Chapter 2.30
FIRE DEPARTMENT1
Sections:
Article I. In General
2.30.030 Fire chief to be director.
2.30.040 Chief excluded from classified civil service.
2.30.050 Functions and duties.
2.30.055 Mitigation rates charged to end users.
2.30.060 Chief – Powers and compensation.
2.30.070 Authority of director – Reports to city manager.
2.30.080 Certain department terminated.
2.30.090 Jurisdiction of civil service commission.
2.30.100 References to former departments and position titles.
Article II. Ambulance Transport
2.30.120 Ambulance transport rates.
2.30.130 Authority to promulgate regulations.
2.30.140 Billing functions and services.
Article I. In General
2.30.010 Department created.
There shall be, and the city council does hereby create and establish, a department for the city to be known as the fire department. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.020 Positions.
Positions within the fire department shall consist of the fire chief and such other staff and line positions as may be established and authorized in the city’s annual budget. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.030 Fire chief to be director.
The fire chief shall be the director of the department and shall be appointed, supervised, and removed by the city manager, subject to applicable rules, regulations, or other tenure of office laws. In the event that a vacancy should occur in the position of chief, the duties of chief shall be assumed by the city manager, or his designee. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.040 Chief excluded from classified civil service.
The fire chief shall not be included in the city’s classified civil service. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.050 Functions and duties.
The functions and duties of the department shall include fire prevention, fire suppression, fire investigations, fire code plans review and enforcement, emergency medical services, and such other related functions and duties as may be assigned from time to time by the city manager. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.055 Mitigation rates charged to end users.
A. End users may be charged mitigation rates for the delivery of emergency and nonemergency services by the Chehalis fire department. “Services” for the purposes of this section shall include the actual rendering of service and any request whether or not services are actually required.
B. The mitigation rates shall be based on actual costs of the services and that which is usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR), which may include any services, personnel, supplies, equipment, and baseline costs established from time to time and as ratified by the city council by resolution. In the event that at least one calendar year passes without any update to rates, the rates will be automatically increased by three percent over the prior year’s rate, effective January 1st.
C. The most current mitigation rates shall be available for inspection during regular business hours at the main office of the Chehalis fire department. The rates shall be deemed available if they are available either in-person or if posted on the website for the city of Chehalis.
D. Where reasonable, the Chehalis fire department will work with the end-user to bill an appropriate insurance carrier or third-party payor.
E. Billing under this section may be by the Chehalis fire department, another city department, or by a third party, as selected by the chief of the Chehalis fire department or designee.
F. Any end user may request an appeal of any billing under this section to the chief of the Chehalis fire department or designee.
G. The chief of the Chehalis fire department or designee shall have broad discretion to waive billing under this section in the interest of fairness after reasonable consideration of the individual’s ability to pay and/or other factors deemed relevant after assessing the totality of the circumstances. [Ord. 1071B §§ 1 – 3, 2023.]
2.30.060 Chief – Powers and compensation.
The chief of the department shall have all of the powers granted, together with all of the duties imposed, by the laws of the state of Washington relating to fire chiefs, and in addition thereto, he shall have the power and duty to enforce the ordinances of the city and to perform such other services as the laws of the state of Washington and the ordinances of the city may now or hereafter require, and shall receive for the faithful performance of his duties such compensation as shall be fixed by the city council. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.070 Authority of director – Reports to city manager.
The fire chief shall be the chief executive officer of the department, with the power and duty to make rules and regulations for its management and operation, and the final departmental authority on all matters of policy, operations, and discipline. He shall be authorized to appoint, supervise, and remove other employees, and other members of the department, subject to applicable civil service laws, rules, regulations, and collective bargaining agreements. He shall be responsible to the city manager for the operation of the department and shall provide the city manager with such reports as he may require. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.080 Certain department terminated.
The police and fire services department is disestablished and terminated. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.090 Jurisdiction of civil service commission.
Pending the establishment of rules of the civil service commission for the fire department, all personnel matters currently under the jurisdiction of the existing civil service commission shall continue to be subject to the jurisdiction of the existing civil service commission of the city and such commission shall continue to exercise all powers granted by law. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.100 References to former departments and position titles.
Any reference to the police and fire services department in the current Chehalis Municipal Code is hereby amended to refer, as applicable, to either the police department or fire department. Any reference to chief of police and fire services in the current Chehalis Municipal Code is hereby amended to refer, as applicable, to either the chief of police or the fire chief. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
2.30.110 Severability.
If any provision of this chapter, or its application to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter, or the application of the provisions to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected. [Ord. 767B, 2004.]
Article II. Ambulance Transport
2.30.120 Ambulance transport rates.
The following rates are established for ambulance transports performed by the city of Chehalis:
Basic life support resident: $975.00.
Basic life support nonresident: $1,075.
Advanced life support 1-E resident: $1,275.
Advanced life support 1-E nonresident: $1,375.
Advanced life support 2 resident: $1,475.
Advanced life support 2 nonresident: $1,575.
Mileage: $20.00/mile.
The rates will be adjusted by three percent increase effective January of each year. A copy of current rates shall be maintained by the city clerk.
“Basic life support” or “BLS” means noninvasive emergency medical services requiring basic medical treatment skills as defined in WAC 388-546-0001.
“Advanced life support” or “ALS” means invasive emergency medical services requiring advanced medical treatment skills as defined in WAC 388-546-0001. [Ord. 1072B § 1, 2023.]
2.30.130 Authority to promulgate regulations.
The city manager or his/her designee is hereby authorized to promulgate any and all regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter, including regulations related to billing, payment, collections and penalties for delinquent payments. [Ord. 1072B § 1, 2023.]
2.30.140 Billing functions and services.
The city manager or his/her designee is authorized to provide or contract for billing services necessitated through passage of the ordinance codified in this article. The city manager, or his/her designee, is authorized to enter into agreements with other governmental jurisdictions or private companies for the provisions of ambulance billing and collection services. [Ord. 1072B § 1, 2023.]
Code reviser’s note: For statutory provisions authorizing second class cities to establish and maintain fire departments, see RCW 35.23.440(21); for provisions granting a code city all powers of any city of any class, see RCW 35A.21.160.