[Adopted as Ch. II, Art. 14, Secs. 1 to 6,
8, 13 and 16; amended 2-28-1994 by Ord. No. 94-101]
In accordance with Article VII, Section 2(a), of the City Charter, there is hereby established a Fire Department.
It shall be the function of this Department:
A.
Extinguish fires. To provide for the extinguishment
of fires, the saving of life and property from fire and the performance
of various miscellaneous services to the public of an emergency nature.
[Amended 9-13-2000 by Ord. No. 00-326]
B.
Inspections. To provide, in cooperation with the Code
Enforcement Division of the Community and Economic Development Department,
for the inspection of potential fire hazards and order the removal
or remedy of any dangerous fire conditions in or near such building
or structure, and such order shall be complied with by the owner or
occupant of such building or structure, and to inspect any violations
of the provisions of the laws of the state or any ordinance of the
City affecting the fire hazard.
[Amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 98-339; 9-13-2000 by Ord. No. 00-326; 2-14-2011 by Ord. No.
11-061]
C.
Care of equipment. To be responsible for the maintenance
and care of all property and equipment used by the Department.
D.
Keep records. To be responsible for keeping a record
of all fires and the number of buildings and the value of property
destroyed or damaged by fire with the names of the owners, if known.
Such record shall be made available to the City Manager and included
in the annual report.
E.
Preserve peace. To be responsible, in cooperation
with the Police Department, to preserve the public peace, prevent
theft and destruction of property and to cause the removal of all
suspected persons at the scene of a fire and to control all fire scenes,
including traffic flow in and around such scenes, and to cause the
removal of any and all vehicles or other movable property where the
presence of such property may serve to hinder firefighting and rescue
operations.
F.
Emergency medical services. To provide for emergency
medical services either through direct service by personnel of the
City and/or through coordination and cooperation with other service
providers.
[Amended 9-13-2000 by Ord. No. 00-326]
There is hereby authorized and established the
position of Fire Chief. This position shall be included in the Personnel
Classification and Compensation Plan for the City of Bangor. The Fire
Chief shall supervise the entire operation of the Fire Department.
The Fire Chief shall be appointed by the City Manager on the basis
of merit and fitness alone, subject to the confirmation of the City
Council.
A.
Rules and regulations. The Fire Chief shall provide
rules and regulations for the government and efficiency of the Department
and submit such rules and regulations to the City Manager, and said
rules and regulations shall take effect when approved by the City
Manager.
B.
Fire Inspector. The Fire Chief or individual designated
by the Chief shall be Fire Warden and Fire Inspector and is hereby
authorized and required to perform all the duties of Fire Inspector
under and by virtue of the provisions of the Revised Statutes of Maine,
as amended, and all acts additional thereto and amendatory thereof.
C.
Shut off electric current. The Fire Chief or individual
designated by the Chief, in case of fire, shall order the current
shut off from such wires as they know or believe to be dangerous to
life or property, and no persons or corporation shall refuse to shut
off such current when so directed by the Fire Chief.
D.
Monthly report to City Manager. The Fire Chief shall
make a monthly report to the City Manager as to the business of the
Department during the preceding month.
E.
Other duties. The Fire Chief shall perform such other
duties as may be prescribed by the City Manager, the Director of the
Office of Government Operations or any applicable state or local laws
and ordinances.
A.
The uniformed members of the Fire Department will
be provided with uniforms at the expense of the City government. Such
uniforms are to supplied according to the need established by the
Fire Chief and approved by the City Manager within the appropriation
available.
B.
Additional clothing. The City shall furnish caps,
badges, uniform buttons, coats, boots and helmets for the officers
and members of the Fire Department, and said articles shall remain
the property of the City.
The City Manager, Fire Chief or official in
charge of the Fire Department at the time may permit the firefighting
equipment and personnel to bangbe sent to the assistance of other
cities and towns in cases of fire or rescue emergency, but such apparatus
shall not be taken out of the City except for any official purposes.
No charges shall be rendered to any community with which the City
maintains a reciprocal arrangement for fighting fires. Charges shall,
however, be sent where no such agreement exists.
Whenever it shall be determined by the Fire
Chief or officer in command at any fire to pull down or demolish any
building which may be on fire or which it may be deemed necessary
to remove to prevent the spread of fire, the same may be done by their
order.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 28-38, Residency requirements,
as amended, was repealed 6-22-2015 by Ord. No. 15-203.
[Amended 9-13-1999 by Ord. No. 99-292]
The Fire Department is authorized to levy a
charge for services where such services go beyond those normally and
reasonably to be expected in the course of fire fighting. Charges
may be levied for such additional services or expenses as the rental
of specialized equipment, the use of specialized materials or the
cost of specialized responses required in meeting unusual circumstances,
such as hazardous materials. Such charges shall include both direct
and indirect expenses and shall not be limited to those situations
specifically outlined above, but shall extend to all services provided
by the Department which go beyond those normally and reasonably to
be expected. The Department is also authorized to charge for emergency
medical services or emergency use of any Department rescue boats based
on a schedule of fees established by the Fire Chief.
