[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Fredonia as Secs. 5-2-1 and 5-2-11 of the 1995 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Fire Department recognized. The volunteer fire company organized under the title of Fredonia Volunteer Fire Department is hereby officially recognized as the Fire Department of the Village of Fredonia, and the duty of firefighting, the prevention of fires and emergency medical services in the Village of Fredonia is delegated to such Department. Its organization and internal regulation shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter and by such bylaws adopted by the Department as are approved by the Village Board, except as is otherwise provided by law and ordinance.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
B. 
Bylaws. The Fredonia Fire Department is hereby authorized and directed to adopt bylaws for the control, management and government and for the regulation of business and proceedings of the Department, which bylaws shall not become effective and operative until presented to and approved by the Village Board. Amendments shall be adopted in the same manner.
C. 
Appropriations. The Village Board shall appropriate funds for Fire Department operations and for such apparatus and equipment for the use of the Fire Department as the Board may deem expedient and necessary to maintain efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire.
D. 
Goals of the fire defense program.
(1) 
The primary objective of the fire defense program is to serve all citizens, without prejudice or favoritism, by safeguarding, collectively and individually, their lives against the effects of fires and explosions.
(2) 
The second objective of the fire defense program is to safeguard the general economy and welfare of the community by preventing major conflagrations and the destruction by fire of industries and businesses.
(3) 
The third objective of the fire defense program is to protect the property of all citizens against the effect of fire and explosions. All property deserves equal protection, regardless of location or monetary value.
E. 
Membership. The Fire Department shall consist of a Fire Chief, who is appointed for a two-year term beginning May 1 of each odd-numbered year, and such other personnel that the Village Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize. The appointment shall be made by the majority vote of the Village Board.
F. 
Vacancy of Chief. A vacancy in the office of the Chief shall be filled by appointment by the majority vote of the Village Board. Upon creation of a vacancy in the office of Chief, the ranking officer shall perform the duties of Chief until such vacancy is filled. Upon appointment, the Chief shall assume office immediately and shall hold office until the end of the term.
G. 
Removal of Chief. The Chief shall hold office until the end of his term unless he is removed by cause, after a hearing, by action of 3/4 of the members of the Village Board, on the recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, unless his services be sooner terminated by resignation, change of residence or death.
H. 
Request for membership. Any person desiring to be a member of the Fire Department may file with the Secretary of the Department an application in such form as the Department may require. Each applicant shall also file a certificate of fitness from such physician as the Village may designate. All members accepted for membership shall serve a six-month probationary period before final acceptance.
I. 
Resignations. All resignations from the Department shall take the same course as applications for and appointments to membership.
J. 
Right to hearing. Any member or officer of the Department who has been expelled or demoted for any offense, or neglect of duty, or insubordination shall have the right to appear before the members of the Public Safety Committee and state why such penalty should not be confirmed. The Public Safety Committee may by a 3/4 vote of the members order the Chief to reinstate the member or officer.
K. 
Companies.
(1) 
The Department shall organize into one or, at the option of the Chief, into two or more companies.
(2) 
Each of the companies shall be in the charge of a captain or, in his absence, a lieutenant, who shall be responsible to the Chief.
L. 
Appointment of officers. The appointment of the secretary/treasurer and such officers as the bylaws may require shall be held at the annual meeting of the Department in such manner as is provided in the bylaws. In case of any vacancy, the Chief shall appoint a member in good standing to fill the office until the next annual election.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
The Chief shall have general supervision of the Fire Department personnel, apparatus and equipment, subject to the ordinances of the Village and the rules and regulations of the Department. The Chief may suspend, reduce, suspend and reduce or remove any officer or member of the Department for neglect or refusal to perform Department duties, subject to the right of any member demoted or expelled to appeal to the Public Safety Committee. He shall enforce or cause to be enforced all fire prevention ordinances, laws and regulations of the Village and state.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the Chief or his assistants to have complete command of, and entire responsibility for, all firefighting and emergency medical services operations.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
C. 
At a time designated by the Village Board, the Chief shall file with the Village Treasurer a detailed estimate of the appropriations needed for the operations of the Department during the ensuing fiscal year.
[Amended 11-17-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-6]
D. 
It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief to submit a written report to the Village Board, not later than March 1 of each year, and at such other times as he deems desirable, relating to the conditions of the various pieces of apparatus, the number of fires since the previous report, the date of same and loss occasioned thereby, the number of members of each company, the total number of active members in the Department and resignations and expulsions from the Department. He shall also report on the training program of the Department, together with other pertinent information, including recommendations of such improvements as he deems proper and necessary for the operation of the Department.
E. 
The Chief shall, as Fire Inspector, appoint one or more Deputy Fire Inspectors who shall perform all duties required of fire inspectors by the laws of the state and the rules of the State Department of Safety and Professional Services.
F. 
The Fire Chief shall perform such other duties as are incumbent on the commanding officer of the Fire Department.