Jefferson City Municipal Code

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CHAPTER 5

FIRE DEPARTMENT

5.01 Composition

5.02 Bylaws

5.03 Appointment of Chief

5.04 Appointment of Subordinates

5.05 Disciplinary Actions

5.06 Powers and Duties of Chief

5.07 Apparatus and Equipment

5.08 Police Power of the Department

5.09 Fire Inspector; Duties

5.10 False Fire Alarm Prohibited

5.11 Penalty

FIRE DEPARTMENT 5.01

  • 5.01 COMPOSITION. (Am. #5-85) The Department shall be known as the Jefferson Fire Department and shall consist of the Fire Chief and such subordinates as may be authorized by the City Council.

    5.02 BYLAWS. The Department shall adopt bylaws for the control, management and government, and for the regulation of business and proceedings of the Department.

    5.03 APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF. (Am. #4-82) The Fire Chief shall be appointed by the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners and shall hold office during good behavior, subject to suspension or removal by the Board for cause, or upon reaching age 65 shall be retired. The Board of Police and Fire Commissioners may annually extend by one year the age at which the Fire Chief shall be retired.

    5.04 APPOINTMENT OF SUBORDINATES. (Am. #5-85) The members of the Fire Department shall be appointed by the Chief subject to the approval by the Boards of Police and Fire Commissioners from an eligible list provided and approved by the Department and kept on file by the secretary of the Department. All members, except the Chief, appointed to the Fire Department shall not be less than 18 not more than 35 years of age and all such shall be retired from active membership in such Department upon obtaining the age of 65 years of age unless extended by the Council.

    5.05 DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS. Disciplinary actions against the Chief and subordinates shall be subject to (SS)62.13(5), WI Stats.

    5.06 POWERS AND DUTIES OF CHIEF, ETC. (1) POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The Chief shall have general supervision of the Department, subject to this section and the bylaws of the Department, and shall be responsible for the personnel and general efficiency of the Department.

  • (b) The Chief shall preside at all meetings of the Department, call special meetings, preserve order, decide all points of order that may arise and enforce a rigid observance of this section and the bylaws.

    (c) The Chief shall have complete command of and entire responsibility for all fire fighting operations, shall plan the control of the same, direct the action of the Department when at a fire, grant leaves of absence at a fire when he may deem it proper and shall see that the fire apparatus is kept in proper condition at all times.

    (d) Not later than October 15 of each year, the Chief shall file with the City Administrator a detailed estimate of the appropriations needed for the conduct of the Department during the ensuing fiscal year.

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    (2) VACANCY AND APPOINTMENTS IN OFFICE. (a) A vacancy in the office of the Chief shall be filled by the Police and Fire Commission. Other officers shall be shall be chosen in the manner provided by the Department bylaws. Upon creation of a vacancy in the office of Chief, the ranking officer shall perform the duties of the Chief until such vacancy has been filled.

  • (b) Upon appointment, the Chief shall immediately assume office and shall hold office until his successor is appointed and qualified in accordance with the bylaws of the Department. The Chief shall be a resident of the City and employed within the City.
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    (3)(a) Any person desiring to be a member of the Fire Department may file with the Secretary-Treasurer of the Fire Department an application in such form as the Department may require. Each applicant shall also file a certificate of physical fitness from such physician as the Chief may designate.

  • (b) Upon reaching the age of 62, active members may become honorary members and be relieved from fire fighting duties.

    (c) All resignations from the Department shall take the same course as applications for and appointments to membership.

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    • FIRE DEPARTMENT 5.06(3)(d)

  • (d) The election of the Secretary-Treasurer and such social officers as the bylaws may require shall be held at the annual meeting of the Department in such manner as in provided in the bylaws. In case of any vacancy the Chief shall appoint a member in good standing to fill the office until the next annual election.

    (e) The Chief shall submit a written report to the Common Council not later than December 15 of each year, and at such other times as he deems desirable, relating to the condition of the various pieces of apparatus and appurtenances, the number of fires occurring since the previous report, the date of same and loss occasioned thereby, the total number of active members in the Department and resignations and expulsions from the Department. He shall also report upon the drill and training program of the Department, together with other pertinent information including recommendations of such improvements as he deems proper and necessary for the operation of the Department.

