Editor's Note: The enabling Statute for ordinances relating to Fire Departments is N.J.S.A. 40A:14-7 et seq. See also Chapter 2, Section 2-10 for additional provisions. Ordinance No. O-09-28 created the Department of Public Safety and redesignated the Fire Department as the Fire Division under the Department of Public Safety.
[1972 Code § 4-1.1; Ord. No. O-04-28 § 1; Ord. No. O-05-21 § 1]
The Fire Department of the City shall be composed of a Fire
Chief; not more than one Executive Deputy Chief; not more than four
Deputy Fire Chiefs; not more than five Battalion Chiefs; not more
than one Training Officer; not more than one Fire Official; not more
than 42 Captains; not more than 140 Firefighters and a Chaplain.
[1972 Code § 4-3]
Any person employed in the Fire Department shall be a citizen
of the United States and a resident of the State of New Jersey at
the date of application and the date of appointment; shall be between
the ages of 18 and 35 years, except as provided by law in the case
of veterans; shall be of good moral character, in good health and
mentally and physically sound; shall be able to read and write the
English language and have a formal education or other education or
training showing attainment of the level represented by graduation
from high school. No person shall be employed in the Fire Department
who has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude. He/she
shall have a New Jersey motor vehicle driver's license. Such
qualifications shall be in addition to any other qualifications prescribed
by law.
[1972 Code § 4-4.1; New; Ord. No.
O-09-28 § 2]
Under the direction and supervision of the Director of Public
Safety, the Division shall:
a.
Have exclusive jurisdiction over the control, fighting and extinguishment
of any conflagration that occurs within the City limits.
b.
Provide firefighting services and facilities for the protection of
life and property within the City and in accordance with such mutual
aid agreements as may be enforced.
c.
Investigate the cause, circumstances and origin of fires and report
to the Police Department every case of suspicion of arson.
d.
Maintain and administer the Fire Prevention Bureau.
e.
Maintain Fire Department Buildings.
[1972 Code § 4-4.2; Ord. No. O-09-28 § 2]
The Fire Chief shall be the ranking and commanding officer of
the Fire Department and it shall be his duty to enforce all laws and
ordinances within the jurisdiction of the Fire Department and to enforce
the rules, regulations and orders of the Director of the Department
of Public Safety. He shall be responsible for the discipline and efficiency
of the Fire Department, the supervision of Fire Department activities
throughout the City and shall exercise such additional administrative
authority and supervision of departmental work as the Director of
the Department of Public Safety may determine from time to time.
[1972 Code § 4-4.3]
The Deputy Fire Chiefs shall perform such supervisory duties
as may be assigned to them by the Fire Chief. The Deputy Chief so
assigned shall perform all duties and exercise all authority and functions
of the Fire Chief during the absence or disability of the Fire Chief.
[1972 Code § 4-4.4; Ord. No. O-09-28 § 2]
a.
A Battalion Fire Chief shall be head of training firefighters in
the proper performance of their duties and conducting drills, exercises
and other courses as shall be necessary and desirable to maintain
a high standard of firefighting efficiency.
b.
The Fire Prevention Bureau shall be under the Direction of a Battalion
Fire Chief subject to such rules and regulations as may be made by
the Director of the Department of Public Safety, Fire Chief or Deputy
Fire Chief. He shall be directly responsible to the Fire Chief or
Deputy Fire Chief for the efficient management of the Bureau.
c.
Battalion Fire Chiefs, under the direction of the Fire Chief or Deputy
Fire Chief, will assist in the management and discipline of the Fire
Department by supervising a group of Fire Companies engaged in provided
fire protection for persons and property.
[1972 Code § 4-4.5]
The Fire Captain shall be the commander of the Fire Station
where his Company is quartered. He shall also assume direct supervision
of his Company during his duty tour. He shall enforce and insure compliance
with all orders and instruction of his superior officers. He shall
assume command at fires until relieved by a superior officer; be responsible
for the discipline and operations of all units under his command;
supervise all record and bookkeeping of the units assigned to his
command and insure the timely submission of all required reports;
apportion all work among the groups and units assigned to his command;
assure that all training schedules are complied with and assign instructors
for each session; arrange and maintain schedules for apparatus maintenance,
maintenance of quarters, fire prevention and inspection activities,
duty rosters and drills and training sessions; submit all required
requisitions for repairs, supplies, equipment and stationery; require
that the units assigned to his command are maintained at peak readiness
and efficiency, and prepare and maintain pre-fire plans for the target
hazards within the districts of his units.
[1972 Code § 4-4.6]
The Lieutenant shall be the commander of the Fire Company assigned
to his charge. He shall enforce and insure compliance with all orders
and instructions of the Captain commanding his Fire Station. He shall
assume command at fires until relieved by a superior officer; be responsible
for the discipline and operations of his Company while on duty; be
responsible for all record keeping and bookkeeping of the Company
while on duty; submit all required reports; be responsible for the
training of his Company and supervise the inspection and fire prevention
of his unit while on duty.
[1972 Code § 4-4.7]
It shall be the duty of each Firefighter during the full time
of his assignment to attend promptly to his duties at his company
headquarters or such other place to which he may be assigned. He shall
work under the supervision of his superior officers and perform his
prescribed task as part of a team during fire calls. When not engaged
at a fire, he shall perform such routine duties involved in the cleaning
and maintenance of fire equipment and apparatus and of the headquarters
building as shall be assigned to him.
[1972 Code § 4-4.8]
Every officer, holder of a position or employee in the Fire
Department may be required to perform such duties in addition to those
above prescribed as may be assigned to him by the Fire Chief or by
the Director of Fire Protection and shall be subject to the Fire Department
rules and regulations.
[New]
The fire prevention bureau shall be under the supervision of
the Fire Chief.
a.
The Code Enforcement Unit established pursuant to Chapter 19, Fire Prevention and Protection, shall be within the Fire Prevention Bureau and shall be under the supervision of the Fire Code Official.
b.
The Bureau shall conduct all other safety and fire inspections that
may be delegated to the Fire Department.
c.
The Bureau shall develop and conduct educational programs pertaining
to fire safety as may be desirable and appropriate.
d.
The Bureau shall perform such other functions and duties as may be
assigned by the Chief of the Fire Department or the Director of Fire
Protection.
[1972 Code § 4-5.1]
The following shall apply.
a.
Pay Scale. The following positions in the Fire Department are hereby
established and shall have as their annual salaries the amount specified
in the current collective negotiations agreements for each such position:
Firefighters
Fire Lieutenant
Fire Captain
Battalion Chief
b.
The positions of Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Chief in the Department
shall have as their annual salaries such amounts as may be set by
the Mayor, provided that such amounts shall be in accordance with
any applicable law governing same.
