Whenever any building in the city is on fire, it shall be lawful for the fire chief, or his assistant or acting chief, 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 that neither the city council nor any individual member thereof, nor the fire chief of the department, assistant chief, or any member of the department, shall in any way be held responsible for the damaging of property or the destruction thereof that may occur by reason of the attempt of the fire department to extinguish any fire.
(Ordinance 342, sec. II, adopted 4/13/01)
All moving apparatus under the fire department shall have the paramount right-of-way through all streets, thoroughfares, lanes, alleys, places and courts of the city when en route to a fire, and such apparatus, together with all other vehicles contiguous thereto, shall take and keep to the right-hand side of the street unless the same be obstructed, in order to give the apparatus of the fire department the unobstructed use of the streets for the time being.
(Ordinance 342, sec. III, adopted 4/13/01)
The fire department shall have the right, in time of fire, to place ropes or guards across all streets, thoroughfares, lanes or alleys on which shall be situated any building on fire and at such other points as it may deem expedient and necessary and the members of said department who have been assigned by the chief for policing purposes shall prevent any and all persons, except officers and member of the fire department and owners and occupants of such building, endangered by the existing fires, from entering the lines designated by ropes or guards.
(Ordinance 342, sec. IV, adopted 4/13/01)
The fire apparatus belonging to the fire department shall be kept in such place or places as the city council shall provide.
(Ordinance 342, sec. V, adopted 4/13/01)
During the progress of a fire within the limits of the city, and for 24 hours after its extinguishment, the fire marshal, or any deputy marshal of the city, or captain or other officer in command of any fire company, shall have the authority 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 duty.
(Ordinance 342, sec. VI, adopted 4/13/01)
The officers mentioned in section 18-27 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 such fire in the extinguishment of 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 his official title is known, or is made known to such persons.
(Ordinance 342, sec. VII, adopted 4/13/01)
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons not a member of said fire department to handle, or in any way interfere, with any of the apparatus belonging to or used by said 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 or persons is requested to do so by an officer of said department. Any person or persons violating any provision of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction of same shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $1,000.00.
(Ordinance 342, sec. IX, adopted 4/13/01)