(A) The Fire Chief shall formulate the organizational structure of the Fire Department.
(B) The Chief shall formulate a set of rules and regulations to govern the Department. The Chief shall be responsible for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the Department.
(C) The Chief shall determine the number and kind of companies of which the Department is to be composed and shall determine the response of such companies to alarms.
(D) The Chief shall at least once a month conduct suitable drills or instruction in the operation and handling of equipment, first aid and rescue work, salvage, a study of buildings in the city, fire prevention, water supplies and all other matters generally considered essential to good firemanship and safety of life and property from fire.
(E) The Chief shall assist the proper authorities in suppressing the crime of arson by investigating or causing to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances of all fires.
(F) Upon providing reasonable notice to the occupant or property owner, the Chief or his or her authorized designee is empowered to enter any and all buildings and premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making inspections and to serve written notice upon the owner or occupant to abate, within a specified time, any and all fire hazards that may be found. The notice requirement aforementioned is obviated in situations where an immediate danger may exist.
(G) Any person so served with a notice to abate any fire hazard or hazards shall comply therewith and promptly notify the Chief of the actions taken to accomplish the abatement.
(H) The Chief shall see that complete records are kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and minor equipment, personnel and other information about the work of the Department.
(I) The Chief shall report to the City Manager the condition of the apparatus and equipment; the number of fires during the month; their location and cause; date of same and loss occasioned thereby; number and purpose of all ether runs made and the number of members responding to each fire or ether run; and any changes in membership.
(J) The Chief shall make a complete annual report to the City Commission within one month after the close of the fiscal year, such report to include the information specified in division (H), together with comparative data from previous years and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the Department.
(Ord. 583, passed 10-26-2009; Am. Ord. 620, passed 9-22-2014)