[Amended 2-13-2006 by Ord. No. 762; 10-22-2019 by Ord. No. 918]
The Columbia Borough Fire Department as recognized in § 24-4 is authorized to provide services for the Borough and its residents, without limitation; however, as follows:
A. 
Emergency response services, including, but not limited to, the control, suppression and extinguishment of fires; search and rescue for persons necessitated by man-made or natural disasters or accidents; the isolation and containment of hazardous materials and substances; rendering of assistance to other emergency services; and generally to provide for the protection and safety of persons and property within the Borough.
B. 
Nonemergency public services to or for the use of persons and property within the Borough.
C. 
Conduct of and participation in training activities and drills, whether inside or outside of the Borough, as may be deemed necessary or desirable for maintaining proficiency in providing fire protection services and emergency response services.
D. 
Response to emergency calls outside the boundaries of the Borough in response to any municipality which has entered into a mutual aid agreement or within the best interest of the Borough.
E. 
Members of the Columbia Borough Fire Department, if authorized in advance by the local fire company chief, may respond individually to emergencies outside the Borough at the request of the municipal fire department or volunteer company. The local fire company chief shall maintain a roster of the volunteer firefighters so authorized.
F. 
Participation in parades and ceremonial functions designed to promote the Columbia Borough Fire Department and encourage volunteer support.
The Columbia Borough Fire Department recognized in § 24-4, while performing any of the services specified in § 24-5, shall be subject to and be under the direction and control of the duly appointed and designated Fire Chief of the Borough of Columbia operating under the established Borough organizational structure.
In addition to the service activities authorized in § 24-5, the Columbia Borough Fire Department recognized by the Borough and the members of such Columbia Borough Fire Department are authorized to engage, without limitation, in the following activities for the purpose of and on behalf of the Columbia Borough Fire Department:
A. 
Projects and activities for the purpose of providing financial resources for the acquisition and maintenance of equipment and facilities.
B. 
Generally engage in activities intended to promote, encourage, support and assist the Columbia Borough Fire Department in the performance of their service activities.
All engines, trucks, hose and other fire apparatus of the Columbia Borough Fire Department shall, when in service for any purposes stated in § 24-5 hereof, be under the control, direction and subject to inspection by the Fire Chief.
Should the Columbia Borough Fire Department not meet local policy and standard operating procedures established by the Borough’s Fire Chief in readiness with serviceable apparatus and equipment, it shall be deemed not in a state of effectiveness for service and shall not be called for use at a service provided for in § 24-5 hereof for response by the Fire Chief.
Should the Columbia Borough Fire Department which may or shall through any of its members or employees or otherwise be guilty of insubordination to the Fire Chief, while acting in any of the services listed in § 24-5 hereof, it shall be subject to the penalties provided for herein.
The Columbia Borough Fire Department and its members shall at all times comply with all rules and regulations promulgated by the Fire Chief in accordance with the established organization structure in conjunction with any of the services set forth in § 24-5. Moreover, the Columbia Borough Fire Department and its members must comply with all of the rules and requirements set forth by the Fire Chief regarding training, certification and equipment maintenance. Failure to comply with this § 24-11 may result in the imposition of any of the penalties provided for herein.
A. 
Should any Columbia Borough Fire Department member or volunteer company violate any provisions of this chapter, the Fire Chief in accordance with the established organizational structure may institute any or all of the following penalties, as the Fire Chief, in his sole discretion, deems appropriate:
(1) 
Any action or penalty allowed or prescribed by the rules and regulations established and adopted by the Fire Chief;
(2) 
Prohibit individual fire fighter from taking part in any service authorized pursuant to § 24-5 hereof;
(3) 
Prevent any Columbia Borough Fire Department from taking part in any service authorized by § 24-5 hereof;
(4) 
Take any apparatus of any Columbia Borough Fire Department out of service, such that it cannot be used in any service authorized by § 24-5 hereof;
(5) 
Recommend that Council institute any or either of the following penalties:
(a) 
Lowering or eliminating any appropriations budgeted for disbursement to any Columbia Borough Fire Department recognized pursuant hereto; and
(b) 
Decertifying or, in other words, removing the recognition of any Columbia Borough Fire Department as the Columbia Borough Fire Department which is a member of the Columbia Borough Fire Department .
(6) 
Take any other applicable actions available at law to the Borough.
B. 
Appeals.
(1) 
Any Columbia Borough Fire Department member or volunteer company aggrieved by a decision of the Fire Chief may appeal the same to the Borough Manager by filing with the Borough Manager of the Borough of Columbia, or his or her designated agent, a written appeal from the decision of the Fire Chief within 10 days of the date of said decision. The written appeal shall be verified by an affidavit and shall state the grounds therefor. The appellant or his representative shall have the right to appear and be heard, if such right is requested in the written appeal. The Borough Manager shall make a prompt decision on such appeal.
(2) 
Should the appellant be aggrieved by the decision of the Borough Manager, the appellant may file an appeal to the Borough Council from the decision of the Borough Manager within five business days of said decision. The appeal shall again be in writing, shall be verified by an affidavit, shall state the grounds therefor, and shall be filed with the Borough Secretary/Treasurer. The appellant or his representative shall have the right to appear and be heard, if such right is requested in the appeal. The Borough Council shall make a prompt decision on such appeal and shall render a written decision, copies of which shall be provided to the Fire Chief, the Borough Manager and the appellant.