[New; Ord. 79-622 § 1; Ord. 77-1014 § 1; prior code § 13-1]
The fire department of the City shall consist of one chief of the department, one deputy chief and such other officers and firefighters as the City Council shall authorize.
[Ord. 97-64 § 1; prior code § 13-13 (part)]
A. 
The chief of the fire department shall be appointed and removed in the same manner as other department directors as set forth in the City code section 2.30.080.
[New; Ord. 79-1158 § 6; prior code § 13-13(a), (b)]
A. 
The chief of the fire department shall make all appointments to the fire department, and shall make all promotions in the fire department.
B. 
The chief of the fire department shall appoint the fire force for the City from the properly certified list of qualified applicants certified as provided by the laws of the state.
C. 
No person, however, shall be appointed or employed on the fire force of the City who is not able to read and write the English language or who is addicted to the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 2022-125 deleted Section 2.36.040, Residence requirements. Prior history includes Prior code § 13-13(c).
[New; prior code § 13-9]
A. 
The chief of the fire department and public safety committee of the City Council shall have exclusive supervisions and control of all buildings; engines, machinery, or apparatus used by the fire department; and it shall be the duty of the chief of the fire department at least once each quarter, or more often, if required by said committee or the Mayor or Council, to carefully examine into the condition of all such property, and see that the same is at all times in good repair and condition, and report to said committee any defect or damage in same or any repairs, attention, alteration or addition required, and shall, with the consent of said committee, cause all necessary repairs to be made without delay.
B. 
(Reserved)
C. 
He shall certify all payrolls and all bills against the City incurred for the fire department and annually, in July, report the number of men employed and fire alarms given, the number and kind of all other property of every kind and description connected with or for use in the fire department, and any other facts and circumstances showing the workings of the same, with suggestions or recommendations as to the improvement of same.
[Ord. 84-612 § 1; Ord. 77-104 § 2; prior code § 13-20]
A. 
The chief of the fire department shall appoint persons who are certified by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy to be fire/arson investigators. The investigators shall have full powers of arrest to effectuate their primary duty of enforcing City ordinances and state statutes related to fire prevention and arson.
B. 
Notwithstanding their status as law enforcement officials, the fire inspectors shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the fire department for all purposes, including compensation and collective bargaining purposes, and shall perform such functions as the fire chief or fire marshal shall assign.
[New; prior code § 13-15]
A. 
Firefighters of the fire department shall consist of firefighters of the first grade, firefighters of the second grade, firefighters of the third grade, and probationary firefighters. Before any person shall be eligible to appointment as a firefighter of the third grade, he shall serve as a probationary firefighter for at least one year.
B. 
Upon completion of at least one year's service as a probationary firefighter, such person shall become eligible to promotion as a firefighter of the third grade, provided he has demonstrated to the chief of the fire department and the civil service commission that he merits such promotion.
C. 
Upon the completion of at least six months' service as a firefighter of the third grade, such person shall become eligible to promotion as a firefighter of the second grade, provided he has demonstrated to the chief of the fire department and the civil service commission that he merits such promotion.
D. 
Upon completion of at least one year's service as a firefighter of the second grade, such person shall become eligible to promotion as a firefighter of the first grade, provided that he has demonstrated to the chief of the fire department and the civil service commission that he merits such promotion, is efficient and zealous in his duties, and has demonstrated his ability to serve as such.
[New; prior code § 13-16]
A. 
Salaries of the chief of the fire department, and members thereof, shall be established annually by City Council resolution.
B. 
All salaries shall be paid in biweekly installments after the regular meetings of the City Council.
C. 
In addition to the salaries prescribed, the chief and members of the City fire department shall receive longevity payments as provided by City policy and labor contracts.
D. 
In addition to the salaries and longevity payments prescribed, each member of the fire department shall receive a uniform allowance as negotiated by labor contracts.
[Prior code § 13-8]
The chief of the fire department shall have command and entire control and direction of all members of the fire department, and all other persons who may be present at fires, and shall devote his entire time and attention to the duties of his office and the making of the fire department efficient. At fires, he shall have full powers of a policeman and, in the absence of the chief of police, shall have authority to control and direct the other officers of the police force present.
[Prior code § 13-11]
The chief of the fire department may prescribe limits in the vicinity of a fire within which no person except those residing therein, members of the fire department, police department, and those admitted by the chief or his subordinates, shall be permitted to come.
[Ord. No. 2015-117 § 3; New; prior code § 13-12]
The chief, during the progress of any fire, whenever in his judgment it becomes necessary to check or control the same shall have power to order any fence, building or erection of any kind to be cut down and removed; he shall, with the consent of the Mayor or two members of the Council, have power to cause any building or erection to be blown up with powder or other explosives, for the purpose of checking or extinguishing a fire. He shall also have power, with the concurrence of the fire marshal and chief building official, to tear down any portion of any building that may be standing after a fire, or has become decayed or dilapidated, and in their judgment may be dangerous to persons or property.
[Prior code § 13-18]
The chief of the fire department shall make prompt examination into the cause of any fire occurring within the City limits, and make such report to the Council as it shall require.
[New; prior code § 13-17]
Any person who willfully hinders or interferes with any City officer or firefighter in the performance of duty at, going to, or returning from any fire, or while attending to duty or willfully or negligently drives any wagon, motor bus, locomotive, train of cars, or other vehicle across, along or upon any hose, or willfully cuts, defaces or destroys or injures any fire alarm system wire or pole, or signal boxes or any of the property or fixtures belonging to or connected with the fire department or the fire alarm system, upon conviction shall be subject to applicable penalties.
[1]
Editor's Note: Sections 2.36.140 and 2.36.160 through 2.36.200, previously contained herein, have been deleted in their entirety by the recodification of the 1990 Code.
[New; prior code § 13-3]
Members of the off-shifts (off-duty) shall be required to report for duty in any emergency upon request by the chief or officer in charge of the fire department.
[1]
Editor's Note: Sections 2.36.140 and 2.36.160 through 2.36.200, previously contained herein, have been deleted in their entirety by the recodification of the 1990 Code.
[Prior code § 13-19]
On petition of a person, corporation, organization, institution, or other municipality situated outside the corporate limits of the City, to the City Council and upon the acceptance of the petition of the Council, a written agreement shall be entered into by the petitioner and the City upon terms and conditions prescribed by it; the City Council may then direct the fire department to respond to calls from said petitioner for firefighting or other emergencies outside of its corporate limits and, when so engaged, such equipment and men shall be considered within their jurisdiction and the City shall have the same governmental immunity as when operating within its corporate limits.
[New]
No member of the force shall, while performing official duties or while using City equipment at the person's disposal by reason of the position, solicit in any manner contribution for any political party or candidate or engage in any political activity during working hours that impairs the efficiency of the position or presence during the working hours. A person shall not seek or attempt to use any political endorsement in connection with any appointment to a civil service position.
[Ord. 2017-237]
A. 
The following permit fees conducted by the Fire Department shall be assessed and routinely set and approved by City Council resolution.
1. 
Display Firework Permit Fee.
2. 
Editor's Note: The Hazmat Permit Fee Schedule is included as an attachment to this Title.
[Amended 2-23-2022]
3. 
Hazmat Recovery Fee.
4. 
Above-ground Storage Tank Permit Fee.
5. 
Under-ground Storage Tank Permit Fee.
6. 
Commercial Re-Inspection Fee.
7. 
Fireworks Sales Inspection Fee.