There shall be created and established a board of trustees of the Ilwaco volunteer fire department firefighter's relief and compensation fund. Such board shall consist of the mayor, city clerk-treasurer and one councilmember, which one councilmember shall be elected by the city council for the duration of his or her term of office, the chief of the fire department, and one member of the fire department, which one member shall be elected by the members of the fire department for the term of one year and annually thereafter. Such board shall have such powers and duties as are prescribed in Chapter 121 Session Laws of 1935 relating to volunteer firefighter's relief and compensation fund.
(Ord. 214 § 1, 1939)
The mayor shall be ex-officio chairman; the city clerk-treasurer shall be ex-officio secretary and treasurer of the board; the secretary shall keep records of receipts and disbursements and shall make an annual report of the expenses and disbursements with a full list of beneficiaries of the fund in the city and the amount of such payments, such record to be placed on file in the office of the city clerk-treasurer and a copy thereof filed with the state auditor.
(Ord. 214 § 2, 1939)
Chapter 121 of the Session Laws of the state of Washington for 1935, relating to volunteer firefighter's relief and compensation fund, is referred to, adopted by the city of Ilwaco, Washington, and made a part of this chapter in detail as though fully incorporated in this chapter.
(Ord. 214 § 4, 1939)
A. 
Membership in the Ilwaco volunteer fire department shall consist of such persons who are physically fit to perform the duties of firefighters and are available to serve in the department.
B. 
Application for membership shall be by recommendation of a member in good standing and membership shall be granted by majority vote of the membership.
C. 
The chief or the public safety committee may veto a membership only upon written comment to the city council and mayor stating the reasons for denial.
D. 
Membership is voluntary and acceptance into the department provides for acceptance by the member of all rules, regulations and practices of the department.
E. 
All members are expected to carry out any reasonable order given them by a superior officer. Refusal to do so may subject that member to review and possible dismissal from the department through the due process described in subsection G of this section.
F. 
Members are expected to attend all training sessions and department meetings unless excused.
G. 
Any member may be suspended or discharged from the department by the chief of the public safety committee at any time such action shall be necessary for the good of the department. On written request, any member shall have a hearing on the charges brought forward before the city council.
H. 
Each member of the department shall be issued a badge designating his rank.
I. 
Each member of the department driving a car shall be issued a suitable insignia to be attached to the car.
J. 
The membership of the Ilwaco volunteer fire department shall be limited to thirty (30) firefighters.
(Ord. 214 § 3, 1939; Ord. 485 § 1, 1983; Ord. 618 § 3 (part), 1998; Ord. 927 § 1, 2021)
A. 
The department shall consist of a chief, assistant chief, two captains, two lieutenants, other officers and titles as the chief and the public safety committee may deem necessary.
B. 
The chief shall be appointed by the mayor from a list of candidates supplied by the membership. The chief shall be a person technically qualified by training and experience and shall have the ability to command firefighters and hold their respect and confidence.
C. 
The chief shall be appointed for an indefinite time and his or her tenure of office shall depend upon his or her good conduct and efficiency. The mayor shall make his or her appointment or reappointment at the beginning of the calendar year, or sooner if necessary.
D. 
The chief shall be held accountable to the mayor and the public safety committee and shall have the support of the mayor and city council. His or her orders shall come form the public safety committee only.
E. 
All other department and company officers shall be appointed by the chief and they shall be accountable to him or her. The chief shall have the power to dismiss or reduce in rank any officer.
F. 
Any dismissed officer may appeal for a public hearing before the city council.
(Ord. 485 § 2, 1983)
A. 
Chief.
1. 
The chief shall formulate rules and regulations for the governance of the department which shall be approved by the public safety committee.
2. 
The chief shall be the technical head of the department and shall determine the response of the department to alarms.
3. 
The chief at least once a month shall cause, through his or her appointed officers, suitable drills or instructions in the operation and handling of equipment, first aid, rescue, salvage, a study of buildings in the city, fire prevention, water supplies or any other matter generally considered essential to good firemanship and safety of life and property from fire.
4. 
The chief is empowered to suppress the crime of arson and to investigate or cause to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances of all fires.
5. 
The chief shall see that the appointed officers keep complete records of all fires, inspections, apparatus, maintenance, personnel, equipment, and other required information about the work of the department.
6. 
