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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Easton 1-15-1952 by Ord. No. 1347 (Art. 131 of the 1965 Codified Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Department of Fire — See § 45-6.
Firefighters' pension — See Ch. 110, Art. V.
Personnel policies — See Ch. 114.
The Fire Department shall consist of a Chief, platoon captains, an inspector, a mechanic, a clerk and as many men as may be required to care for the equipment and the operation of the same, whose duties shall be as set forth below.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Bureau of Fire was formerly a part of the Department of Public Safety, which Department was abolished by Ord. No. 2165, passed 9-27-1972, and created a separate Fire Department as provided in Original Sec. 111.052. All references to Bureau of Fire herein mean the Fire Department.
A. 
Election by Council. The Chief of the Fire Department shall be elected from the personnel of the Department by Council, on recommendation of the City Administrator.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
B. 
Executive officer. He shall be the executive officer of the Department, subject to the provisions of all ordinances of the City and such orders as are from time to time issued by the City Administrator.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
C. 
Control of employees; rules and regulations. He shall have full control and supervision of all officers and employees of the Department and shall be required to issue, post, publish and distribute such rules and regulations covering the Department as he may deem necessary, subject to the approval of the Mayor.
D. 
Assignment of duties. He shall assign to the other officers such duties as he may wish to transfer to them.
E. 
Responsibility for captains. He shall be responsible for the proper performance of all work assigned to the Captains. It shall be his duty to promptly report to the City Administrator any dereliction of duty on their part.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
F. 
Authority at time of fire; additional help. When answering an alarm of fire, he shall be in complete charge of all officers, men and apparatus and shall have the authority, when necessary, to employ extra men for this work, who shall be paid at the regular rate as first-year firemen.
G. 
Power of Deputy State Marshal. He shall exercise the power granted to him as Deputy State Fire Marshal under the provisions of Article XXI of the Third Class City Code,[1] and any supplements and amendments thereto.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 37101 et seq.
H. 
Enforcement powers. He shall see that all laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and orders covering the government of the Department are promptly enforced and obeyed and that any violation of the same that may come to his knowledge are promptly investigated. If of a minor character, he shall reprimand the offender; if not, he shall suspend and immediately report same in writing to the City Administrator for final action.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
I. 
Report of incompetencies. He shall promptly report to the City Administrator any officer or member of the Department who by reason of age, disease, accident or other incompetency does not or cannot properly perform full duty in the Department.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
J. 
Supervision of alarm signal system. He shall have supervision and charge over the periodical tests of the fire alarm signal system and shall, upon any impairment of the same, see that necessary repairs or adjustments are made.
K. 
Annual report. He/she shall report annually to Council and to the City Administrator on the operations of the Department for the preceding calendar year, including, but not limited to, the number of fires and alarms, the loss and insurance so far as ascertained. His/her annual report to Council shall embody the same facts, together with such recommendations as he/she may deem advisable for the betterment of the service.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154; 8-25-2021 by Ord. No. 5757]
L. 
Full-time duty required. He shall devote his full time and attention to the Department, shall be on duty at all hours of the day and night, never leaving the City without the consent of the City Administrator and without notifying the Captain in charge at the time of his proposed absence and where he might be reached in case of a serious conflagration.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
A. 
Appointment. The Captains shall be appointed from the personnel of the Department by the City Administrator.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
B. 
Assistance to Chief. It shall be their duty to aid and assist the Chief in the discharge of his duties and, in his absence, shall perform all duties, assume all responsibilities and functions of the Chief and such other duties as may be assigned by their superior.
C. 
Inspection duties. They shall inspect all firehouses, apparatus, fixtures and contents, see that they are kept neat and clean and that the personal habits of the men are cleanly and wholesome.
D. 
Authority in absence of Chief. In the absence of the Chief, the Captain on duty shall assume full command of a fire and continue to exercise that authority until the arrival of his superior officer.
E. 
Reports of inefficiency, etc. They shall promptly report to the Chief any incapacity, inefficiency, intoxication, neglect of duty, disobedience of orders or violation of any rule of the Department.
F. 
Additional duties. It shall be their duty to report to the Chief any driver of any piece of apparatus who is guilty of racing or driving at an excessive rate of speed and to see that all orders issued by the City Administrator or the Chief of the Department are executed, observed and obeyed. They shall also perform such additional duties as may be assigned to them by the Chief or the City Administrator not herein specifically designated.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
G. 
Demotions. The City Administrator shall have the power to demote any Captain to the ranks if he deems the same advisable for the betterment of the service.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
A. 
Appointment. The Lieutenants shall be appointed from the personnel of the Department by the City Administrator.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
B. 
Authority in absence of Captain. In the absence of the Captain, it shall be the duty of the Lieutenant to assume all responsibilities and functions of the Captain, as described in § 61-3.
[Amended 5-17-1962 by Ord. No. 1740]
A. 
The Deputy Fire Chief - Line and Training shall be selected by the Mayor from the personnel of the Fire Department on recommendation of the Director of the Department. He shall be directly responsible to the Director/Chief and shall be next in line in the chain of command. In the absence of the Director/Chief, he shall assume all duties of the Director/Chief.
B. 
The Deputy Fire Chief - Fire Inspection and Prevention shall be selected by the Mayor from the personnel of the Department on recommendation of the Director of the Department. He shall be directly under the Director/Chief and shall be the head of the Department's fire inspection and prevention program. He shall have full management and control of all personnel assigned or detailed to him.
[Amended 6-24-1981 by Ord. No. 2618]
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
A. 
Appointment; duties. The Director of Fire/Fire Chief may designate a man to serve as mechanic of the Fire Department. If the person selected is a member of the Department, he shall, in addition to his regular duties as a fireman, perform such additional duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Director of Fire/Fire Chief and shall be responsible for the mechanical operation of all apparatus.
