[Adopted 12-9-1963]
[Amended 12-27-1972 by Ord. No. 72-23; 7-8-1974 by Ord. No. 74-16]
The Fire Department shall consist of a Chief, First Assistant Chief, Second Assistant Chief, Captain, Lieutenant and firemen as herein provided. Membership in said Fire Department shall be open to any resident of the Borough of Park Ridge who is at least 18 years of age and is less than 40 years of age; is sound in body and in good health, sufficient to satisfy the Fire Board; is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently; is of good moral character; has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude and has submitted to and passed a medical and physical examination conducted by the Fire Surgeon of the Borough within seven days prior to the appointment date.
[Added 11-29-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-034]
A. 
All Fire Department applicants, subsequent to the adoption of this section, must submit to fingerprinting by the fingerprint vendor contracted with the State of New Jersey for such volunteer positions for the purpose of completing a criminal background check of the applicant. This requirement shall also apply to any member of the Fire Reserve, at such time as they apply for membership to the regular department.
B. 
The results of the applicant's criminal history check will be returned to the Park Ridge Police Department. The Chief of the Police Department, or his designee, will complete a local records check, along with a criminal background check, as allowed by law. The Police Chief, or his designee, will then provide a written statement to the Borough Administrator stating that either the applicant has no disqualifying criminal history or a summary of any disqualifying criminal charges or convictions.
C. 
The Borough Administrator will promptly advise the Chief of the Fire Department if the applicant meets the Borough's standards for membership or, after consulting with the Borough Attorney, will advise the Fire Chief that the applicant does not meet these standards and may not be granted membership. If an applicant wishes to discuss the decision made related to them, he may meet with the Borough Administrator and Borough Attorney to review the basis for that determination.
D. 
Any person convicted of a crime of the first or second degree as set forth under the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, or its equivalent in any other jurisdiction of the United States, shall be ineligible for membership in the Park Ridge Volunteer Fire Department.
E. 
Any person convicted of a crime of the third or fourth degree as set forth under the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, or its equivalent in any other jurisdiction of the United States, may be eligible for membership in the Park Ridge Volunteer Fire Department, subject to review and recommendation of the Borough Council and the Board of Fire Officers.
F. 
No other Borough Official or employee will be given access to, or be informed of, the information received from the criminal history check.
G. 
The Borough authorizes the Fire Department to pay any fee required by the state in relation to this investigation.
H. 
The Park Ridge Volunteer Fire Department will not accept any member on a probationary status until all background checks are completed and information is returned from the state.
I. 
All other requirements for membership within the Park Ridge Volunteer Fire Department will remain in full force and effect until changed.
Each company shall have one Captain, one Lieutenant and as many active men as may be deemed necessary, but not in excess of 25. The Borough Clerk shall keep a complete roll of the active and exempt members of the Fire Department, designating the date of admission, exemption and resignation and the respective company to which they belong.
[Amended 7-8-1974 by Ord. No. 74-16]
A Fire Board, as heretofore established, is hereby continued. It shall consist of the Mayor, members of the Fire Committee of the Borough Council, Chief, First and Second Assistant Chiefs and the Borough Clerk, who shall have no vote.
[Amended 7-8-1974 by Ord. No. 74-16]
Meetings of the Fire Board shall be held upon the call of the Mayor or the Chief of the Fire Department, as needed. The Board shall have control of the management of the Department when not upon active duty, subject to the approval of the governing body.
The Fire Board shall from time to time adopt a code or bylaws and rules for the control, management and government of the Fire Department. The code or codes or bylaws and rules as adopted by the Fire Board shall not become operative and effective until approved by the Mayor and Council.
[Amended 7-8-1974 by Ord. No. 74-16]
The Chief, First and Second Assistant Chiefs, Captain and the Lieutenant of the Department shall be elected annually on the first Thursday of December in each year by the active members of the Department. All officers of the Department shall hold over until their successors are elected and approved by the Mayor and Council. Election of Department officers shall be by ballot and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be declared elected, subject to the approval of the Mayor and Council.
[Amended 7-8-1974 by Ord. No. 74-16]
Company Captains and Lieutenants shall be appointed annually by the Department officers on the first Thursday of December in each year.
The companies of the Fire Department shall be known and designated, without reference to their equipment, as "Company No. .......... of the Borough of Park Ridge Fire Department." Each company shall be known by a numeral designated by the Mayor and Council.
An official inspection of the Department shall be made annually by the governing body of the Borough. The time for such inspection shall be designated by the governing body.
[Amended 7-8-1974 by Ord. No. 74-16]
All fire apparatus belonging to the Borough shall be kept at the firehouse on Park Avenue or at such other places as the Council may designate.
An exemption certificate shall be granted to each member of the Fire Department who has served the time prescribed by law. No member shall be granted an exemption certificate unless he has served the required time and has also performed the yearly fire duty required of him for the number of years required by the laws of the state for granting such certificate. The time served and the percentage of fire duty shall be certified by the Captain of the company and the Fire Chief.
Certificates of exemption shall be ordered by the governing body upon recommendation of the Fire Chief and Fire Board. They shall be signed by the Mayor and Fire Chief and attested by the Borough Clerk.