A. 
There shall be a fire department in and for the city and borough of Sitka to be known as the “Sitka fire department.”
B. 
The purposes of the fire department are to save lives and property through professional response to emergency situations and to minimize emergency occurrences via prevention programs.
C. 
The department shall consist of a fire chief and assistant chief (or chiefs) and as many other positions as may be necessary for the effective operation of the department. Members of the fire department will include both paid and unpaid professionals.
D. 
The fire department includes a fire division, an emergency medical services (EMS) division, a dive rescue and recovery division, a search and rescue division, and an emergency management division.
(S.G.C. 2.20.010; Ord. 04-35 § 4, 2004; Ord. 04-58 § 4, 2004)
A. 
The fire chief shall be the emergency manager for the city and borough of Sitka under the authority of the city and borough municipal administrator.
B. 
The fire chief shall adopt, update, implement and maintain the NIMS (National Incident Management System) for the city and borough of Sitka to include the ICS (Incident Command System) for the purpose of individual domestic incident management and emergency prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities as well as in support of all actions taken to assist federal, state, local and tribal levels of government.
C. 
The fire chief shall determine the organization of each division.
D. 
The fire chief shall specify the response to emergencies.
E. 
The fire chief shall appoint all officers (both paid and volunteer). Such appointments shall be, insofar as possible, done following a fair and impartial competitive examination. All officers shall be accountable to the fire chief.
F. 
The fire chief shall appoint members (both paid and volunteer).
G. 
The fire chief shall arrange for the services of a medical director.
H. 
The fire chief shall be responsible to prepare, submit, and administer the fire department budget.
I. 
The fire chief is responsible to recommend to the city and borough administrator and assembly, capital investments necessary for the effective operation of the fire department.
J. 
The fire chief is responsible to safeguard and maintain all property of the fire department.
K. 
The fire chief shall assure investigation into the origin, cause, and circumstances of all fires.
L. 
The fire chief shall maintain and enforce an up-to-date, comprehensive set of rules and regulations governing the discipline, training, and operation of the fire department. The fire chief shall have the authority to carry out the enforcement of these rules and regulations and is authorized to suspend or remove from service any officer or member.
M. 
The fire chief shall be responsible for notifying members of the fire department of such emergencies to assure prompt response to such incidents.
N. 
The fire chief shall have the authority to dispatch resources to emergencies beyond the road system when such allocation of such resources will not jeopardize a reasonable level of protection for this municipality.
O. 
The fire chief shall perform the duties incident to the office and such other duties as the city and borough administrator may assign.
(S.G.C. 2.20.020; Ord. 04-35 § 4, 2004; Ord. 05-55 § 4, 2005)
A. 
The fire chief shall administer a comprehensive training program.
B. 
The fire chief shall report monthly on the status of the fire department to the police and fire commission.
C. 
The fire chief shall see that complete records are maintained.
(S.G.C. 2.20.030; Ord. 04-35 § 4, 2004)
A. 
Fire department equipment shall be used only with proper authority.
B. 
Fire department equipment may be assigned to members. Otherwise, equipment should not be taken without proper authorization.
C. 
Fire department buildings and equipment are open to the public when accompanied by a member of the fire department.
(S.G.C. 2.20.040; Ord. 04-35 § 4, 2004)
A. 
Members of the department shall be issued fire department insignia to be attached to their vehicles.
B. 
Personal vehicles of fire department members may be equipped with a flashing blue light. The light may be energized only when responding to an alarm. Members shall observe all traffic ordinances.
(S.G.C. 2.20.050; Ord. 04-35 § 4, 2004)
A. 
Members of the fire department may organize into a voluntary association with election of their own officers and by-laws.
B. 
The purpose of the volunteer association is to support the fire department, its members and their families.
C. 
The volunteer association shall in no way limit the authority of the fire chief.
D. 
Funding for the volunteer association shall be through a separate line item in the fire department budget.
(S.G.C. 2.20.060; Ord. 04-35 § 4, 2004)