[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of Latrobe 7-13-1981 by Ord. No.
1981-2 as Ch. I, Part 5, of the 1981 Code. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Amended 10-13-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-10]
A.
The Fire Department of Latrobe shall consist of one
Fire Chief, volunteer companies and drivers of Latrobe fire equipment,
all of whom shall be governed by federal, state and local laws, rules
and regulations, and, where not inconsistent, by the Fire Department
Code of Laws and the rules and regulations of the respective volunteer
companies.
B.
The term "Fire Department of Latrobe" shall also be
synonymous with "Fire Department" or "Department."
[Amended 5-14-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-9; 10-13-2008 by Ord. No.
2008-10; 5-10-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-8; 11-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-17]
A.
The following are the requirements for a candidate for Fire Chief
of the City of Latrobe Fire Department:
(1)
Shall be a resident of Latrobe or shall reside within a radius of
five miles from the central fire station;
(2)
Must have at least 10 years' firefighting experience, of which
five continuous years of service shall be with the City of Latrobe
Volunteer Fire Department;
(3)
Successful completion of the four modules of Essential which are
required for probationary firemen to become entry level firefighters;
(4)
Successful completion of the National Incident Management System
("NIMS") training;
(5)
Successful completion of fire ground operations class;
(6)
Successful completion of the following classes: hazmat awareness
and operations, fire engine pump, basic and advanced vehicle rescue,
truck company operation, and aerial truck company operation;
(7)
Successful completion of a course in fire and arson investigation;
and
(8)
Be a member in good standing with the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department
in compliance with the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department bylaws.
B.
The Fire Chief shall be recommended to Council by the City Manager
for appointment. Upon recommendation of the City Manager, the Fire
Chief may then be appointed by a majority vote by the members of Council
to serve at the pleasure of Council. In the event of vacancy in office,
an acting Fire Chief shall be recommended by the City Manager and
then appointed by a majority vote of the members of Council at the
first regular meeting of the Council following said resignation or
removal, or at a special meeting called for said purpose to serve
until a new Fire Chief is appointed by Council. A new Fire Chief shall
then be recommended to Council by the City Manager for appointment
based upon a formal selection process and may then be appointed by
a majority vote of the members of Council to serve at the pleasure
of Council.
The Fire Chief shall at all times have sole
command over the Fire Department, its members and officers and at
fires shall also have sole command over the members of the police
force whose services may be required and all other persons present
at said fire and shall, at all times, be in charge of all equipment
and apparatus of the Fire Department or companies. It shall be his
duty to be present at all fires and take such measures as in his opinion
may be necessary for the extinguishment of fires, protection of property,
preservation of order and compliance with ordinances of Latrobe and
rules and regulations of the Fire Department. It shall be his duty
to know the condition of the fire equipment and apparatus of Latrobe
and the companies, together with the buildings used by the Fire Department
and occupied by the companies, and make proper recommendations for
the reconditioning, renewal and repair of the same. It shall be his
duty, when so directed by the Council, to report all accidents by
fire and the cause thereof, the amount of damages done to and the
names of owners of properties damaged. Supplies for the Fire Department
can be obtained only on his order, with all bills to be certified
by him to the Council for payment, subject to the condition that items
costing more than $5 shall not be contracted by him without approval
of the Fire Committee of the Council. It shall be his duty, within
five days following his appointment, to file with the Secretary of
the Council an itemized list of all of the property of or pertaining
to the Fire Department coming into his control and possession, together
with his receipt for the same. 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 to turn said property over to Latrobe or to his successor.
Before any rules or regulations adopted by him and not otherwise provided
for in this chapter shall become operative, they must be approved
by the Council.
[Amended 5-14-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-9; 10-13-2008 by Ord. No.
2008-10]
A.
The members of the volunteer companies shall be elected
according the rules and regulations of the Fire Department, and, where
not inconsistent, by the rules and regulations of the respective volunteer
company's by-laws. Their officers shall be a Captain with not less
than five years' fire-fighting experience, of which three consecutive
years of service shall be with the Fire Department; a First Lieutenant
and Second Lieutenant, each with not less than three consecutive years'
fire-fighting experience with the Fire Department; and such executive
officers as may be provided for in company by-laws and who shall be
elected by the respective companies.
B.
It shall be the duty of each Captain to see that the
apparatus, equipment and building of his company and of Latrobe in
the custody of said company shall be kept in good order and condition
and ready for immediate use. It shall be his duty to maintain proper
order and discipline among the members of his company at all times.
It shall be the duties of the First and Second Lieutenants to perform
all duties delegated to them by the Captain and in his absence to
be responsible for the duties herein delegated to him. It shall be
the duty of the Captains and First and Second lieutenants to carry
into effect and perform all duties delegated to them by the Fire Chief
or his assistants. They or any of them shall have the authority to
suspend any member at any time for cause shown, which suspension shall
continue until the next regular meeting. At said meeting, following
a hearing to be conducted by the Captain and the two Lieutenants,
said suspension shall either be terminated or continued for such period
as may be decided upon by said three officers or the member be discharged
from the Fire Department and company with right of appeal to the Fire
Chief, Captains and First and Second Lieutenants of all of the companies,
who shall either sustain or reverse the action previously taken, at
a hearing to be held upon request, in writing, filed with the Fire
Chief within 10 days following suspension or discharge.
[Amended 12-9-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-13; 10-13-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-10]
A.
The Fire Chief shall have the right to appoint such
Assistant Chiefs with not less than 10 years of fire-fighting experience,
of which five continuous years of service are to be with the Fire
Department to serve for such periods as he may deem necessary and
to delegate such duties to the Captains and Lieutenants of the respective
companies as he may deem necessary.
