Article III — Fire Department
Alturas Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-10-01 · Alturas
Secs. 10-15 to 10-17. - Repealed by Ordinance No. 321. Sec. 10-18. - Officers.
The department shall consist of a chief, two assistant chiefs and other officers as the chief and membership may deem necessary for the effective operation of the department.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-19. - Term of office, qualifications and removal of fire chief.¶
(a)
The city council finds that it is not a violation of the common law prohibition for the same person to hold two incompatible positions, for the same person to hold a position on the city council and at the same time hold the position of city fire chief.
And further, the City of Alturas finds that it is not by the fact itself a conflict of interest for the same person to hold a position on the city council and at the same time hold the position of city fire chief.
(b)
The chief shall be appointed by the membership for an indefinite period of time, 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 be removed only for just cause and after a public hearing before the membership.
(Ord. No. 321.)
(Ord. No. 480, §§ 1, 2, 4-13-2010)
Sec. 10-20. - Chief accountable to city council; reports; other officers accountable to…¶
The chief shall be held accountable to the city council only, and shall make written and verbal reports thereto as the city council may require. All other department and company officers shall be accountable to the chief only.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-21. - Assistant chiefs and other officers appointed by chief.¶
The assistant chiefs and all other department and company officers shall be appointed by the chief. Such officers shall be accountable only to the chief, and subject to removal by him. Appointments are to be approved by the governing body, and that dismissed officers may appeal for a hearing as may be prescribed by the rules and regulations.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-22. - Duties of chief.¶
The chief shall formulate a set rules and regulations to govern the department, and shall be responsible to the city council for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the department.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-23. - Number and kind of companies; response to alarms.¶
The chief shall determine the number and kind of companies of which the department is to be composed and shall determine the response of such companies to alarms.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-24. - Drills to be held once a month.¶
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 city, fire prevention, water supplies and all other matters generally considered essential to good firemanship and safety of life and property from fire.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-25. - Investigation to suppress arson.¶
The chief is hereby required to assist the proper authorities in suppressing the crime of arson by investigating or causing to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances of all fires.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-26. - Chief, fire marshal, and/or designee appointed by chief to enter any…¶
The chief, fire marshal, and/or designee appointed by chief is hereby empowered to enter any and all buildings and premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making inspections 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.
(Ord. No. 321.)
(Ord. No. 500, § 1, 7-15-2014)
Sec. 10-27. - Persons to comply with notice to abate fire hazards.¶
Any person so served with a notice to abate any fire hazards, shall comply therewith and promptly notify the chief.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-28. - Records.¶
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.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-29. - Monthly report to city council.¶
The chief shall report monthly to the city council the condition of the apparatus and equipment; the number of fires during 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.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-30. - Annual report to city council.¶
The chief shall make a complete annual report to the city council within one month after the close of the fiscal year, such report to include the information specified in section 10-29, together with the comparative data for previous years and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the department.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-31. - Appointment of members.¶
The membership of the department shall consist of such persons as may be approved by the membership, and shall be able-bodied male citizens residing within the city, preferably property owners whose business activities are normally within the confines of the city limits. Determination of whether candidates for
appointment are able-bodied shall be made by the chief and assistant chief after a medical and physical examination has been made in a manner prescribed by the chief and approved by the city council.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-32. - Suspension of members.¶
Any 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 member of the membership he shall be given a public hearing on the charges brought by the chief.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-33. - Equipment.¶
The department shall be equipped with such apparatus and other equipment as may be required from time to time to maintain its efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-34. - Purchase of equipment.¶
Recommendations of apparatus and equipment needed shall be made by the chief, and after approval by the city council shall be purchased in such manner as may be designated by the city council.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-35. - Housing of equipment.¶
All equipment of the department shall be safely and conveniently housed in such places as may be designated by the city council. Such places shall be heated during the winter season.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-36. - Equipment for citizens to turn in an alarm.¶
Suitable arrangement or equipment shall be provided for citizens to turn in an alarm, and for notifying all members of the department so that they may promptly respond.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-37. - Fire apparatus not to be used for private purposes.¶
No person shall use any fire apparatus or equipment 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.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-38. - Persons not to enter where equipment is housed.¶
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 special permission of, an officer or authorized member of the department.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-39. - Authority to enter into contracts for fire protection.¶
The city is hereby authorized to enter into agreements or contracts with hereby incorporated communities or governing bodies of other organizations to provide the members of such communities or organizations with fire protection or to establish a mutual aid system.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-40. - No apparatus to leave city; exception.¶
No apparatus shall be hired out or permitted to leave the city, except in response to a call for aid at a fire in a neighboring community, without the consent of the city council. The officer in charge of the department shall have power to assign equipment for response to calls for outside aid in accordance with section 10- 39, and in other cases only when the absence of such equipment will not jeopardize protection in this city. In general only one company, or one piece of apparatus or both, shall be permitted to leave at any one time for any cause unless the municipality is otherwise protected by companies of other communities "coveringin" as may be scheduled in a mutual aid agreement.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-41. - Each member to be issued badge.¶
Each member of the department shall be issued a badge designating his rank.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-42. - Member's vehicles to have right-of-way when answering call.¶
All motor equipment and all personal cars of department members shall have right-of-way over all other traffic when responding to an alarm.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-43. - Insignia to be attached to member's cars.¶
Each member of the department driving a car shall be issued a suitable insignia to be attached to the car.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-44. - Driving over fire hose prohibited.¶
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 used.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-45. - No parking near fire station or fire hydrant.¶
No unauthorized person shall park any vehicle or otherwise cause any obstruction to be placed within fifty feet of the entrance to any fire station or other place where fire apparatus is stored, or within ten feet of any fire hydrant or cistern.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-46. - Persons not to follow fire vehicles or park near at fire.¶
No unauthorized person with any vehicle shall follow within six hundred feet of any apparatus belonging to the department, nor park any vehicle within three hundred feet of a fire.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-47. - False alarms.¶
No person shall maliciously turn in or cause to be turned in a false alarm.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-48. - Penalties.¶
Any person violating the provisions of sections 10-27, 10-37, 10-38, 10-42, 10-43, 10-44, 10-45, 10-46 and 10-47 shall, upon conviction in the judicial district court, or before a justice of the peace, pay a fine of not less than ten dollars or more than one hundred dollars for each offense.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-49. - Members to have special police powers.¶
All regularly appointed members of the department are hereby given the necessary special police powers for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this article.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-50. - Police to assist in responding to alarms and enforcing article.¶
It is hereby made the special duty of the chief of police or 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 in enforcing observance of all sections of this article.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-51. - Social officers—Election; duties.¶
The department may elect a president and secretary and treasurer, to be known as social officers. Such officers may be elected in any manner and for any term the membership may decide upon, and their duties shall be to arrange for and manage any or all social functions sponsored by the department.
(Ord. No. 321.)
Sec. 10-52. - Same—Duties not to interfere with regular officers.¶
The functions and duties of such social officers shall in no way interfere with those of the regular department officers who are charged with responsibility for all fire service activities of the department.
(Ord. No. 321.)
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