(a) The Chief of the Fire Department, any fireman in charge or the subordinates so ordered may enter any building in which there is believed to be a fire, or any building in which it is necessary to enter to stop a fire from spreading or to fight a fire or to protect either said burning building or one nearby from burning.
(b) While a fire is in progress all bystanders shall obey the direction of the Fire Chief or the fireman in control.
(c) While going to the station, extinguishing a fire, or returning to the station, the Fire Chief or the fireman in control shall direct all bystanders, order all firemen, facilitate the movement of equipment and men, and until a policeman arrives, direct traffic or order a subordinate to do so. The Fire Chief or fireman in control shall display a fireman’s badge or proper means of identification. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, the authority granted in this section shall extend to the activation of traffic control signals designed to facilitate the safe egress and ingress of fire-fighting equipment at a station.
(d) The Fire Chief or any fireman in charge may take and preserve any property that might show where the fire started. A person may petition the court to re-obtain said property. However, the Judge may require a bond on the property for the preservation of evidence.
(e) To determine the cause of a fire, a Fire Chief or fireman in control may enter the scene of the fire for up to forty-eight hours after the fire.
(f) If there is evidence that such fire was of incendiary origin, the Fire Chief or other authorized fireman may control who may enter the scene of such fire by posting no trespassing signs at such scene for a period of forty-eight hours after such fire had been extinguished.
(g) After the scene of a fire has been posted against trespassing, no person shall enter such scene, unless he is an owner, lessee or has personal property at the scene, and then only after the area has been declared safe. He may then salvage for personal property if he is with or has the permission of an authorized Fire Department or company official.
(h) It shall be unlawful, while any Fire Department or company or fireman is in the process of answering an alarm of fire or extinguishing a fire or returning to station, for any person to:
(1) Take any action for the purpose of hindering or obstructing any fireman, equipment or emergency vehicle by any means.
(2) Refuse to take any action for the purpose of hindering or obstructing any fireman, equipment or emergency vehicle by any means.
(i) Any person willingly violating subsections (d) to (h), or shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than ten dollars ($10.00) or more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).
(Ord. 1981-82-04. Passed 6-6-82.)
(Ord. 1981-82-04. Passed 6-6-82.)