A fire department to be known as the City of Runaway Bay Volunteer Fire Department (“department”) is hereby established.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.01; Ordinance adopting Code)
The duties of the department shall include, but not be limited to, the fighting of fires, providing emergency rescue services, and providing fire prevention services and enforcement. The department shall perform any other duties as may be prescribed by the city council.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.02)
The director of public safety shall promulgate rules, regulations and operating procedures under which the department shall operate. The rules, regulations and operating procedures shall be passed by the city council and may be amended by the city council as it is deemed necessary. The rules, regulations and operating manual shall be designated “Operation Manual of the City of Runaway Bay Fire Department” (“manual”).
(1997 Code, sec. 92.03; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
The department shall consist of the director of public safety and such other personnel as may be necessary to perform its duties. The chief shall report to the director of public safety.
(b) 
Persons desiring to serve as a member of the department must make written application for membership with the city volunteer fire department. Each applicant must comply with all state and local rules regarding certification, meet all standards set forth in the manual and this article and comply with the membership requirements of the volunteer fire department prior to consideration for membership. Each applicant must be accepted by the chief and approved by the director of public safety and the city council prior to being commissioned as a member of the department.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.04)
If the director of public safety of the department is appointed prior to the promulgation of the manual, then the director of public safety shall have the authority to appoint, without prior approval of the city council, a maximum of 30 active members to the department during the interim period until the manual is adopted. The appointees of the department shall serve until dismissed by the director of public safety or the chief or until approval of the manual by the city council, whichever occurs first. After the adoption of the manual by the city council, all firefighters appointed under this section must comply with the requirements of sections 5.02.006 and 5.02.008 within 30 days of the adoption of the manual or the firefighter shall be relieved of his/her duties and status. The city personnel policies and procedures apply to all members of the department, with the exception of the city policy on nepotism. The nepotism policy shall only apply to officers of the department.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.05)
Application for membership in the department shall be filed with the chief. The application shall be on a form prescribed by the chief and approved by the director of public safety.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.06)
(a) 
Termination of firefighters.
Membership of any firefighter in the department may be terminated by the chief with the approval of the director of public safety for any cause set forth in the manual. The chief and the director of public safety must both recommend and approve termination before any firefighter may be terminated.
(b) 
Suspension of firefighters.
The chief may suspend any firefighter for a period not to exceed 14 days for any cause set forth in the manual. The chief shall provide the suspended firefighter with written notice of the reason(s) for the suspension. If such suspension is imposed, the chief shall provide a copy of the notice to the director of public safety within 24 hours of the suspension. The firefighter may appeal the suspension to the director of public safety within 5 days of being placed on suspension. The decision of the director of public safety shall be final.
(c) 
Resignation.
A member of the department may resign by delivering his or her written resignation to the chief. The resignation shall be effective upon acceptance by the director of public safety.
(d) 
Termination of chief.
The chief may be terminated by the director of public safety, with the approval of the city administrator, for any reason set forth in the manual. The director of public safety shall provide the chief with written notice of the reason(s) for the suspension. The director of public safety shall provide a copy of the notice to the city council within 24 hours of the termination. The chief may appeal the determination to the city council within 5 days of being terminated. The decision of the city council shall be final.
(e) 
Suspension of chief.
The director of public safety, with the approval of the city administrator, shall have the authority to suspend the chief for a period not to exceed 2 weeks for any reason set forth in the manual. The director of public safety shall provide the chief with written notice of the reason(s) for the suspension. If such suspension is imposed, the director of public safety shall provide a copy of the notice to the city council within 24 hours of the suspension. The chief may appeal the suspension to the city council within 5 days of being placed on suspension. The chief shall have the right to appeal any suspension to the city council. The decision of the city council shall be final.
(f) 
Interim chief.
If the chief is suspended or terminated by the director of public safety, the first assistant chief shall serve as the interim chief until the suspension of the chief ends or a new chief is appointed.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.10)
The officers of the department shall be the director of public safety, chief, first assistant chief, second assistant chief, secretary, 2 captains, 2 lieutenants, and 2 fire/police officers (public safety officers). Other positions may be created that are deemed necessary by the chief and approved by the director of public safety and as adopted by the city council. Duties and qualifications for these positions shall be set forth in the manual.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.07)
Appointment of the chief and other officers of the fire department shall be as follows:
(1) 
The chief of the volunteer fire department shall be selected by the director of public safety, subject to the approval of the city administrator and appointment by the city council.
(2) 
The candidates for first assistant chief, second assistant chief, secretary and captains shall be selected by the chief and the membership of the department. Candidates shall be subject to the approval of the director of public safety and the city council.
(3) 
All other officers shall be selected by the chief and the membership of the department, subject to the approval of the director of public safety and the city council.
(4) 
All names of candidates for offices shall be submitted to the city council on the first regularly scheduled meeting of the council in February of each and every year.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.08)
The city secretary shall swear in the officers of the department prior to the officers discharging their duties.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.11)
The city secretary shall serve as treasurer of the fire department. The treasurer shall receive and securely keep all monies belonging to the fire department, and make all payments for the same upon order of the city council attested by the deputy clerk under the seal of the city.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.18)
(a) 
All emergency firefighting equipment, fire department buildings and other property shall be the property of the city.
(b) 
The director of public safety or his or her agents are the sole personnel with the authority to accept contributions to the fire department. Contributions to the department shall be used for the purchase of equipment or property for the department or for the benefit of the members of the department. All contributions shall be made of record and all money forwarded to the city secretary for deposit in the fire department account.
(c) 
Any contribution of firefighting equipment or donations of personal or real property to the department shall become the property of the city.
(d) 
All property or goods purchased with money donated to the department shall become the property of the city.
(e) 
All department financial records will be presented to the city CPA for audit with the annual requirements of the city. All volunteer fire department records will be included in all city audits.
(f) 
An annual equipment inventory shall be conducted. This inventory will be maintained by the director of public safety separate from the city inventory but in the same format and will comply with all applicable city policies and procedures.
(g) 
Any donation or contribution received by the volunteer fire department shall be presented to the director of public safety.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.14)
Members of the fire department are authorized to go outside the corporate limits of the city for the purpose of rendering aid to other fire departments, or of extinguishing fires or rendering aid in the case of accidents; provided that the fire department shall not render such service outside the corporate limits except upon the orders of the director of public safety, the chief of the volunteer fire department, the first or second assistant chief or the city administrator of the city. However, in the event the city has undertaken by contract to render service to property outside the corporate limits, the fire department may leave the corporate limits in the fulfillment of such contract or agreement.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.15)
(a) 
The volunteer fire department is an independent 501(c)(3) corporation having adopted bylaws and articles of incorporation that govern its existence. The bylaws were adopted by the city in 1989 as Ordinance 112.
(b) 
The volunteer fire department and the city shall enter into a memorandum of understanding establishing the roles and responsibilities of the parties in conformity with this article and the bylaws of the volunteer fire department. In the event of a conflict between the bylaws, Ordinance 112 and this article, this article shall control.
(1997 Code, sec. 92.16)