(A) General. All duly appointed firefighters of the Department shall meet all fire call, training participation and health and fitness requirements as listed these rules and regulations. Such requirements shall include but need not be limited to minimum attendance requirements for fire calls, departmental training activities, completion of other required training, and participation in annual health and fitness examinations. Failure to meet minimum participation requirements shall be cause for termination from the Department.
(B) Training requirements. Training sessions (drills) will be regularly scheduled on the second Tuesday and the last Monday of each succeeding month to commence at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise announced. Additional and special drills may be scheduled and held as circumstances may require. Although the particular subject matter involved may entail drills having a longer duration from time to time, the duration of each drill will be based upon an hour unit of time with a minimum of one hour. Training shall consist of attaining and maintaining requirements set forth in Sections 3 and 4 of NFPA 1001 Firefighter Professional Qualifications, 1992 Edition as amended.
(C) Promotions. Firefighters shall meet the requirements and compete for promotions within the Department as defined in these Department rules and regulations, with final approval and ratification thereof by the Governing Authority.
(1) The Chief shall recommend to the Governing Authority candidates for appointment to officer positions in the Department as allowed and prescribed in these Department rules and regulations and the guidelines set forth in the applicable NFPA 1021, Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, 1992 Edition as amended.
(2) Officers other than the Chief shall serve a probationary period of 12 months commencing with appointment by the Governing Authority. During said probationary period, each such officer shall receive quarterly evaluations by a superior officer. Each evaluation shall be discussed with the probationary officer and shall cover, but need not be limited to, an understanding of the work, the quality and quantity thereof, and the probationer's attitude, dependability, initiative, work objectives, and progress.
(3) If during the probationary period the probationary officer is not meeting Department standards for the position, the probationer may be returned to the position of firefighter in the discretion of the Chief, but with prior approval of the City Council.
(4) With the exception of the Chief, all officers of the Department above the rank of firefighter shall be appointed by the Governing Authority to two-year terms expiring December 31 of odd- numbered years. Such officers shall be subject to reappointment or reassignment at the expiration of said two-year terms at the sole discretion of the Governing Authority after consideration of current recommendations by the Chief and any other relevant available data and information. Officers wishing to be considered for reappointment shall participate in examinations for each respective officer position along with other qualified employees of the Department as provided by Department rules and regulations.
(D) Chain of command.
(1) General. In the absence or disability of the Chief, the next ranking officer as defined in the organizational structure of the Department and Department rules and regulations shall perform all of the functions and exercise all of the authority otherwise performed by the Chief. During short periods of absence from the City, the Chief may designate an Acting Chief who shall assume responsibility for all operational activities of the Department. For periods of absence longer than 30 days, the Governing Authority shall approve the appointment of an Acting Chief.
(2) Emergency command and control.
(a) The senior officer or firefighter first at the scene of an emergency shall assume command of operations at the emergency. On the arrival of a ranking officer, the firefighter or officer in charge shall report the situation and actions taken to that officer. That officer shall be responsible for operations at the fire, but may allow the firefighter or junior officer to maintain command of the operations.
(b) Subsequently, arriving officers ordered to certain positions, shall not wander from that position and shall not interfere with operations directed by the other officers. Firefighters and officers arriving on or with a unit shall work together as a company of that unit and shall avoid separation from each other unless otherwise ordered.
(c) Firefighters arriving at the scene of an emergency, shall stay with their unit until otherwise ordered. Officers shall report to the officer in charge at the scene on arrival.
(d) Fire equipment operators shall standby their unit unless otherwise ordered by the officer in charge.
(e) In the event of a major fire or emergency, the officer in charge shall designate a command post and advise dispatch of the locations of the command post.
(E) Limited duty assignment. The Chief shall have the authority to assign firefighters and probationary firefighters to limited duty firefighting duties only for reasons and such periods of time as the Chief deems appropriate for the protection of the health, safety or welfare of the Department and the public. If said assignments continue for more than 60 days, such continuance must be approved by the Governing Authority, or the Governing Authority shall make whatever other judgmental and discretionary decision otherwise indicated in the circumstances.
(1) The Chief shall determine the nature and extent of limited duty firefighting duties appropriate for each individual assigned to such duties.
(2) Unless specifically assigned by the Chief to limited firefighting duties, or unless otherwise restricted elsewhere in these provisions, each firefighter and probationary firefighter shall be deemed available for all firefighting duties and responsibilities.
(F) Leave of absence. Any firefighter or probationary firefighter may request a leave of absence from active duty on the Department. Such requests shall be in writing and presented to the Chief for recommendation as to approval or disapproval and thereafter referred to the Governing Authority for final decision.
(1) Leave of absence may be granted for personal, family, or medical reasons and shall not exceed 90 days except in the case of medical leave.
(2) All requests for medical leave of absence shall be accompanied by a written statement from a physician stating that the probationary firefighter or firefighter is not able to fight fires and/or perform the duties of the firefighter's job description for some specified period of time. Additional statements and additional detail and documentation from the physician may be required by the Chief at reasonable intervals to document the individual's ability or inability, as the case may be, to return to duty.
(a) Medical leaves of absence may, at the discretion of the Chief, with prior Governing Authority approval, be granted for any period of time.
(b) The Chief may, for medical reasons, only when it is determined, in the best interests of a firefighter and/or performance of Department, impose an involuntary leave of absence upon any employee of the Department. If a firefighter seeks a second medical opinion, the Department shall assume the expense of reexamination and medical report.
(c) The firefighter or probationary firefighter, upon whom an involuntary leave of absence has been imposed, shall have the right to, within 15 days appeal such leave to the Governing Authority by filing a written notice of appeal.
(d) The appeal shall be heard by the Governing Authority at its next regular meeting held no sooner than seven days or more than 30 days from receipt of such written appeal.
(3) Any firefighter or probationary firefighter who returns to duty following an in excess of 90 day medical leave may, at the discretion of the Chief be required as a precondition to returning to duty, to submit a current report of physical examination at the Department's expense to assure ability to perform all of the duties entailed in returning to duty.
(4) If an approved leave of absence exceeds 90 days, in any one absence, 120 days in any one year, or 180 days in any five-year period, the firefighter shall not, for any days in excess thereof, be considered an employee in good standing of the Department for purpose of relief association benefits.
(5) During an approved leave of absence, no person shall receive service credit to be applied to probationary service as a firefighter or as a Department Officer.
(Ord. 333, passed 2-12-96)