The jurisdictional boundaries for the Fire Department's
stations shall be designated by Township Committee in consultation
with the Fire Chief. Township Committee reserves the right to alter
jurisdictional boundaries or add substations based upon fire protection
needs.
The powers and duties of the Chief shall be as follows:
A. The Fire Chief shall be the department head of the Fire Department
and shall be responsible for oversight of the administrative operations
and day-to-day management of the Department.
B. The Fire Chief will assist in policy development and implementation
of such policies for the Fire Department and staffed personnel. The
Fire Chief shall review the Fire Department Rules and Regulations
on an annual basis and propose any amendments to the Township Administrator
as needed in the future. The Fire Chief or designee will review the
Township training schedules to assure compliance with the state mandatory
training requirements.
C. The Township Administrator or designee shall maintain personnel records
for all members of the Fire Department. The Fire Chief shall keep
and maintain a verified eligibility list of all firefighters, to be
verified by the Township Administrator upon request.
D. The Fire Chief shall be responsible for the coordination and oversight
of the fire fighters, the assignment of fire fighters to fire stations,
and the creation of on-call schedules.
E. The Fire Chief, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer
of the Township, shall prepare and oversee the budgets of the Fire
Department, oversee and authorize expenditures made pursuant to the
budget and establish and maintain a recordkeeping system for the budget
process. The Fire Chief shall, upon request, report on the status
of the budget no less than quarterly to the Township Administrator
to assist in the recordkeeping.
F. Control at fires. The Chief shall have full and complete control
of all fires within the WDT and shall be accountable for his or her
actions to the Township Administrator and shall make written and verbal
reports as the Township Administrator shall require. All other Departmental
officers shall be accountable to the Chief, except when such officers
are acting as Chief in his or her absence.
G. The Chief, in consultation with and under the directions of the Township
Administrator, shall have supervisory and disciplinary authority over
all firefighters in accordance with Township and Department policies.
H. Rules and regulations. All Fire Department employees and volunteer
firefighters, if any, shall be subject to the terms of the Township's
Personnel Handbook and other applicable rules and regulations. The
Chief, in accordance with the policies of the Township, shall formulate
any additional rules and regulations necessary to govern the firefighters,
subject to approval of the Township Committee, and shall be responsible
to the Township Administrator for the personnel, morale and general
efficiency of the Fire Department.
I. Conducting drills, training, and certifications.
(1) The Chief, or officers designated by him or her shall, at least twice
a month, conduct suitable drills or training regarding the operation
and handling of equipment, rescue work, salvage work, a continued
study of buildings in the central business district, fire prevention,
water supply, and all other matters generally considered essential
to good firemanship and safety of life and protecting property from
fire.
(2) Additionally, the Chief, or designated officers, shall utilize all
systems adopted by the Division of Fire Safety per N.J.A.C. 5:73,
as may be required by law or regulation, and provided that all required
certifications as may be required by law are obtained by the appropriate
officers or members of fire department.
(3) The Fire Chief, or designated officer shall certify to the Township
Administrator that all Fire Department personnel are in compliance
with the safety training standards established by this section and/or
federal or state regulations in accordance with the schedule listed
below:
Certification/Training
|
Reporting Schedule
|
---|
Firefighter I
|
Semiannual (June 15/December 15)
|
Incident Management System 200
|
Semiannual (June 15/December 15)
|
Respiratory Protection
|
Annual (March 31)
|
Bloodborne Pathogens
|
Annual (December 15)
|
Community Right-to-Know Act
|
Biannual compliance notification due within 15 days of completion
of training
|
Hazmat
|
Annual (December 15)
|
J. Investigating suspicious fires. The Chief or their designee is hereby
required to assist the Fire Official of the designated Local Enforcing
Agency or other proper authorities in suppressing the crime of arson,
assisting in the investigation, cause, origin and circumstances of
all fires of questionable origin that occur within the Township.
