The Chief of the Fire Department shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of Council to serve for an indefinite term. The Chief of the Fire Department shall be a person of proved executive and administrative ability, with experience or training in the suppression and prevention of fires. Subject to the direction and control of the Mayor, the Chief of the Fire Department shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of the Fire Department and shall require of all firemen the proper discharge of their duties. He shall make such inspection of buildings and property throughout the City as may be necessary to discover fire hazards, shall take all proper measures to eliminate such hazards and shall keep an accurate record of all fires, inspections and fire hazards within the City. Under the direction of the Mayor, he shall also perform such other duties as may be required of him by this Charter, by general law or by City ordinance or order of the Mayor not inconsistent with this Charter or general law. The Chief of the Fire Department may be removed by the Mayor with the concurrence of a majority of Council or by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council.
Each Chief of the Fire Department hereafter appointed shall be a resident of the City and, being a resident of the City, shall not remove his or her residence from the City during the term of such appointment. Council shall be the judge of the residency qualification of the Chief who shall promptly report each change of residence to the Council.
(Amended 10-15-85.)