It shall be the duty of the Chief of the Fire
Department to take active command of the Department at all times when
on duty, and all orders shall be issued by him or her directly to
the commanding officer of each company. He or she shall submit written
monthly and annual reports to the Borough Council setting forth the
number of fires attended, the supplies and apparatus needed, the standing
of the various members of the Department and any other matters pertaining
to the good and welfare and efficiency of said Department. The annual
report, which shall be submitted to the Mayor and Council at its regular
meeting in January of each year, shall include an inventory of all
fire equipment, apparatus and accessories on hand as of December 31
of the year immediately preceding the meeting at which said report
is required to be submitted.
In all cases of fire, the Department Chief or
in his absence the Assistant Chief shall have full power and absolute
control and command and shall cause the several pieces of apparatus
to be worked in the most advantageous manner. Should the Department
Chief and the Assistant Chief be absent from a fire, then the next
highest ranking officer first arriving at the fire shall assume the
duties of the Chief until the arrival of his superior officer.
The Chief of the Department or any officers
in command at any fire shall have full and complete authority and
are hereby authorized and directed to acquire and secure the removal
of any and all obstructions from in front of and around the fire scene
and for that purpose are hereby authorized to call upon the head of
the Department for any assistance when needed in securing such removal
of obstructions.
The Chief of the Department shall at least once
each month conduct or shall cause to have conducted drills and/or
instructions in the operation and handling of equipment, rendering
first aid and doing rescue work, salvaging property, preventing fires,
the use and handling of water supplies and all other matters generally
considered essential to good firematics and the safety of life and
property from fire.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 23-16, Investigations of
causes of fire, was repealed 12-19-2013 by Ord. No. 12-5-2013A.
In the event that the Department Chief is unable
to perform his duties by reason of illness, absence from the Borough
or otherwise, then the Assistant Chief shall fill the office of Department
Chief and shall have all the powers and authority given to the Department
Chief.
[Amended 8-13-1997 by Ord. No. 7-9-97]
It shall be the duty of the First Captain of
each company to keep a permanent record of the fire and drill services
of each member of their company. A copy of this record shall be submitted
to the Chief and Assistant Chief monthly.
