A Fire Department of the borough is hereby established,
to be known as the "Fire Department of the Borough of Palisades Park."
The Fire Department shall consist of the members of engine, hose or
hook and ladder companies as may be organized in pursuance to the
provisions of this chapter.
The Fire Department shall be governed by such
bylaws, rules and regulations as the same may adopt, which shall not
be inconsistent with the provisions of the ordinances of the borough
and which shall be approved by the Mayor and Council of the borough
before they become effective. Such bylaws, rules and regulations may
be changed, amended or repealed by a majority vote of the Department
at any regular meeting or special meeting called for that purpose,
not inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance, provided that
no change, amendment or alteration shall take effect until approved
by the Mayor and Council.
[Amended 4-11-1995 by Ord. No. 1211; 8-15-1995 by Ord. No.
1226; 9-28-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-16]
A.
The officers of the Department shall be a Chief, Deputy Chief and
Battalion Chief. To qualify as chief, a firefighter must have completed
11 years of active duty with the Department and served a complete
term as Deputy Chief. To qualify as Deputy Chief, a firefighter must
have completed nine years of active duty with the Department and served
a complete term as Battalion Chief. To qualify as Battalion Chief,
a firefighter must have completed seven years of active duty with
the Department and served a complete term as Captain. The officers
of the Company shall be Captain, Lieutenant, and Commissioner. To
qualify as captain, a firefighter must have completed five years of
active duty with the Department and served a complete term as Lieutenant.
To qualify as Lieutenant, a firefighter must have completed three
years of active duty with the Department. All Departmental and company
officers are required to attend formal training consistent with local,
state, and federal guidelines. The officers of the company executive
board shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
All of such officers shall hold office for the term of two years and
shall be elected in the manner and at the time hereinafter set forth;
provided, however, that no more than one officer may be elected from
the same company at any election, and no company shall be permitted
to have a Departmental officer of the same rank or classification
elected from its company in any three successive elections. It is
the intention of this section to rotate the election of the Chief,
Deputy Chief, and Battalion Chief so that, by every third election,
each company shall have had a company member in each of the foregoing
offices.
B.
Nominations for the offices hereinabove referred to shall be made
at the regular October meeting of each company, and notice of such
nominations shall be made to each member in good standing of the entire
Fire Department at least 30 days prior to the election. The ballot
shall contain the names of all persons nominated for the respective
offices and shall also contain appropriate blank lines for a write-in
vote by the members for each office to be elected.
C.
The election of all officers hereinbefore mentioned shall be held
on the first Wednesday in December of every other year, and they shall
assume the duties of their respective offices commencing on the first
day of January of the following year. The election of Department officers
shall be determined by the members of the entire Fire Department in
good standing and the election of company officers and company executive
boards shall be determined by the members of their respective company
in good standing in the following manner:
(1)
Polls shall be opened at 7:00 p.m. and shall remain open for two
hours.
(2)
The president of each company or association shall, before opening
the polls, appoint two persons to act as inspectors to receive the
polls, canvass the votes and declare the result. The person receiving
the highest number of votes shall be declared elected.
(3)
Should the president fail to appoint the inspectors when the time
to open the polls arrives or should any inspector fail to be present
or neglect to perform his duties, the officers of the company or association
then present shall appoint any inspector or inspectors.
(4)
Immediately after the closing of the polls, the inspectors shall
proceed to canvass the votes without intermission until all the votes
are counted and a statement of the result made and signed by each
of the inspectors.
(5)
The inspectors shall immediately after the votes are counted declare
the result and send the statement to the Borough Clerk at or before
10:00 a.m. of the following day and shall likewise immediately notify
the presiding officer or secretary of each company of the result of
such election.
(6)
All officers elected under this section shall continue in office
until their successors shall have been elected, in accordance with
the provisions of this section.
[Amended 8-15-1995 by Ord. No. 1226]
Each company shall elect a Captain and Lieutenant
from its respective members at its regular annual meeting, as provided
for in its bylaws.
A.
Each company shall consist of not more than 35 members,
and no person shall be admitted to membership under the age of 18
or over the age of 45 years.
B.
Every candidate for membership, before his application
is acted on, shall present to the Secretary of the association or
company a certificate from his family physician that he is in good
health and in sound physical condition and able to perform the duties
ordinarily required of firemen. That certificate shall accompany his
application for membership to any company of the Department, and the
certificate with the application shall be filed with the Borough Clerk,
and the application shall be approved by the Mayor and Council before
any company shall elect the applicant to membership.
C.
The Mayor and Council may order the physical examination
of any member of the Department at any time and direct the member
to furnish a certificate of good health and sound physical condition,
and, if not furnished within 10 days after notice is delivered to
the member, he shall cease to be a member of the company.
D.
The Fire Department will accept associate members
to supplement the current fire-fighting force. Associate members are
qualified fire fighters who no longer live within the confines of
the borough, but who live within a reasonable distance from the borough.
Such membership will be consistent with Department bylaws.
[Added 4-11-1995 by Ord. No. 1211]
[Added 9-26-2022 by Ord.
No. 2022-9
The position of Firefighter/Chief Emergency Management Officer
in the Palisades Park Fire Department is hereby established and shall
be appointed by the Mayor and Council.
A.
Job duties.
(1)
During
an assigned tour of duty, extinguish fires; perform rescue operations;
aid in emergency situations involving hazardous or toxic materials;
administer emergency medical treatment; maintain all related equipment,
buildings and grounds, and related work.
(2)
Under
general supervision, develops and manages programs related to emergency
and disaster preparedness, response, recovery, security and hazard
mitigation. Establish processes and procedures, coordinates drills,
provides training, write plans, and works with other agencies to develop
and implement emergency and security, applies for and manages grants
and disaster management programs
B.
Compensation.
Compensation for the Firefighter/Chief Emergency Management Officer
in the Palisades Park Fire Department shall be set forth in the Annual
Salary Ordinance.
The Mayor and Council may authorize the organization
of any engine, hose or hook and ladder company upon application, in
writing, of any of the citizens of the borough. The members of such
companies or associations so organized or to be organized shall be
elected in accordance with the bylaws, rules and regulations of the
Fire Department, so far as the same are consistent with the provisions
of this chapter, and such company or companies shall be governed by
such bylaws, rules and regulations of the Fire Department, so far
as the same are consistent with the provisions of this chapter, and
such company or companies shall be governed by such bylaws, rules
and regulations as they may adopt as their organization, so far as
the same are consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
The Fire Department and all of the companies
therein shall be governed and controlled by such other reasonable
rules and regulations for the organization and better efficiency of
the Fire Department as may be adopted by the Mayor and Council.
[Amended 4-11-1995 by Ord. No. 1211; 9-28-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-16]
Any member who, in any year, has not been present and performed
full duty at 10% of the fires and fire alarms to which the company
or Department was called and 10% of the drills ordered shall thereupon
cease to be a member of the company or Department; provided, however,
that the Chiefs and Commissioners may upon good and sufficient reasons
for such absence, excuse the same.
[Added 4-11-1995 by Ord. No. 1211]
All members are required to attain formal training
consistent with local, state and federal guidelines to continue as
a member of the Fire Department. All training shall be completed within
a reasonable time after acceptance by the governing body or as established
by the Chiefs of the Department. All new members must attend JFA drill
until proper required training is attained.
[Amended 4-11-1995 by Ord. No. 1211]
No fire apparatus shall leave the borough limits,
except to protect the property of the borough, without the permission
of a Chief or fire officer in charge.
