Placerville Municipal Code Ch. 1 Volunteer Fire Department

The department shall consist of a chief and other officers as the chief and council may deem necessary for the effective operation of the department. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967)

The city manager shall appoint a fire chief to administer the operation of the fire department of the city of Placerville, the appointment to be subject to council approval. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967; amd. Ord. 1080, 2-10-1976)

The fire chief of the city, or his or her designee, after first obtaining the training required by Penal Code section 832, may issue citations (notices to appear) for violations of the uniform fire code, as amended, or other provisions of this code relating to fire regulations. (Ord. 1276, 8-11-1981)

The chief shall be held accountable to the council, through the city manager, and he shall make written and verbal reports as may be required. The other department officers and personnel shall be accountable to the chief only. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967; amd. Ord. 1080, 2-10-1976)

All personnel of the volunteer fire department shall be appointed after they have taken and passed an examination given by the personnel office of the city of Placerville, and the appointment shall be by the chief, subject to the ratification by the council. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967)

The volunteer fire department may consist of forty five (45) members, including the officers thereof, which membership may be increased or decreased in number by a resolution of the council.

Membership in the department shall be voluntary and neither the officers nor the members thereof shall receive compensation for services performed, except as herein provided.

The fire chief and assistant chiefs and captains shall receive such compensation as is prescribed by resolution of the council, and all members of the department who attend and perform services at all fires and fire drills shall be compensated as follows:

(A) The city shall pay to the department each month, for all services performed and fire drills attended during the preceding month by officers and members, the sum of four dollars ($4.00) per man for each hour or fraction thereof required to suppress or control all fires.

(B) Members shall be compensated at the rate of four dollars ($4.00) per hour for each hour for attending practice, drills and school. The council may, at any time by resolution, reduce, increase and discontinue the further payment to the fire department of the amount of payment herein provided. (Ord. 891, 5-16-1963; amd. Ord. 1263, 5-26-1981)

The fire department shall be governed by bylaws to be adopted by the department and approved by the council, provided that such bylaws shall be consistent with this chapter and all other provisions of this code pertaining thereto. (Ord. 891, 5-16-1963)

The department may elect a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, and four (4) directors to be known as corporation 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 and all corporation functions sponsored by the department.

The functions and duties of the corporation officers shall in nowise interfere with those of the regular department officers who are charged with responsibility for all fire service activities of the department in the city.

Corporation officers may be any man on the fire department under the rank of second assistant chief. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967)

Members of the volunteer fire department shall be selected as follows:

(A) Applications for the position of volunteer fireman should be completed on an application form (standard city form) and should be processed by the personnel office.

(B) Applicants shall be screened by a screening committee of the volunteer fire department consisting of the city officers and corporation officers, subject to the approval of the simple majority of general members of the volunteer fire department casting a ballot.

(C) In the event the applicant successfully passes the screening committee of the volunteer fire department, he shall be given an examination by the personnel office of the city.

(D) In the event the applicant passes, the results shall be given to the chief and based upon the application form, the results of the screening committee and the results of the examination and interview of the personnel officer of the city, the candidate will then have his name placed on the eligibility list of the volunteer fire department. Appointments will be made from the list in numerical order.

(E) In the event the applicant is accepted, he is then appointed to a one year probationary period to the volunteer fire department, and during the probationary period he shall be evaluated at least two (2) times by the chief and four (4) members of the volunteer fire department. Said evaluation shall be in the form provided by the personnel officer. The probationary employee shall be shown each evaluation report and shall be asked to sign the report indicating that he has read the report. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967)

(F) In the event that the applicant satisfactorily passes the probationary period, he shall then become a member of the volunteer fire department; provided that he is voted in by a two- thirds (2/3) majority of the general members of the volunteer fire department casting a ballot at the regular meeting. The applicant shall not be present at the meeting at which the members vote upon his becoming a member of the volunteer fire department. (Ord. 1015, 11-14-1972)

(A) The chief may suspend for cause any member of the volunteer fire department, however, a suspension shall not last longer than three (3) days unless the member is suspended as a result of having been accused of committing a felony, in which event the suspension shall last until there has been a decision rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction as to whether a felony has been committed or there has been a dismissal. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967)

Any member of the volunteer fire department may be dismissed for cause by the chief with the concurrence of the personnel officer of the city, or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the volunteer fire department meeting and voting at a regular meeting. The member of the volunteer fire department against whom the dismissal proceedings are brought shall be given written notice that a dismissal proceeding is to be brought against him and this written notice shall be served upon said member at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting at which the dismissal action is to be conducted. The cause for dismissal shall be in writing and shall be placed in the personnel records of the city, and a copy shall be given to the member who has been dismissed. Notice of the removal or dismissal of any volunteer fireman shall be given to the council by the city personnel officer. At the time any member has been dismissed from the volunteer fire department, he shall be informed of his right to appeal to the city council pursuant to the terms set forth in the employee's appeal ordinance. (Ord. 963, 2-14-1967)