Ordinance 015 Volunteer Fire Department OrganizationPage ~,g
ORDINANCE #15
AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM
BEACH, FLORIDA, RELATING TO THE ORGANIZATION OF A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTH
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PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, that a department to be hereafter known as the Village of
North Palm Beach Fire Department, the object of which shall be the prevention
and extinguishment of fire and the protection of life and property within the
limits of the Village of North Palm Beach is hereby created as follows:
Section 1. Officers.
Article 1. The Department shall consist of a Chief and
such other officers as the Village Council may deem necessary for the effective
operation of the Department.
Article 2. The Chief shall be appointed by the Village
Council for an indefinite.pariod, and his tenure of office shall depend upon
his good conduct and efficiency. The Chief shall be technically qualified by_
training and experience and shall have ability to command men and hold their
respect and confidence. He shall perform such additional duties as shall be
directed by the Village Council or Village Manager,
Article 3. The Chief shall be held accountable to the
Village Manager, and shall make written and verbal reports thereto as the Vil-
lage Manager or Village Council may require, All other Department officers
shall be accountable to the Chief.
Section II. Duties of the Chief.
Article 1. The Chief shall formulate a set of rules and
regulations to govern the Department, and shall be responsible to the Uillage-
Manager for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the Department.
Article 2. The Chief shall at least once a month conduct
suitable drills or instruction in the operation and handling of equipment,
first aid and rescue work, salvage, a study of buildings in the Village of
North Palm Beach, fire prevention, water supplies, and all other matters gen-
erally considered essential to good firemanship and safety of life and property
from fire.
Article 3. The Chief is hereby required to assist the
proper authorities in suppressing the crime of arson by investigating or caus-
ing to be investigated the cause, origin, and circumstances of all fires.
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Article 4. The Chief is hereby empowered to enter any and
all buildings and premises at any reasonable hour for the. purpose of making in-
spections and to serve written notice upon the owner or occupant to abate, within
a specified time, any and all fire hazards that may be found.
Article 5. Any person so served with a notice to abate any
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fire hazard 'or hazards shall comply therewith and promptly notify the Chief.
Article 6. The Chief shall see that complete records are
kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and minor equipment, personnel and
other information about the work of the Department.
Article 7. The Chief shall report monthly to the Village
Manager the conditions of the apparatus and equipment; the number of fires dur-
ing the month, their location and cause, and date of same and loss occasioned
thereby; the number and purpose of all other runs made; and the number of
members responding to each fire or other run, and any changes in membership.
Article S. The Chief shall make a complete annual report
to the Village Manager within one month after the close of the fiscal year,
such report to include the information specified in Article 6, together with
comparative data for previous years and recommendations for improving the
effectiveness of the Department.
Section III. 2embership.
Article 1. The membership of the Department other than the
Chief shall consist of such persons as may be appointed by the Chief who are
willing to serve on a voluntary basis, all of whom shall be able-bodied citizens,
preferably property owners whose business activities are normally within the
confines of the general area of the Village, and who have telephones in their
homes. Determination of whether candidates for appointment are able-bodied
shall be made by the Chief after a medical and physical examination has been
made in a manner prescribed by the Chief and approved by the Village Manager.
Article 2. Such voluntary members of the Department shall
not be considered employees of the Village.
Section IV. Equipment.
Article 1. The Department shall be equipped with such ap-
paratus and other equipment as may be required from time to time to maintain
its efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire.
Article 2. Recommendations of apparatus and equipment -
needed shall be made by the Chief, and after approval by the Village Manager
and Village Council shall be purchased in such manner as may be designated by
the Village Council.
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Article 3, Suitable arrangement or equipment shall be pro-
vided for citizens to turn in an alarm, and for notifying all members of the
' Department so than they may promptly respond.
Article 4. All equipment of the Department shall be safe-
ly and conveniently housed in such places as may be provided by the Village.
Article 5. No person shall use any fire apparatus or equip-
' ment for any private purpose, nor shall any person wilfully and without proper
authority take away or conceal any article used in any way by the Department.
Article 6. No person shall enter any place where fire
apparatus is housed or handle any apparatus or equipment belonging to the Depart-
. meat unless accompanied by, or having the special permission of, an officer or
authorized member of the Department.
Section V. General
Article 1. Each member of the Department shall be issued a
badge designating his rank.
Article 2. A11 motor equipment and all personal cars of
Department members. shall, when responding to an alarm, be deemed emergency
vehicles.
Article 3. Each member of the Department driving a car
shall be issued a suitable insignia to be attached to the car.
Article 4. No person shall drive any vehicle over fire hose
except upon specific orders from the Chief or other officer in charge where the
hose is issued.
Article 5. No person shall park any vehicle or otherwise
cause any obstruction to be placed within twenty-five (25) feet of the entrance
to any fire station or other place where fire apparatus is stored, or within
ten (10) feet of any fire hydrant or cistern.
Article 6. No person shall maliciously turn in or cause to
be turned in a false alarm.
Section VI. Enforcement
' Article 1. Any person violating the provisions of this ordinance
shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of not less than Ten Dollars 010.00) or more than
One Hundred Dollars ($100,00) for each offense.
Article 2. All regularly appointed members of the Department
' are hereby given the necessary special police powers for the purpose of enforcing
the provisions of this ordinance.
Article 3. It is hereby made the special duty of all Village
police who may be on duty and available for fire duty, to respond to all fire alarms
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and assist the Department iri the protecting of life and property, in regulating
traffic, maintaining order, and in enforcing observance of all sections of this
ordinance.
FIRST READING the 8 dap of April, 1957.
SECOND, FINAL READING AS AMENDED AND PASSAGE the 13 day of May, 1957.
SJ Charles A. Cunningham
(SEAL) Mayor
ATTEST:
S/ R. C. Tufford _
Village Clerk
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