[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council
of the Borough of Dravosburg as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Emergency services — See Ch. 138.
[Adopted 1-11-1923 by Ord. No. 161; amended in its entirety 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
There shall be and is created a Department to be known as "The
Dravosburg Volunteer Fire Department," which shall consist of a Fire
Chief and both inside and outside officers and such other firemen
as the Fire Department may deem necessary.
The Fire Chief and other officers in charge of the Fire Department
shall have full control at all times of all personnel, equipment and
apparatus belonging to the Department.
The Fire Chief and officer(s) in command shall see that proper
discipline is maintained and observed by officers and personnel and
shall have power in great emergencies to request mutual aid services
as may be needed to resolve any hazardous situations or emergencies.
The Fire Chief shall keep an accurate record of the operations
of the Department, the number of alarms of fire, emergency, or other
public safety incidents, and the number of fires, emergencies or other
public safety incidents, names of members present at any fire, emergency,
or other public safety incident, so far as ascertained, and any special
matter that he may deem advisable, and make a semiannual report of
same at a regular meeting of Council. Reports shall be open to inspection
for the members of Council at all times, and shall remain the property
of the Borough.
In the absence of the Fire Chief from duty from any cause, his
duties shall devolve upon and be performed by the appropriate chain
of command personnel, and all available firemen shall attend all emergencies.
It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief and officers to see that
the apparatus entrusted to their care and the buildings in which the
same are stationed, and all articles in or belonging to the same,
are kept neat and clean and in order for immediate use.
The Secretary of the Dravosburg Volunteer Fire Department shall
keep a record of the membership of the Department and shall be open
to the inspection of the members of Council at all times, and shall
be and remain the property of the Borough. The Secretary shall submit
the current record of membership to Council on a monthly basis with
every addition or deletion to the record.
At the request of Council, the Fire Chief shall make a complete
inventory of all Fire Department or Borough property in his care.
Any person who shall deface, injure or destroy any property
of the Fire Department, or shall hinder or obstruct any fire company
or any member from freely passing along the streets of said Borough
to or from a fire, emergency or other public safety incident, and
any person, street railways company, railroad company, motorsman,
conductor or driver of any vehicle who shall in any manner hinder
or prevent any fire company or member of the same from operating at
a fire, emergency, or other public safety incident, or shall in any
manner obstruct operations at a fire, emergency or other public safety
incident, or shall in any manner obstruct any street, alley or highway,
at or near a fire, emergency or other public safety incident, or in
any manner interfere with the hose or other fire apparatus at a fire,
emergency or other public safety incident shall be deemed guilty of
disorderly conduct and upon conviction shall forfeit and pay for the
use of the Borough a fine of not less than $600, to be recovered in
a summary proceeding before the Magisterial District Judge of the
Borough, or, in default of such payment, all such offenders shall
be subject to penalty at the discretion of the Magisterial District
Judge.
Any person who shall willfully create any false alarm of fire,
emergency or other public safety incident by means of the fire boxes
of the Borough, by telephone call or messaging by any electronic devices,
and any person who shall open or in any manner tamper with any fire
plug, unless duly authorized by the proper authorities of the Borough,
or aid and abet others to do so, shall be deemed guilty of disorderly
conduct and shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit and pay for the
use of said Borough a fine of not less than $600 to be recovered in
a summary proceeding before the District Justice of said Borough,
and in default of payment thereof shall be subject to penalty at the
discretion of the District Justice.
Eligibility for membership in the Dravosburg Volunteer Fire
Department shall be determined by the Dravosburg Volunteer Fire Department
constitution and bylaws.
Any person who may be elected to be a member of the Fire Department
shall subscribe to and take the oath of office as such, viz, that
he or she shall support the Constitution of the United States and
the State of Pennsylvania, and to the best of his or her knowledge
and ability perform his or her duties, and said oath, duly signed
and attested, shall be filed in the office of the Borough Secretary.
Every member of the Dravosburg Volunteer Fire Department shall
abide by the constitution and bylaws of the Department as published
and revised.
The Fire Chief or officer in command shall see that the premises
in which a fire, emergency or other public safety incident may have
occurred are left in such a condition that it will not cause further
damage to life or property, reporting, if necessary, to the Police.
[Adopted 8-17-1993 by Ord. No. 93-03; amended in its entirety 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
The Dravosburg Volunteer Fire Department and its members are
hereby authorized to perform the following extended duties, in addition
to normal firefighting, rescue and emergency medical duties, and hazardous
material duties:
A.
Participation in drills, practices, training sessions, and prefire
planning activities authorized by the Fire Chief and supervised by
a qualified person;
B.
Participation in community celebrations, ceremonial observances,
and funerals for deceased firefighters or other public figures where
such attendance is deemed appropriate by the Fire Chief;
C.
Preparation for and responsible participation in parades;
D.
Performance of any public service functions for the welfare of the
community as long as these activities are responsibly supervised and
are sanctioned by the Fire Department;
E.
Undertaking any and all public safety activities by fire departments
to render care to the injured, prevent loss of life, provide comfort
and security to victims, and to limit or prevent damage to or loss
of property as circumstances may dictate;
F.
Render assistance to police officers where such aid is specifically
requested or is done without request to protect our persons from imminent
danger;
G.
Participation in fire prevention inspections, post-fire investigations,
bomb searches, and evacuation drills;
H.
Participation in public programs to promote health and safety, to
enlist new members, solicit community support or conduct fund-raising
activities so long as the activity is specifically sanctioned by the
Fire Department;
I.
Safely and responsibly perform maintenance and remodeling work on
the Fire Department, vehicles, buildings, grounds, or equipment; and
J.
Perform such other duties necessary for the efficient operation of
volunteer services as may, from time to time, be assigned by the Council
of the Borough of Dravosburg and/or the officers of the Fire Department.
The purpose of this article is to authorize the Dravosburg Volunteer
Fire Department and its members to perform certain extended duties
and to provide such members with additional protection under workmens'
compensation laws. This article is not intended to limit or otherwise
restrict authorization previously given by the Borough of Dravosburg
to the Dravosburg Volunteer Fire Department by prior ordinances or
resolutions to perform other duties and responsibilities, and such
previous authorization shall remain in full force and effect.
