131.01  COMPOSITION AND DUTIES.
   (a)    The Fire Department shall be composed of the following:
      One Fire Chief.
      Three Captains.
      Three Lieutenants.
      Fire fighter first grade.
      Firefighter second grade.
      Firefighter probationary. 
      (Ord. 06-12.  Passed 4-17-06.)
   (b)    Two extra firefighters shall relieve regular firefighters on vacation or absent through disability or other emergency, but no such extra firefighter shall be employed unless needed for the purpose herein set forth, nor for a period of more than three consecutive months at a time. The total number of firefighters in grades 1, 2 and 3 shall not exceed twenty-four.
(Ord. 75-67.  Passed 12-8-75.)
   (c)    The Fire Department shall be charged with the prevention of fire, the protection of life and property against fire, the operation and staffing of the City ambulance and Emergency Paramedic Unit and shall under day to day authority and direction of the Chief of the Department:
      (1)    Be responsible for the maintenance, improvement and care of all properties, apparatus, tools, vehicles, equipment and fire alarms and signals used by the Department in accordance with the directions of the Fire Chief.
      (2)    Make and maintain a record of all fire, ambulance, mutual aid and Emergency Paramedic Unit calls and maintain a dispatch center and perform such other communications duties as may be required.
      (3)    Perform various miscellaneous public services of an emergency and nonemergency nature, including but not limited to, rescue, ambulance, emergency medical, the suppression of unfriendly fire, the abatement of hazardous conditions, disaster services and paramedic services.
      (4)    Inspect potential fire hazards and other conditions unsafe to life safety and abate existing fire hazards and other conditions unsafe to life safety.
      (5)    Conduct an educational fire safety and fire prevention program.
      (6)    Inspect and maintain fire hydrants.
      (7)    Provide such training programs to Department personnel as may be required consistent with effective operation and services.
      (8)    Conduct such investigations as may be required by the Fire Chief.
      (9)    Perform such other duties as are directed by the Fire Chief, which are not inconsistent with the duties of the Fire Department.
   Upon recommendation of the Fire Chief the requirement that members of the Fire Department maintain the paramedic and/or emergency medical technical qualification may be waived for an indefinite or specified period by the appointing authority if the appointing authority determines that such waiver is consistent with the maintenance of the highest level of paramedic, emergency medical and fire fighting service to the City and its citizens. Although professional judgment should be exercised in each case, such judgment shall be based upon:
         A.    The occurrence of a medically certified change in the physical or emotional abilities of the individual which prevents the performance of the duties of a paramedic and/or emergency medical technician; or
         B.    The failure to pass the recertification testing requirements provided the individual continues to make good faith efforts to regain paramedic certification and does regain such certification within six months.
         C.    A job change which, due to the responsibilities thereof, does not require paramedic and/or emergency medical technician certification as determined by the appointing authority.
            (Ord. 83-5.  Passed 12-19-83.)