(a) There is hereby established a Volunteer Fire Department for the City. There shall be a Fire Chief appointed for such Volunteer Fire Department in the manner as follows with powers and duties as enumerated below.
(b) The position of Fire Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department shall be filled by a person appointed by the City Manager subject to the approval of the City Commission. The potential appointees for the position of Fire Chief need not be employees of the City.
(c) The Fire Chief, under supervision of the City Manager, shall have command over all members of the Fire Department and shall possess all necessary power over persons and property which may be reasonably necessary to effectively combat any fire or other like emergency. It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to instruct the other members of the Fire Department in the operations of the apparatus and equipment so that all members are capable and efficient in the operation of the same. It shall be his duty to examine into the condition of all apparatus belonging to the Fire Department, and when any of the buildings or apparatus used for the purpose of the department require any alterations, additions or repairs, he shall forthwith report the same to the City Manager. It shall be his duty to receive and transmit to the City Manager all communications relating to the department, to make an exact report to the City Manager of each fire, to keep an exact roll of the department, and to annually submit a summary of all fires and an inventory of all equipment with a statement of its condition to the City Commission. It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to be present at all fires if at all reasonably possible. He shall have the power and it shall be his duty to investigate the cause of all fires and, in connection therewith, he shall have the power to examine papers and witnesses and compel the production and appearances of the same.
(d) All volunteer firefighters shall be employees of the City. The volunteer firefighters may establish their own fraternal organization to be governed through bylaws established by such organization.
(Ord. 98-100. Passed 9-15-98.)
(Ord. 98-100. Passed 9-15-98.)