(A) The Fire Department shall consist of so many members as may be decided by the City Council. The members may organize themselves in any way they may decide, subject to the review of the City Council.
(B) The Volunteer Fire Department shall not have upon its rolls at one time more than 25 persons, for each engine and hose company in the Fire Department, and no hook and ladder company shall have upon its rolls at any one time more than 25 members. No organization shall be deemed to be a bona fide fire or hook and ladder company until it has procured for active service apparatus for the extinguishment or prevention of fires, in case of a hose company, to the value of $700, and of a hook and ladder company to the value of $500.
(Neb. RS 35-102)
(C) Members in good standing are those who keep their dues promptly paid up and are present and render active service when called out for the legitimate purposes of the Fire Department.
(Neb. RS 35-103)
(D) Volunteer firefighters of the Fire Department shall be deemed employees of the city while in the performance of their duties as members of the Department. Members of the Volunteer Fire Department, before they are entitled to benefits under the State Workers’ Compensation Act, shall be recommended by the Fire Chief or some person authorized to act for the Chief for membership therein to the Mayor and City Council and upon confirmation shall be deemed employees of the city. Members of the Fire Department after confirmation to membership may be removed by a majority vote of the City Council and thereafter shall not be considered employees of the city. Firefighters of the Fire Department shall be considered as acting in the performance and within the course and scope of their employment when performing activities outside of the corporate limits of the city, but only if directed to do so by the Fire Chief or some person authorized to act for the Chief.
(Neb. RS 48-115)
(E) The City Council shall purchase and maintain in force a policy of group term life insurance to age 65 covering the lives of all of the active volunteer fire and rescue personnel, except that when any such person serves more than one city or rural or suburban fire protection district, the policy shall be purchased only by the first city or district which he or she serves. The policy shall provide a minimum death benefit of $10,000 for death from any cause and shall, at the option of the insured, be convertible to a permanent form of life insurance at age 65. The coverage of such policy shall terminate as to any individual who ceases to be an active volunteer member of the Fire Department.
(Neb. RS 35-108)
(F) For purposes of the prohibition on receipt of any witness fee, attendance fee or mileage fee by an employee of the city called as a witness in connection with his or her officially assigned duties, volunteer firefighters and rescue squad members testifying in that capacity alone shall not be deemed employees of the city.
(Neb. RS 33-139.01)
(G) The City Council may compensate or reimburse any member of the Fire Department for expenses incurred in carrying out his or her duties in an amount set by resolution.
(H) All members of the Fire Department shall be subject to such rules and regulations and shall perform such duties, as may be prescribed or required of them by the Fire Chief or the City Council. The members of the Fire Department shall, during the time of a fire or great public danger, have and exercise the powers and duties of police officers and shall have full power and authority to arrest all persons guilty of any violation of the city code or the laws of the state.
(I) Members of the Fire Department may hold meetings and engage in social activities with the approval of the City Council. The secretary shall, upon request, keep a record of all meetings and shall make a report to the City Council of all meetings and activities of the Fire Department.
Statutory reference:
State Workers’ Compensation Act, see Neb. RS 48-101 et seq.