minimum age of 18 years old, but not reached 57 years old, except as noted in the following subsections. Persons who are active firefighters in good standing in a Township fire company shall be permitted to transfer to another Township fire company, as the prospective company's rules and regulations permit, regardless of age and without having to submit to a physical or criminal background check.
[Amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
D. 
Persons of age 57 or over shall be permitted to join a Township fire company as an active firefighter, as the prospective company's rules and regulations permit, provided that the candidate for membership has served as an active firefighter in good standing in another fire company at any time within the 36 months prior to the date of application and is determined to be medically fit to perform the duties of an active firefighter through medical evaluation. The candidate's membership status in the previous fire company shall be verified, in writing, by the Chief, President, or Secretary of such company.
[Amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
Stated and special meetings of these companies shall be held as the individual company bylaws may direct.
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
The township fire companies shall elect their officers at their last or only regular meeting date in November unless otherwise specified in this chapter. Nominations for such officers shall be made at the two meetings preceding this election, unless otherwise specified in this chapter.
[Amended 2-3-1969 by Ord. No. 360]
The officers of these companies shall consist of, and the terms of office shall be, as follows:
A. 
One Township Fire Chief elected for one year by five delegates from each company, which delegates shall be nominated and elected the same time as other company officers. Each company shall nominate and elect an alternate for each delegate. Alternates are to act only in the absence of the regular delegate. An Election Board of one man picked from each company’s alternate delegates shall conduct the election. Companies shall make their nominations for Township Chief at a regular company meeting such that it allows notification, via official company letter, to be received by the Township Administrative Fire Office and the remaining township companies prior to the 11th of August. No company shall send more than one nominee. The election of Chief shall be held by the delegates of the various companies all at one place by secret ballot. In the event of a tie vote, said vote shall be discarded. Each delegate shall be privileged to vote again. After five tie votes, any delegate that may have been instructed by his company shall be released of his instruction, and balloting shall continue until one candidate receives a higher number of votes. The election of the Township Chief shall take place on the first Tuesday of September between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The voting for 1932 shall be at Oceanville No. 1, then rotating to Company No. 2, etc.
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478; 8-14-2007 by Ord. No. 1722]
B. 
Each individual company shall elect to terms stipulated by their bylaws, unless specifically stated herewith, the following officers:
[Amended 12-7-1981 by Ord. No. 677; 3-12-1991 by Ord. No. 1035]
(1) 
One Company Fire Chief, one Company Assistant Fire Chief, four Captains and one Fire Police, who shall appoint two Deputies whose terms of office shall be one year. Companies may also elect four Lieutenants, but this shall be optional.
(2) 
One President and one Vice President, Secretary, Financial Secretary and Treasurer, three, six or nine Trustees, at the option of each company, to be elected by each company, whose terms shall be for three years beginning 1/3 for three years, 1/3 for two years, and 1/3 for one year. One-third shall be elected annually thereafter. One Death Benefit Trustee to the Atlantic County Fireman's Death Benefit Fund shall also be elected by companies participating in same.
(3) 
If the Chief is unable to serve, a Deputy Township Fire Chief will be selected and will serve on a three-month rotating position on a temporary assignment. Said name of Deputy Chief will be submitted to the Township Manager's office, in writing, prior to appointment. The Deputy will oversee all operations in the event that the Township Fire Chief is out of town or unavailable to fulfill the duties of the Township Chief. The Deputy will be either the Company Chief or the Company Assistant Chief; discretion of position will be left up to the companies' Chief to determine.
[Added 8-14-2007 by Ord. No. 1722; amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
Each company's financial assets and liabilities are separate from any other township company's. It shall, however, be subject to township supervision, and a report of the company's standing shall be made annually in the month of March to the Township Council of Galloway Township on forms prepared by the Township Council.
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
Dues and fines shall be stipulated by the individual company bylaws.
A. 
The Company Fire Chief, Company Assistant Fire Chief, Captains and Lieutenants, in the order named, shall have full command of all incidents, going to or returning from same. They shall also have control of all apparatus and keep the same in serviceable order, and shall have the right to call upon any member for assistance. They shall also call a roll after each incident and note absentees. At the direction of the incident commander, the Township Fire Chief may assist in scene operations at an incident.
[Amended 3-12-1991 by Ord. No. 1035; 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
B. 
Duties of the Fire Police and his deputies shall be to enclose the scene of fire, keep same clear of the public, and they shall have charge of all property saved.
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
C. 
The duties of all other officers shall be defined by the individual company's constitution and bylaws.
[Amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
D. 
Qualifications of the Township Fire Chief shall be, but not limited to, the current requirements of the State of New Jersey. To be eligible for the position of Township Fire Chief, the nominee must have held the title of Company Chief or Assistant Company Chief within one of the Galloway Township Fire Companies.
