[R.O. 2011 § 205.010; R.O. 2010 § 205.010;
CC 1970 C15 § 1; CC 1975 § 2101.03; 2nd Ser. Ord. No. 64 § 1, 4-4-1977]
There is hereby established within and for the City of Owensville
a Fire Department, which shall consist of all such able-bodied persons
of said City and the area served by the City Fire Department as may
be accepted by said Department into membership by a majority vote.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.020; R.O. 2010 § 205.020;
CC 1970 C15 § 2; CC 1975 § 2101.05; Ord. No. 1046 § 1, 1-4-2010]
B.
Terms And Duties.
1.
The Chief, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Secretary and Treasurer
shall be elected annually at the first meeting of said Fire Department
in April of each year and hold respective offices for a term of one
(1) year and until their successors are elected and qualified.
2.
There shall also be three (3) Trustees, one (1) elected annually
for a term of three (3) years.
3.
The Chief shall have, on all occasions, the supreme command
of the Department.
4.
The Chief shall preside at all meetings of the Department. In
the absence of the Chief, the Assistant Chief then shall perform the
duties of the Chief. If both the Chief and Assistant Chief are absent,
the Deputy Chief shall perform the duties of the Chief.
5.
It shall be the duty of the Chief of the Fire Department to
appoint or remove such officers, i.e., Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief,
Captain, Lieutenant, Training Officer, etc., on an as needed basis.
C.
The Secretary of the Department shall keep the books and records
of the Department and shall also keep a list of the members of the
Department.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.030; R.O. 2010 § 205.030;
CC 1970 C15 § 3; CC 1975 § 2101.07]
It shall be the duty of the Chief and his/her Assistants to
see that all the property belonging to the Fire Department be kept
and returned to and be, except when in actual use by the Department,
always in its proper place, and that it is always ready for use, and
in good repair, and if repairs are necessary, to immediately have
them made and report the bills to the Board of Aldermen for their
approval.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.040; R.O. 2010 § 205.040;
CC 1970 C15 § 4; CC 1975 § 2101.09]
It shall be the duty of each member of the Department upon an
alarm of fire being given to report immediately to the place where
such fire extinguishing apparatus is kept and thence to the place
where such fire is located; to use their best endeavors to save life
and property, to obey all orders and commands of the Chief or other
officer in charge, so long as such orders do not violate existing
laws or ordinances. The first officer arriving at the place of assembly
shall have command until a senior officer shall arrive, and if no
officer arrives, the first member who arrives shall have command until
some officer shall arrive.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.045; R.O. 2010 § 205.060;
CC 1970 C15 § 6; CC 1975 § 2101.13]
The Chief Officers of the Fire Department may, at a fire, call
upon any bystanders not members of the Department to assist the Department
in extinguishing the fire, saving property or preventing the spread
of fire.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.050; R.O. 2010 § 205.070;
CC 1970 C15 § 7; CC 1975 § 2101.15]
The members of said Department are authorized, in case of fire,
when necessary, to enter any premises, to prevent the spreading of
fire, to procure water and may tear down fences, sheds, stables or
other structures when necessary to prevent the spread of such fire,
and they shall not be liable for trespassing for so doing.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.060; R.O. 2010 § 205.080;
CC 1970 C15 § 8; CC 1975 § 2101.17]
Any member may be expelled for misconduct or disobedience by
the Chief Officers, Chief, Assistant Chief and Deputy Chief after
having been notified of such charge.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.070; R.O. 2010 § 205.090;
CC 1970 C15 § 9; CC 1975 § 2101.19]
It may be the duty of the Fire Department to pass such bylaws
as will ensure good discipline and efficiency in handling emergencies
in their area of coverage. But said Department shall always be under
the control of the Board of Aldermen and subject to such ordinances
as the Board may, at any time, pass and whenever required by the Mayor,
the Chief of such Fire Department shall make report of their acts
and proceedings to the Board of Aldermen.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.080; R.O. 2010 § 205.100;
2nd Ser. Ord. No. 356 § 2(11 —
12), 5-6-1991]
A.
Use Of Equipment. Permission is hereby granted to the members of
the Volunteer Fire Department to use their equipment, if and when
the officers and members of said Fire Department so desire, to assist
any member of the Rural Fire Protection Association or other fire
protection organization in case of fire, subject to the terms and
conditions as hereinafter set forth.
B.
Contractual Agreements. The City of Owensville, on behalf of the
City Volunteer Fire Department, shall enter into such cooperative
agreements as may from time to time be recommended by the Fire Department
so long as any such agreement is entered into in accordance with Missouri
State law and only after the Board of Aldermen has approved such agreement
by ordinance.
C.
Compensation. Compensation required to be paid by any firefighting organization to the City of Owensville, Missouri, shall be approved by the Board of Aldermen and shall be set forth in any cooperative agreement entered into as set forth in Subsection (B) hereof.
D.
Hold Harmless. No agreement as contemplated in Subsection (C) hereof, entered into by the City of Owensville on behalf of the City Fire Department shall be valid unless any such agreement contains a provision whereby the contracting party agrees to hold the City of Owensville harmless for any damages or loss to any person or property occasioned by the use of said firefighting equipment hereinabove described for any act of any volunteer firefighter or another person engaged in answering any call made upon the said Owensville Volunteer Fire Department members for fire protection services.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.090; R.O. 2010 § 205.110;
CC 1975 § 2701.11; 1st Ser. Ord. No. 7 § 49, 10-10-1933]
It may be the duty of the Chief of the Fire Department to inspect
or to cause to be inspected by Fire Department officers or members,
as often as may be necessary, all buildings, premises and public thoroughfares,
except private dwellings, for the purpose of ascertaining and causing
to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire. A written report
of every such inspection shall be filed with the Fire Department.
[R.O. 2011 § 205.100; R.O. 2010 § 205.120;
CC 1975 § 2701.13; 1st Ser. Ord. No. 7 § 49, 10-10-1933]
Whenever any officer shall find in any building, or upon any
premises or other place, combustible, or explosive matter or dangerous
accumulation of rubbish or unnecessary accumulation of wastepaper,
boxes, shavings, or any other highly inflammable materials especially
liable to cause fire, and which is so situated as to endanger property,
or shall find obstructions to or on fire escapes, stairs, passageways,
doors or windows, liable to interfere with the operations of the Fire
Department, or egress of occupants, in case of fire, he/she shall
order the same to be removed or remedied, and the inspector's
recommendations shall be complied with by the owner or occupant of
such premises or buildings.
