[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Gresham as Ch. 5 of the prior Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Department shall be known as the "Gresham Area Volunteer Fire Department" and shall consist of the Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief and such subordinates as may be authorized by Department bylaws.
A. 
Fire Chief. See § 61-2 of this Code.
B. 
Assistant Fire Chief. See § 61-2 of this Code.
The Department shall be governed by the Gresham Area Fire Commission, the bylaws of the Department, Village ordinances and resolutions, and the Wisconsin Statutes.
The Fire Chief shall file with the Gresham Area Fire Commission, by September 15 of each year, a detailed estimate of the appropriations needed for the conduct of the Department during the ensuing fiscal year.
A. 
General supervision. The Chief shall have the general supervision of the Department, which supervision shall be subject to and not conflict with this chapter and the bylaws of the Department. The Chief shall provide or be accountable for the safety of the members of the Department. The Chief shall also obey all lawful written orders of the Village President as approved by the Gresham Area Fire Commission.
B. 
Presiding officer. The Chief, or, in his absence, the highest ranking staff officer, shall preside at all meetings of the Department, call special meetings, preserve order, decide all points of order that may arise, and enforce the provisions of this chapter and the bylaws.
C. 
Command of firefighting and emergency medical service (EMS) operations. The Chief, or, in his absence, the highest ranking line officer, shall be present at all fires, if possible, and have complete command and entire accountability for all firefighting operations, plan the control of the same, direct the action of the Department when it arrives at a fire, observe that the Department does its duty, grant leaves of absence at a fire when he may deem it proper, and see that the Department equipment is kept in operable condition at all times, and is also responsible for all EMS operations.
D. 
Disciplinary action. The Fire Chief shall, after a Board of Officer review or in accordance with Department bylaws, have the power to suspend, demote, expel or otherwise discipline members of the Department, subject to appeal to the Village Board.
E. 
Reports to the Village Board. The Chief shall submit a written report of the Gresham Area Fire Board not later than February 1 of each year and at such other times as he deems desirable relating to the conditions of various pieces of apparatus and appurtenances, the number of hydrants and the condition of the same, the number of fires occurring since the previous report and the date of the same and loss occasioned thereby, the total number of active members in the Department, and resignations and expulsions from the Department. He shall also report upon the drill and training program of the Department together with other pertinent information, including recommendations for such improvements as he deems proper and necessary for the operation of the Department.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
F. 
Enforcement of fire prevention ordinances. The Chief shall enforce all fire prevention ordinances of the Village and the state laws and regulations pertaining to fire prevention and shall have a formal fire prevention program.
G. 
Fire records. The Chief shall keep fire/EMS records, using the state form, of every fire/rescue to which the Department was called.
H. 
Apparatus inventory. The Chief shall keep an inventory of all apparatus and equipment.
I. 
Duties as commanding officer. The Chief shall perform such other duties as are usually incumbent on the commanding officers of fire departments.
A. 
The Chief shall have control of all apparatus used by the Department and shall be accountable for its operable maintenance. Emergency repairs may be authorized by the Chief or, in his absence, the highest ranking officer available. If additional funds are needed for repairs, a request shall be made to the Village Board.
B. 
No apparatus shall be used for any purpose except for firefighting within the Village limits or in training therefor, except pursuant to contracts and mutual aid agreements approved by the Village Board. The Chief may authorize the use of apparatus for emergency purposes within the Village.
A. 
Police authority at fires/EMS calls. The Chief and his assistants or officers in command at any fire are hereby vested with full and complete police authority. Any officer of the Department may report to the proper authorities any person failing to give the right-of-way to the Fire Department in responding to a fire or EMS call.
B. 
Control of fire department emergencies. The Fire Chief may prescribe certain limits in the vicinity of any fire within which no persons except firefighters, EMS personnel and police officers and those admitted by order of the Chief shall be permitted to enter. The Chief may 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, the Chief may order the removal or destruction of any property necessary to prevent the further spread of the fire. The Chief may also 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.
C. 
