Chapter 2.20
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Sections:
2.20.010 Established.
2.20.020 Composition.
2.20.030 Membership.
2.20.040 Officers.
2.20.050 Chief – Appointment, removal.
2.20.060 Chief – Duties.
2.20.070 Component units.
2.20.080 Drills.
2.20.090 Fire investigations.
2.20.100 Records required.
2.20.110 Reports required.
2.20.120 Fire inspection required.
2.20.130 Budget.
2.20.140 Emergencies outside city limits.
2.20.150 Identification.
2.20.160 Right-of-way.
2.20.170 Unauthorized use of fire apparatus prohibited.
2.20.180 Driving over fire hose.
2.20.190 Parking restriction near fire station or fire hydrant.
2.20.200 False alarm – Following fire apparatus.
2.20.210 Obstructing emergency equipment prohibited.
2.20.220 Adoption of by-laws by membership.
2.20.230 Removal of fire hazards.
2.20.240 Police chief – Fire duties.
2.20.250 Chief – Enforcement powers.
2.20.260 Relief and pension fund – Generally.
2.20.270 Membership – Number restriction.
2.20.280 Relief and pension fund – Board of trustees.
2.20.010 Established.
There is established a volunteer fire department to be known as the volunteer fire department. (Ord. 205 § 1, 1960).
2.20.020 Composition.
The volunteer fire department shall be composed of those two organizations heretofore known as the East Stanwood volunteer fire department and the Stanwood volunteer fire department prior to consolidation of the towns of Stanwood and East Stanwood on May 26, 1960. (Ord. 205 § 2, 1960).
2.20.030 Membership.
The membership of the volunteer fire department as constituted shall not exceed 50 able-bodied citizens appointed by the chief, and as provided in the by-laws of the department. Residence in the city shall not be a qualification for membership. A member of the department may be suspended or discharged from the department by the chief at any time he may deem such action necessary for the good of the department. On written request of such suspended member to the council, he shall be given a public hearing on the charges brought by the chief. (Ord. 547 § 1, 1980; Ord. 205 § 3, 1960).
2.20.040 Officers.
The department officers shall consist of a chief and such subordinate officers as the by-laws of the department shall provide, and as the chief shall from time to time appoint. (Ord. 205 § 4, 1960).
2.20.050 Chief – Appointment, removal.
(1) The chief of the volunteer fire department shall be appointed by the mayor and his appointment confirmed by a majority of the council; and after such confirmation in office, he shall serve for an indefinite term, and may be removed only for any of the following reasons:
(a) Incompetency, inefficiency or inattention to, or dereliction of duty;
(b) Dishonesty, intemperance, immoral conduct, discourteous treatment of the public, or any other act of omission or commission tending to injure the public service;
(c) Any willful failure on his part to properly conduct himself; any willful violation of the terms of this chapter pertaining to operation of the volunteer fire department;
(d) Mental or physical unfitness for the position of fire chief;
(e) Dishonest, disgraceful, immoral or prejudicial conduct;
(f) Drunkenness or use of intoxicating liquor, narcotics or any other habit forming drugs, liquid or preparation, to such an extent that the use thereof interferes with his mental or physical fitness or precludes him from properly performing his functions and duties as fire chief;
(g) Conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; and
(h) Any other act or failure to act which in the judgment of the council is sufficient to show him to be an unsuitable and unfit person to be employed in the public service.
(2) The fire chief shall be entitled to a public hearing by the council upon the issue of his removal, and the council must find by majority vote that one or more of the reasons set forth in subsection (1) exists.
(3) The fire chief shall be entitled to 30 days’ personal service upon him of a notice specifying the time and place of the hearing for his removal, and the reasons stated for such removal. (Ord. 292 § 1, 1968; Ord. 205 § 5, 1960).
2.20.060 Chief – Duties.
The chief shall promulgate rules and regulations and the plan of organization of the department. The chief shall be responsible to the mayor for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the department. (Ord. 205 § 6, 1960).
2.20.070 Component units.
The chief shall determine the number and kind of component units of the organization and the manner of response thereof to all alarms. (Ord. 205 § 7, 1960).
2.20.080 Drills.
The chief shall, at least once a week, cause to be conducted suitable drills or instruction in the operation and handling of equipment, first aid and rescue work, salvage, a study of buildings in the city, the surrounding fire protection districts which the city serves, fire prevention, water supply, and all other matters generally considered essential to good firemanship and safety of life and property. (Ord. 205 § 8, 1960).
2.20.090 Fire investigations.
The chief is required and empowered to assist the proper police authorities in suppressing the crime of arson by causing to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances of fires. (Ord. 205 § 9, 1960).
2.20.100 Records required.
The chief shall cause complete records to be kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and equipment, personnel and other information concerning the work of the department. (Ord. 205 § 10, 1960).
2.20.110 Reports required.
The chief shall on request of the city council report as to the conditions of apparatus, equipment, number of fires occurring during periodic intervals; their location and cause and date of same and loss occasioned thereby; the number and purpose of other runs made, and the number of members responding to fires, practice runs, drills and the changes in membership. (Ord. 205 § 11, 1960).
2.20.120 Fire inspection required.
It shall be the duty of the chief to inspect or cause to be inspected by fire department officers as often as may be necessary, but at least once a year all buildings, premises and public thoroughfares, except the interiors of private dwellings, for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire or any violation of the provisions or intent of any city ordinances affecting such fire hazard. (Ord. 205 § 12, 1960).
2.20.130 Budget.
The chief shall prepare a budget of the estimated cost to operate the fire department and submit the budget to the city council on or before the first Monday in August of each calendar year. (Ord. 205 § 13, 1960).
