[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Brick as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 12-15-1970 by Ord. No. 93-70 (Ch. 31, Art. I, of the 1989 Code)]
[Amended 3-14-1989 by Ord. No. 666-89; 11-28-2006 by Ord. No. 37-06]
Within the Township of Brick, there shall be three fire districts, which districts shall be known as Districts No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. The territorial location of Fire District No. 1 shall include the territory currently serviced by Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 and Breton Woods Fire Company No. 1. The territorial location of Fire District No. 2 shall include the territory currently serviced by Laurelton Fire Company No. 1. The territorial location of Fire District No. 3 shall include the territory currently serviced by Herbertsville Fire Company No. 1. Each fire district shall be governed by a Board of Fire Commissioners for the district, to consist of five persons, residents therein, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A: 14-70 et seq.
[Amended 1-19-1971 by Ord. No. 96-71; 5-18-1971 by Ord. No. 96-A-71 (41-D); 6-5-1972 by Ord. No. 96-B-72 (41-E); 11-6-1972 by Ord. No. 96-C-72 (41-F); 10-10-2023 by Ord. No. 18-23]
Each company shall and may choose and appoint from its own number a Chief, an engineer and assistant officers, as required by each company, and all firemen in good standing in any fire company at the time this article becomes effective and as many firemen of the age of 18 years and not more than 57 years of age at the time of their election to membership, and who are citizens of the United States and residents of the Township of Brick, as are elected by said companies, are approved by the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Township of Brick in the district in which they are elected.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 26-3, which immediately followed this section and dealt with election to membership and was amended 5-18-1971 by Ord. No. 96-A-71(41-D), was repealed 11-6-1972 by Ord. No. 96-C-72(41-F).
[Added 6-5-1972 by Ord. No. 96-B-72 (41-E); amended 11-28-2006 by Ord. No. 37-06]
There is hereby created a junior membership of the Fire Department of the Township of Brick. All such members shall be between the age of 14 and 21 years. Said junior membership shall be under the control and direction of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
[Added 6-5-1972 by Ord. No. 96-B-72 (41-E); amended 11-6-1972 by Ord. No. 96-C-72 (41-F); 10-10-2023 by Ord. No. 18-23]
A member of any fire company in good standing who was between the ages of 18 and 57 at the time of appointment, and has performed seven years of service, performing 25% of fire duty during that period, shall be entitled to receive a municipal certificate of service from the Township of Brick.
[Amended 10-10-2023 by Ord. No. 18-23]
A member of any fire company in good standing at the time this article becomes effective, and not in possession of an exempt fireman's certificate, shall be entitled to receive an exempt fireman's certificate when, from the records of any fire companies filed with the Clerk of this Township, it appears that he was a resident of the municipality, a citizen of the United States and has served the necessary period to make a total of seven years' service, performing, during a period of seven years, 25% of fire duty as of 2021; 50% of fire duty from 2009 retroactive, a percentage rate as set by the executive committee of the New Jersey State Exempt Firemen's Association, in each year, respectively, all of which facts must be certified in accordance with the law in such case made and provided.
The Chief, the engineer and the two assistant engineers shall be elected by each fire company for a one-year term. All officers shall be elected from the members of the companies.
Each company shall and may choose from its own number a foreman, assistant foreman, secretary and treasurer in such manner and at such time or times as the company, by its rules and bylaws, may provide and prescribe.
[Amended 3-14-1989 by Ord. No. 666-89]
Each company shall retain its apparatus in its own name, and no property of any company shall belong or become the property of the Township of Brick except by the consent of each fire company upon proper compensation therefor and where the Township shall have retained title to such apparatus or property under a lease agreement entered into between the Township and any such company.
Each company shall comply with all laws of the State of New Jersey and all the rules or regulations pertaining to volunteer fire companies now or hereafter enacted or laid down and prescribed.
Each company shall observe the fire districts laid out by resolutions of the Township of Brick now adopted or which may hereafter be adopted with respect to fire districts in the Township of Brick.
Three Fire Commissioners shall be duly elected in and for each of the fire districts now in existence and which may be hereafter established.
[Adopted 12-15-1970 by Ord. No. 93-70 (Ch. 31, Art. II, of the 1989 Code)]
A. 
The Volunteer Fire Department of Fire District No. 1 shall consist of the recognized fire companies as are, at present, constituted and existent in Fire District No. 1 and which, in order of seniority, are as follows: Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 and Breton Woods Fire Company No. 1, both of which are volunteer fire companies.
B. 
The Volunteer Fire Department of Fire District No. 2 shall consist of the recognized fire company as is, at present, constituted and existent in Fire District No 2, which is as follows: Laurelton Fire Company No. 1, which is a volunteer fire company.
C. 
The Volunteer Fire Department of Fire District No. 3 shall consist of the recognized fire company as is, at present, constituted and existent in Fire District No 3, which is as follows: Herbertsville Fire Company No. 1, which is a volunteer fire company.
No other volunteer fire company shall be added to the Volunteer Fire Departments of Fire District No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 until such time as the growth of the community, in the opinion of the Boards of Fire Commissioners and the Fire Departments of Fire Districts No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 shall deem another fire company necessary for the best fire protection of the area it is to serve; i.e., if any newly proposed fire company is in the area of the Township served by Fire District No. 1, the question of the wisdom of approving and recommending the recognition of any newly proposed fire company shall be the responsibility of the duly elected members of the Board of Fire Commissioners of Fire District No. 1; if any newly proposed fire company is in the area of the Township served by Fire District No. 2, the question of the wisdom of approving and recommending the recognition of any proposed fire company shall be the responsibility of the Board of Fire Commissioners of Fire District No. 2; and if any newly proposed fire company is in the area of the Township served by the Fire District No. 3, the question of the wisdom of approving and recommending the recognition of any proposed fire company shall be the responsibility of the Board of Fire Commissioners of Fire District No. 3.
No citizen or group of citizens shall, for the purpose of organizing a volunteer fire company to be recognized by the Fire Commissioners, the Volunteer Fire Departments or the governing body of the Township, do so until the following requirements are met. Prior to filing a certificate of incorporation, such citizen or group of citizens who desire to organize such a fire company shall first submit to the Board of Fire Commissioners of the fire district in which the proposed company is to be organized an application stating:
A. 
The incentive and location of the proposed company and the area it seeks to serve and protect.
B. 
A roster of names, addresses and ages of such organizers.
C. 
The availability and physical fitness of the proposed members to serve as an active fire-fighting force.
D. 
The ability of the proposed members to meet the qualifications of the New Jersey State Firemen's Relief Association.
A. 
The Board of Fire Commissioners shall refer such application to the Volunteer Fire Department, and after approval or disapproval by the Volunteer Fire Department, the application shall be referred back to the proper Board of Fire Commissioners for final action.
B. 
After receiving said report from the Volunteer Fire Department concerning such application, unless the proper Board of Fire Commissioners shall approve said incorporation of said Volunteer Fire Company before said certificate is filed and said company duly organized, said company cannot become a part of the Volunteer Fire Department of Fire District No. 1, Fire District No. 2 or Fire District No. 3 of Brick Township.
Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to affect in any way the type, manner or character of any of the three volunteer fire companies mentioned in § 18-12 hereof or to create, establish or set up a paid Fire Department in this Township. The sole purpose of this article is to make more efficient the proper functioning of the volunteer fire-protection services rendered and to be rendered by the volunteer fire companies of Brick Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).