[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Socorro 3-16-1987 by Ord. No.
FD-1987-2. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The City of Socorro hereby establishes a Fire Department.
The adoption and enforcement of rules and regulations, not provided
for in this chapter, are the responsibility of the Fire Department.
These rules and regulations shall be approved and adopted by the Mayor
and City Council and shall be known as the Department "Standard Operating
Procedures" (SOP). Any changes to the SOP shall be approved and adopted
by the Mayor and City Council. Copies of the current SOP shall be
available at the Office of the Fire Chief and City Clerk.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall be hired by the Mayor
of Socorro with the advice and consent of the City Council from a
name or names officially submitted to the Mayor. The name or names
shall be submitted by a board established for the purpose of interviewing
and testing applicants for this position. The board shall be comprised
of at least four persons with fire-fighting and emergency medical
services (EMS) backgrounds. The board shall be appointed by the Mayor.
The Mayor has the responsibility to appoint a temporary acting Fire
Chief in the event the position of Fire Chief has been vacant for
more than 30 days and no name or names for Fire Chief have been submitted
by the board. Said temporary acting Fire Chief shall remain in office
no longer than 30 days after submission and approval of a name for
Fire Chief.
Firefighters may be paid employees and/or volunteers depending
on the needs of the Fire Department. Firefighters shall, upon successful
completion of Fire Department entrance exam, be recommended for appointment
by the Fire Chief. Firefighters shall be subject to supervision by
the Fire Chief, or his designated representative as defined in the
Department's SOP.
All fiscal matters of the Fire Department involving public monies
or other monies controlled by state and municipal laws shall be operated
by the City of Socorro in accordance with pertinent state and municipal
laws.
At the discretion of the Fire Chief, the Fire Department is
hereby authorized to respond to fires outside the City limits when
this poses no danger to the City of Socorro.
It shall be lawful for any firefighter acting under the direction
of the Chief or another officer in command to enter upon the premises
adjacent to or in the vicinity of any building or other property that
is on fire, for the purpose of extinguishing such fire, and no person
shall hinder, resist, or obstruct any firefighter in the discharge
of his or her duty.
The City of Socorro hereby adopts NFPA pamphlets #101, 30, 385,
the Uniform Fire Code, and the New Mexico Rules and Regulations relating
to Flammable and Combustible Liquids as guidelines to be used within
the City limits to establish fire safety and prevention. These codes,
as adopted by the State of New Mexico Fire Marshal, shall be subject
to future revisions and additions as approved by the State Fire Marshal.
The City of Socorro hereby agrees to provide adequate insurance
for volunteer firefighters, subject to the availability of City funds.