    (f) He shall enforce all fire prevention ordinances of this City and state laws and regulations pertaining to fire prevention and shall keep citizens informed on fire prevention methods and on the activities of the Department.

    (g) He shall keep a fire record book of every fire to which the Department was called and shall enter in such book the locality of fire, time alarm was received, cause of fire, where fire started, cause of delay, if any, in responding, method of extinguishment, and equipment used, amount of insurance carried on building and contents, estimated fire loss, time fire was extinguished, names of men responding and general remarks.

    (h) He shall keep an inventory of all apparatus and equipment and an inventory of all hose showing dates and results of tests on each length, which shall be individually identified.

    (i) He shall perform such other duties as are incumbent on the commanding officer of the Fire Department.

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    • 5.07 APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT. (1) The Chief shall have control of all apparatus used by the Department and shall be responsible for its proper maintenance. Emergency repairs may be authorized by the Chief.

  • (2) No apparatus shall be used for any purpose except for fire fighting with the city limits, or in training therefore, except pursuant to an agreement approved by the Mayor after the Chief has given his recommendations on such use. With the approval of the Chief, such apparatus may be used for emergency purposes other than fire fighting within the Village. A written report of all such uses shall be made quarterly to the Common Council.

    (3) No person shall willfully injure in any manner any hose, hydrant, or fire apparatus belonging to the City, and no vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of the Fire Department when laid down on any street, private driveway or other place, to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the Fire Department official in command.

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    5.08 POLICE POWER OF THE DEPARTMENT. (1) The Chief and assistants or officers in command at any fire are vested with police authority at fires. Any officer of the Department may cause the arrest of any person failing to give the right-of-way to the Fire Department in responding to a fire.

  • (2) The Fire Chief may prescribe certain limits in the vicinity of any fire within which no person, excepting firemen and policemen and those admitted by order of any officer of the Department shall be permitted to come. The Chief may cause the removal of any property from fire or to prevent the spreading of fire or to protect the adjoining property, and during the progress of any fire he may order the removal or destruction of any property necessary to prevent the further spread of the fire. He may also cause the removal of all wires or other services where the same impedes the work of the Department during the progress of the fire.
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    • FIRE DEPARTMENT 5.08(3)

  • (3) Any fireman while acting under the direction of the Fire Chief or other officer in command may enter upon the premises adjacent to or in the vicinity of any building or other property then on fire for the purpose of extinguishing such fire and no person shall hinder, resist or obstruct any fireman in the discharge of his duty.

    (4) Every person who shall be present at a fire shall be subject to the order of the Fire Chief or officer in command and may be required to render assistance in fighting the fire or in removing or guarding property. Such officer may cause the arrest of any person or persons refusing to obey said orders,

    • 5.09 FIRE INSPECTOR, DUTIES. (1) The Chief shall hold the office of Fire Inspector, with power to appoint one or more deputy fire inspectors, who shall perform the same duties and have the same powers as the Fire Inspector.

  • (2) The Fire Inspector shall inspect, or cause to be inspected, semi-annually all buildings, including their premises, designed for occupancy by more than one family, and all buildings, premises and public thoroughfares open to the public within the Village limits for the purpose of noting and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire. The Inspector shall also investigate the storage and handling of explosives and flammable liquids within the City.

    (3) Whenever in the City any inspection by the Fire Chief or his deputies reveals a fire hazard, the Chief or his deputies shall serve a notice in writing upon the owner of the property giving said owner a reasonable time in which to remove the hazard. If the fire hazard is not removed within the time allowed it shall be a nuisance. The Fire Chief or his deputy may have the same removed by the City and the cost of such removal may be recovered in an action by the City against the owner of the property, and shall be a lien against such property.

    (4) The Chief shall keep a written record card of each property inspected which shall conform to the requirements of the Industrial Commission and shall make the report of inspections required by the Industrial Commission.

    (5) No person shall deny the Chief or his deputies free access to any property within the City at any reasonable time for the purpose of making fir inspections. No person shall hinder or obstruct the Fire Inspector or his deputies in the performance of their duties or refuse to observe any lawful direction given by them.

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    5.10 FALSE FIRE ALARM PROHIBITED. No person shall give or cause to be given any false fire alarm.

    5.11 PENALTY. Any person who shall violate any provision of this Chapter shall be subject to a penalty as provided in section 25.04 of the Code.