Hollister Municipal Code Ch. 2.10 Fire Chief

The office of the fire chief is hereby established. The fire chief shall be appointed by the City Manager and he or she shall exercise the powers and duties as provided in this chapter and in other ordinances in the city.

(Ord. 1175, 2019)

The fire chief who shall be appointed by the City Manager, with the consent of the city council of the city of Hollister.

(Ord. 1175, 2019)

In all cases where the duty is not expressly charged to any other department or office, it shall be the duty of the fire chief to protect life and property by preventing and eliminating fire hazards and by controlling and extinguishing fires, providing emergency medical services and those other services needed to protect the lives and property of the community. It shall be the duty of the fire chief to manage the functions of the department of fire.

(Ord. 1175, 2019)

The heads of the various departments established by this chapter shall have the following general powers, duties and responsibilities:

A. To organize the department into divisions in such a manner as to efficiently perform the functional responsibilities allocated. For this purpose, the department head may create such sections and subunits within such division as deemed necessary.

B. To make recommendations regarding recruiting, disciplining and discharging of departmental personnel in accordance with the personnel rules and regulations of the city.

C. To transfer or relocate personnel from one division to another in accordance with the personnel rules and regulations of the city.

D. To keep correct attendance records on each employee for payroll purposes, and to submit such other information as required for the proper maintenance of individual personnel records, including leaves of absence, job efficiency, personal conduct and workers compensation claims and injuries.

E. To administer the departmental budget and permit no purchase requisitions to be issued or other expense incurred, unless an appropriation therefore has been duly authorized.

F. To attend meetings of the council when required.

G. To attend meetings of their respective boards and commissions.To carry on an active public relations program for their respective services.

H. To promulgate and administer internal rules and regulations for the proper conduct of personnel and the efficient handling of the department's duties and functions.

I. To discharge such other duties as may be assigned by the City Manager or required by the ordinances, resolutions or official orders of the city council.

(Ord. 1175, 2019)

The department of fire shall perform the following functions:

A. Fire Protection and Emergency Response. Responsibilities and duties:

1. Contracts. Enforce the general laws and ordinances of the city, county and state.

2. Fire Extinguishment. Extinguish all fires and protect persons, property and the environment from fire or related emergencies.

3. Rescue. Provide emergency rescue services to remove the public from entrapments and associated harm.

4. Emergency Medical Services. Provide emergency response to protect the public due to medical related emergencies.

5. Other Emergency Response Activities. Respond to other emergencies, such as hazards material incidents, earthquakes, etc., to protect the public, property and environment.

6. Enforce Laws. Enforce all laws and ordinances relating to the prevention and extinguishing of fires.

7. Investigation. Investigate and report to the department of police in all cases where there is reason to believe that any fire or other emergency is the result of a crime or that a crime is committed in connection therewith.

8. Maintain Equipment. Maintain an efficiently and operable condition of the firefighting equipment and fire prevention systems and facilities assigned to the department of fire.

B. Fire Prevention. Administer and enforce all ordinances and codes pertaining to:

1. Inspection of Buildings. Inspect building for fire safety and maintenance of means of egress.

2. Fire Prevention. Make frequent inspections of all property within the city, for the maintenance of fire protection and elimination of fire hazards on land, in buildings, structures and other property, including those under construction. Review and inspect the installation and maintenance of automatic, manual and other private fire alarm systems and fire-extinguishing equipment.

3. Abatement. Cause the abatement or removal of fire hazardous buildings, litter, junk, uncultivated weeds and shrubs and other hazardous conditions.

4. Hazardous Materials. Regulate the use, handling and storage of hazardous materials and waste in the city. Investigate unauthorized releases of hazardous materials.

C. Training. This shall be under the supervision of the fire chief who shall promote the proficiency of the departments members by the administration of training, study and physical conditioning programs.

D. Volunteer/Reserve Personnel. They shall be under the supervision of the fire chief. These personnel shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the fire department insofar as they are in conformance with the provisions of the ordinances and rules and regulations adopted by the council. The following shall be the responsibility and duty of the fire chief.

1. Recruiting. Recruit such volunteers and reserve personnel as may reasonably be required to augment regular department of fire personnel.

2. Training. Develop such courses of training so as to develop the efficiency and abilities of the reserve firefighters so that they are of assistance to the department of fire in the event of emergency.

E. Records. It shall be the responsibility and duty of the fire chief to keep standard records of inspections, fires, fire losses and all other activities of the department and submit quarterly reports thereof to the City Manager.

F. Divisions and Command Staff.

1. Field Operations. The command staff of the department will develop and implement division goals, objectives, policies, and procedures, develop and administer a budget, direct associated departmental activities including personnel, fire suppression, rescue and special operations, emergency preparedness, communications, fire investigation and prevention activities, fire station and apparatus maintenance, supervise the emergency response and operational readiness of a platoon of personnel as assigned, and may assume command of the department of fire in the absence of the fire chief.

2. Emergency Medical Services. The command staff will develop and implement division goals, objectives, policies, and procedures, develop and administer a budget, direct associated departmental activities including personnel, manage EMS programs, EMS patient transport operations, EMS contract compliance and reporting.

3. Training Chief. The command staff of this division will develop and implement division goals, objectives, policies and procedures, develop and administer a budget, direct associated department activities including personnel, department safety program, recruitment and promotional activities, probationary testing certification, employee physical fitness and wellness, manage the department training and public education program, coordinate training activities, health and wellness, career development, and as needed department training assignments.

4. Planning Chief. The command staff of this division will develop and implement division goals, objectives, policies and procedures, develop and administer a budget, department standard operating procedures, strategic plan, incident action plan review, and as needed department planning assignments.

5. Logistics Chief. The command staff of this division will develop and implement division goals, objectives, policies and procedures, develop and administer a budget, inventory maintenance, bid & vendor coordination, facilities equipment coordination, resource list, and as needed department logistical assignments.

6. Prevention Chief. The command staff of this division will develop and implement division goals, objectives, policies and procedures, develop and administer a budget, inventory maintenance, bid & vendor coordination, facilities equipment coordination, resource list, and as needed department prevention assignments.

G. Peace Officers Authority. The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state for the purpose of performing their primary duty or when making an arrest pursuant to section 836 as to any public offense with respect to which there is immediate danger to person or property, or of the escape of the perpetrator of that offense, or pursuant to section 8597 or 8598 of the government code. These peace officers may carry firearms only if authorized and under those terms and conditions as specified by their employing agencies:

1. Members of an arson-investigating unit, regularly paid and employed in that capacity, of a fire department or fire protection agency of a county, city, city and county, district, or the state, if the primary duty of these peace officers is the detection and apprehension of persons who have violated any fire law or committed insurance fraud.

2. Members other than members of an arson-investigating unit, regularly paid and employed in that capacity, of a fire department or fire protection agency of a county, city, city and county, district, or the state, if the primary duty of these peace officers, when acting in that capacity, is the enforcement of laws relating to fire prevention or fire suppression.

(Ord. 1175, 2019)

Health and safety code, §13145 and 13146

The state fire marshal, the chief of any city or county fire department or district providing fire protection services, and their authorized representatives, shall enforce in their respective areas building standards relating to fire and panic safety adopted by the state fire marshal and published in the state building standards code and other regulations that have been formally adopted by the state fire marshal for the prevention of fire or for the protection of life and property against fire or panic.

(Ord. 1175, 2019)