[Adopted 2-1-1988 as part of Ord. No. 22-87 (Ch. 20, Art. I, of the 1981 Code)]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The Fire Department shall consist of a Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief and as many firefighters as shall be approved and who shall not be less than 18 years of age.
A. 
The names of all persons elected to membership in the two companies and proposed as members of the Fire Department shall be presented through the Board of Fire Officers, in writing, signed by the Captain and Secretary of the company in which they are so elected, to be approved by the Board of Fire Officers.
B. 
All resignations from the Department shall take the same course as elections and propositions to membership as above provided for.
Any member of the Fire Department who has arrived at the age of 50 years may be retired from service by the Board of Fire Officers.
The Chief and Assistant Chief of the Fire Department, together with the Captain and Lieutenant of each company, shall constitute a Board of Fire Officers, who shall meet monthly or more frequently for the transaction of all business of the Department. Such Board shall have entire and absolute control over and management of the Department and its government when such Department is not upon active duty, subject the approval of the Township Manager to which approval the acts of the Board of Fire Officers shall only be subject as herein particularly and specifically provided.
The Board of Fire Officers is hereby authorized, empowered and required from time to time to adopt a code of bylaws and rules for the control management and government of the Fire Department and for the regulating of the proceedings and business of the Board, which code or codes of bylaws and rules after adoption by the Board and after approval by the members of the Fire Department shall become effective upon approval by the Township Manager.
The Board of Fire Officers is required to devise forms or methods of keeping records and shall see that records are kept of all alarms of fire, fire losses, methods of extinguishment, drills, hose, apparatus, minor equipment, condition of hydrants and the inspection of apparatus by the starting of motors.
The officers of the Fire Department shall be as follows: Chief, Assistant Chief, Treasurer and Secretary and such other officers as the Fire Department may seem necessary and approved by the Council.
The Chief, Assistant Chief, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the members of the Fire Department and shall hold office for two years. No member of the Fire Department shall be eligible for these posts who is not habitually available in the Township at all times, and who has not been a member of the Department for at least two years.
Each of the companies of the Fire Department shall and may choose from their own number a Captain, Lieutenant, Secretary and Treasurer in such manner and at such times or time as the Board of Fire Officers may in its rules and bylaws for the government of the Department provide and prescribe.
A. 
Number and strength of companies. The firefighters shall be divided into two companies, each to consist of that number of firefighters deemed necessary and sufficient by the Township Manager for the adequate protection of the citizens of Verona, of which no less than 10 must be actually present within the Township during daylight hours. Whenever less than 10 members of the company are employed within the Township or are actually present within the Township during daylight hours, then a sufficient number of men shall be forthwith dropped from membership so that by the election of new members employed within the Township or actually present within the Township during daylight hours, the minimum of 10 may be complied with.
B. 
In order to comply with this section, men shall be dropped from this Department on the basis of seniority. The last man in will be the first man out unless he shall be employed within the limits of the Township or he is actually present within the Township during daylight hours.
Any member desiring to transfer his membership from one company to another shall present to the Board of Fire Officers a certificate, in writing, signed by the Captains and Secretaries of both companies, showing the consent of each company to the transfer. Upon receipt of such certificate, the Board of Fire Officers shall permit or deny such transfer, its decision being final and conclusive.
It shall be the duty of the fire companies, so often as any fire shall break out, to repair immediately upon the alarm thereof to their respective fire houses and to convey their apparatus to the place where the fire shall happen unless otherwise directed by the Chief or other officer who may be in charge and, upon such direction, they shall return their apparatus, well washed and cleaned, to their several places of deposit.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall have the general supervision of the Department when it is not in actual duty at a fire, which supervision shall be subject to and not in connection with such rules and bylaws for the government and management of the Department as may from time to time be adopted by the Board of Fire Officers as herein provided. In all cases of fire the Chief or, in his absence, an Assistant shall have full power and absolute control and command.
Should the Fire Chief and the Assistant Chief be absent from a fire, the person having charge of the apparatus first arriving at the fire shall assume the duties of the Chief until the arrival of his superior officer.
It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to report annually to the Manager of the Township on the condition of the various pieces of apparatus and appurtenances; the number of hydrants and the condition of same; the number of fires during the year, their location and cause, and the date of same and loss occasioned thereby; the number of members in each company and the total number of active members in the Department; and resignations and expulsions passed upon by the Board of Fire Officers.
The Chief of the Fire Department and his assistants or officers in command at any fire, without limiting such police authority, as hereby clothed with full and complete police authority and are hereby authorized and directed to require and secure the removal of any and all obstructions from in front of and around fire hydrants. For such purposes, they are hereby authorized to call upon the heads of the municipal departments for aid and assistance in securing such removal of obstructions.
No person shall be allowed to enter any firehouse or handle any apparatus or implements belonging to the Fire Department unless accompanied by an active member of the Department.
A. 
Any officer or member of the Fire Department or any company or companies of the Fire Department who shall refuse or voluntarily neglect to obey or execute any orders from the officer in charge of any fire, or who shall violate or willfully neglect or refuse to be controlled, governed or managed by any of the rules and bylaws of the Board of Fire Officers that may be adopted from time to time as herein provided, shall be subject to suspension or expulsion from the Department by the Board of Fire Officers in such manner and upon such hearing or trial as may be prescribed or provided by the bylaws and rules of the Board of Fire Officers. The suspension or expulsion of any officer or member or company or companies of the Department shall be subject to the approval of the Township Manager.
B. 
The expelled or suspended member shall have the right to appear before the Board of Fire Officers and state cause, if any, why such penalty should not be confirmed, and in case of the nonappearance or in case his appeal is not sustained, the Chief shall report his name to the Manager of the Township as expelled or suspended, as the case may be, and such expulsion or suspension is subject to the final approval of the Council.
C. 
All charges for offenses or neglect of duty or insubordination while on duty at a fire that may be preferred against any company, officer or member of the Department shall be tried and determined by the Board of Fire Officers, as approved by the Township Manager; subject, however, to an appeal from such decision to the Council, who shall either approve or disapprove the action of the Board of Fire Officers or refer the same back for retrial.
The Board of Fire Officers shall, from time to time, make and establish such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the laws of this state, this Code or other ordinances of the Township for the government and control of the members of the Fire Department as may be deemed expedient and proper by the Township Manager with a view to making the Fire Department and all officers and members thereof efficient, vigilant, prompt and useful to the Township. All such rules and regulations shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Township Clerk and the Chief of Fire Department. A written or printed copy of such rules shall be delivered to each member of the Fire Department, and a copy shall be posted in the headquarters of the Fire Department. Such delivery and posting shall constitute notice of the adoption and effectiveness of such rules to those persons subject thereto. It shall be unlawful for any person subject to such rules to disobey or fail to comply with such rules.