B. 
Demotions. The Director of Fire/Fire Chief shall have the power to demote any man designated as mechanic if, in his opinion, he deems the same advisable for the best interests of the service.
A. 
Appointment. The Director of Fire/Fire Chief shall select from the personnel of the Department a man to serve as Clerk.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
B. 
Assistance in administrative detail. The person selected to act in this capacity shall, in addition to his regular duties as fireman, assist the Chief and Captains with the administrative details covering the government of the Department.
C. 
Records, files, etc. He shall have complete charge of all records and files of the Department and shall be responsible for the preparation of all payrolls and reports, as well as to look after the necessary correspondence.
D. 
Demotions. The Director of Fire/Fire Chief shall have the power to demote any man designated as Clerk if, in his opinion, he deems the same advisable for the best interests of the service.[1]
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 131.08, Electrician, which previously followed this section, was repealed 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154.
All appointments to the Fire Department shall be made in accordance with the civil service provisions of Article 44 of the Third Class City Code and any amendments and supplements thereto.
All original appointments to any position in the Fire Department shall be for a probationary period of six months. The appointee may be dismissed for just cause in accordance with the provisions of the Third Class City Code and any amendments and supplements thereto. All appointees serving as probationary firemen shall be paid the rate per year as fixed by ordinance of Council for probationary firemen.
A. 
Establishment; composition. A Civil Service Board for the examination of applicants for appointment to any salaried position in the Fire Department is created. The Board shall consist of three citizens, who shall be elected by Council for terms of four years or until their successors are elected and qualified. No City officer, official or employee shall be eligible for appointment to the Board.
[Amended 3-9-1988 by Ord. No. 2938]
B. 
Terms; vacancies; oath; compensation; quorum. Council shall elect one person to serve for two years, one person to serve for three years and one person to serve for four years. Upon the expiration of the term of any member of the Board, one person shall be elected by Council to serve upon the Board for the term of four years. If any vacancies occur, they shall be filled by Council for the unexpired term. Every Board member, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed by the Third Class City Code. No salary or other compensation shall be paid to any member of the Board. Two members of the Board shall constitute a quorum necessary for the transaction of business.
C. 
Rules and regulations. The Board shall prepare and adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to cover the selection and appointment of members to the Fire Department in accordance with the civil service provisions of Article 44 of the Third Class City Code.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 131.12, School of instruction; and Sec. 131.13, Hours of service, vacation and relief days, which previously followed this section, were repealed 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154.
[1]
Editor’s Note: The Fire Civil Service Board was repealed 3-23-2016 by Ord. No. 5543; see now Ch. 23, Civil Service Board.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
Inspections of the Fire Department will be held at such time as the Director of Fire/Fire Chief shall designate. Periodic inspections of equipment and fire stations will be made by the Chief and Captains.
There shall be paid to each member of the Fire Department such salary or compensation as Council may determine from time to time by ordinance or resolution.
A. 
Any driver guilty of racing or driving at an excessive rate of speed shall be suspended.
B. 
No one except members of the Fire Department shall be permitted to ride on any piece of apparatus.
C. 
No fire apparatus of the City shall go beyond the limits of the City without first having obtained permission from the Chief, who shall follow the established policy of the City Administrator.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
D. 
The Chief shall assign such persons as he may see fit for house watch duty.
E. 
Members of the Department who, in addition to their regular fire duties, act as electrician, tillerman and engineer, driver, mechanic and Clerk shall be under the control of the Chief, who shall issue orders to them.
A. 
No term of service shall be designated for the members of the Fire Department. They may be removed, discharged or reduced in rank or pay as provided for in Section 4408 of the Third Class City Code and any amendments or supplements thereto. The causes for which dismissal may be asked consist of the following:
(1) 
Intoxication;
(2) 
Willful disobedience;
(3) 
Indecent, profane or harsh language;
(4) 
Disrespect to a superior officer;
(5) 
Absence without leave, either while on duty at a fire station or at a fire;
(6) 
Failure to pay just debts;
(7) 
Mental incompetency or physical incapacity;
(8) 
Neglect of duty;
(9) 
Violation of any criminal law;
(10) 
Permitting or participating in any gambling in a fire station; and
(11) 
Conduct unbecoming a gentleman.
B. 
No intoxicants of any kind shall be allowed in any firehouse or on any property belonging to or used by the Fire Department.
C. 
Members of the Department may be suspended by the Director of Fire/Fire Chief until the next meeting of Council or until such time as other official action shall have been taken.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
D. 
The Director of Fire/Fire Chief may suspend a fireman until the case is properly reported to the City Administrator.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
E. 
Any Captain may suspend a fireman until the case has been reported to the Director of Fire/Fire Chief, who may reprimand him or continue the suspension and report the same to the City Administrator as outlined above.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
Rules and regulations covering the retirement of the members of the Fire Department shall be as now in effect under the City's Firemen's Relief and Pension Association.
A. 
Members of the Department shall provide themselves with the regulation uniform as adopted by the Director of Fire/Fire Chief and approved by Council. The Director of Fire/Fire Chief may have the same furnished by contract from one firm so as to obtain uniformity as to type, cloth and color, in which event the members shall purchase their uniforms from the firm so designated.
[Amended 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5154]
B. 
Badges are to be assigned to the members of the Fire Department in accordance with the individual's seniority and must be worn at all times while on duty.
C. 
All clothing and equipment furnished to the members of the Fire Department shall remain the property of the Department, and the individual to whom such clothing and equipment are issued shall be held responsible for their loss or misuse.