2.20.140 Emergencies outside city limits.
The chief or his delegate shall have the power to authorize equipment and personnel of the department to attend emergencies existing outside of the corporate limits in accordance with fire protection service contracts and mutual aid and assistance agreements to which the city is a party. (Ord. 205 § 14, 1960).
2.20.150 Identification.
Each member of the department shall be issued a badge and commission designating his rank and authority and suitable insignia to be attached to his automobile. (Ord. 205 § 15, 1960).
2.20.160 Right-of-way.
All emergency equipment and personal cars of the department members shall have right-of-way over all other traffic when driven by such members in response to an alarm. (Ord. 205 § 16, 1960).
2.20.170 Unauthorized use of fire apparatus prohibited.
No person shall enter any place where fire apparatus is housed, or handle any apparatus or equipment belonging to the department unless accompanied by or having the permission of an officer or authorized member of the department. (Ord. 205 § 17, 1960).
2.20.180 Driving over fire hose.
No person shall drive any vehicle over a fire hose, charged or uncharged, except upon specific orders from the chief or the officer in charge upon the scene where the hose is used. (Ord. 205 § 18, 1960).
2.20.190 Parking restriction near fire station or fire hydrant.
No person shall park any vehicle, or otherwise cause any obstruction to be placed within 15 feet of the entrance of any fire station, or within 15 feet of any fire hydrant. (Ord. 205 § 19, 1960).
2.20.200 False alarm – Following fire apparatus.
No person shall maliciously turn in or cause to be turned in a fire alarm without sufficient cause. It is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle other than an authorized emergency vehicle on official business, to follow any fire apparatus proceeding in response to a fire alarm at a distance of less than 500 feet or drive or park such vehicle within 300 feet of fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. (Ord. 205 § 20, 1960).
2.20.210 Obstructing emergency equipment prohibited.
No person except firemen responding to the alarm shall park any vehicle within a distance of 300 feet from any apparatus attending an alarm nor shall any such vehicle be permitted to be parked at a distance within 300 feet from any driveway leading to the scene of such emergency, nor shall any person, in any other way, obstruct firemen, the use of fire apparatus, or emergency equipment, being used in the course of responding to any emergency. (Ord. 205 § 21, 1960).
2.20.220 Adoption of by-laws by membership.
The membership of the department shall have authority to adopt by-laws for the government of their organization which are not in conflict with the laws of the state of Washington and the city ordinances. Such by-laws shall provide for the manner in which they shall be amended. (Ord. 205 § 22, 1960).
2.20.230 Removal of fire hazards.
Whenever any officer of the department shall find any building, or upon any premises or other place, combustible or explosive matter or dangerous accumulation of rubbish or unnecessary accumulations of waste paper, boxes, shavings, or any other highly inflammable materials especially liable to fire, and which is so situated as to endanger property, or shall find obstructions to or on fire escapes, stairs, passageways, doors or windows, liable to interfere with the operations of the fire department, or egress of occupants in case of fire, he shall order them to be removed, and such order shall forthwith be complied with by the owner or occupant of such premises or building, subject to appeal within 24 hours to the mayor, who shall within 10 days review such order and file his decision thereon, and unless the order is revoked or modified it shall remain in force and be obeyed by such owner or occupant.
Any owner or occupant failing to comply with such order within 10 days after such appeal shall have been determined, or, if no appeal is taken, then within 10 days after the service of the order, shall be liable to a penalty as hereinafter stated.
The service of any such order shall be made upon the occupant of the premises to whom it is directed by either delivering a true copy of the order to such occupant personally or by delivering it to and leaving it with any person in charge of the premises, or, in case no such person is found upon the premises, by affixing a copy thereof in a conspicuous place on the door to the entrance of the premises. Whenever it may be necessary to serve such an order upon the owner of the premises, such order may be served either by delivering to and leaving with the person a true copy of the order, or, if such owner is absent from the jurisdiction of the officer making the order, by mailing such copy to the owner’s last known post office address. (Ord. 205 § 23, 1960).
2.20.240 Police chief – Fire duties.
It is made the special duty of the chief of police and of other peace officers who may be on duty and available for fire duty to respond to all fire alarms and assist the department in the protection of life and property in regulating traffic, maintaining order, and enforcing observance of all sections of this chapter. (Ord. 205 § 24, 1960).
2.20.250 Chief – Enforcement powers.
The chief and his delegate are given the necessary special police powers for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 205 § 26, 1960).
2.20.260 Relief and pension fund – Generally.
The city elects to conform with the provision of Chapter 41.24 RCW providing for volunteer firemen’s relief and pension, designating duties of certain officials, providing for relief and compensation of volunteer firemen, creating a board of trustees for the maintenance and distribution of the volunteer firemen’s relief and compensation fund, empowering the city to limit membership of the volunteer fire department, and requiring medical and physical examinations for members of the department. (Ord. 205 § 27, 1960).
2.20.270 Membership – Number restriction.
The membership of the regularly organized volunteer fire department of the city is limited to 50 firemen, provided, however, in the event that the population of the city shall increase beyond 2,000 in number, the membership may be increased to the extent provided by law. (Ord. 205 § 28, 1960).
2.20.280 Relief and pension fund – Board of trustees.
In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 41.24 RCW, there is created and established a board of trustees to be known as the board of trustees of the volunteer firemen’s relief and compensation fund of Stanwood. This board shall consist of the mayor, clerk-treasurer, one councilman of the city, the chief of the fire department, and one member of the fire department to be elected by the members of such fire department for a term of one year and annually thereafter. The councilman to serve on the board shall be chosen by the council at the first regular meeting of the council in June of each and every year. The member of the fire department to serve on the board shall be elected at the annual business meeting of the volunteer fire department. (Ord. 205 § 29, 1960).