[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Weymouth 12-15-1999 by Ord. No. 368-99[1]. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Central dispatch system — See Ch. 7.
Civil Defense Agency — See Ch. 15.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 128.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance repealed former Ch. 43, Fire
Department, adopted 12-29-1980 by Ord. No. 243-80 as Ch. II, Sec.
2-4, of the 1980 Revised General Ordinances, as amended.
There is hereby authorized and established, pursuant to N.J.S.A.
40A:14-68, the Weymouth Township Volunteer Fire Department (hereinafter
the "Department"). The Department shall be and is hereby designated
as the authorized provider of fire protection, fire prevention and
emergency medical services in Weymouth Township.
The Department shall consist of two companies known respectively
as the "Dorothy Volunteer Fire Company" and the "Belcoville Volunteer
Fire Company." Each such company and its members shall be under the
supervision and control of Weymouth Township in performing fire and
emergency medical duties and shall be deemed to be exercising a governmental
function; provided, however, that the appointment or election of the
Chief of each company shall remain the prerogative of the members
of such company as set forth in the company's Certificate of
Incorporation and Bylaws.
A.
Each company shall designate a Fire Chief, along with such additional
officers as the company deems appropriate in accordance with the provisions
of the company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The
Chief and other officers, if any, of each company shall be individually
and collectively responsible for implementing and carrying out the
services contemplated by this chapter and shall otherwise ensure the
company's compliance with the terms of this chapter and any regulations
adopted hereunder, as well as all other applicable local, county or
state laws or regulations. All officers of each company shall be members
in good standing of such company.
B.
Members in a fire company shall be categorized according to the following
classifications and shall exercise only the authority applicable to
such classification:
(1)
Active fire fighter. A member who shall have achieved a minimum standard
of training consisting of "Fire Fighter No. 1," along with all fire
fighter training as mandated by the State of New Jersey.
(2)
Active EMT. A member who has achieved a minimum standard of training
consisting of emergency medical technical (EMT) certification by the
New Jersey Department of Health, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
certification and all additional training mandated by the State of
New Jersey for emergency medical service (EMS) providers.
C.
Members or prospective members of a fire company may be admitted
to membership or dismissed from membership in accordance with the
provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and/or Constitution
and/or Bylaws applicable to the company. Within 10 calendar days of
any decision to deny membership or dismiss a member, the company involved
shall provide the Township Committee with a formal written notice
of that action. Such notice shall include the name, address and telephone
number of the member or prospective member involved, the specific
nature of the actions taken by the company and a detailed statement
of the reasons supporting such action. The company shall also provide
the Township Committee with such additional information as may be
required or requested by the Township Committee in order to allow
the Township Committee to determine whether the subject action complies
with the terms of this chapter, any regulations promulgated thereunder
and all other applicable laws or regulations.
The Township Committee shall issue to each member of the Dorothy
Volunteer Fire Company and the Belcoville Volunteer Fire Company a
certificate signed by the Mayor and attested to by the Clerk that
he/she is a duly qualified member of such company. The Township Committee
shall keep a book to be called "Register of the Fire Department,"
which shall contain the name, date of admission, address and membership
statute (i.e., active fire fighter; active EMT; active fire fighter/EMT;
or social) of each member. It shall be the responsibility of each
fire company to submit to Township Committee within 30 days of the
adoption of this chapter the names of all current members for issuance
of the aforesaid certificate and recording in the register. Each company
shall have a continuing obligation to advise the Township Committee
of any changes to the company's membership. Such notification
shall be in writing directed to the Township Clerk and shall be provided
within 10 calendar days of the subject change.
The Township shall adopt and may from time to time amend rules
and regulations governing the operations of the Department and its
constituent companies. Such rules and regulations shall be in a form
of a Statement of Policies and Practices (hereinafter the "Statement")
and may govern, without limitation, matters including member training,
fire and emergency response procedure and authority, reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, financial management and coordination
of services between companies. The Statement adopted hereunder and
any amendments thereto shall be provided by the Township Committee
to each Fire Company and shall remain posted at all times at the principal
offices of each company in a location conveniently accessible and
visible to all members of the company and the public.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Statement of Policies and Practices
is included at the end of this chapter.
Upon a company's violation of any of the provisions of
this chapter, or of the Statement of Policies and Practices promulgated
hereunder, the Township Committee, in its discretion, may suspend
recognition of the company and/or rescind any appropriation or insurance
coverage for the company and may take such additional and further
actions as the Township Committee deems appropriate under the circumstances
to achieve compliance and deter future violations.
