(A) It hereby is established, a fire department, an executive department. The classified service of the department shall include such members in number and rank as may be provided for from time to time by an ordinance amending subsection (B) of this section, adopted by the President and Board of Trustees. In addition, the non-classified service of the department shall include such civilians, clerks and other employees, which the President and Board of Trustees may provide by adoption of the annual Village budget and which at the recommendation of the Fire Chief and with the approval of the majority of Corporate Authorities hire.
(B) All members holding classified positions shall have been appointed to those classified positions by the Fire and Police Commission in accordance with and shall be subject to the rules of the Fire and Police Commission. The uniformed fire service of the Fire Department shall be comprised of lieutenants, firefighter/paramedics, and such other members of the uniformed fire service all as may be authorized from time to time by the President and Board of Trustees.
(C) Office of Chief. There is created hereby the office of Chief of the Fire Department, a position exempt from appointment by the Village Fire and Police Commission. The Chief of the Fire Department is a sworn firefighter and shall be appointed by the Village President, with the advice and consent of the President and Board of Trustees; provided that if the person appointed chief was, at the time of his appointment, a member of the department, he shall retain his status and rank while serving as Fire Chief and shall revert to such status and rank when his or her term as chief has ended unless he retires as Fire Chief. The following shall apply:
(1) The Chief of the Fire Department shall be qualified through training and experience to administer the Fire Department. The Chief shall work under the direction of the Village Manager and Village President. The Chief may issue such general orders or directives consistent with this Code in furtherance of the operation of the Department as he or she sees fit. The Chief shall have all firefighting duties allocated by the Village and State of Illinois to participate and control, on the scene, fires within the Village.
(2) The Chief of the Fire Department shall serve at the discretion of the Village President and shall receive such compensation as will be fixed by the President and Board of Trustees from time to time.
(3) All authorities granted to a fire chief by Illinois State statutes shall apply to the Chief of the Fire Department. The Chief of the Fire Department shall be responsible for the direction and performance of all Fire Department functions including all fire personnel of the Village, whether members of the classified service or members of the non-classified service. The Chief of the Fire Department is required to ensure the efficient operation of the Fire Department and all members of the Fire Department shall obey the orders, rules and regulations given or set by the Chief of the Fire Department for the conduct and guidance of the members of the Fire Department.
(4) Whenever in this Code reference is made to "Superintendent of the Fire Department" or "Fire Chief, such reference shall be to the "Chief of the Fire Department".
(D) The Chief of the Fire Department shall be reserved the power to appoint the positions of, but not limited to, Battalion Chiefs/Commanders, EMS Coordinator, Fire Prevention Coordinator and Training Officer provided that the person so appointed at the time of appointment is in the uniformed fire service and at a minimum rank of Lieutenant within the Schiller Park Fire Department.
(E) Upon appointment, all sworn firefighters shall execute the prescribed oath of office before entering upon their respective duties.
(F) Compensation. All members of the Fire Department shall be paid as provided from time to time by the Village President and Board of Trustees.
(Ord. 08-2677, passed 5-27-08; Am. Ord. 08-2683, passed 6-24-08; Am. Ord. 09-2717, passed 4-14-09; Am. Ord. 12-2892, passed 5-22-12; Am. Ord. 14-2971, passed 8-7-14; Am. Ord. 15-3009, passed 6-4-15; Am. Ord. 16-3053, passed 5-5-16; Am. Ord. 17-3089, passed 1-5-17; Am. Ord. 22-4327, passed 10-20-22)