This chapter provides for consistent administration of the City’s Fire & Emergency Medical Services, and related fees, fines, and permits.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
means the individual responsible for the management, direction, and control of the City of Tacoma Fire Department.
means the Tacoma Fire Department unless otherwise addressed.
means the preparations for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which the military forces are primarily responsible, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters, and to aid victims suffering from injury or damage resulting from disasters caused by all hazards, whether natural or man-made, and to provide support for search and rescue operations for persons and property in distress.
means medical treatment and care which may be rendered at the scene of any medical emergency or while transporting any patient in an ambulance to an appropriate medical facility, not to include ambulance transportation involving patient care for which paramedics are not qualified.
means an event or set of circumstances which: (a) Demands immediate action to preserve public health, protect life, protect public property, or to provide relief to any stricken neighborhood overtaken by such occurrences, or (b) reaches such a dimension or degree of destructiveness as to warrant the City Council proclaiming the existence of a disaster or the Governor declaring a state of emergency in accordance with appropriate local and state statute.
means the General Government schedule of special and miscellaneous fees passed by resolution by the Tacoma City Council.
mean the area near or surrounding a particular or specific place, in this instance, the City of Tacoma or other jurisdictions the Tacoma Fire Department contracts with to provide fire and/or emergency medical services.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
The Chief of the Tacoma Fire Department (the Fire Chief), with the approval of the City Manager, shall have authority to make all necessary rules and regulations for the internal government of said department, and the management and control of all fire houses and equipment thereof belonging to the City, and shall serve as the Administrator of Emergency Management for the City of Tacoma.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
A.
In addition to the duties required of them by the City Charter and TMC Chapter 1.06, the Fire Chief shall:
1.
At all times supervise and keep in repair and ready for instant use all the property of the City connected with the Fire Department;
2.
Certify to all bills against the City chargeable to said Fire Department;
3.
Keep a record of the organization of all companies, membership, vacancies, appointments and dismissals, and all notices issued;
4.
Issue orders to any other officer or member of the Department, which shall be promptly obeyed;
5.
Investigate the cause of all fires that may occur in the City as soon as possible and maintain the appropriate record of such investigation;
6.
Maintain a full and complete record of all transactions in said Department, of complaints against members, and the judgment of the Fire Chief thereupon, of time lost by them, and of all property placed in their charge, and such other records as shall be required by the business of the Department, which records shall always be open for the inspection of any member of the City Council;
7.
Report at the end of the fiscal year, in writing, upon the condition of the Department, the number of fires that have occurred in the City during the year preceding, and the cause of the same so far as can be ascertained; also the number of buildings destroyed or injured, the names of the owners or occupants of the same, the value of the property destroyed, as near as can be ascertained, and the amount of insurance upon the buildings and other property, which said report shall be filed and preserved in the Office of the City Clerk; and
8.
At all times be subject to the control and direction of the City Manager in matters pertaining to the Fire Department.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief and each member thereof to be qualified by the Fire Chief, by oath or affirmation, that they will faithfully support the Constitution of the United States, and laws of the State of Washington, the Charter and ordinances of the City of Tacoma, and perform to the best of their ability all the duties of their office.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
The Fire Chief, or person in command, shall have power to command such assistance from the inhabitants of the City (not just members of the Fire Department), for the extinguishment of fire and for the preservation of life and property, as may in their judgment be required. In case any person shall neglect or refuse to render assistance as above required, or shall refuse to obey any other lawful order of the officer in command, or shall insult, menace or interfere with any officer or person connected with the Fire Department on duty, or shall without authority give any order to any member of the Fire Department while on duty, they shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
The Fire Chief, or representative, may prescribe limits in the vicinity of an emergency incident within which no person excepting those who reside therein, firefighters and police officers, and those admitted by order of any officer of the Fire Department shall be permitted to come.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
The Fire Chief, or representative, shall have power to cause the removal of any property whenever it shall become necessary for the preservation of such property to prevent the spreading of fire, or to protect adjoining property at an emergency incident scene.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
The Tacoma Fire Department has the authority to uphold and enforce the City’s Fire Code as stated in 3.02. As part of enforcing the Fire Code, the Department also has the right to charge fees, fines, and penalties to violators as stated throughout this Title. All fee amounts are outlined in the City of Tacoma’s Fee Schedule.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
Beginning January 1, 2021, the fees and charges specified in this title can be adjusted by legislative action of the Tacoma City Council or biennially using the “Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Urban Consumers.” In January of each year, the CPI for the year end of 2008 shall be compared with the most recent June-to-June index comparison, and the fees and charges shall be adjusted accordingly. Permit fees adjusted by the CPI will be rounded to the nearest $0.50 for fees under $10, to the nearest $1 for fees between $10 and $100, and to the nearest $10 for fees greater than $100. Total permit fees due at issuance will be rounded to the nearest dollar. The price of all fees, fines, and permits will be displayed in the City’s Fee Schedule.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
The Fire Chief or designee may waive fees under the following situations:
A.
Construction permit fees by departments and divisions of the City and other public agencies receiving funding for said construction from the City’s General Fund.
B.
Construction permit fees for multi-family residential housing when all of the following conditions apply:
1.
The multi-family residential structure is intended for low-income individuals.
2.
The alteration and repair involves some volunteer labor.
3.
The alteration and repairs are being constructed by an organization classified as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
4.
The multi-family residential structure is primarily owned and operated by a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
C.
If the Fire Chief or designee determine that the original order or notice of non-compliance was invalid or when mitigating circumstances beyond the responsible party’s control exist including, but not limited to conflicting enforcement requirements by other agencies or conditions caused by third parties.
D.
Prepayment of civil interview fees may be waived under § 3.09.040P TMC for any person who has previously pre-paid interview fees and established a business account in good standing with the Fire Department.
E.
Applicants Classified as 501(c)(3). Nonprofit organizations may apply for a waiver of Assembly event permit fees by submitting the Waiver of Fees Request Form.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)
Every person convicted of a violation of any part of this chapter shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000.00, or his/her imprisonment in the jail for a period not exceeding 90 days, or both, in the discretion of the court.
(Ord. 28702 Ex. B, 2020-11-24)