CHAPTER 2-2: FIRE DEPARTMENT
SECTIONS:
2-2-8: CALLS BEYOND CORPORATE LIMITS:
2-2-1 DEPARTMENT CREATED:
A Department to be hereinafter known as the Prescott Fire Department, the purpose of which shall be the prevention of fire and the protection of life and property within the Limits of the City, is hereby created in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
The Department shall consist of a Fire Chief and assistant chief or chiefs and as many other officers and firemen as may be deemed necessary for the effective operation of the Department.
2-2-2 APPOINTMENTS:
(A) The Chief shall be appointed by the Manager for an indefinite period of time. The Chief shall be technically qualified by training and experience and shall have the ability to command personnel and hold their respect and confidence. (amd.Ord. 3079, eff. 6-10-93)
The Chief shall be held accountable to the Manager and shall make written and verbal reports as he may require. All other department and company officers shall be accountable to the Chief only.
(B) The assistant chief or chiefs and all other department and company officers shall be appointed by the Chief. Such officers shall be accountable to the Chief. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
2-2-3 DUTIES OF THE CHIEF:
(A) The Chief shall formulate a set of rules and regulations to govern the Department, and shall be responsible to the Manager for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the Department.
(B) The Chief shall determine the number and kind of companies of which the Department is to be composed and shall determine the response of such companies to alarms.
(C) The Chief shall, at least twice a month, conduct suitable drills or instruction in the operation and handling of equipment, first aid and rescue work, salvage, a study of buildings in the City, fire prevention, water supplies, and all other matters generally considered essential to good firemanship and safety of life and property from fire.
(D) The Chief is hereby required to assist the proper authorities in suppressing the crime of arson by investigating or causing to be investigated the cause, origin and circumstances of all fires.
(E) The Chief and Fire Prevention Inspectors are hereby empowered to enter any and all buildings and premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of making inspections and to serve written notice upon the owner or occupant to abate, within a specified time, any and all fire and life hazards that may be found.
(F) Any person so served with a notice to abate any fire hazard shall comply therewith and promptly notify the Chief.
(G) The Chief shall see that complete records are kept of all fires, inspections, apparatus and minor equipment, personnel and other information about the work of the Department.
(H) The Chief shall make a complete annual report to the Mayor and Council of the condition of the apparatus and equipment; the number of fires during the year, their cause, the number and type of all other runs made; and any changes in departmental staffing, summaries of activity in each of the divisions of the Department, together with comparative data for previous years and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the department. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
2-2-4 (Reserved):
(Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
2-2-5 EQUIPMENT:
(A) The Department shall be equipped with such apparatus and other equipment as may be required from time to time to maintain its efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire.
(B) Recommendations of apparatus and equipment needed shall be made by the Chief, and after approval by the Mayor and Council shall be purchased in such manner as may be designated by the Mayor and Council.
(C) All equipment of the Department shall be safely and conventionally housed in such places as may be designated by the Mayor and Council. Such places shall be heated during the winter season.
(D) No person shall handle any apparatus or equipment for any private purpose, nor shall any person willfully and without proper authority take away or conceal any article used in any way by the Department. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
(E) No person shall handle any apparatus or equipment belonging to the Department unless accompanied by, or having the special permission of, an officer or authorized member of the Department. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
(F) No apparatus shall be hired out or permitted to leave the City without the consent of the Chief. The officer in charge of the Department shall have power to assign equipment for response to calls or outside aid only when the absence of such equipment will not jeopardize protection in the City. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
2-2-6 GENERAL:
(A) Each member of the Department shall be issued a badge designating his rank.
(B) All motor equipment and all personal cars of the Department members shall have right-of-way over all traffic when responding to an alarm.
2-2-7 ENFORCEMENT:
(A) Any person violating the provisions of Section 2-2-3(F); Section 2-2-5(E) and (F); and Section 2-2-6(B) and (D) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in Section 1-3-1 of the Prescott City Code. (Ord. 437, 11-5-53; amd. Ord. 1834, 9-23-86)
(B) It is hereby made the special duty of the Chief of Police and/or other peace officers who may be on duty and available for fire duty, to respond to all fire alarms and assist the Department in the protection of life and property, in regulating traffic, maintaining order and in enforcing observance of all Sections of this chapter. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)
2-2-8 CALLS BEYOND CORPORATE LIMITS:
The Fire Department of the City is hereby authorized to answer fire alarms and fires beyond the corporate limits, whenever the Fire Chief of said Fire Department, in his discretion, shall deem it necessary to protect lives and property, and only when the services of the responding units can be spared by the Prescott Fire Department with a margin of safety to protect the persons and property within the City of Prescott. Unless otherwise precluded or prohibited pursuant to a mutual aid agreement or intergovernmental agreement, the City shall be entitled to charge the property owner or other individual or entity requiring a response by the Fire Department for the reasonable value of services rendered for calls beyond the corporate limits of the City of Prescott. (Ord. 2287, 8-13-91)