Portola Municipal Code Ch. 2.24 Fire Department

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 349, § 1, adopted Feb. 14, 2018, repealed the former Ch. 2.24, §§ 2.24.010—2.24.210, and enacted a new Ch. 2.24 as set out herein. The former Ch. 2.24 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 319, adopted May 23, 2007; and Ord. No. 22, §§ 1—18, 1947.

A department within the city organization structure entitled fire department is created. The department shall generally be known as the Portola Volunteer Fire Department, although some positions may be provided compensation as determined by the city council and the city manager.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

The fire chief shall be appointed by the city manager. The fire chief shall head the department under the direction of the city manager.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

The fire chief, with approval of the city manager and following the policy of the city council, shall determine the need for volunteer officers of the department and determine the command structure during his service as fire chief.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

The fire chief shall be the chief executive officer of the fire department and shall be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department in accordance with and pursuant to policies adopted by the city council, including policies addressing the description of duties, powers and authorities of the fire chief.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

All officers and members of the fire department are volunteers of the city and are subject to and shall act in accordance with the policies for the department and such volunteers adopted by the City of Portola or the city manager.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

No building used by the fire department shall be used for any purpose not directly concerning the department without previous consent of the city council.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

All firefighting equipment, when proceeding to the scene of an alarm, shall have the right-of-way over all other vehicles, and it is unlawful for any person driving or having charge of any vehicle to willfully or carelessly permit the same to obstruct, impede, or otherwise interfere with the progress of any fire or emergency equipment. Upon the sounding of the fire signal, all traffic shall come to a complete stop, in as close proximity to the right side of the street as possible, and shall remain stopped until all fire equipment has passed or until it has been ascertained that no fire equipment will use the street involved.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person, other than firemen, police officers and drivers of other emergency vehicles, to follow any fire or emergency equipment, within three hundred feet, while such equipment is responding to a fire call or an emergency call.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person to so park any vehicle at the scene of a fire that said vehicle might impair the efficiency of firefighting operations.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person to drive, pull or push any vehicle over a fire hose while the hose is lying in or across any street, alley or other public or private way.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person to interfere with firemen or fire equipment in the performance of their duty under this chapter.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person to willfully give or turn in any false alarm of fire.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person to willfully cut, mark or otherwise deface any fire house, hose or other fire or emergency equipment of the fire department.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

It is unlawful for any person except a member or officer of the fire department, and any city or county peace officer, to ride upon or operate department equipment while such equipment is responding to a fire or other emergency call.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

Any person violating any of the penal provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed the sum of five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the city or county jail for a period not exceeding one hundred twenty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

Officers and members of the fire department shall be paid from the city treasury. From time to time, the city council shall by resolution determine the amounts to be paid for the following:

A. Payment for ongoing services;

B. Payment for actual participation in fire and emergency calls;

C. Payment to officers and members for damages sustained to their personal property as the direct result of the participation.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

The city shall provide workers compensation insurance for the officers and members of the fire department, in accordance with the laws of the state relating thereto.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

The city manager is authorized to enter into agreement or contracts with nearby communities or governing bodies of other organizations with fire protection to establish a mutual aid system.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)

No apparatus shall be hired out or permitted to leave the city, except in response to a call for aid in an authorized area or repairs or pursuant to contractual services provided by the city, without consent of the fire chief or officer in charge. The officer in charge of the department shall have the power to assign equipment for response to calls for outside aid in accordance with Section 2.24.180, and in other cases only when the absence of such equipment will not jeopardize protection in the city.

(Ord. No. 349, § 1, 2-14-2018)