Entering premises. Any firefighter or EMS personnel, while acting under the direction of the Fire Chief or other officer in command, may enter upon the premises adjacent to or in the vicinity of any building or other property when the Chief reasonably believes such entry is required for the protection of persons or property. If any person shall hinder, resist or obstruct any firefighter or EMS personnel in the discharge of his duty, as is hereinbefore provided, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of resisting the firefighter/EMS personnel in the discharge of his duties.
D. 
Duties of bystanders. Every person who shall be present at a fire or EMS call shall be subject to the orders of the Fire Chief or officer in command and may be required to render assistance in fighting the fire or removing or guarding property. Such officer may cause the arrest of any person refusing to obey such orders.
E. 
Damage or destruction of equipment prohibited. No person shall willfully damage or destroy, in any manner, any equipment belonging to the Fire Department or the Village and no vehicle or railroad equipment shall be driven over any unprotected hose of a fire department when laid down on any street, private driveway, track or other place to be used at any fire or alarm of fire without the consent of the Fire Department official in command.
A. 
Fire Chief to be Fire Inspector. The Fire Chief shall hold the office of Fire Inspector with the power to appoint one or more Deputy Fire Inspectors, who shall perform the same duties and have the same powers as the Fire Inspector.
B. 
Inspection duties. Fire Inspectors shall inspect, according to state regulations, all buildings, premises and public thoroughfares within the Village limits for the purpose of noting and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fires. Repairs or alterations necessary to remove the hazardous condition shall be made within a reasonable time at the expense of the owner. The Inspector shall also investigate the storage and handling of all explosives and inflammable liquids within the Village.
C. 
Written record of inspections. The Chief shall keep a written record of each property inspected, which shall conform to the requirements of the State Department of Safety and Professional Services and shall make a report of such inspections available upon request.
D. 
Correction of fire hazards. When any inspection by the Fire Chief or Deputy Inspector reveals a fire hazard, the Chief or the Deputy Inspector may serve a notice, in writing, upon the owner of the property giving the owner a reasonable time in which to remove the hazard. If the fire hazard is not removed within the time allowed, it shall be deemed a nuisance and the Fire Chief or the Deputy Inspector may have the same removed by the Village, and the cost of such removal shall be recovered in an action by the Village against the owner of the property and may also be entered on the tax roll as a special charge against the property.
E. 
Entering on premises. No person shall deny the Fire Inspector or the Deputy Inspector free access to any property within the Village at any reasonable time for the purpose of making fire inspections. No person shall hinder or obstruct the Fire Inspectors in the performance of duties or refuse to observe any lawful direction given by the Inspector or Deputies.
See Chapter 222, Peace and Good Order, of this Code.
The Wisconsin Administrative Code, Rules of Department of Safety and Professional Services, on file in the office of the Fire Chief, are hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this Code. Copies of all applicable federal, state and county codes, statutes and ordinances used in the operations of the Fire Department and emergency medical services are adopted by reference and are on file in the office of the Fire Chief or are available through federal, state, county, Village or town government and the National Fire Prevention Association.
The officers and members of the Fire Department, with their fire equipment of every kind, when going to or on duty at a fire, shall have the right-of-way over all other vehicles upon Village streets when giving visual and audible signal, and the operator of any other vehicle, whether motor or otherwise, upon the approach of such emergency vehicles shall immediately drive such other vehicle as far as possible to the right of the thoroughfare and shall keep such vehicle stationary until such emergency vehicles shall have passed. Except when actually responding to a fire alarm or other emergency call, or when on duty at a fire, the emergency vehicles of the Fire Department shall, however, have no special right-of-way or other privileges of any kind, but shall be subject to all traffic regulations applicable to other vehicles.
All firefighters and EMS personnel, when responding to a fire call or EMS call with a private vehicle, shall comply with all traffic regulations.
EMS and first responder services shall be provided by the Shawano Ambulance Service, Inc., and the Gresham Area Volunteer Fire Department, respectively.
The Gresham Area Volunteer Fire Department shall serve the towns of Herman and Red Springs in addition to the Village, in accordance with the agreement on file in the office of the Village Clerk.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter or any order, rule or regulation made hereunder shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-3 of this Code.