A. Establishment: There is hereby established in the City a Volunteer Fire Department consisting of not less than twenty (20) nor more than twenty five (25) firefighters, including a Chief and an Assistant Chief.
B. Fire Chief And Firefighters; Qualifications, Requirements And Elections:
1. Election Of Chief; Removal, Hearing: The Chief of the Fire Department shall be elected annually by the members of the Department subject to confirmation by the City Council. The Fire Chief shall appoint one or two (2) Assistant Fire Chiefs. Each shall hold office for one year and until his successor has been duly elected, except that he may be removed by the City Council for cause after a public hearing.
2. Appointment Of Firefighters; Removal, Hearing: Firefighters shall be appointed by members of the Department, subject to confirmation by the City Council. Firefighters may be removed for cause either by City Council action after a public hearing or by action of the Department membership in which two-thirds (2/3) majority of the total membership votes for expulsion. In the case of expulsion by the Department membership, the expelled person may appeal the decision to the City Council who will, after careful consideration of the facts, make a final decision on the matter.
3. Qualifications: The Assistant Chief and firefighters shall be able-bodies and not less than twenty one (21) nor more than fifty eight (58) years of age. They shall become members of the Fire Department only after a six (6) months' probationary period. The City Council may require that each candidate, before he/she may become a probationary firefighter, must satisfy certain minimum requirements of height, weight, education and any other qualifications which may be specified by the City Council and that he or she must satisfactorily pass a mental and physical examination.
4. Loss Of Membership: Firefighters who fail to attend at least a total of seven (7) meetings and/or drills in any calendar year shall forfeit membership in the Department.
C. Fire Chief; Duties: The Chief shall have control of all the firefighting apparatus and shall be solely responsible for its care and condition. He shall make at least one report each year to the City Council at its meeting in September, as to the condition of the equipment and needs of the fire department. He may submit additional reports and recommendations at any meeting of the city council, and he shall report each suspension by him of a member of the fire department at the first meeting of the city council following such suspension. He shall be responsible for the prior training and discipline of the members of the fire department, and may suspend any member for neglect or refusal to obey an order pending final action by the city council on his discharge or retention.
1. Record Of Fires: 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, value of building and contents, members of the department responding to the alarm, and such other information as he may deem advisable or as may be required from time to time by the city council or state insurance department.
2. Practice Drills: It shall be the duty of the chief, when the weather permits, to hold a monthly practice drill 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.
D. 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. In addition, he shall perform such other duties as the chief may order. (Ord. 139, 6-4-1973)
E. Rules And Regulations: The volunteer fire department shall, and it is hereby required to, formulate and submit to the joint board such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the laws of the state or the ordinances of the city for the government and control of such fire company and the prevention and extinguishment of fires. Thereupon the city council may adopt such rules and regulations as shall govern and control said fire department in its operations.
F. Relief Association: The members and officers of the fire department may continue to be organized into a Firefighter's Relief Association.
G. Compensation: The compensation of the officers and firefighters shall be established by resolution of the joint board. In computing compensation for fires, one hour shall be considered as the minimum to be paid any firefighter.
H. Interference With Department: It shall be unlawful for any 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 at a fire, or to interfere with the department in the discharge of its duties; and any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to penalty as provided in section 1-4-1 of this title. (Ord. 139, 6-4-1973; amd. 1996 Code)