(A) There is hereby created and established a Fire Department consisting of a Fire Chief, such full-time members and such part-time members of the Fire Department in such numbers as may from time to time be authorized by the President and Board of Trustees. The provision of a specific number of members in a budget or levy ordinance adopted by the President and Board of Trustees shall not be construed to constitute an authorization to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of the number of positions available in the Fire Department. The authorization to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of the number of members in the Department shall be by a vote taken specifically for that purpose by the President and Board of Trustees.
(B) Fire Department full-time sworn personnel ranks are authorized as follows:
(1) Fire Chief;
(2) Deputy Chief;
(3) Assistant Chief;
(4) Battalion Chief;
(5) Division Chief;
(6) Captain;
(7) Lieutenant;
(8) Firefighter/Paramedic Tier 1;
(9) Firefighter/Paramedic Tier 2; and
(10) Candidate (probationary firefighter/paramedic).
(C) The Fire Chief, Deputy Chief(s), Assistant Chief(s) and Battalion Chief(s) shall be appointed by and may be removed by and at the pleasure of, the President with the advice and consent of the Board of Trustees.
(D) Except for the positions of Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief and Battalion Chief, the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners shall be responsible for the appointment, promotion, discipline, discharge and any other personnel actions concerning full-time, sworn personnel, as authorized and provided by law.
(E) Fire Department part-time personnel positions are authorized as follows:
(1) Division Chief;
(2) Captain;
(3) Lieutenant;
(4) Firefighter/Paramedic;
(5) Firefighter/EMT; and
(6) Candidate (probationary firefighter/paramedic or probationary firefighter/EMT).
(F) All such authorized part-time personnel shall be appointed by the Chief and serve at the pleasure of the Chief. The employment of part-time personnel shall not be governed by the provisions of ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 10-2.1 et seq. All such authorized part-time personnel appointed by the Chief shall be required as a condition of their initial or continuing appointment to take an oath of office, in the form set forth in Article XIII, Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution of 1970. Upon taking the oath of office, such personnel shall be considered sworn personnel within the meaning of §§ 35.120 et seq.
(G) All applicants for positions as sworn personnel within the Fire Department shall be citizens of the United States of America.
(H) All individuals in the positions of full-time sworn personnel in the rank of Captain and below, at the time of the enactment of this section shall have their employment governed by the provisions of ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 10-2.1 et seq., regardless of the manner of their original appointment, and shall be entitled to the rank held at the time of the enactment of this section.
(I) If a full-time member of the Department is appointed as Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief or Battalion Chief prior to being eligible to retire on pension he or she shall be considered to be on furlough from the rank he or she held immediately prior to his or her appointment. If he or she resigns or is discharged as Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief or Battalion Chief prior to attaining eligibility to retire on pension, he or she shall revert to and be established in such prior rank, and thereafter be entitled to all the benefits and emoluments of such prior rank without regard as to whether a vacancy then exists in such rank.
(Ord. 398, passed 4-17-74; Am. Ord. 399, passed 5-1-74; Am. Ord. 05-0341, passed 11-16-05; Am. Ord. 07-0516, passed 3-7-07; Am. Ord. 07-0601, passed 11-7- 07; Am. Ord. 10-0857, passed 5- 5-10; Am. Ord. 11-0941, passed 11-16-11; Am. Ord. 19-1584, passed 7-17-19)
Cross-reference: