Chapter 2.34 — CANYON LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT

The City has struggled with structural budget deficits for many years due primarily to sharply rising costs associated with its contracts with the County of Riverside for police and fire services. Revenue generated by property taxes, sales tax, and the utility users’ tax have become insufficient to cover skyrocketing public safety costs. The City Council and City staff have explored numerous alternatives for providing quality public safety services at a cost that is sustainable for the City, including contracting with another agency other than the County, forming a fire department under a joint powers authority (JPA) with neighboring cities, closing Station 60 and paying a reduced fee to be serviced by fire stations located in surrounding jurisdictions, and starting a municipal fire department.

After receiving a Feasibility Analysis from Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) for the start-up and ongoing operation of a City of Canyon Lake Fire Department, the City Council determined it would be in the public’s best interest to establish a municipal fire department, owned and operated by the City of Canyon Lake. On November 4, 2020, the City Council further directed the City Manager to establish a municipal fire department that would take over services from the County of Riverside on January 1, 2022.

The purposes and intent of this chapter are to establish in the manner provided by State law a municipal fire department, to outline the organizations of ranking and non-ranking positions within that fire department and to clarify the powers and duties of the Fire Chief.

The further purpose of this chapter is to best protect the health, safety, and welfare of those who live, visit, work, and invest in the City and to provide the maximum legal protection available to the Fire Chief and firefighters. This chapter is enacted pursuant to California Government Code Sections 38600-38611.

(Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)

(a) Fire Chief. The Fire Chief shall be the department head of the Fire Department and shall solely be responsible for the supervision and maintenance of the Department. The Fire Chief shall make such rules and regulations and issue such orders as are consistent with State laws, ordinances of the City, as necessary for the best interests of the Department and the City.

(b) Municipal Fire Department. A municipal Fire Department means that organized firefighting unit established pursuant to this chapter and supported by the annual municipal budget. The Municipal Fire Department also may be called the City of Canyon Lake Fire Department or the Canyon Lake Fire Department.

(c) Municipal Chief officers. A municipal Chief Officer shall mean an active ranking member of the Fire Department, not younger than 18 years of age, whether full-time, part-time, or paid-call, who receives compensation or reimbursement stipend from the municipality for providing fire service for the municipality. This person may also serve as “Acting Fire Chief” and may also be called “a member of the Fire Department.”

(d) Municipal firefighters. A municipal firefighter shall mean an active non-ranking member, not younger than 18 years of age, whether full-time, part-time, reserve, or paid-call, who receives compensation or reimbursement stipend from the municipality for providing fire service for the municipality. A municipal firefighter also may be called a "member of the Fire Department."

(Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)

(a) Establishment. There hereby is established and shall be a municipal Fire Department for the City as established by this chapter, which is officially referred to as the “Canyon Lake Fire Department”.

• (b) Duties. The duties of the Canyon Lake Fire Department shall be to:

• (1) Extinguish fires and save life and property therefrom;

• (2) Inspect for potential fire hazards, order the removal or remedying of dangerous fire conditions in the community and otherwise enforce local and State fire laws;

• (3) Demolish or pull down any building which may be on fire, or which may be deemed necessary to remove in order to prevent the spread of fire or the increase of danger to life and property;

• (4) Maintain and operate the Department's property and equipment;

(5) Upon due consideration of the public safety needs of the City, the Fire Chief may give approval for the Canyon Lake Fire Department to render mutual aid to any community within the State of California that is in a fire emergency or declaration of disaster. The Fire Chief shall notify the City Manager of the details of such action;

(6) Issue burning permits and other operational permits to residents and workers of the City as safety and weather conditions permit;

• (7) Conduct fire inspections and provide plan reviews;

• (8) Coordinate emergency medical services for the City; and

• (9) Coordinate the City's Emergency Operations Plan and training as necessary.

• (Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)

The organization of the Canyon Lake Fire Department is defined in this chapter and in the annual budget of the City.

(Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)

(a) Appointment/term. The Fire Chief is appointed and supervised by the City Manager pursuant to Section 2.04.060(b) and serves at the pleasure of the City Manager. The term of the appointment shall be determined based upon the needs of the City.

(b) Supervision. As the administrative department head of the Canyon Lake Fire Department, the Fire Chief shall be supervised by and report to the City Manager.

(c) Compensation. The compensation for the Fire Chief and any firefighting positions shall be established by the City Council and included in the annual budget of the City.

(d) Powers. The Fire Chief shall have the powers and duties established by Government Code Section 3860038611 and within this Code.

(e) Duties. The Fire Chief, or his/her designee (Acting Fire Chief), is responsible for directing the activities of the Canyon Lake Fire Department and is the sole authority and command at the scene of a fire or other incident. The Fire Chief is responsible for directing all firefighters and ensuring that firefighters have adequate training. The Fire Chief is responsible for ensuring that firefighting equipment is monitored on a regular basis and is in good working order. The Fire Chief will develop all policies and procedures concerning firefighting in accordance with municipal ordinances, State laws and regulations, and federal laws and regulations.

(Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)

(a) Duties and responsibilities. Municipal firefighters shall have the powers and duties as set forth in rules, regulations and standard operating procedures as recommended by the Fire Chief and approved by the City Council. (b) The Fire Chief, consistent with any personnel rules, regulations, or policies adopted by the City Council and the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act (Government Code Section 6250-3262), as such may be amended from time to time, shall have the authority to appoint, assign, promote, evaluate the performance of, dismiss, demote, suspend, reduce in salary, reprimand, or transfer any member of the Canyon Lake Fire Department. The Fire Chief shall report such changes in the membership to the City Manager in writing within ten working days of the action.

(c) Compensation. Compensation for all municipal firefighter positions shall be recommended by the City Manager and thereafter established by the City Council and included in the annual municipal budget.

(Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)

The Fire Chief and all members of the Canyon Lake Fire Department shall enjoy the privileges and immunities provided by California Good Samaritan Law (Health and Safety Code Section 1799.102).

(Ord. 161, passed 6-24-2015; Am. Ord. 162, passed 7-1-2015; Am. Ord. 212, passed 10-6-2021)