(A) Housing of equipment. All fire apparatus and equipment shall be housed in a public fire station under such conditions and regulations as the Council shall provide, and all trucks, hose, hose carts, engines, machinery and other apparatus used by the Fire Department shall be under the general supervision and control of the Chief of the Fire Department, subject to the rules and regulations of the Council.
(B) Supervision of equipment. The Chief of the Fire Department shall carefully examine into the condition of all property under his or her supervision and control and see that the same is at all times in good repair and condition, cause all necessary repairs to be made without delay and report to the City Council any alteration or additions to the equipment required.
(C) Alarm system. The Chief of the Fire Department shall have charge of the fire alarm system and the signal boxes, keys and apparatus connected therewith.
(D) Payroll; expense.
(1) The Chief of the Fire Department shall keep a correct roll of all members of the Fire Department, the date of their admission and if not now a member, the date of discharge, with the rate of pay and amounts due each, and such list shall be corrected quarterly or oftener if the City Council requires.
(2) He or she shall certify in writing all bills for pay to the members of the Fire Department and all bills incurred for the Fire Department to the City Council once a quarter, together with a list of all fires during the quarter reported on, the cause thereof, if known, and the number and description of the buildings destroyed or damaged.
(E) Suspension. The Chief of the Fire Department shall recommend for suspension or discharge any subordinate under his or her direction for neglect of duty, disobedience of orders or misconduct, and the City Council may act thereon at its discretion.
(F) Persons restricted near fire. The Chief of the Fire Department may prescribe the limits in the vicinity of the fire within which no person, except those residing therein, members of the City Council, Mayor, members of the Fire Department, police force and those admitted by him or her or his or her subordinates shall be permitted to come.
(G) Necessary destruction of property. The Chief of the Fire Department shall, when in his or her judgment, it becomes necessary to check or control any fire, have power to order any fence, building or erection of any kind to be cut down and removed, and with the consent of two members of the City Council or of the Mayor, if no Council members are present, have power to cause any building or erection to be blown with explosives for the purpose of checking or extinguishing a fire.
(H) Removal of property. The Chief of the Fire Department shall have power, with the consent of the City Council, to tear down any portion of any building that may be standing after a fire which, in their judgment, may be dangerous to persons or property.
(I) Removal of wires. The Chief of the Fire Department shall or his or her representatives shall have the power to cause the removal of all wires or the turning off of all electrical current whenever the same interferes with the work of the Fire Department.
(J) Inspection of buildings. The Chief of the Fire Department shall act as fire warden, and he or she or his or her representatives shall inspect all buildings whenever necessary or whenever required by the City Council and whenever he or she has reason to believe that any building or premises are not kept in compliance with the provisions of this code. He or she shall have access to any building or premises at any time with the right to inspect all chimneys, flues, fireplaces, wood stoves, ranges and ovens, fixed boilers, and any and all places for using fire or holding ashes, to secure the building from damage by fire. He or she or his or her representative shall be admitted at all reasonable hours of the daytime to any house, building or premises for the purpose of such inspection, and if any violation of any provision of this code or other dangerous condition exists or combustibles such as rubbish, shavings, excelsior, straw, hay, waste, rags, paper or other material that may be dangerous or liable to ignite are kept on or in the premises, he or she may at once order, in writing, the owner, occupant or agent where such violation or dangerous condition exists to remove or repair the same within 24 hours after receipt of such order.
(K) Reports. The Chief of the Fire Department shall at the last regular meeting of the City Council in each fiscal year, report in full to the City Council in regard to the Fire Department, showing the number of persons employed, or enrolled, the fire alarms answered, the loss by fire and insurance carried, the condition of all property and apparatus, with suggestions and recommendations for the improvement of the department. He or she shall attach to his or her report a complete list of all municipal property in his or her possession.
(L) Other duties. The Chief of the Fire Department shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be provided by the City Council, the provisions of this code or the laws of the state.
(Prior Code, § 6-2-8) (Ord. 16, passed 12-7-1953)