(A) It shall be the duty of the Chief of the Fire Department to:
(1) Supervise and direct the extinguishing of fires;
(2) Preserve and keep safe all equipment of the Fire Department;
(3) Compel, when necessary, all officers of the town or other persons to aid in the extinguishing of fires;
(4) Enforce all rules, provisions of this code and other ordinances relative to fire prevention;
(5) Inspect all equipment of the fire department and report all needed repairs to the Board;
(6) Report all violations of the fire prevention regulations of G.S. Title 9 or any other fire prevention ordinances;
(7) Annually report to the Board the names, residences and occupations of all firefighters, the number and locality of fires which have occurred during the year, the causes thereof if they can be ascertained, the name of the owner and value of the property destroyed, insurance coverage and any other matters pertaining to the Fire Department, its organization and operation as the Chief deems best; and
(8) Do any other and further things necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the Department and for the prevention of fire.
(B) Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Chief of the Fire Department shall have the general control of the Department, the personnel, apparatus and the fire alarm system.
(`94 Code, § 7-21)
(C) Whenever a fire shall occur, it shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to report immediately to the place of the fire and to take active charge of the fire fighting operations.
(D) Immediately after the occurrence of any fire, the Chief shall investigate or shall cause to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances thereof and, as far as possible, shall determine whether the fire is the result of accident, carelessness or design. If the Chief has reason to believe that the fire is of suspicious origin, the officer shall notify the proper authorities designated by law to pursue the investigation of suspicious fires, and shall further cooperate with the authorities in the collection of evidence and in the prosecution of the case when properly instituted.
(`94 Code, § 7-22)
Statutory reference:
Duties of the Fire Chief generally, see G.S. § 160A-292