[Adopted 3-2-1906 by Ord.
No. 131]
A volunteer Fire Department shall be established in the Borough of Ingram,
to be called and known as the "Ingram Volunteer Fire Company," and said Department
shall be under the government management and control of the Mayor and Borough
Council in the manner and to the extent of the powers and authority lodged
in them respectively as corporate officers.
The Borough Council shall at a regular meeting or whenever a vacancy
occurs elect an officer to be known as the "Chief of the Fire Department,"
and an officer to be known as "Assistant Chief," who shall serve for the period
of one year from the date of his election or until his successor is duly elected
and qualified; the said election shall be subject to the approval or disapproval
of the Mayor and Borough Council, as in other matters, made and provided by
law.
The Chief of the Fire Department having been duly elected and qualified
shall, during the term of his office, be at the head of and have control of
the entire Fire Department, as well as the fire company or companies of the
said Department, all persons who may be present at fires and the police force,
whose duty it shall be to be present at all fires. He shall also have control
and supervision of all fire alarms, fire engines, wagons, reels, hose or fire
apparatus, or any other fixtures of any description, belonging to the Borough;
and it shall be his duty to see that all fire engines, wagons, reels, hose
or fire apparatus, or any other fixtures incident and necessary for the extinguishment
of fires are properly arranged and kept in order so that said Fire Department
can, upon the alarm of fire, discharge its duties with dispatch. He shall
report to Council all accidents by fire and causes thereof as far as practicable;
the amount of damage done; and the name of owners and occupants of the buildings
burned. Supplies for the Fire Department can be obtained upon his order only
and all bills shall be certified by him to the Council for payment.[1]
The officers of said fire company shall consist of a Captain, First
and Second Lieutenants, Hosemen, Laddermen, Treasurer, Chaplain, Surgeon and
an attorney.
The Chief, Assistant Chief, Captain and Lieutenants, before entering
on their duties, shall subscribe an oath or affirmation that they and each
of them will faithfully observe the laws of Pennsylvania, and the ordinances
of the Borough of Ingram, relating to their offices and to perform the duties
of their offices well and faithfully and to the best of their ability.
Within five days after being qualified, as aforesaid, the Chief of the
Fire Department shall file with the Borough Secretary an itemized list of
all the property pertaining to the Fire Department coming into his control
and possession, and his receipt for the same, and it shall be his duty to
see that the same is kept in good order and repair and at the expiration of
his term of office, by lapse of time, removal or otherwise howsoever, to turn
over to the said Borough the said property.
The Captain, Lieutenants, Hosemen, Laddermen, Secretary, Treasurer,
Chaplain, Surgeon and attorney shall be nominated and elected by the majority
vote of the members of the several and respective fire companies.
The said several and respective fire companies shall have the right
to prescribe and adopt a constitution and bylaws for the due regulation and
government of their respective companies; said constitution and bylaws shall
be subject to the approval of the Mayor and Borough Council. They shall also
have the power to remove any officer or member of said Department for cause;
any officer or member so discharged shall have the right of appeal to the
Borough Council, whose decision thereon shall be final and conclusive.
It shall be the duty of all officers and members of the Fire Department,
whenever an alarm of fire is sounded or given, to repair forthwith to the
Hose House, and thence with the apparatus to the scene of the fire. If the
apparatus is already gone, they will repair at once to the scene of the fire,
and report for duty in an orderly manner, and under no circumstances whatever
to leave a fire without the permission of the Chief.
At the time of all fires the Chief shall have the supreme and absolute
command of the fire company or companies, and his subordinate officers shall
receive and obey all commands and orders issued by him, and he is further
authorized to call upon and use the police force of the Borough or any one
of them to disperse all collections of idle, disorderly or suspicious persons,
or any other persons in anywise interfering or impeding the operations of
the said fire company or companies, in the discharge of their respective duties,
and any such persons refusing to obey such police officer or officers in the
discharge of his or their duties under this section shall, upon conviction
thereof, forfeit and pay to the Borough for the use of the same a fine of
not more than $600, plus costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of
such fine and costs shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding 30 days.
If any company shall fail to take good care of the property of the Borough
committed to its charge or shall neglect to preserve discipline and good order,
or fail to perform service at fires required of it by the Chief, the Chief
of the Fire Department and the Borough Council shall, if they deem it expedient,
resume possession of said property and discharge said company and its Captain
from the service of the Borough, and every Chief or Captain or officer of
the Fire Department shall, at the expiration of his term of service, by lapse
of time, removal or otherwise, turn over to said Borough all the property
of the Borough, pertaining to the Fire Department, that they may have in their
possession or control.
The Mayor and Borough Council shall fix the salaries of any or all of
the officers of the fire company or companies.
The amount of the bond of the Chief of the Fire Department shall be
fixed by the Mayor and Borough Council.
