The Chief of the Fire Department shall be in general charge of the employees of the Fire Department and shall be responsible for the upkeep of the firefighting equipment in order to provide the city with an effective firefighting department, all under the supervision of the City Manager. He or she shall report from time to time to the City Council, through the City Manager, the activities of his or her Department. If he or she or, in his or her absence, the Assistant Chief on duty shall deem it necessary to check the progress of any fire, he or she may lay hose across any street, railroad or railway or through any building and may cause any house or building to be demolished without being responsible in damages therefor.
(2005 Code, § 2-24)