(A) Fire Department established. There is hereby established in the city a Volunteer Fire Department consisting of a Chief, an Assistant Chief, and a Fire Marshal.
(1978 Code, § 203.01)
(B) Election (appointment). The Chief of the Fire Department, the Assistant Chief and the Fire Marshal shall be elected annually by the members of the Department subject to confirmation by the Council. Each shall hold office for one year and until his or her successor has been duly elected, except that he or she may be removed by the Council for cause after a public hearing. Firefighters and probationary firefighters shall be appointed by the members of the Fire Department, subject to confirmation by the Council. Firefighters shall continue as members of the Department during good behavior and may be removed by the Council only for cause after a public hearing.
(1978 Code, § 203.02)
(C) Duties of Fire Marshal. The Office of Fire Marshal may be held by the Chief or by the Assistant Chief, if the Council, by resolution, approves. The Fire Marshal shall be charged with the enforcement of all ordinances and other regulations aimed at fire prevention. He or she shall have full authority to inspect all premises and to cause the removal or abatement of all fire hazards.
(1978 Code, § 203.03)
(D) Duties of Chief. The Chief shall have the control of all the firefighting apparatus and shall be solely responsible for its condition. He or she shall make a report, semi-annually, to the Council at its meeting in March and September as to the condition of the equipment and needs of the Fire Department. He or she may submit additional reports and recommendations at any meeting of the Council, and he or she shall report each suspension by him or her of a member of the Fire Department at the first meeting of the Council following such suspension. He or she shall be responsible for the proper training and discipline of the members of the Fire Department, and may suspend any member for refusal or neglect to obey orders pending final action by the Council on his or her discharge or retention.
(1978 Code, § 203.04)
(E) Records. The Chief shall keep in convenient form a complete record of all fires. Such a record shall include the time of the alarm, location of fire, cause of fire, (if known), type of building, name of owner and tenant, department responding to the alarm and such other information as he or she may deem advisable or as may be required from time to time by the Council or State Insurance Department.
(1978 Code, § 203.05)
(F) Practice, drills. It shall be the duty of the Chief, when the weather permits, to hold monthly practice drills of at least one hour’s duration for the Fire Department and to give the firefighters instruction in approved methods of firefighting and fire prevention.
(1978 Code, § 203.06)
(G) Assistant Chief. In the absence or disability of the Chief, the Assistant Chief shall perform all the functions and exercise all of the authority of the Chief.
(1978 Code, § 203.07)
(H) Firefighters. The Assistant Chief and firefighters shall be able bodied and not less than 18 years of age. They shall become members of the Fire Department only after a six-month probationary period. The Council may require that each candidate, before he or she may become a probationary firefighter or substitute member, must satisfy certain minimum requirement qualifications which may be specified by the Council and that he or she must satisfactorily pass a mental and physical examination.
(1978 Code, § 203.08)
(I) Loss of membership. Firefighters absent from three consecutive drills or calls unless excused by the Chief shall forfeit membership in the Department.
(1978 Code, § 203.09)
(J) Compensation. The members and officers of the Fire Department shall be compensated by a rate established by resolution of the Council. Such compensation shall be reviewed by the Council at a meeting in December in odd-numbered years, or more frequently if desired by the Council.
(1978 Code, § 203.10)
(K) Minimum pay. In computing compensation for fires, one hour shall be considered as the minimum to be paid to any firefighter or officer.
(1978 Code, § 203.11)
(L) Relief Association. The members and officers of the Fire Department may organize themselves into a Firefighters’ Relief Association.
(1978 Code, § 203.12)
(M) Interference with Department. It shall be unlawful for a person to give or make or cause to be given or made an alarm of fire without probable cause or to neglect or refuse to obey any reasonable order of the Chief, Assistant Chief, officer in charge or a peace officer at a fire or to interfere with the Fire Department in the discharge of its duties.
(1978 Code, § 203.13)
Penalty, see § 10.99