[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the Borough of Alpha as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-14-1999 by Ord. No. 99-4 (Ch. 10 of the 1974 Code)]
The Fire Department of the Borough of Alpha
shall be the Alpha Volunteer Fire Company. Said Fire Department shall
come under the Director of Public Safety.
Each December, the Fire Department of the Borough
of Alpha shall hold an election for Chief, Assistant Chief, fire police,
and apparatus drivers. The results of that election, plus the recommendation
of the Chief for the appointment of his line officers, shall be furnished
to the Mayor as a recommendation of those to hold those respective
offices for the ensuing year. The Mayor, with the advice and consent
of Borough Council and the recommendation so supplied, shall then,
at the Borough reorganization meeting, appoint the Chief, Assistant
Chief, line officers, fire police, and apparatus drivers. Those appointments
shall be for one year, commencing with the first day of January and
until their successors are chosen.
The Fire Department shall be furnished by the
Borough with a budget in order to purchase equipment and supplies
used for the extinguishment of fires, the protection of property,
protection of the fire personnel, and maintenance of the Fire Department.
The Fire Department shall be responsible for the safe, careful, prudent,
and economical care, operation, and use of all apparatus and fire
equipment of the Fire Department.
No person shall become a member of the Fire
Department unless he or she shall promise and engage in writing to
perform the duties of a fireman as prescribed in this chapter and
the bylaws of the Alpha Volunteer Fire Company. He or she shall be
of an age as approved by law and the New Jersey State Firemen's Association.
Based on an election of the Alpha Volunteer Fire Company, prospective
members shall be recommended to the Mayor, who, with the advice and
consent of Council, shall appoint said members to the Fire Department.
Said recommendation shall be accompanied by an application. This application
shall be the approved application of the Alpha Volunteer Fire Company
for active membership. All persons appointed to the Borough Fire Department
shall complete an approved fire school as specified in the bylaws
of the Alpha Volunteer Fire Company.
No person shall become an apparatus driver unless
he or she is a licensed automobile driver in the State of New Jersey
and has at least three years of experience in driving automobiles/trucks.
No person shall drive a fire apparatus unless he or she is an appointed
apparatus driver or in an emergency is approved by the officer in
charge of the emergency. It shall be the duty of the drivers, based
on a schedule and checklist provided by the Chief, to regularly and
frequently inspect the apparatus, provide for maintaining of all fluid
levels, and inspect all fire-fighting gear so provided on the apparatus
such that the apparatus and equipment are ready for the next alarm.
The Chief shall be in full charge and control
of all firemen. He or she shall be in full and absolute control of
the fire scene as prescribed by law. He or she shall take prompt and
efficient measures in responding to any fire emergency using all means
at his disposal. He or she shall be responsible for the maintenance
and upkeep of all apparatus and fire-fighting equipment. He or she
shall assure that all fire fighters are provided with approved personal
protection equipment. He or she shall provide for the accurate keeping
of all fire records in detail, including but not limited to fire call
information, equipment maintenance records, and personnel records.
He or she shall provide to the Borough Council any information related
to fire fighting at its request. He or she shall provide to the Council
a monthly report stating all calls the Department has responded to
that month. Compliance with all requirements of the State of New Jersey
shall be the responsibility of the Chief. In his absence, the officer
next in line in the chain of command shall take over his duties.
It shall be the responsibility of the line officers
to assist the Chief as required by him and as outlined in the bylaws
of the Alpha Volunteer Fire Company.
It shall be the duty of the fire fighter, whenever
any fire shall break out in the Borough, to report immediately upon
alarm thereof to the scene of the alarm. He shall at all times during
the alarm assure that the proper personal protection equipment is
worn. He or she shall, at the direction of the officer in charge,
perform all the necessary fire-fighting activities with all his or
her skill and power. He or she shall remain at the fire alarm scene
until directed otherwise by the officer in charge. After returning
to the firehouse, he or she shall at the direction of the officers
in charge clean, inspect, and ready the equipment for the next call.
He or she shall remain until released by the officer in charge.
It shall be the duty of the fire police, along
with the police of the Borough, to provide for control of traffic
such that the responding fire apparatus has a clear and safe path
to the alarm. They shall also be responsible for the control of all
persons at a fire scene not connected with the fire-fighting activities.
They shall direct these personnel so as to provide for a clear area
for the fire-fighting activities as well as for the safety of these
personnel.
[Added 11-9-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-12]
The Alpha Volunteer Fire Company shall have the following additional
firefighter categories:
A.
Fireground support member (must be 18 years or older).
(1)
All fireground support members are required to obtain and pass a
medical physical.
(2)
All fireground support members are required to attend drills and
meetings pertaining to the organization.
(3)
Fireground support members' responsibilities and duties shall
include the basics of firefightership, as directed by the officer-in-charge.
(4)
No fireground support member shall be allowed to use an air pack,
run/operate fire apparatus or be on the nozzle and shall only be permitted
to enter any building once the officer-in-charge deems it safe for
entry.
(5)
All fireground support members are governed by the officer-in-charge.
(6)
Fireground support members can be appointed as auxiliary drivers
once a driver training is completed and proper proof has been submitted
to the department or the officer-in-charge.
(7)
Attendance at the fire academy is not required but is encouraged.
B.
Cadet firefighter (must be at least age 14 and up to and including
those 16 years of age).
(1)
All cadets are encouraged to attend meetings and drills pertaining
to the organization.
(2)
All cadets will be under the supervision and direction of the officer-in-charge.
(3)
Cadet activities shall include but are not limited to basic fundamentals
of firefightership, as directed by the officer-in-charge.
(4)
Cadets may not respond to the scene or ride in or on any apparatus
for any active calls.
(5)
All cadets will abide by a 10:00 p.m. curfew.
(6)
All cadets will maintain a passing grade point average in school
(GPA).
