[HISTORY: 1988 Code §§ 13-1—13-10 adopted as amended through December 31, 2013; amended 9-6-2023 by Ord. No. 38-2023. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
The Fire Department shall consist of a Fire Commissioner, one Fire Chief for each fire company, one Assistant Fire Chief for each fire company, company elected officers for each fire company, the active members of each fire company, a Board of Fire Officers, the five volunteer fire companies, namely:
A. 
Community Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Inc.;
B. 
Property Owners' League Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2, Inc.;
C. 
Pompton Falls Volunteer Fire Department No. 3, Inc.;
D. 
Preakness Volunteer Fire Company No. 4, Inc.;
E. 
Packanack Lake Fire and Emergency Squad, Inc., and such other volunteer fire companies as the Council may hereafter from time to time approve.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
A. 
The Fire Commissioner shall be elected by a majority vote of the five fire companies, with the advice and consent of the Township Council. Upon the approval of the Township Council, the Fire Commissioner shall serve a term of two years commencing at 12:00 noon on January 1. To serve as Commissioner, the person shall have served as Chief or Assistant Chief of one of the fire companies for a minimum of two years prior to their election and approval.
B. 
The Fire Commissioner may assume the role of Incident Commander as prescribed in the Wayne Township Fire Department Incident Command System. In the absence of the Fire Commissioner, the Fire Chief of the fire company first arriving at the fire or incident may take command and authority of the Fire Department functions, at their discretion, as prescribed in the incident command system.
The Board of Fire Officers shall consist of the Fire Commissioner, the Fire Chief of each company and the Mayor. The Board shall be the advisory body of the Department and shall have general supervision and control over its business and affairs. The Board shall be subject to and governed by the rules and regulations prescribed by the Township Council. The Board of Fire Officers shall meet at least two times yearly.
The Fire Chief of each company shall be elected annually in December of each year by the active members of each company. He/She shall serve for a term of one year commencing at 12:00 noon on January 1 following his election. The election of a Fire Chief shall be subject to the approval and confirmation of the Township Council. The Fire Chief of each company may succeed himself.
The routine business and affairs of the Fire Department shall be regulated and controlled by rules and regulations promulgated by the Township Council. The rules and regulations shall be observed and complied with to the same extent and with the same force and effect as if made part of this chapter.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
A. 
A pension shall be paid to the widow/widower or minor children of a volunteer firefighter who shall have died as the result of injuries sustained in the course of performance of duty as a member of the Township volunteer fire department. The definition of "on duty" shall be defined by applicable New Jersey Law.
B. 
No such pension shall exceed the sum of $12,500 annually, and such pension shall be paid to the widow/widower during his/her widowhood or to the minor child or children of such firefighter if he/she leaves no widow/widower surviving him/her, or to such minor child or children after the death of such widow/widower.
C. 
The Township Council shall make provision in each annual budget for the payment of any such pension, and the same shall be paid in the same manner as municipal employees are paid.
[Ord. No. 53-2014; amended 9-6-2023 by Ord. No. 38-2023]
Eligible firefighters are entitled to take part in the Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) in accordance with all applicable municipal and state laws, rules and regulations. (See Chapter 4, Section 4-93 for LOSAP provisions).
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
A. 
Active members of each fire company shall include persons of the age of 18 years and over.
B. 
Active junior members of each incorporated fire company shall include persons of the age 14—18 years old. All fire companies will adhere to all applicable child labor laws.
[Ord. No. 53-2014]
A. 
Each applicant for the position of volunteer fire fighter shall first register with the Chief of Police or his/her duly authorized representative, who shall fingerprint the applicant and institute a background check.
B. 
Classifications of background checks for class of membership into the Wayne Fire Department are:
(1) 
Member (Firefighter):
(a) 
Fingerprint Check;
(b) 
Background Check;
(c) 
Physical Examination.
(2) 
Junior Member (Junior Firefighter):
(a) 
Background Check (In-House only).
(3) 
Auxiliary Member:
(a) 
Fingerprint Check;
(b) 
Background Check.
C. 
Applicant applying to the Wayne Fire Department shall meet the following requirements:
(1) 
Must be a U.S. Citizen or Resident Alien.
(2) 
Must be at least eighteen years of age.
(3) 
Can never have been convicted of a crime of the first, second, third, or fourth degree in this state, or the equivalent in another state or jurisdiction.
(4) 
Must not be a drug dependent person as defined in Section 2 of P.L. 1970, c.226 (C.24:21-2).
(5) 
Must not be currently confined for a mental disorder to a hospital, mental institution or sanitarium.
(6) 
Cannot suffer from a physical defect of disease that would make it unsafe for him or her to function as a firefighter.
(7) 
Cannot be an alcoholic.
(8) 
Must not knowingly falsify any information on the application form or any other required document.
(9) 
A person who is convicted of a violation of subsections a, b, c or d of N.J.S. 2C:17-1, concerning arson and arson related offenses, is ineligible for membership in a volunteer fire company.
(10) 
A person who is convicted of a violation of N.J.S. 2C:33-3, concerning false public alarms, is ineligible for membership in a volunteer fire company for a period of 10 years from the date of the conviction.
(11) 
Membership in a volunteer fire company means membership in a volunteer fire company organized pursuant to Title 15 of the Revised Statutes or Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes, membership in a volunteer fire company or similar organization constituted in a fire district pursuant to N.J.S. 40A:14-70.1, membership in a junior firemen's auxiliary established pursuant to N.J.S. 40A:14-95, or nonpaid membership in a part-paid fire department or force established pursuant to Chapter 14 of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.
D. 
Upon completion of the background check, which in no case shall take more than 30 days, the Chief of Police or his duly authorized representative shall forward to the Fire Commissioner the results of said investigation.
E. 
Applicants applying to the Wayne Fire Department must do so in the following order:
(1) 
Complete a Fire Department Background Application, provided by Fire Company.
(2) 
Applicant gets fingerprinted at the Wayne Police Records Bureau, for background check.
(3) 
Once the Background checks have cleared the applicant will be approved at the regular Fire Company Meeting.
(4) 
Applicant will complete the N.J. State Fireman's Association Membership Application will be completed and a physical examination under the guidelines of the Wayne Township Human Resource Department.
(5) 
When the applicant physical examination results have cleared, the Fire Commissioner will bring the application to the Township Council for approval.
(6) 
No Firefighter Applicant will be able to carry out duties as a Wayne Firefighter or ride fire apparatus until this entire process has been completed and he/she has their approval.