The chief or his or her representative shall report monthly to the public safety committee the condition of the apparatus and equipment; the number of fires, their location and cause, the date of same and loss incurred; the number and purpose of all runs made; the number of members responding to each run and any changes in membership.
7. 
The chief shall make an annual report to the city council within one month after the close of the year covering such information as in subsection A6 and other written or verbal reports as may be required by the public safety committee to be made to them.
8. 
The chief may require any appropriate officer or member to attend meetings, seminars or other events for the good of the department.
9. 
The chief only shall issue all permits for controlled fires.
B. 
Assistant Chief.
1. 
The assistant chief shall be familiar with the duties of chief and will in the absence of the chief assume those duties as chief-pro-temp.
2. 
The assistant chief shall be the administration officer for the business of the department.
3. 
The assistant chief shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the reports turned in by the various officers (see chief’s duties, subsection A5 and 6).
4. 
The assistant chief shall be the department representative to any meeting or other function that the chief cannot attend. (If neither the chief or assistant chief can attend, another officer may be delegated to attend. See officers, subsection A8.)
C. 
Captains.
1. 
One captain shall be designated as the training officer, whose duties shall be primarily to keep the members current on the operations and duties of the department. He or she shall conduct refresher courses on all firefighting techniques as outlined by the department.
2. 
The other captain shall be the maintenance officer, whose duties shall be to see that all apparatus and equipment thereon is maintained in operable condition at all times.
3. 
Both captains and other officers shall see that adequate records are kept of their operations and that such records are submitted to the assistant chief for safekeeping.
D. 
Lieutenants. One lieutenant shall be responsible for recording all required information on equipment, drills, annual hose and truck tests. The other lieutenant shall be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the firehall and communications equipment and shall record all required information on such equipment. The above records shall be turned in to the assistant chief for safekeeping.
E. 
Fire Marshal. There shall be appointed by the public safety committee a fire marshal whose duties are enumerated by the Uniform Fire Code and he or she shall have the necessary powers to see that his or her duties are performed.
F. 
Other Officers. A chairperson of the ambulance and EMT’s shall be appointed by the chief, whose duties shall include recordkeeping, equipment maintenance and training.
(Ord. 485 § 3, 1983)
A. 
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.
B. 
Any purchase over three hundred dollars ($300.00) shall require the approval of the city council. In emergencies, the public safety committee shall authorize the purchase of equipment as necessary.
C. 
All equipment of the department shall be safely and conveniently housed in such places as may be designated by the city council.
D. 
Suitable arrangement of equipment shall be provided for citizens to turn in an alarm, and for notifying all members of the department so that they may promptly respond.
E. 
No person shall use any fire apparatus or equipment for any private purpose, nor shall any person wilfully and without proper authority take away or conceal any article used in any way by the department.
F. 
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.
G. 
The chief of the department or his or her representative is authorized to enter into discussion about agreements or contracts with nearby incorporated communities or governing bodies of other organizations to provide the members of such communities or organizations with fire protection or to establish a mutual aid system.
H. 
No apparatus shall be hired out or permitted to leave the city, except in response to a call for aid at a fire in a neighboring community without the consent of the mayor, chief or assistant chief. The officer in charge of the department shall have power to assign equipment for response to calls for outside aid in accordance with subsection G of this section, and in other cases only when the absence of such equipment will not jeopardize protection in the city.
I. 
Department equipment loaned out to other city departments shall be reported to the chief and shall be returned in as good or better condition as when taken. Any damage or loss shall be reported to the chief at once, and repairs undertaken at no cost to the fire department.
J. 
All radio equipment shall be used for emergency or official communications only. Violations may result in removal of the violator’s communication equipment (see also Membership, Section 2.16.040E and G).
(Ord. 485 § 4, 1983)
A. 
All regularly appointed members of the department are given the necessary special police powers for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
It is made the special duty of the police 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, maintaining order and in enforcing observance of all sections of this chapter.
(Ord. 485 § 6, 1983; Ord. 618 § 2 (part), 1998)
A. 
The department may elect a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, to be known as association 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 all social (nonfire service) functions sponsored by the department.
B. 
The functions and duties of association officers shall in no way interfere with those of the regular department officers who are charged with the responsibility for all fire service activities of the department.
(Ord. 485 § 7, 1983)