(a)   The fire department of the city shall consist of 24 members who shall be appointed annually by the fire chief, by and with the consent and confirmation of the mayor and council, and Who shall serve in that capacity, unless removed by the mayor or fire chief and council for cause, or by resignation. A chief shall be selected from the members by a majority vote, subject to approval of the mayor and council. The chief shall hold his or her office for one year, unless removed by the mayor and council for cause, or by resignation.

(b)   After the selection and appointment by the fire chief with the consent and approval of the mayor and council of the members above mentioned, then and thereafter any vacancy that may exist in the department shall be filled by members elected by a two-thirds vote of the members of the fire company, subject to the approval and confirmation by the mayor and council.

(c)   Members of the fire department shall receive for their services compensation as determined by the governing body.

(Ord. 389, Sec., 1; Code 1988)

The officers of the fire department shall be a fire chief, assistant chief(s), captain(s), fire lieutenant(s); secretary, treasurer and assistant secretary, who shall be elected by the department, and who shall at any time be removed from their offices by the department for cause.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 2)

(a)   The chief shall in all cases of fire have control of all members of the fire department and the fire truck driver, and shall at all times have control and custody of all fire apparatus, regalia, clothing and paraphernalia, and it shall be his or her duty to report to the city council quarterly the condition of all fire apparatus, clothing and paraphernalia and the condition of all places where same are kept. And he or she shall recommend such additions or improvements as he or she may deem expedient. Whenever the fire apparatus shall need repairing the chief shall cause the same to be done without delay, under the instructions of the mayor.

(b)   In case of the absence of the chief from the city, the next highest officer in rank shall be acting chief.

(Ord. 389, Secs. 4, 7)

It shall be the duty of each member of the fire department to attend all the fires within the city, and in case of absence therefrom, the member or members thus absent shall not receive pay for service at the fire. It shall be the duty of the members of the fire department to attend to the fire apparatus committed to their care, and the place or places where the same are kept. Each member of the fire department who shall receive the care, custody or control of any property belonging to the fire department shall be held to the strict accounting for the same, and shall return same whenever required by the chief or mayor, or in default of such return he or she shall forfeit to the city the actual value of the article. The company may adopt such constitution and by-laws as they deem best, the same being at all times subordinate to the ordinance of the city.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 5)

All members of the department shall, upon the alarm of fire, repair to the place of fire with their fire apparatus under their care and work and manage the same under the direction of the chief, and in case of his or her absence the next officer in rank shall take control as acting chief, and shall remain at the place of fire until the same is extinguished unless permitted to leave by the chief or acting chief.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 6)

The fire apparatus shall be kept in such place or places as the mayor and council shall provide and direct, and the company shall keep it in the best condition for immediate use. The fire department shall hold its meetings at the call of the chief, or acting chief, and shall meet for practice not less than twice each month, and at the practice the fire department shall have the right of way of all streets.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 8)

The chief or acting chief may direct the company to cut down and remove any building, erection or fence for the purpose of checking the progress of fire, and the chief or acting chief, with the advice of two members of the council, shall have power to blow up or cause to be blown up, with powder or other explosive material, any building or erection during the process of a fire for the purpose of extinguishing the same.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 11)

The chief or acting chief shall have the authority at any fire or in going or coming from any fire to require the aid of any citizen, inhabitant or by-stander, in drawing or conveying any fire apparatus to or from any fire, or in working or using the same while at a fire, or in the removal or protection of property.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 12)

It shall be the duty of the chief of the fire department to keep an accurate list of all equipment belonging to such fire department, to maintain records of fire alarms, practice drills, attendance at fires and drills, value of property destroyed, insurance thereon, cause of fire if possible, and to make all reports required by law of the chief.

(Ord. 389, Sec. 14)