[Added 8-14-2007 by Ord. No. 1722; amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
[Added 2-25-1992 by Ord. No. 1071; amended 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
The Galloway Township Volunteer Fire Companies are permitted to have within their ranks junior fire fighters between the ages of 16 and 18 years old. Membership and permitted activities of junior fire fighters shall be as provided in any applicable federal and state statutes and/or regulations, township ordinances, Fire Department and/or volunteer fire company rules and regulations.
[Added 6-22-1999 by Ord. No. 1396]
A. 
The township, by the enactment of the ordinance codified in this section, hereby signifies its participation in the tuition credit program established by the New Jersey Legislature pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:71-78.1 et seq.
B. 
This tuition credit program is available to any active member of a volunteer fire company or volunteer first aid or rescue squad located in Galloway Township and to that member's spouse and dependent children.
C. 
In order to be eligible to receive tuition credit at a county college, county vocational school, or county technical institute, the volunteer must sign an agreement pledging a minimum of four years' service with a recognized volunteer fire company, first aid or rescue squad. Upon the making of such pledge, the township shall issue a letter of eligibility to the volunteer which must be presented at the applicable county college, county vocational school, or county technical school which shall signify that the individual is a member in good standing of the particular fire company, volunteer first aid or rescue squad. The eligible volunteer, the volunteer's spouse, or the volunteer's dependent child must then secure enrollment at a county college, county vocational school, or county technical school and shall provide verification to said institution of their volunteer service or the volunteer service of their spouse or parent.
D. 
Following each year of volunteer service the volunteer or the spouse or dependent child of said volunteer shall receive a tuition credit of up to $600, not to exceed a maximum of $2,400, for the member, children, and spouse over a four-year service period.
E. 
In order to continue eligibility in the program, the volunteer or other eligible person shall be required at the end of each semester to submit a transcript to the municipality which shall be maintained by the municipality in a permanent record, and the eligible person shall be required to maintain a C grade average in order to continue in the tuition credit program.
F. 
This tuition credit program is subject to the requirements imposed by state statute, including but not limited to the county college, county vocational school, or county technical institute having available classroom space and said institution having enough tuition-paying students to constitute the minimum required for a particular course. The tuition credit program shall not preclude a county college, county vocational school, or county technical institute from requiring the payment of registration and lab fees for persons attending a course under this tuition credit program.
[Added 7-11-2000 by Ord. No. 1429; amended 3-27-2007 by Ord. No. 1688; 8-14-2007 by Ord. No. 1721[1]]
A. 
A Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) is herewith created in accordance with Chapter 388 of the Laws of 1997[2] to reward members of the volunteer fire fighters for their loyal, diligent, and devoted services to the residents of the Township of Galloway.
[2]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-183 et seq.
B. 
The LOSAP shall provide for fixed annual contributions to a deferred-income account for each volunteer member who meets the criteria set forth below; that such contributions shall be made in accordance with a plan that shall be established by the Township of Galloway pursuant to P.L. 1997, c. 388; and that such plan shall be administered in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and this section.
C. 
Criteria of eligibility – see Schedule A.[3]
[Amended 7-10-2018 by Ord. No. 1992-2018]
(1) 
Earning 100 points will award an eligible year of service.
(2) 
Member is vested after five qualifying years.
(3) 
Annual contribution shall be determined based upon CPI per eligible member.
[Amended 4-26-2022 by Ord. No. 2079-2022]
(4) 
To be eligible for LOSAP credit, a member must make a minimum of 10% of total fire calls based on which platoon system is used for that member.
[3]
Editor's Note: Schedule A is on file in the Township offices.
D. 
The LOSAP shall be made available to eligible members who are considered to be active and in good standing members for each individual year.
E. 
The estimated cost of the program has been calculated as for regular annual services as $125,000 per year.
F. 
Each active volunteer member shall be credited with points for volunteer services provided to the volunteer fire company in accordance with the following schedule (see Schedule A[4]).
[4]
Editor's Note: Schedule A is on file in the Township offices.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance was approved by the voters at a referendum held 11-6-2007.
[Added 7-24-2001 by Ord. No. 1478]
Each township fire company shall be allowed to maintain an auxiliary organization or organizations for the purpose of aiding the company through, but not limited to, administrative support, assistance with fund-raising efforts and social activities, maintenance of company buildings and grounds, and providing refreshments at company incidents and activities. These organizations must be formally approved by and recognized within the bylaws, constitution, or charter of the fire company for which they are to be affiliated. The auxiliary organization(s) shall maintain a written set of rules and regulations in the form of a constitution and bylaws for the purposes of, but not limited to, governing organizational proceedings and membership requirements, responsibilities, and conduct. Members of auxiliary organizations shall have reached a minimum age of 14 years old. Auxiliary members are strictly prohibited from participating in actual fire-fighting actions, hands-on fire-fighting training, riding on apparatus responding to emergencies, and all other activities which could be construed, or pose similar risk of personal injury, as that of active fire fighting.