Sec. 443. Chief—his duties and powers.
The chief, or in his absence, the assistant chief, shall have control
over all members of the Fire Department while in service at
fires, and may for insubordination thereat, suspend any member
from service for such a period as he may deem proper with the
privilege of appeal to the Company at its next regular meeting.
Said chief and assistant and the Police Officers of the City, shall
exclude from, and prevent the interference of all persons at
buildings and grounds adjacent thereto, during a fire and no person,
except City officials and employees in the discharge of their
duties, shall have the right to enter within the ropes surrounding
such fire, except owners of property threat, or such other persons
as may obtain permission of the chief or his assistant. Said
officers shall have the authority to take into custody all persons
persisting in any interference with the work of the Fire Company;
and upon conviction such person shall be fined not less
than $5.00 nor more than $10.00. It shall be the duty of the
chief, or whoever shall act as such, to keep a record of all fires,
their place and time of occurrence, and shall ascertain if possible,
the cause of such fire, the amount of insurance, if any, and actual
loss, and make report thereof to the City Manager for each
month by the tenth of the next month. He shall make such reports
to the State Commissioner of Insurance as may be required
of him by state law. Said chief shall deliver to his successor in
office records pertaining to the Fire Department which may be in
his control.
(a) For the purpose for which the Department exists, the
chief shall have full supervision of all apparatus pertaining to
the Fire Department.
(b) All orders deemed necessary by the Council for the good
of the Department shall be issued through the chief or his assistant,
to the employees or subordinates; but if the chief or his assistant
refuses or neglects to communicate such orders by posting
or otherwise as the Council may direct, then the Council may
cause its orders to be issued in such manner as it may direct.
(c) Any charges preferred in writing against a member of the
Fire Department for non-performance of duty, shall be brought
before the Fire Company for action at its next meeting not less
than ten days after such charges are preferred; the action of the
Fire Company in the premises must be referred to the Council at
its next regular meeting for confirmation or further investigation
or proceedings therein. In the event of failure to refer the decision
of the Company as above provided the Council may proceed
with the investigation de novo.
