(a) Whenever a member of the Fire Division is injured due to participation in fire fighting duties or emergency fire duties of a high risk nature, including ambulance calls and training in fire fighting procedures of a hazardous nature, whereby serious injuries or burns are sustained through the collapse of buildings or parts thereof or because of other accidents which occurred at a fire scene or during response in a fire vehicle, then in these cases a claim stating all the facts and circumstances shall be filed with the Director of Public Safety for payment of wages by the City, not from accumulated sick leave but from regular payroll.
The Director shall review the application and shall rule as to whether or not the injury occurred due to participation in fire fighting duties or emergency duties of a high risk nature. If he so finds, he shall order salary payment from the regular payroll account upon presentment of proof of disability from the member's treating physician.
In order for such an injury to apply under this section the incident forming the basis of the injury must be duly reported in writing to a superior by the close of the shift even if the injury itself does not immediately develop or does not immediately appear serious.
Such benefits shall commence upon the seventh day from the start of such period of disability and shall continue for six months from such date. If a member is dissatisfied with the ruling of the Director as to the coverage of his injury by this section, the member may appeal the decision for reconsideration to Council as a Whole and the decision of the majority of Council shall be final.
(Ord. 79-78. Passed 3-20-78.)
(b) Fire personnel who are injured while on duty and are sent home by a doctor and/or hospital shall be paid for the remainder of the tour of duty from regular wages. Written confirmation of injury is necessary for this section to apply. A member's being sent home during a tour of duty because of injury will in no way affect his or her entitlement to one additional duty week of vacation with pay, as stated in Section 145.05(b). However, if he or she fails to report for his or her next tour of duty, he or she shall not be entitled to the additional duty week of vacation.
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) hereof are effective until December 31, 1982, and thereafter until such time as they may be further amended, as to the date of effectiveness, or repealed.
(Ord. 91-82. Passed 6-9-82.)