(a) Subject to approval of the City Council, the Fire Chief shall formulate a set of rules and regulations to govern the department, and shall be responsible to the City Manager for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the department. Further, he or she shall recommend to the City Manager the reforms and changes in the Fire Department which practical experience shows should be instituted. Periodically, the Fire Chief may be required to submit a statement of conduct of the affairs of the department, and shall include therein any suggestions for the improvement in the service or personnel of the department. Additional, specific functions of the Fire Chief are:
(1) To issue to the department under his or her command a set of standard operating guidelines as may be necessary to preserve property, prevent the loss of life and ensure a ready to respond firefighting force;
(2) To enforce the laws, ordinances, fire regulations and executive orders applicable to his or her jurisdiction. The Fire Chief will be Code Official and may delegate this authority to county or state code official for assistance;
(3) In accordance with authority granted by the City Manager, to suspend from duty any employee of the department for incompetence, neglect of duty, immorality, drunkenness, drinking intoxicants when on duty, or who shall be found unfit for duty when called on emergency service, or who fail to obey orders given by proper authority, and in addition for any just or reasonable cause in the judgment of the manager; and
(4) To require the proper submission and handling of the necessary and required reports.
(b) The chief shall insure that, at least once a month, department employees have access to a department drill or instruction in the operation and handling of equipment, medical response and rescue operations, salvage, a study of buildings in the city, fire prevention, water supplies, and all other matters generally considered essential to operational readiness and safety of life and property from fire. Such drills or instructions shall account towards the employee's required continuing education.
(c) The Fire Chief shall assist the proper authorities in suppressing the crime of arson by investigating or causing to be investigated the causes, origin and circumstances of all fires.
(d) The Fire Chief is hereby empowered to enter any and all buildings and premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making inspections and to serve written notice upon the owner or occupant to abate, within a specified time, any and all fire hazards that may be found. Any person so served with a notice to abate any fire hazard or hazards, shall comply therewith and promptly notify the Fire Chief.
(e) The Fire Chief shall see that complete records are kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and minor equipment, personnel and other information about the work of the department.
(f) The Fire Chief shall report monthly to the City Manager the conditions of the apparatus and equipment; the number of fires during the month, their location and cause, and date of same and loss occasioned thereby; the number and purpose of all other runs made; and the number of employees responding to each fire or other run.
(g) The Fire Chief shall make a complete annual report to the City Manager within one (1) month after the close of the fiscal year. The report to include the information specified in subsection (f), together with comparative data for previous years and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the department.
(h) In the absence of the Fire Chief, the Assistant Fire Chief, or other designee shall be in full charge of the department.
(Ord. of 2/3/14, No. 07-13; Ord. of 5/5/14, No. 14-13; Ord. of 12/6/21, No. 19-22)