[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Blairstown 6-24-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-06.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance was adopted as Ch. 36, but was
renumbered to maintain the alphabetical organization of the Code.
The Fire Department shall be an independent, municipal volunteer
fire and rescue company known as "Blairstown Hose Company Number 1."
A.
Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall consist of a Chief and Deputy
Chief and such firefighters, engineers, lieutenants and captains as
established in the Company's bylaws (Article No. 3) as shall
be appointed as hereinafter set forth.
B.
There shall be a liaison representative from the Township Committee
who shall attend all Fire Department meetings.
Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall prepare its own bylaws.
The Company shall provide a copy of the bylaws to the Township Committee
and shall provide the Township with copies of any updates adopted.
Administrative control of Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall
reside with the Company with oversight by the Township Committee.
The Chief of the Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall provide regular
reports to the Township Committee. Blairstown Hose Company Number
1 shall provide copies of meeting minutes to the Township Committee
as requested.
Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall maintain all records,
including meeting minutes, as required by state law and regulations.
Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall produce records in response
to the Open Public Records Act[1] requests as required under the Act. The Company shall
produce records for inspection by the Township liaison upon request.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
After discipline has been implemented by Blairstown Hose Company
Number 1's Disciplinary Committee, the Township Committee shall
have the right to expel or suspend any member or officer of Blairstown
Hose Company Number 1 upon charges preferred, related to a violation
of the Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 bylaws or the Township's
personnel policies, subsequent to such discipline and a trial by the
Township Committee.
The officers of Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 shall be elected
annually by ballot at an election of Blairstown Hose Company Number
1 to be held on the first Tuesday of December in each year at the
firehouse in the Township of Blairstown at 7:30 p.m., and they shall
hold office for one year from the first day of January following their
election; provided, however, that the election of the Chief and Deputy
Chief shall be confirmed by the Township Committee before they shall
assume the duties of their office.
The duties of the Chief shall be as follows:
A.
The Chief shall preside at all meetings of the Company and maintain
order and decorum therein.
B.
According to Robert's Rules of Order, when a motion is made
with a second, the Chief shall put the question to the Company and,
in debate, shall prevent any personal reflection and confine members
to the question under discussion.
C.
The Chief shall order any special meetings required.
D.
The Chief, together with officers and trustees, shall have the power
to administer disciplinary action against a member for improper conduct.
E.
The Chief shall order a fire drill or other exercise pertaining to
fire duties at least once per month, and the members shall be notified
of such at a regular meeting.
F.
It shall be the duty of the Chief, from the time the apparatus leaves
the firehouse until it returns, when in attendance, to lead the operations
of the Company while at fires, drills or parades.
G.
The Chief shall order the time for working the apparatus and shall
fix such time as he/she deems best for the welfare of the Company.
H.
The Chief shall appoint all special and standing committees and members
as shall be deemed necessary for the proper transaction of the business
of the Company.
I.
The Chief shall appoint three persons at the annual meeting each
year, to be styled the Auditing Committee, whose duty it shall be
to examine the books and accounts of the Secretary and Treasurer and
report upon the same at the next regular meeting.
J.
The Chief shall render an annual report of the operations of the
Company at the annual meeting and furnish a copy of the report to
the Township Committee or municipal governing body.
K.
The Chief's salary shall be determined by the Township Committee,
municipal governing body or the trustees of the company.
L.
The Chief shall appoint one member to act as historian who shall
maintain an appropriate history of the Company.
M.
The Chief shall report to the Township Committee at the regular meeting
each month the condition of the Company and of the apparatus, and
of any other matters of Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 that the
Chief deems necessary.
The Township Committee reserves the right to amend this chapter
as necessary, with the input and agreement of the Company.
The services rendered by the members of Blairstown Hose Company
Number l shall be voluntary and without compensation, with the exception
of the Chief, Deputy Chief, Secretary, Treasurer and custodians. The
salaries of these individuals are as set by Township ordinance.
The Mayor and Township Committee liaisons of the Public Safety
Fire and Ambulance Committee shall, at all times in the presence of
the Chief or his/her designee, be admitted to the firehouse for the
purpose of examining the conditions of the fire apparatus and any
property of the Township.
The duties of all firefighters of Blairstown Hose Company Number
1 shall be as follows:
A.
It shall be the duty of all members of Blairstown Hose Company Number
1 to obey all commands of their officers.
B.
It shall be the duty of all members of the Company to answer all
fire alarms and the Secretary shall maintain a record of same.
C.
