[R.O. 1988 § 14-24; Ord. No. 1211 § 1; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
A department to be hereafter known as the "City of Rolla Fire and Rescue," 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.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-25; Ord. No. 1211 § 1; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
The Department shall consist of a Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, firefighters, and other administrative personnel deemed necessary and prudent as the Council may from time to time determine.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-26; Ord. No. 1211 § 1; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
The Fire Chief shall be appointed by the Mayor, by and with the consent of the majority of the members of the City Council for an indefinite period of time, and their tenure of office shall depend upon their good conduct and efficiency. The Chief shall be technically qualified by training and experience and shall have the ability to command firefighters and hold their respect and confidence. They shall be removed only for just cause and after a hearing before the City Council. They shall be accountable to the City Administrator only and shall make written and verbal reports as may be required by the City Administrator or the City Council. All other members of the Fire Department shall be accountable to the City Administrator and to the Chief only.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-27; Ord. No. 1211 § 1; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
The Fire Chief shall formulate, subject to the approval of the City Administrator, a set of rules and regulations to govern the Department and shall be responsible for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the Department; they shall determine the working schedule of all regular members of the Fire Department as well as all part-time members; they shall at least once 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 firefighting and safety of life and property from fire; they shall assist the proper authorities in suppressing the offense of arson by investigating or causing to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances of all fires; they are hereby empowered, and it shall be their duty, to enter any and all buildings and premises used for commercial purposes including the housing of students and buildings for hotel and motel purposes at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making inspections and to serve written notice upon the owner or occupant to abate within a specific time, any and all fire hazards that may be found and any person so served with notice to abate any fire hazard or shall comply therewith and promptly notify the Chief. It shall also be the duty of the Chief to see that complete records are kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and minor equipment, personnel and other information about the work of the Department and they shall report monthly to the City Council for the condition of the apparatus and equipment, the number of fires during the month, the location, cause and date of same and loss occasioned thereby, the number and purpose of all other runs made and the number of members responding to each fire or other run and any changes in membership. It shall be the duty of the Chief to make a complete annual report to the City Council within one (1) month after the close of the fiscal year, such report to include the information specified herein together with comparative date for previous years and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the Department.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-28; Ord. No. 2018 § 1, 12-13-1976; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
The Department shall be equipped with such apparatus and other equipment as may be required from time to time to maintain its efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire; all equipment of the Department shall be safely and conveniently housed and no person shall use any fire apparatus or equipment for any purely private purpose and while such equipment is in charge and control of a regular member of the Department, and no person shall enter any place where fire apparatus is housed or handle any apparatus or equipment belonging to the Department unless accompanied by or having the special permission of an officer or authorized member of the Department. No fire calls will be answered outside the corporate limits of the City; provided, however, that call for assistance of mutual aid may be answered when the absence of such equipment from the City will not jeopardize protection of property within the corporate limits of the City.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-29; Ord. No. 1211 § 6; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
The personnel of the City of Rolla Fire and Rescue shall be divided into two (2) classes: regular firefighter and cadet firefighter. A regular firefighter is one (1) who is employed at a regular salary on a full-time basis certified as a Firefighter I and II; a cadet firefighter is one who is employed at a regular salary on a full-time basis but does not have Firefighter I and II certification.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-30; Ord. No. 2275 § 2, 9-17-1981; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
All members of the Fire Department shall be directly responsible to the Fire Chief and shall submit themselves to the orders and directions of the Chief in all matters pertaining to the Fire Department and the carrying out of the functions of the Department and shall comply with all rules and regulations promulgated by the Chief governing their conduct, duties and activities in the Fire Department.
[R.O. 1988 § 14-31; Ord. No. 1211 §§ 1 — 2; Ord. No. 4104, 8-5-2013]
All regularly appointed members of the Department are hereby given the necessary special powers for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Article.