There shall be a Fire Department, the head of which is the Chief
of the Fire Department, or Fire Chief, appointed for an indefinite
term. The Chief of the Fire Department is an officer of the city,
and has supervision and control of the Fire Department.
The Fire Chief shall safeguard and securely keep all fire apparatus
hose, and other appliances used by the Fire Department in extinguishing
fires in the city, and he shall account for all such property as may
come into his hands during his term of office. He shall have full
authority over the Fire Department whenever they are in active service,
and the duties devolving upon the Chief of the department shall be
performed by the Assistant Chief on duty.
1.
The Chief shall be at the head of the department, subject to the
laws of the State of Oklahoma, ordinances of the city, and the rules
and regulations herein adopted.
2.
The Chief shall be held responsible for the general condition and
efficient operation of the department, the training of members, and
the performance of all other duties imposed upon him.
3.
The Chief may inspect or cause to be inspected by members of the
department, the fire hydrants, cisterns, and other sources of water
supply at least twice each year. The Water Department will assist
in flushing operations.
4.
The Chief shall maintain a library or file of publications on fire
prevention and fire protection, and shall make use of it to the best
advantage of all members.
5.
The Chief shall make every effort to attend all fires and direct
the officers and members in the performance of their duties.
6.
The Chief shall see that the citizens are kept informed on fire hazards
in the community and in the activities of the department.
7.
The Chief shall see that each fire is carefully investigated to determine
its cause, and in the case of suspicion of incendiarism shall notify
proper authorities and secure and preserve all possible evidence for
future use in the case.
In the absence of the Chief, the Assistant Chief on duty shall
command the department and be held responsible therefor in all respects
with the full powers and responsibilities of the Chief.
The Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chiefs, and Fire Inspector are
hereby given all the authority of policemen of the city so far as
necessary in the exercise of their duty, and are hereby authorized
to make arrest for interference in the discharge of the duties of
their office, or for any interference with the operation of the Fire
Department. They are hereby authorized to give notice to persons violating
provisions of the code which they are authorized to enforce by delivering
citation tags to violators. Such citation tags, among other things,
shall direct the violator to present the tag at the City of Weatherford
Municipal Court within five days or such other time as may be specified
thereon. Failure to comply with a citation tag given to such person
will authorize the officer to have a complaint entered against such
person before the Municipal Judge, and the Municipal Judge shall issue
a warrant for the arrest of such person.
The Fire Chief or Assistant Fire Chiefs on duty shall have full
power, control, and command over all persons and property at fires,
shall station the fire apparatus, and see that all members of the
Fire Department perform the duties prescribed by ordinance and the
rules of the department. He shall direct such measures as he shall
deem most advisable for the extinguishment of fires and establish
lines or zones as are needed; and every person who shall obstruct,
hinder, or resist him or any member of the department in the performance
of their duties shall be guilty of an offense.
1.
It is the duty of the Fire Chief to enforce such discipline in the
Fire Department as prescribed by ordinance or as may be contained
in rules of conduct formulated by the Fire Chief with the approval
of the Board of Commissioners.
2.
The measuring out of penalties for breach of duty, unauthorized absence,
conduct reflecting in another employee of the department or on the
city, or for violation of other rules as established in paragraph
1 above, shall be by such standards as to protect the interests of
the Fire Department, to promote good discipline so that the moral
and effectiveness of the department, in whole or in part, will be
best served and that the principle of fairness to the employee involved
in the violation will be preserved.
3.
The Fire Chief shall have the right, and the obligation, to suspend
instanter with discharge or release from employment intended any fire
fighter, regular or volunteer, who is insubordinate by reason of persistent
or determined refusal to do as instructed or requested, subject to
the rights of review, if any provided by this Code. This right and
duty of immediate suspension of an employee by the Fire Chief also
shall apply in like degree to any fire fighter who is charged by the
Fire Chief with theft, immoral conduct, general unsatisfactory conduct,
willfully destroying property of the city or of another employee,
fighting on city property or while in the performance of duty as a
fire fighter, or any conduct detrimental to the moral, discipline
or welfare of the Fire Department.
The Fire Chief, upon an alarm of fire, shall immediately go
to the place of such fire; and all officers and members of the department
shall report to him, or to the persons having command in his absence,
and at once obey his orders.
At all fires within the city, the city policemen shall act as
fire guard, under the direction and control of the Fire Chief. It
shall be the duty of fire guard to take charge and possession of all
property removed from building and fires, and under direction of the
Fire Chief restore to the owners thereof. It shall be the further
duty of the fire guard to prevent the hose from being trodden upon
or injured at fires, and to so control the crowd that the firemen
shall not be hindered in their work. Any person failing to comply
with the directions or orders of the fire guard or who trod upon,
drive over or otherwise injure fire hose shall be guilty of an offense.
Fire fighter, regular or volunteer, shall be selected upon their
ability to meet the following requirements:
All new members of the Fire Department, regular or volunteer,
shall be on probation for one year after their appointment.
The Chief of the Fire Department and all members of the Fire
Department shall receive such compensation as may be provided by the
Board of Commissioners.
1.
It is the duty of the Chief of the Fire Department to register and
maintain on a current basis a report to the City Clerk containing
the names of each and every member of the Fire Department, his job
title and service date of employment or reemployment.
2.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall make an annual report, or
periodic report if so requested, to the Commission, of all fires occurring
in the city and the cause thereof. This report also shall contain
a similar documentation of fires outside the city that were attended
by the Fire Department.
1.
All volunteer fire fighter are required, when notified, to respond
to alarms of fire and other emergencies.
2.
They are required to be present at all regular meetings, called meetings,
and training sessions and schools presented for the benefit of the
fire fighter.
3.
They shall perform such duties as may be directed by the Fire Chief.
4.
They shall be subjected to the same rules of conduct as outlined
above.
5.
Any volunteer having two unexcused absences in succession or three
unexcused absences in a one-year period will be dismissed.
To perfect the members of the Fire Department, regular and volunteer,
in their duties, preserve the organization thereof, and keep the fire
apparatus and department premises in good order, the department shall
hold regular meetings as the Chief shall direct and at least one such
per month, and such other drills as the Fire Chief shall prescribe.
All members of the Fire Department shall attend the meetings unless
excused by the Fire Chief.
One member of the Fire Department shall be elected by the Fire
Department personnel unless otherwise appointed by the Fire Chief
who shall have the duties: Call the roll; make notes of the business
transacted or action taken.
Upon the sounding of a fire alarm, it shall be the duty and
obligation of all drivers of vehicles of any and all kinds to drive
at once to the right side of the street and stop and remain there
until the fire alarm ceases. All pedestrians shall clear the streets
in such cases. Any violation of this section shall be an offense and
punished as provided by this article.
1.
Any person who shall turn in any false fire alarm to the Fire Department
or any officer thereof, or to any other department of the city, or
cause such false alarm to be so reported shall be guilty of an offense
and punished as provided by this article.
2.
Any person who shall neglect or refuse to comply with any of the
directions of the Fire Chief, an assistant chief, or fire guard as
specified in this Code or ordinance, shall be guilty of an offense
and punished as provided by this article.
