Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Ch. 3.52 Paid Call Firefighter Corps

There is hereby established in and for the City a "Paid Call Firefighter Corps" (referred to in this Chapter as Corps). The Corps is so established as a voluntary organization composed of persons to be appointed by the City Manager. The membership of the Corps shall not exceed fifty (50). The City Manager or his delegate shall have complete authority and control over the Corps. The City Manager may appoint as members to the Corps any persons whom he deems to be qualified and he may reject any applications for membership.

The Corps shall function as a unit of the Fire Department in the program and activities of the disaster council of the City and shall also function to assist regular firefighters of the City in the protection of life and property. The Corps shall not operate to reduce the complement of the regular fire protection force of the City.

The Fire Chief shall provide for the training of candidates for membership of the Corps and for the further training of members of the Corps in all fields of fire activity, and for that purpose may assign such members to any of the various duties of the Fire Department.

Membership in the Corps shall be open to both men and women.

No person shall become a member of the Corps until he or she has taken the training and is able to meet all other requirements prescribed by the Fire Chief for such membership. When so qualified, and when selected by the City Manager, such members shall then be sworn in by the Fire Chief, or his duly authorized representative, as a member of the Corps and shall take and file with the City Clerk the required loyalty oath.

In order to effectuate the purpose of the Corps, the City Manager or his delegate, by order, may establish rules and regulations to govern the Corps, including the fixing of specific duties of its members and providing for the maintenance of discipline. He may change such orders from time to time.

The membership of any person in the Corps may be terminated by the City Manager at any time, and any member of the Corps may resign from the Corps at any time upon notifying the City Manager in writing of his resignation.

When a selected and designated person has been duly sworn in and has subscribed and filed the required loyalty oath, an identification card, badge, and cap piece, and such other insignia or evidence of identification as the City Manager or his delegate may prescribe, shall be issued to such person who shall thereupon be a member of the Corps.

A member of the Corps, when on duty as assigned by the City Manager or his delegate, shall have the same authority and responsibility to the same extent as a regular member of the Fire Department.

Subject to the provisions of Section 3.52.010 of this chapter, the City Manager may by order diminish or expand the membership of the Corps at any time as in his discretion may be required.

The uniform for the members of the Corps shall be similar to the uniform worn by members of the regular Fire Department. Uniform, belt, insignia, and badge shall be furnished by the City and shall be, and remain, the property of the City. The uniform, badge, cap piece, insignia (other than identification card), shall be carried only while the member carrying the same is on duty as assigned by the Chief.

The members of the Corps, as such, shall not be in or under the Civil Service System of the City, nor in, nor under, the State Employees Retirement Act but each and all members of the Corps, as such members, shall be entitled to receive, and shall have the right to receive full protection and benefits provided for disaster service workers and civilian defense workers, all as set forth in and under the provisions of the Labor Code of the State relating disaster service workers and civilian defense workers. Members of the Corps shall be paid for their service to the City. The rate of pay shall be established by separate resolution. Members of the Corps shall not be eligible for premium (time and one-half) pay for overtime.

It shall be unlawful for any person (other than a regular Firefighter of the City) who is not a member of the Corps:

A. To wear, carry, or display the identification card, badge, cap piece, uniform or insignia of said Corps; or

B. In any manner to represent himself to be connected with the Corps, or the Fire Department.

(§ 1, Ord. 1606, eff. December 17, 1981)