Sickness or death in the family of a member, personal sickness, or
absence from the Township shall be deemed sufficient excuses for neglect
of duty, and no others will be accepted, absence from the Township
to mean absence from the coverage area of Blairstown Hose Company
Number 1.
D.
No member shall appear at the meetings of the Company, or on duty,
in a state of intoxication or under the influence of drugs, or shall
be guilty of using indecent or profane language, or shall disobey
the orders of the Chief, Deputy Chief, or officer in charge of the
Company, or be guilty of unbecoming conduct or otherwise bringing
disgrace upon the Company or Township under penalty of expulsion.
E.
Any firefighter ceasing to be a member of the Company, either by
resignation or by expulsion, shall lose all title to any and all property
in any way belonging to Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 or the Township
of Blairstown.
F.
Any member leaving the Township for longer than one month shall notify
the Chief or the Secretary of same.
G.
It shall be the imperative duty of all members who may be a witness
to any improper or disorderly conduct by an officer or member, in
the firehouse or while in service, to report same at once to the Chief
or the trustees.
H.
Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 business is private. What occurs
at fires, drills and meetings is for members' knowledge only.
The Chief, Deputy Chief, or Secretary shall be the official spokespersons
for the Company.
I.
It shall be the duty of all SCBA-certified members to have an annual
physical. This physical must conform to the standards set forth by
PEOSHA.[1] If this physical is performed by the Township-approved
doctor, it can be billed to the Township. If the physical is performed
by a doctor of the member's choice, payment shall be the member's
responsibility.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 34:6A-25 et seq.
J.
Any member who is work disabled under any circumstances, even if
minor, must notify the Chief and Deputy Chief as soon as possible.
A doctor's written clearance letter is mandatory before returning
to attend fires.
There is hereby established as an auxiliary to Blairstown Hose
Company Number 1 a Junior Firefighters' Auxiliary, which shall
operate under and pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-95 and in accordance
with the following:
A.
Junior members must be in high school and be at least 14 years of
age to join and can participate until 19 years of age.
B.
Junior members must maintain at least a "C" average in their high
school coursework and produce documentation of the same at the time
they sign up. The company monitors this on a quarterly basis and documentation
must be provided each time. If parents ask to limit participation
at higher averages, their word will always be the last in these cases.
In the event a junior member has lower than a "C" average, he or she
will be placed on probation until the grade returns to a "C." Junior
members must also be approved by the school principal.
C.
Junior members under 18 years of age must always obtain full permission
from the parent or legal guardian to participate in our programs.
D.
Junior members report directly to their advisor for all assignments
and activities.
E.
Junior members will receive classroom training in core areas of interest
with classes focused on CPR, communications, general fire, rescue
and EMS education, and fire safety and prevention.
G.
Junior members should attend regular monthly meetings or events for
youth program participants. These may include basic training coursework,
a fixed activity such as one of those listed above, or other activity
with the Company.
H.
Junior members may only perform support or auxiliary work at fireground
operations, such as providing refreshments to the first responders
well outside of the hot zone or operational area, as per N.J.S.A.
40A:14-95 et seq., Junior Firefighters' Auxiliary.
I.
Junior members may not operate any Fire Department vehicle.
J.
Junior members and their parent or guardian must sign a waiver that
includes full disclosure of risks and releases the Company from liability
should someone become injured.
K.
No junior firefighter shall be required to perform duties which would
expose him/her to the same degree of hazard as a regular member of
a volunteer fire company.
L.
A junior firefighter 16 years of age or older may perform nonhazardous
support duties at a fire site, provided:
(1)
The junior firefighter has been appropriately and adequately trained
to perform the support duties;
(2)
The junior firefighter is appropriately and adequately supervised
in performing those support duties at the fire site;
(3)
The junior firefighter's parent or guardian has provided written
permission allowing the junior firefighter to perform those support
duties; and
(4)
The governing body provides insurance coverage for the junior firefighter
that is identical to that provided for the regular members of the
volunteer fire department or fire district.
M.
Activities of junior firefighters under 16 years of age shall be
limited to:
Members of Blairstown Hose Company Number 1 are expected to
adhere to and comply with the specific personnel policies adopted
by the Township Committee and set forth herein.
Any complaints of harassment, pursuant to the Township of Blairstown's
policies or Blairstown Hose Company Number 1's Standard Operating
Guidelines Section 3.8, made by any member of Blairstown Hose Company
Number 1 shall be reported to the Township Committee liaison immediately.
The Township Committee liaison shall ensure that an investigation
of the complaint is conducted in accordance with the Township's
personnel policy and state law.
