(a)
Pursuant to Subsection (b) of Section 1 of Article 11 of the California Constitution and Section 24008 of the California Government Code, the Tulare County Fire Department and the office of the Tulare County Fire Chief are hereby established for the purpose of meeting public need in the extinguishment of fires and the preventing, eliminating or minimizing fire hazard for the safety and protection of life and property within the County. The Tulare County Fire Department and Tulare County Fire Chief shall carry out all of the duties and responsibilities of a county fire warden and a fire department and such other related duties and responsibilities as directed by the Board of Supervisors. All fire prevention and suppression services and functions within the purview of the County shall be performed by Tulare County Fire department under the administrative direction of the Tulare County Fire Chief, except as otherwise particularly provided by law.
(b)
The Tulare County Fire chief shall serve as the Department Head of the Tulare County Fire Department. The Fire chief shall be appointed by and serve at the will of the Board of Supervisors. Although not appointed as the Tulare County fire Warden, the Tulare County Fire Chief shall have all of the duties, responsibilities and authorities previously vested in the Tulare County Fire Warden and any reference to the Tulare County Fire Warden made in this Ordinance Code, any uncodified ordinances of the County, any Board of Supervisors Resolutions, any Tulare County Contracts or agreements or other documents to the County of Tulare and under the laws of the State of California relating to fire prevention and suppression shall be deemed to mean the Tulare County Fire Chief. The Fire Chief shall be accountable for any other duties and responsibilities established by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors by resolution, third party agreement or ordinance, or any authority delegated to the Fire Chief by the Board of Supervisors by resolution, third party agreement or ordinance.