CHAPTER 35
FIRE DEPARTMENT

35.01 Establishment and Purpose	35.10 Fire Chief: Duties
35.02 Organization and Membership	35.11 Obedience to Fire Chief
35.03 Duties of Minors Limited	35.12 Constitution
35.04 Approved by Council	35.13 Accidental Injury Insurance
35.05 Training	35.14 Liability Insurance
35.06 Compensation	35.15 Calls Outside City
35.07 Fire Chief Appointed	35.16 Mutual Aid
35.08 First Assistant Fire Chief	35.17 Authority to Cite Violations
35.09 Second Assistant Fire Chief

 

35.01 ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE.

A volunteer fire department is hereby established to prevent and extinguish fires and to protect lives and property against fires, to promote fire prevention and fire safety, and to answer all emergency calls for which there is no other established agency.

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.16)

35.02 ORGANIZATION AND MEMBERSHIP.

The Fire Department consists of the Fire Chief and a voluntary roster of as many firefighters as the Council shall fix from time to time by resolution; however, the roster shall include no more than 26 members at any time. If the roster falls below 10 members, the Fire Chief shall notify Council. Any citizen of Iowa over sixteen (16) years of age is eligible for membership, provided, however, that no such citizen who is less than eighteen (18) years of age shall become eligible for membership until said person’s parent or guardian shall first file written consent with the Clerk.

(Ord. 09-2023 – Jun. 23 Supp.)

35.03 DUTIES OF MINORS LIMITED.

It is the duty of the Fire Chief to prohibit any member of the Fire Department who is less than eighteen (18) years of age from driving any fire truck, entering any burning building, or performing any other duties of hazard or danger, except in case of emergency caused by a shortage of available manpower with which to protect life or property.

35.04 APPROVED BY COUNCIL.

All persons appointed to the Fire Department shall be submitted annually to and approved by a majority of the Council members.

(Ord. 09-2023 – Jun. 23 Supp.)

35.05 TRAINING.

All members of the department shall meet the minimum training standards established by the State Fire Marshal and attend and actively participate in regular or special training drills or programs as directed by the Fire Chief.

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 100B.2[4])

35.06 COMPENSATION.

Members of the department shall be designated by rank and receive such compensation as shall be determined by resolution of the Council.

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 372.13[4])

35.07 FIRE CHIEF APPOINTED.

The Chief of the Fire Department shall be a member of the Fire Department and shall be nominated by election by its members in December of each year. The nominee shall be appointed by the Mayor at the first regular Council meeting in January of each year, to hold office for a term of one year, unless sooner discharged by a four-fifths vote of all the members of the Council. Provided, however, the Mayor may, in his or her discretion, refuse to appoint said nominee and require a second nomination, but shall appoint one of the two nominees at the first regular Council meeting following receipt of the second nomination.