[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.
