§ 93.03 FIRE DEPARTMENT.
   (A)   Fire Department created.
      (1)   There is hereby continued the City Volunteer Fire Department, which may consist of one Fire Chief, one or more assistant Fire Chief(s), and other volunteer fire captains, firefighters and other staff as the organization may decide.
      (2)   The City Volunteer Fire Department shall maintain and adhere to their constitution and bylaws at all times.
      (3)   The city, through the action of the City Council, shall enter into a contract with the City Volunteer Fire Department to ensure fire protection services for the city. Such contract shall permit the formation of a fire board, consisting of two members of the City Council and two members of the City Volunteer Fire Department, one of whom shall be an officer of the Fire Department. The intent of this Board is to provide clear communication between the city and the City Volunteer Fire Department for the fire protection of the city.
   (B)   Authority at fires.
      (1)   The Fire Chief, or in his or her absence, a designee, shall in all cases of fire, have the sole control over all the other members of the City Volunteer Fire Department. The Fire Chief, or in his or her absence, the assistant chief next in rank, shall have the power to order the arrest of any person who, during a fire or other emergency, refuses to obey lawful orders, makes a disturbance, commits any breach of the peace, or for any other just cause. Any person arrested shall be subject to the penalty as provided under state law.
      (2)   In the vicinity of a fire, it shall be the duty of the Police Department to preserve order, protect property, and give any other assistance as needed.
   (C)   Interference with a fire apparatus.
      (1)   No person shall interfere with, injure or destroy any fire hose, ladders, axes or other property belonging to the City Volunteer Fire Department and used for fire purposes, except if they be a member of the Fire Department and then only in case of fire; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any person from lending assistance to the Fire Department in case of fire.
      (2)   No person shall willfully hinder or interfere with any city police officer or firefighter in the performance of his or her duty at, going to or returning from any fire, or while attending to his or her duty as a member of the Fire Department.
      (3)   No vehicle may be driven over any unprotected hose of the Fire Department when laid down on any street, private road or driveway to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the Fire Department official in command. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor provided under SDCL § 32-31-8.
   (D)   Obstructing or tampering with fire hydrants.
      (1)   No person shall erect or place a fence or other obstruction, nor pile any goods or other things, within six feet of any fire plug or hydrant.
      (2)   It is unlawful for any person to unscrew or remove any cap of any water hydrant, or in any way interfere with such hydrant, except in such manner as provided by regulations of the Fire Department.
      (3)   No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer, firefighter or traffic control device within 15 feet of a fire hydrant (§ 70.10).
   (E)   False alarm of fire. No person shall knowingly give a false alarm or false report of a fire in any manner.
   (F)   Fire alarms.
      (1)   It is unlawful for any person to loosen or in anyway change or remove any installation belonging to, used or connected with a fire alarm without having obtained consent of the Fire Chief for that purpose.
      (2)   It is unlawful for any person to deface, injure or tamper with any fire alarm, telephone box or wire, or any apparatus used or connected therewith, or in any manner to open or give any fire alarm except in case of fire.
(Prior Code, § 9-03) Penalty, see § 10.99