[Adopted 5-15-2023 by Ord. No. 612]
Muhlenberg Township Fire & Rescue, Inc. (herein referred
to as the "Fire Company") organized and existing in the Township of
Muhlenberg, Berks County, Pennsylvania, is hereby designated as an
officially recognized Fire Company for the Township of Muhlenberg,
Berks County, Pennsylvania (herein referred to as the "Township")
for the purpose of providing services as set forth herein when necessary
or appropriate.
All approved activities below shall include travel to the event
or traveling first to the Fire Company and then proceeding to the
event and on return, traveling to the Fire Company and/or directly
returning to the active participant's home, place of business
or other place where he or she shall have been before engaging in
the activity:
A. The Fire Company is hereby authorized to provide such services to
the Township as may be necessary for the protection of property and
persons situate therein, which include, by way of example and not
of limitation, the extinguishment and prevention of loss of life and
property from fire, automobile accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous
materials incidents, and other dangerous situations.
B. The Fire Company may also provide nonemergency and public service
functions, such as, again by way of example and not of limitation,
removing water from property after storms, and assisting in the removal,
abatement and prevention of damage or injury to persons or property,
whether through natural causes or man-made situations.
C. The Fire Company may also conduct and participate in such training
activities and drills, either within or outside of the Township, as
may be deemed necessary by the officers of the Fire Company to maintain
proficiency in providing service. The company may also respond to
calls and provide services to municipalities outside of the Township.
D. Attendance of meetings related to any function of the Fire Company,
wherever such meetings are located, including but not limited to Fire
Company meetings, municipal government meetings, and County meetings.
E. The provision of necessary operational support to the Fire Company,
which may not include responding to emergency calls. Operational support
shall include, but not be limited to, maintaining the station and
equipment, acting as trustee, organizing and participating in fundraisers
and community events, providing information technology support and
outreach services, assisting with recruitment, and other administrative
tasks.
F. In addition to participating in the activities of the Fire Company
as authorized above, the Township authorizes the first responder members
of the Fire Company to engage in the performance of any other duty
or activity authorized by any officer of the Fire Company.
In addition to actually participating in the activities of the
Fire Company as authorized above, or in going to or returning from
any activity, the members of the Fire Company recognized by the Township
are also authorized to do the following things:
A. Engage in any type of drill, training, ceremony, practice, test or
parade when duly called for or authorized by an officer or officers
of the Fire Company; and
B. Engage in lawful fundraising activities for the Fire Company, when
authorized by an officer or officers of the Fire Company and by the
Township.
The purpose of this article is to recognize the Fire Company
as an official Fire Company of the Township, and to state additional
authorized activities for firefighters. This article shall replace
and update Ord. No. 334, as enacted on March 15, 1999, by the Township.
[Adopted 3-19-2012 by Ord. No. 505 (Ch. 13 of the 1982 Code)]
The officers and members, including volunteer members, of the
Temple Fire Company and the Goodwill Fire Company of Hyde Park (herein
referred to, collectively, as the "Fire Companies"), organized and
existing in the Township and designated as officially recognized fire
companies for the Township of Muhlenberg, Berks County, Pennsylvania
(herein referred to as the "Township") for the purpose of providing
firefighting services, are generally provided with workers' compensation
insurance coverage for any injuries that may occur while providing
services for the benefit of the Township as officers and members of
the fire companies. The Township recognizes that the officers and
members engage in activities other than firefighting services incident
to their positions in the fire companies, such as removing water from
properties following storms, training activities and fund-raising
activities. It is the intent of the Township, through this article,
to clarify when workers' compensation insurance coverage applies to
such activities.