There is hereby created and established a fire department in
and for the city for the purpose of preservation of life and property
from the ravages of fire, injury and sudden illness. The fire department
is and shall be a full, bona fide department of the city. The department
head, entitled as fire chief, shall be immediately subordinate and
accountable to the city manager.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-21)
The fire department of the city shall be composed of both volunteer
members and paid employees, whether full-time or part-time. All members,
whether volunteer or paid, shall obey all superior officers whether
they are volunteer or paid and shall comply with all rules and regulations
of the department. All officers shall ensure fair and impartial direction,
leadership and discipline is administered to paid employees/volunteer
members alike according to the department's rules and procedures.
All officers shall be selected for promotion in a manner consistent
with the city charter.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-22)
The fire chief shall be the chief executive officer of the fire
department, and shall fulfill all responsibilities pertaining to his
department, including, but not limited to, personnel management, planning
and organization, budget preparation and control, establishing policies
and procedures, training of personnel, vehicle and facility maintenance,
fire service communications, inventory control, emergency scene management/coordination,
fire prevention and education activities, and submitting necessary
records and reports pertaining to the fire department. The fire chief
shall be appointed by the city manager. The fire chief shall have
full authority to reprimand, suspend or discharge any member, whether
paid or volunteer, who fails to comply with the department rules,
regulations, or procedures. All disciplinary measures must be in compliance
with the requirements of the city charter.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-23)
(a)
The
fire chief shall organize the fire department in a logical manner
to facilitate the accomplishment of the department's goals and objectives
in a safe, orderly and efficient manner. The fire chief may establish
bureaus, divisions, sections, etc., as he deems appropriate, and shall
designate officers to head each of those subunits and specify the
chain of command of those officers as well as the duties of each.
The fire chief shall designate the order of succession of the assistant
fire chiefs.
(b)
The
fire chief shall establish, publish and maintain written procedures,
rules and regulations to ensure safe and efficient operations of the
department. He shall routinely ensure that all members and employees
of the department are trained on such procedures, and that all officers
actively encourage compliance with and enforce these procedures, rules
and regulations.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-24)
The city council shall provide each member of the fire department
a badge descriptive of the office in which such firefighter is serving.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-25)
The city council may, at its discretion, provide for the relief
of members of the fire department temporarily or permanently disabled
in the discharge of their duties, and shall have the right to provide
for the organization and administration of a pension fund to provide
for old, disabled and infirm members of the department under such
system, rules and regulations as may be deemed advisable whenever
the finances of the city will justify the undertaking of this service
and subject to the laws of the state.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-26)
The fire apparatus belonging to the city shall be kept in such
places as the city council shall from time to time provide, and the
company to which such apparatus may be assigned shall keep the equipment
in constant readiness for use.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-30)
It shall be the duty of the fire chief and his assistants, whenever
an emergency shall occur in the city, to immediately report to the
place of such fire and take proper measures for placing apparatus
in the most advantageous position. The assistant fire chiefs, captains
and lieutenants of the respective companies, on arrival at an emergency,
shall immediately report to the fire chief; provided that, in the
absence of the fire chief or assistant fire chief, the first captain
to arrive at the fire shall be the person in command. When the fire
chief shall arrive at a fire, he shall have sole command over all
other officers, all members of the department and all other persons
who may be present at the fire. The fire chief shall take all proper
measures for extinguishing the fires and protection of property and
for preservation of the laws of the state and ordinances of the city
and regulations respecting fires.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-27)
Whenever any building in the city is on fire, it shall be lawful
for the fire chief, or his assistant or acting chief, with the concurrence
of the mayor, to direct such building, or other building, or building
erection, fence or fences which they may deem hazardous or likely
to catch fire and communicate to other buildings to be torn down or
blown up, or otherwise destroyed, for the purpose of checking or otherwise
extinguishing such fire, and neither the city council nor any individual
member thereof, nor the fire chief, assistant fire chief, or any member
of the department, shall in any way be held responsible for the damaging
of property or its destruction that may occur by reason of the attempt
of the department to extinguish any fire.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-28)
The fire department shall have the right, in time of emergency,
to place ropes or guards across all streets, thoroughfares, lanes
or alleys on which shall be situated any emergency and at such other
points as it may deem expedient and necessary. The members of such
department who have been assigned by the fire chief for policing purposes
shall prevent any and all persons, except officers and members of
the fire department and owners and occupants of such buildings, endangered
by the existing emergency, from entering the lines designated by ropes
or guards.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-29)
(a)
Authority to detain suspicious or disorderly persons.
During the progress of a fire within the city limits and for 24 hours
after its extinguishment, it shall be lawful for the chief of police
or any police officer of the city, or captain or other officer in
command of any fire company, to arrest and keep in custody all suspected
persons and persons who conduct themselves in a noisy or disorderly
manner, or hinder, resist or refuse to obey any such officers while
acting in the discharge of their duties.
(b)
Authority to command assistance.
The officers shall
be vested with full power and authority to command all persons present
at any fire in the city to assist in the discharge of any duty under
the supervision of the fire department in the extinguishment of the
same, or the removal and preservation of property, provided that the
persons shall not be bound to obey such officers unless the officers
shall wear their badge of office, or unless their official title be
known or be made known to such persons.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-31)
(a)
It
shall be unlawful for any person not a member of the fire department
to interfere with or in any manner hinder any member or employee of
the fire department in the discharge of his duties as such.
(b)
It
shall be unlawful for any person not a member of the fire department
to handle or in any way interfere with any of the apparatus belonging
to or used by such fire department, either at a fire or while traveling
to or returning from a fire, or while standing in the fire department
quarters, or at any time, unless such person is requested to do so
by an officer of the department.
(1999 Code, sec. 42-32)