K. Recordkeeping. The Chief, in conjunction and cooperation with his
or her designee, will supply to the Township Administrator or his
or her designee, complete records of all fires, apparatus and minor
equipment, training records, and other information concerning the
work of the Fire Department. The Chief will report any and all vehicle
accidents, equipment damage or personal injury accidents that occur
per the terms of the Township Policies and Procedures Manual and Personnel
Handbook and shall provide notice to the Township Administrator.
L. Quarterly reports to the Township Administrator. The Chief, in conjunction
and cooperation with his or her designee, and in coordination with
the Township Administrator, shall report quarterly to the Township
Administrator or his/her designee, the following: the condition of
the apparatus and equipment, the number of fires during the quarter,
their location and cause, the date of same and loss occasioned by
such fires, the number and purpose of all other runs made, the number
of members responding to each fire or other run, and any changes in
membership.
M. Annual report. The Chief shall make a complete annual report to the
Township Administrator and Township Committee; such report shall include
information as specified in the proceeding subsection, together with
comparative data for previous years and recommendations for improving
the effectiveness of their fire station and the Fire Department.
All fire apparatus purchased by the Township of West Deptford
for the Township of West Deptford Fire Department shall be in the
uniform colors of Green #DUHS925673 and White #2185.
The Township of West Deptford hereby establishes the West Deptford
Fire Department Junior Firefighters Program, which is to be known
as the Junior Firefighters Auxiliary (the "Junior Auxiliary"). The
Junior Auxiliary is to serve as a training program for young men and
women, aged 14 through 17, who are interested in serving their community
and preparing to become active firefighters upon reaching the age
of 18. At age 18, Junior Firefighters are eligible to attend the Firefighter
Course to become a full member of the West Deptford Fire Department
upon successful completion. The ultimate goal of the Junior Firefighter
Program is to provide future members for the West Deptford Fire Department,
whether paid or volunteer.
A. Due to the inherent dangers of firefighting, strict rules of conduct
and tight procedural standards are to be established by the Fire Chief
in consultation with the Township Administrator. The Fire Chief will
assist in policy development and implementation of such policies and
Standard Operating Guidelines necessary to ensure the safety of all
members of the Junior Firefighters Program and that the Program operates
consistent with its mission. All policies and Standard Operating Guidelines
are to be reviewed by the Township Administrator and approved by the
Township Committee.
B. Mission.
(1) Establish training standards to ensure that all members are thoroughly
familiar with established fire operations that are used by the West
Deptford Fire Department.
(2) Provide information and trips to facilities so that members can see
firsthand about various fire service careers.
(3) Participate in District and Council Explorer activities.
(4) Assist the West Deptford Fire Department in fire prevention, fire
inspection, and public assistance programs.
(5) To be available when activated for individual fire alarms to respond
to the West Deptford Fire Department for assignments, to individual
apparatus as designated by the policies and Standard Operating Guidelines
of the West Deptford Fire Department.
(6) To provide a program that incorporates the five experience areas
of a well-rounded Junior Firefighters Program: career; fitness; citizenship;
social and outdoors.
C. Organization.
(1) There shall be one advisor who shall be appointed by the Fire Chief.
Other members of the West Deptford Fire Department who are interested
in assisting may be appointed as associate advisors by the Chief.
(2) All advisors and associate advisors must be 21 years of age and a
member in good standing with the West Deptford Fire Department.
(3) Juniors who participate in the program are required to maintain a
minimum of a "C" or 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in high school.
Failure to maintain the required GPA will necessitate a suspension
for the following marking period. Juniors shall supply a copy of their
current report card to the advisor at the end of each marking period.
(4) Juniors must be in good standing with their school, work, and family.
(5) Juniors members are expected to comply with all policies implemented
by both the West Deptford Fire Department and the Township of West
Deptford.
(6) No child shall become a member of the Junior Firefighter Program
without a prior meeting with his/her parent(s) or guardian to discuss
the operation of the West Deptford Fire Department and to answer any
concerns of the parent(s) or guardian. A signed permission slip from
the parent(s) or guardian must be received prior to participating
in Department activities.
(7) All Junior Firefighters must have working papers that are supplied
from their local high school.