[Adopted 12-9-1971 as Ch. 10 of the Revised Ordinances, amended in its entirety 8-6-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3328 (Ch. 55, Art. I, of the 1987 Code)]
There shall be a Department of Fire, the head of which shall
be the Fire Chief.
The Department of Fire, subject to the direction and supervision
of the Fire Chief, shall:
A.
Have exclusive jurisdiction over the control, fighting and extinguishment
of any conflagration which occurs within the City limits.
B.
Make, administer and enforce rules and regulations for the control,
disposition and discipline of the Department and its officers and
employees and, within the limits of available appropriations, for
the establishment and maintenance of fire stations and the disposition,
use and care of its equipment and apparatus.
C.
Provide fire-fighting service for the extinguishment of fires and
the necessary and incidental protection of life and property throughout
the City and upon vessels in any waters within or adjacent to the
City or upon any dock, wharf, pier, warehouse or other structure bordering
upon or adjacent to such waters.
D.
Direct or cause any vessel moored to or anchored near any dock or
pier or in any waters within or adjacent to the City to be removed
to and secured at such place as shall be designated by the Fire Chief
whenever any such vessel shall be afire or in danger of igniting or
may be, by reason of its condition or the nature of its cargo, a menace
to life or property.
E.
Designate and fix the location of fire alarm telegraph and signal
stations in the City and operate, repair and maintain a City fire
alarm and signal system.
F.
Investigate the cause, circumstances and origin of fires and report
to the City Police Department and to the County Prosecutor every case
of suspicion of arson.
G.
Be authorized to inspect and test any automatic or other fire alarm
system or fire-extinguishing equipment.
H.
Be authorized to enter upon, without fee or hindrance, all premises,
grounds, structures, buildings, vessels and passages whenever necessary
in the performance of its duties.
I.
Operate a training program to maintain and improve the fire-fighting
efficiency of the members of the Department.
No appointment of any applicant for any position in the Department
of Fire shall be made until such applicant shall be certified for
such position by the Business Administrator and by the State Civil
Service Commission. The sole power of appointment, after such certification,
shall be lodged in the Business Administrator.
The Department of Fire, subject to the approval of the Business
Administrator, may make and establish such rules and regulations for
the Department of Fire as it may, from time to time, deem expedient
with a view to making the Department of Fire and all of its members
efficient, vigilant, prompt and useful to the City. Such rules and
regulations are referred to and may be cited as the "Firefighter's
Rules of the Department of Fire of the City of Camden." The Firefighter's
Rules may provide for penalties and forfeitures.
The officers and members of the Fire Department shall severally
exercise the powers and perform and discharge the duties and responsibilities
pertaining to their respective offices and positions as shall be prescribed
by the laws of this state, this Code of the City of Camden and other
ordinances of the City and by the duly promulgated rules and regulations
of the Department of Fire.
A.
The annual salaries provided by ordinance for members of the Department
of Fire shall be in lieu of all fees, commissions and emoluments of
any kind or nature paid to or received by any such member.
B.
All members of the Department of Fire shall be required to account
for and pay into the Department of Finance, Bureau of Revenue Collection,
all such fees, commissions and emoluments.
The members of the Department of Fire shall serve on such shifts,
for such hours and at such times as the Fire Chief may, from time
to time, direct.
A.
Disciplinary procedures will be prescribed by departmental policy
and practice as established by the Fire Chief. The procedures for
implementing these disciplinary policies shall be consistent with
civil service rules and regulations and shall be initiated at the
department level.
B.
The Business Administrator will hear all appeals pursuant to these
procedures.
Any member of the Department of Fire who shall not report for
duty at the time set forth in orders shall have payment of his salary
stopped unless and until he shall produce a certificate from the Police
and Fire Surgeon that he was incapacitated from performing duty by
injury or sickness incurred in the line of duty, provided that this
section shall not apply in any case where the member shall have been
excused by his superior officer having power so to do by the rules
of the Fire Department.
