A department, to be hereafter known as the Onalaska Volunteer
Fire Department, the object of which shall be the prevention of fire
and the protection of life and property within the limits of the city,
is hereby created.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(A), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(A))
(a) The
department shall consist of a chief, two (2) assistant chiefs, and
other officers as the chief and city council may deem necessary for
the effective operation of the department.
(b) The
chief shall be elected by the membership of the city volunteer fire
department, and his tenure of office will be one (1) year, depending
upon his good conduct and efficiency. The chief shall be technically
qualified by training and shall have ability to command men and hold
their respect and confidence.
(c) The
chief shall be held accountable for the city [to the city council]
only, and shall make written and verbal reports thereto as the city
council may require. All other department and company officers shall
be accountable to the chief only.
(d) The
assistant chief and all other department and company officers, except
the fire marshal, shall be elected by the members. Such officers shall
be accountable only to the chief, and subject to removal by him.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(B), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(B))
(a) The
chief shall formulate a set of rules and regulations to govern the
department, and shall be responsible to the city council for the personnel
and general efficiency of the department.
(b) The
chief shall determine the number and kind of companies of which the
department is to be composed and shall determine the response of such
companies to alarms.
(c) The
chief shall, at least twice a month, conduct suitable drills or instruction
in the operation and handling of equipment, first aid and rescue work,
salvage, a study of buildings in the city, fire prevention, water
supplies, and all other matters generally considered essential to
good firemanship and safety of life and property from fire.
(d) The
chief is hereby required to assist the proper authorities in suppressing
the crime of arson by investigating or causing to be investigated
the cause, origin, and circumstances of all fires.
(e) The
chief is hereby empowered to enter any and all buildings and premises
at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making inspections and to
serve written notice upon the owner or occupant to abate, within a
specified time, any and all fire hazards that may be found.
(f) Any
person so served with a notice to abate any fire hazard or hazards
shall comply therewith and promptly notify the chief.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(C), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(C))
Each member of the department shall be issued a badge designating
his rank.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(1), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(1))
All motor equipment and all personal cars of department members
shall have right-of-way over all other traffic when responding to
an alarm.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(2), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(2))
Each member of the department driving a car shall be issued
a suitable insignia to be attached to the car.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(3), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(3))
All monies collected by the fire department shall go into a
fund for the exclusive benefit of the fire department. The chief shall
administer the fund and the city shall maintain a record of receipts
and disbursements for the fire department and the mayor and the city
secretary shall be authorized to sign checks presented for payment
by the chief.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(7), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(7))
(a) The
department may elect a president, vice-president, secretary and/or
treasurer, to be known as social officers. Such officers may be elected
in any manner and for any term the membership may decide upon, and
their duties shall be to arrange for and manage any or all social
functions sponsored by the department.
(b) The
functions and duties of said social officers shall in no wise interfere
with those of the regular department officers who are charged with
responsibility for all fire service activities of the department.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(F), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(F))
No person shall drive any vehicle over fire hoses except upon
specific orders from the chief or other officer in charge where the
hose is used.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(4), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(4))
No unauthorized person with any vehicle shall follow within
six hundred feet (600') of any apparatus belonging to the department,
nor park any vehicle within three hundred feet (300') of a fire.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(5), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(5))
No person shall maliciously turn in or cause to be turned in
a false alarm.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(D)(6), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(D)(6))
(a) Penalty.
Any person violating the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction before a justice of the peace, pay a fine in accordance with the general penalty provided in section
1.01.009 of this code for each offense.
(b) Police powers of members of fire department.
All regularly
appointed members of the department are hereby given the necessary
special police powers for the purpose of enforcing the provisions
of this article.
(c) Duties of peace officers.
It is hereby made the special
duty of any city peace officers who may be on duty and available for
fire duty to respond to all fire alarms and assist the department
in the protection of life and property, in regulating traffic, in
maintaining order, and in enforcing observance of all provisions of
this article.
(Ordinance 36, sec. 1(E), adopted 9/8/81; 1982 Code, ch. 5, sec. 1(E); Ordinance adopting 2015 Code)