[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the Borough of Lavallette. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A Fire Department is hereby created for the
Borough of Lavallette to be known as “Lavallette Volunteer Fire
Company No. 1.”
The Department is hereby empowered from time
to time to adopt bylaws and rules for the control, management and
government of the Department, which bylaws and rules shall not become
effective and operative until approved by the Borough Council. The
Constitution and bylaws of the Fire Company, as revised, shall govern
the operation of the Fire Department. Three copies of the Constitution
and bylaws are on file in the office of the Municipal Clerk.
The Chief and such other officers as may be
designated by the Borough Council are hereby empowered to enter any
buildings and premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making
inspections and to serve written notice upon the owner or occupant
to abate, within a specified time, any fire hazards which may be found.
The Chief shall see that complete records are
kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and minor equipment, personnel
and other information pertaining to the work of the Department
The Chief shall be held accountable to the Borough
Council and shall make written and verbal reports thereto as the Borough
Council may require. In addition the Chief shall make a complete annual
report to the Borough Council within one month after the close of
the calendar year, such report to include information on the number
of fires during the year, their location, cause and the loss occasioned
thereby; the condition of the apparatus and equipment and recommendations
for improving the effectiveness of the Department.
The Chief shall be responsible for the general
supervision of the Department when it is not in actual duty at a fire,
which supervision shall be subject to and not conflict with such rules
and bylaws for the government and management of the Department as
may from time to time be adopted by the Department as herein provided.
In all cases of fire, the Chief, or in his/her
absence an assistant, shall have absolute control and command and
cause the several pieces of apparatus to be worked in the most advantageous
manner.
The Chief, his/her assistants and officers in
command at any fire are hereby clothed with full and complete police
authority, and are hereby authorized and directed to require and secure
the removal of any and all obstructions from in front of and around
fire hydrants. For this purpose the Chief, assistant or officer is
hereby authorized to call upon the head of any of the municipal departments
for aid and assistance in securing such removal of obstructions.
It is hereby made the special duty of the Chief
of Police and/or other peace officers who may be on duty and available
for fire duty to respond to all fire alarms and assist the Department
in protection of life and property, regulating traffic, maintaining
order and in enforcing compliance with this chapter.
No apparatus shall be hired out or permitted
to leave the Borough of Lavallette except in response to a call for
aid at a fire in a neighboring community. The officer in charge of
the Department shall have power to assign equipment for response to
calls for outside aid only when the absence of such equipment will
not jeopardize protection in this Borough. Equipment may also be utilized
for a funeral, parade or memorial service or other purpose if permission
is first obtained from the Borough Council. Should the officer in
charge of granting such permission be unavailable to do so on short
notice in cases of funerals or memorial services, the Borough Administrator
and the Council liaison to the Fire Department shall be authorized
to grant the permission for use of fire apparatus as required by this
section.
All equipment of the Department shall be safely
housed in such places as may be designated by the Borough Council.
The Chief shall at least once a month, except
during the summer season, conduct suitable drills or instruction in
the operation and handling of equipment and all other matters as necessary
to promote the interests of fire prevention, safety of life and protection
of life and property against fire.
The Mayor and members of the Borough Council
or their authorized representatives shall at all times be admitted
to the firehouse for the purpose of examining the conditions of the
fire apparatus and any property of the Borough of Lavallette.
[Added 8-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-08 (1198)]
The governing body of the Borough of Lavallette hereby establishes
an auxiliary to the Lavallette Volunteer Fire Company to be known
as the "Lavallette Junior Firefighters' Auxiliary."
[Added 8-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-08 (1198)]
A.
No person
shall be eligible for membership in the Lavallette Junior Firemen's
Auxiliary who is less than 14 or more than 18 years of age. Persons
between the ages of 14 and 18 shall be required to obtain permission
to join the Lavallette Junior Firemen's Auxiliary from their parents
or guardian. Such permission shall be in a writing as prescribed by
the governing body and acknowledged or proved in the manner required
by law for deeds to real estate to be recorded.
B.
Nothing
in this section shall be construed to prevent minors 16 years of age
or older who are members of the Lavallette Junior Firemen's Auxiliary
from engaging in any activities authorized by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-98 and
any rules, regulations or bylaws authorized by the governing body
consistent with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-95 et seq.
[Added 8-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-08 (1198)]
The governing body may provide members of the Lavallette Junior Firemen's Auxiliary with the same insurance coverage as provided for the regular Volunteer Firefighters of the Lavallette Volunteer Fire Company under N.J.S.A. 40A:14-37 and N.J.S.A. 40A:14-38; provided, however, that the Governing Body shall provide such insurance coverage in the event that Junior Firefighters are permitted to engage in any activity enumerated in § 27-17A through C.
[Added 8-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-08 (1198)]
A.
The governing
body shall formulate rules and regulations to govern the activities
of the Lavallette Junior Firemen's Auxiliary. The rules and regulations
shall provide for the training of Lavallette Junior Firefighters'
Auxiliary members for eventual membership in the Lavallette Volunteer
Fire Company and shall further provide that no junior firefighter
shall be required to perform duties which would expose him to the
same degree of hazard as a regular member of the Lavallette Volunteer
Fire Company.
B.
The governing
body authorizes a junior firefighter 16 years of age or older to perform
nonhazardous support duties at a fire site; provided: (1) the junior
firefighter has been appropriately and adequately trained to perform
the support duties; (2) the junior firefighter is appropriately and
adequately supervised in performing those support duties at the fire
site; (3) the junior firefighter parent or guardian has provided written
permission allowing the junior fireman to perform those support duties
in a form prescribed by the governing body; and (4) the governing
body has provided insurance coverage for the junior firefighter that
is identical to that provided for the regular members of the Lavallette
Volunteer Fire Company.
C.
Activities
of junior firefighters under 16 years of age shall be limited to:
(1) attending meetings of the Lavallette Junior Firemen's Auxiliary;
(2) receiving instruction; (3) participating in training that does
not involve fire, smoke, toxic or noxious gas, or hazardous materials
or substances; and (4) observing firefighting activities, while under
supervision.
[Added 8-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-08 (1198)]
All persons, whether or not a member of the Lavallette Volunteer
Fire Company, who performs any supervision or other direct involvement
with the Lavallette Junior Firemen's Auxiliary shall be subject to
a background check in accordance with N.J.S.A. 15A:3A-1 et seq.
