[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Park Falls as Secs. 5-2-1 and 5-2-3 of the 1997 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Fire Department established. The Park Falls Fire Department shall be responsible for the program of fire defense for the citizens and property within the City of Park Falls. The duty of said Department shall be that of firefighting and the prevention of fires in the City of Park Falls and townships in Price County contracting for the service of the department.
B. 
Goals of the fire defense program.
(1) 
The primary objective of the fire defense program is to serve all citizens, without prejudice or favoritism, by safeguarding, collectively and individually, their lives against the effects of fires and explosions.
(2) 
The second objective of the fire defense program is to safeguard the general economy and welfare of the community by preventing major conflagrations and the destruction by fire of industries and businesses.
(3) 
The third objective of the fire defense program is to protect the property of all citizens against the effects of fire and explosions. All property deserves equal protection, regardless of location or monetary value.
C. 
Department to adopt bylaws. The Park Falls Fire Department shall adopt bylaws for the control, management and government and for the regulation of business and proceedings of the Department, which bylaws shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the Department members and approved by the Common Council. Amendments shall be adopted in the same manner.
D. 
Funds appropriated. The Common Council shall appropriate funds to provide for operation and for such apparatus and equipment for the use of the Fire Department as it may deem expedient and necessary to maintain efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire.
E. 
Membership.
(1) 
The Fire Department shall consist of the following officers: one chief, an assistant chief, a captain and lieutenant for each company, and a treasurer, training/safety officer and secretary, together with one mechanic, and as many drivers and firemen, who are residents of the City of Park Falls, as may be appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the Council, provided that at no time shall the Department consist of fewer than 28 active members, including officers.
(2) 
Any person desiring to be a member of the Fire Department may file an application with the Secretary in such form as the Common Council may require. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The name of any applicant approved by the Fire Department shall be presented to the Common Council for confirmation.
(3) 
All resignations from the Fire Department shall be submitted to the Fire Chief.
(4) 
Active membership in the Fire Department shall cease when physically unable to perform the duties of the position, after which such members shall become honorary members.
(5) 
All members, officers, and employees of the Fire Department shall be subject to the same expectations, standards, and conditions set forth in the employee handbook for the City, including but not limited to the provisions pertaining to discipline and the grievance procedure, as may be amended from time to time.
[Amended 12-14-2020 by Ord. No. 20-005]
(6) 
All members of the Fire Department must reside within a 2.5 mile radius of the municipal building/fire hall within six months of appointment.
F. 
General rules governing officers. The election of officers shall be held at the annual meeting of the Fire Department in such manner as is provided in the bylaws. In case of any vacancy, the Fire Chief will appoint a member in good standing to fill the office until the next annual election.
[Amended 6-12-2023 by Ord. No. 23-004]
A. 
Police authority at fires.
(1) 
The Fire Chief and assistants or officers in command at any fire and hereby vested with full and complete police authority at fires. Any officer of the Department may cause the arrest of any person failing to give the right-of-way to the Fire Department in responding to a fire.
(2) 
The Fire Chief may prescribe certain limits in the vicinity of any fire within which no persons, excepting firemen and policemen and those admitted by order of any officer of the Department, shall be permitted to come.
(3) 
The Chief shall have the power to 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 he shall have the power to 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 during the progress of a fire.
B. 
Fire inspection duties.
(1) 
The Fire Chief of Park Falls Fire and Rescue shall have the power to appoint one or more deputy fire inspectors and shall perform all duties required of the fire inspector by the laws of the state and the rules of the Department of Safety and Professional services, particularly § 101.14, Wisconsin State Statues.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(2) 
While acting as Fire Inspector, pursuant to § 101.14 Wis. Stats., 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 Park Falls at all reasonable hours for the purpose making inspections or investigations which, under 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 is 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 and if such directions be not compiled with, to report such noncompliance to the City Council for further action.
(3) 
The Chief of the Fire Department is required, by himself/herself or by officers or members of the Fire Department designated by him/her as fire inspectors, to inspect all buildings, premises, and public thoroughfares, except the interiors of private dwellings, for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire, or any violations of any law or ordinance relating to the prevention or fires. Pursuant to the Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter SPS 314.01(13)(b)7, the Chief of the Fire Department is authorized to reduce the frequency of fire inspections required under Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter SPS 314.01(13)(b)3 to at least once per calendar year, provided the interval between those inspections does not exceed 15 months. The Chief of the Fire Department may require or conduct more frequent inspection than required under this subsection.
(4) 
Written reports of inspections shall be made and kept on file in the office of the Chief of Park Falls Fire and Rescue in the manner or form required by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. A copy of such reports shall be filed with the Fire Chief.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]