(a) The fire commissioner may issue identification to members of the media and to employees of utility companies when the fire commissioner determines that the issuance of such identification is necessary or appropriate to prevent the destruction of property at the scene of a fire or other emergency or to protect the safety or welfare of the general public. The fire commissioner or uniformed service incident commander may, in his discretion, recall any identification so issued.
(b) Any person who exhibits the identification issued under this section shall be admitted within any cordoned area established pursuant to Section 2-36-820. Provided, however, that possession of such identification shall not authorize the person holding such identification to enter a burning building except with the express permission of the fire commissioner or uniformed service incident commander.
(c) The identification issued under this section shall be of distinctive character and different in form and appearance from the identification issued to members of the uniformed service. The fire commissioner shall maintain a register identifying the name and address of any person to whom such identification has been issued and containing any other information that the fire commissioner may reasonably require to identify such person. All expenses incident to the issuance of such identification shall be borne by the applicant for such identification. The identification issued under this section shall be returned to the fire commissioner by the person holding such identification when such person terminates his or her employment with the applicable media or utility company.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person who is not a member of the media or an employee of a utility company, or who is not otherwise lawfully in possession of any identification issued under this section, to: (1) wear, display or use such identification, or to cause such identification to be worn, displayed or used, at the scene of a fire or other emergency; or (2) fail to return such identification to the fire commissioner upon termination of employment with the applicable media or utility company or upon recall of such identification by the fire commissioner.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to enter any burning building without first having obtained express permission to do so from the fire commissioner or from the uniformed service incident commander. Any person who violates this subsection (d) shall be fined not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each offense. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
(Added Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 2)