(A) The Fire Department shall be under the direction of the Fire Chief.
(B) In making the appointment of Fire Chiefs, primary consideration shall be given to any recommendation made by the members of the Fire Department and the appointment of any person who is not recommended or approved by the members of the Department shall not be confirmed by the Council, except by the vote of five or more of its members.
(C) The Fire Department shall be responsible for the prevention and extinguishment of fires and the protection of persons and property against damage and accident resulting therefrom. The Fire Chief shall be responsible for the use, care, and management of the city's fire fighting apparatus and property. He shall conduct supervisory and educational programs to diminish the risk of fires within the city. He, or any of his authorized subordinates, may command any person present at a fire to aid in the extinguishment thereof, and to assist in the protection of life or property. If any person willfully disobeys any such lawful requirement, he shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this Charter.
(D) The Fire Chief or any of his authorized subordinates may cause any building to be pulled down or destroyed, when deemed necessary in order to arrest the progress of a fire. In such case no action shall be maintained against the city or any person therefor. If any person having an interest in such building shall apply to the Council within three months after the fire for damages or compensation for such building, the Council may pay him such compensation as it may deem just. The Council may ascertain the amount of such damage or compensation by agreement with the owner of the property or by the appraisal of a jury selected in the same manner as in the case of juries selected to appraise damages for the taking of property for public use. No compensation shall be paid on account of any loss which would probably have occurred to a building, if it had not been pulled down or destroyed under authority of this section.
(E) The Fire Department of the city, as organized on the effective date of this Charter, shall continue as then organized and conducted until the Council shall reconstitute the same by an ordinance adopted by five or more of its members.