The fire chief shall have management and control of all matters pertaining to the village fire department and shall have custody and control of the fire stations, personnel, equipment, records and other such property belonging to the fire department. He shall be responsible for complete fire prevention, provide such response in firefighting as necessary for control of any fire emergency, and shall be answerable to the president and board of trustees for such management of the department so that the purposes for which a fire department is maintained are realized in the greatest measure consistent with factors involved. The fire chief shall be present at fire emergencies including, but not limited to, situations involving substantial fire damage to property or possible harm to the public.
The fire chief shall reside within twenty (20) miles of the corporate limits of the village and submit proof of residency upon the request of the president and board of trustees.
He shall keep informed at all times of the affairs of his department and be assured that the duties of his subordinates are properly discharged.
He shall issue the routine and emergency orders requisite to the conduct of the affairs of the department and all members of the department shall be subject to said orders.
He shall submit such reports as are required by agencies of local and state governments. He shall provide reports to the president and board of trustees as required.
A personnel folder of each member is to be maintained and kept up to date. Entries are to be made as often as necessary.
He shall be responsible for conducting inspections for fire prevention in keeping with the provisions of this code.
He shall be responsible in planning and conducting training programs and maintaining such programs to the best interests of the department.
The fire chief shall have the power to enter upon the premises where any fire has occurred, if necessary, in order to investigate the origin of the fire, and shall have power to stop the construction of any building, when the same is being done in a reckless manner, or in violation of any ordinance of the village.
The fire chief shall examine all buildings and walls reported as dangerous, whether damaged by fire or otherwise, and also examine all buildings under application to raise, enlarge, alter or rebuild, and make a report of the condition thereof to the board of trustees.
The fire chief shall inquire into and investigate the causes of all fires which may occur within the limits of the village, as soon as may be after they occur, and shall keep a record of the proceedings and of the circumstances in each case.
The fire chief or officer in command shall have the power to cause the removal of any property whenever it becomes necessary to prevent such property from catching fire, or to prevent the spreading of fire, or to protect the adjacent property.
The fire chief shall have the right to enter upon any premises at any time to find the location of wells and cisterns and determine the best way to get to the same in case of fire.
The fire chief shall organize the department in such manner as he may deem necessary to efficiently conduct the duties and responsibilities prescribed by law.
The fire chief is hereby authorized and shall prescribe and enforce such directives as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter and other laws, the enforcement of which is hereby vested in the department.
The fire chief is hereby authorized to establish and execute all necessary regulations and procedures within the department to effectively administer his responsibilities regarding members of the regular fire department, dealing with promotions, suspensions, layoffs, demotions, dismissals, wage increases and other personnel policies and procedures. This authorization shall be in conformance to the provisions contained in title I, chapter 18 of this code.
The Fire Chief shall have the authority to direct any new hire while on Probation to attend and complete Paramedic training. Any new hire who fails to comply with such directive from the Fire Chief is subject to disciplinary action which shall include termination. (Ord. 534, eff. 1-1-1967; amd. Ord. 02-1121, 8-1-2002; Ord. 22-1704, 8-4-2022)