(A) Establishment of office. There is hereby created the positions of two Deputy Fire Chiefs. The Deputy Fire Chiefs shall be appointed by the Fire Chief with the consent of the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners. The Deputy Fire Chief positions shall be filled by said appointment from among the personnel of the Fire Department.
(B) Duties and powers. The Deputy Fire Chiefs shall oversee and coordinate the activities of all service training officers and all service fire prevention officers. The Deputy Chiefs shall assist the Fire Chief with the Fire Chief’s duties as directed by the Fire Chief. In the absence of the Fire Chief, or in the event of a vacancy in the Office of Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief with the most seniority in rank shall have charge of the activities of the Fire Department. The Deputy Fire Chief shall have further duties and powers as from time to time prescribed by ordinance or by the City Council.
(C) Tenure. If a member of the Department is appointed Deputy Fire Chief, he or she shall be considered as on furlough from the rank held immediately prior to his or her appointment as Deputy Chief. If he or she resigns as Deputy Chief or is discharged as Deputy Chief, he or she shall revert to and be established in the prior rank, and thereafter be entitled to all the benefits and emoluments of the prior rank without regards to whether a vacancy then exists in the rank.
(E) Eligibility to test for rank advancement. The Deputy Chiefs of the Fire Department, having been appointed from among members of the Fire Department, shall be permitted, regardless of rank, to take promotional exams and be promoted to a higher classified rank than he currently holds, without having to resign as a Deputy Chief of the Fire Department.
(1980 Code, § 8.003) (Ord. 8498, passed 7-15-1991; Ord. 9162, passed 2-8-2010; Ord. 9309, passed 6-26-2017)