B.
The City Manager shall hire a fire truck driver and,
after consultation with the Fire Chief, shall hire members, in good
standing, of any fire department, and whose selection shall be in
compliance with criteria established by the City or its designee.
All of said hirees shall be responsible to the Fire Chief. Before
entering upon their duties, each of said officers shall subscribe
an oath or affirmation that they and each of them will faithfully
observe the rules of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the ordinances
of Latrobe relating to their offices and do and perform all of the
duties of their offices faithfully and to the best of their abilities.
C.
The Fire Chief shall have the right to suspend any officer or member of the Fire Department or of any of the companies for cause shown. The suspended officer or member shall have the right and privilege of a hearing before the Fire Chief, the Captains and Lieutenants of the various companies in the manner as provided in § 271-4 above. At said hearing, said suspension shall either be terminated or continued for such period as may be then determined or the officer or member discharged from the Fire Department, with said ruling being final.
In the event of disagreement among the members of a company or inability of the Captain, First Lieutenant and/or Second Lieutenant to maintain proper control of said company or following suspension or discharge as provided in § 271-5 above, the Fire Chief shall appoint a successor or successors who shall hold office until the Fire Chief, together with the Captains, First and Second Lieutenants of the various companies, or a majority of them, shall determine that the members of said company are capable of again resuming responsibility for the governing of their company.
[Amended 10-13-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-10]
It shall be the duty of all officers and members
of the Fire Department to abide by the rules and regulations of the
Fire Department pertaining to the duties of officers and members whenever
there is a fire or any other emergency requiring their services.
[Amended 4-23-1996 by Ord. No. 1996-5; 10-13-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-10]
No person shall deface, injure or destroy any
property of or in the custody of the Fire Department nor hinder or
obstruct any fire company or any member thereof from freely passing
along the streets of Latrobe to or from a fire nor in any manner hinder
or prevent any fire company or member of the same from operating at
a fire. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this
section shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine
of not more than $600, and costs of prosecution or, in default of
payment of such fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment for not more
than 30 days and face expulsion from the Fire Department.
In the event that any company shall fail to
take proper care of all apparatus, equipment and buildings in its
possession, however acquired, or fail to properly perform the services
at fires or emergencies required by the Fire Chief or his assistants,
the Council may, if it deems it expedient, take possession of said
apparatus, equipment, buildings, etc., and discharge said company
and its officers from the service of Latrobe.
The Mayor is hereby authorized to swear in as
special officers such members of the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department,
not exceeding 25 in number, as may be designated by the Fire Chief.
Said special officers shall each be paid an
annual salary of $1.
The duties of said special officers shall be
to police parades, fires and fire drills and to act as special police
officers at the call of the Mayor. Said special officers shall not
have the right to make arrests or to represent Latrobe in any capacity
as police officers whatsoever, except when they are policing parades,
fires or fire drills or serving in some other capacity at the call
of the Mayor.
[Added 10-11-1982 by Ord. No. 1982-10]
A.
The Latrobe Council has determined that for the protection
and benefit of the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Latrobe
and the areas adjacent thereto, the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department
and separate companies thereof have been in existence for many years
in the past, performing many acts, functions and duties deemed necessary
and appropriate by the Department, its duly elected and appointed
officers and the members thereof and by Latrobe through its officers
and the Council; and
B.
The Latrobe Council has determined that it is necessary
for the protection of individual members of the Latrobe Volunteer
Fire Department and companies that the performance of acts, duties
or functions are with the full authorization of the Latrobe Council
as the governing body of the municipality under which the Latrobe
Volunteer Fire Department and the companies thereof continue to function,
and it is hereby ordained that the following are authorized duties
and acts:
(1)
The Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department and the individual
companies thereof are fully authorized to continue to perform all
of the functions, duties and acts as have been performed in the past
or may be deemed appropriate in the future in order to carry out fully
the purposes for which the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department and the
individual companies thereof have been formed in the prevention of
or fighting fires or in taking any other kind of action in any type
of emergency, accident, catastrophe or under any set of conditions
requiring the service of the Department or the companies thereof,
within the determination and direction of the duly appointed and elected
officers of the Department and the companies thereof.
(2)
For all purposes, any person who is at any time a
member of the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department or any individual
company thereof shall be considered as a "municipal volunteer" entitled
to any and all protection and benefits under all applicable laws of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Latrobe or any other municipality
applicable under any circumstances in which at any time that act or
function is performed.
(3)
The functions, duties and acts authorized to be performed
are all those authorized by any applicable laws of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, ordinance of Latrobe or any other applicable jurisdiction
in addition to all of those duties, acts or functions which are deemed
appropriate and necessary under any given set of circumstances to
perform the purposes for which the Department has been formed in the
fighting and prevention of fires or any act required to meet any type
of emergency, accident, catastrophe or condition. In addition, by
way of illustration, and not to be interpreted as limitation, the
following types of acts or functions performed by any or all members
of the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department shall for all purposes be
considered authorized acts:
(a)
Any and all types of fundraising activities,
fairs, carnivals, residential solicitation, whether performed within
or beyond the municipal boundary lines of Latrobe, and the travel
to and from any and all such functions.
(b)
Participation with other agencies in mutual
aid, attendance at training schools, association meetings, conventions,
parades and all other types of civic functions within or beyond the
municipal boundary lines of Latrobe.
(c)
Any act, function or duty performed by any member
at or under the direction of any duly elected or appointed officers
of the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department or any company thereof or
any other officer in command or in the line of command supervising
any particular function, event or activity where duties are required
to be performed in cooperation with other fire or emergency type organizations,
whether volunteer, governmental or otherwise.
