The fire department of the city is hereby established and the department shall be organized to consist of a fire chief, an assistant fire chief and the requisite number of volunteer firefighters as may be determined from time to time by the fire chief with the advice and consent of the mayor and approval of council. Members of the fire department shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council upon recommendation of the fire chief.

(Ord. 917, Sec. 2)

Members of the fire department shall all be volunteers. They shall meet at least once each month for practice and drill. The chief of the fire department shall keep a record of attendance of such meetings. Any member who shall fail to attend six consecutive meetings shall automatically become expelled from membership.

(Code 1984, 6-108; Code 1991)

The chief of the fire department shall be under the supervision of the mayor and shall have immediate superintendency and control over and be responsible for the care and condition of the fire apparatus and equipment It shall be the chief s duty to see that all such apparatus and equipment is ready at all times for immediate use. It shall also be the chief s duty to submit a written report as to the condition of all fire apparatus and equipment to the governing body at their first meeting in October of each year.

(Code 1984, 6-104; Code 1991)

(a)   The fire chief shall be responsible for the discipline of the members and is hereby given authority to suspend or expel any member for refusal to obey orders or for misconduct or failure to do his or her duty at a fire.

(b)   The chief shall also have the right to summon any and all persons present to aid in extinguishing a fire or to aid in removing personal property from any building on fire or in danger thereof and in guarding the same.

(c)   At fires the chief or next highest ranking officer shall have full power, control and command of all persons present and shall direct the use of the fire apparatus and equipment, and command the fire fighters in the discharge of their duties. He or she shall take such measures as he or she shall deem proper and necessary in the preservation and protection of property and extinguishing of fires.

(Code 1984, 6-107; Code 1991)

The chief of the fire department shall keep in convenient form a complete record of all fires. Such information shall include the time a location, construction of building, owner, occupancy, how extinguished, value of building and contents, loss on building and contents, insurance on building and contents, members responding to the alarm, and any other information deemed advisable.

(Code 1984, 6-109; Code 1991)

In the absence of the chief, the assistant fire chief shall perform all the duties and have all the authority and responsibility of the chief as conferred by this chapter. 

(Code 1984, 6-105; Code 1991)

It shall be unlawful for any person or, persons to take away or us any fire apparatus or equipment for any private purpose or for any person willfully and without proper authority to remove, take away, keep or conceal any tool, appliance, equipment or other article used in any way by the fire department.

(Code 1984, 6-118; Code 1991)

(a)   All fire apparatus and equipment is hereby given and granted the exclusive right-of-way over and through all streets, avenues, alleys and public thoroughfares in the city while en route to fires or in “response to any alarm, and it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to in any manner obstruct or hinder the apparatus or equipment.

(b)   All emergency vehicles of the fire department, while proceeding on official business, shall be operated in strict accordance with the requirements of the Kansas Statutes regarding the operation of emergency vehicles, and each departmental member assigned to the operation of emergency vehicles shall familiarize himself or herself with the requirements of the law and govern himself or herself accordingly. Any operator violating the provisions of. The state law shall be liable for disciplinary action.

(Code 1984, 6-114; Code 1991)

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to drive any vehicle over any fire hose laid on any street, alley or lot. This section shall not apply to any apparatus or vehicle being driven by members of the fire department

(Code 1984, 6-115; Code 1991)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed upon or about any fire hydrant any rubbish, building material, fence or other obstruction of any character, or in any manner obstruct hinder, or delay the fire department in the performance of its duties in case of fire. Nor shall any person fasten to any fire hydrant any guy rope or brace, nor stand any vehicle within 15 feet of any such hydrant.

(Code 1984, 6-116; Code 1991)

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly make or sound or cause to be made or sounded, or by any other means, any false alarm.

(Code 1984, 6-117; Code 1991)

Any subordinate officer or firefighter who refuses or neglects to attend a fire or practice drill without submitting an excuse which is satisfactory to the chief, or shall neglect or refuse to do his or her duty or to obey the orders of the chief or his or her proper commanding officer, or who shall leave his or her post of duty while at a fire, without the permission of the chief, shall be fined the amount paid for responding to such fire alarm and be subject to expulsion from the fire department.

(Code 1984, 6-106)

The members of the fire department shall organize themselves into a fireman’s relief association and become incorporated under the laws of the State of Kansas as provided in K.S.A. 17-1701:1726 and K.S.A. 40-501:505, in order that the members thereof may have the benefits provided for in these sections.

(Code 1984, 6-111) 

The Chief or the Assistant Chief can be an officer of any other fire department. The Chief may authorize firefighters to assist other fire departments as needed. All new firefighters shall undergo a 90 day training period before becoming a volunteer firefighter. After the training period, the Chief shall advise the Mayor and Council that the new fire fighter has successfully completed the training program and is being promoted to volunteer fire fighter.

(Ord. 839; Ord. 971; Ord. 999; Code 2015)

Appointments to and removal from membership shall be recorded in the minutes of the governing body.

(Code 1984, 6-113)

All law enforcement officers of the city shall render such services as the chief may from time to time require in connection with policing the area surrounding any fire, and in guarding the fire hose to prevent vehicles from driving across the same, and to prevent spectators and persons in vehicles from interfering or obstructing the department in performing their duties, and for the protection of property.

(Code 1984, 6-119)

It shall be unlawful for any person to park or permit to stand, upon any major trafficway as defined by 14-202 within the city, either with or without cargo, any vehicle used for the commercial transportation of explosive or in6ammable liquids, substances, or gases.

(Code 1984, 6-202)

Whenever ordered by the mayor, the street department shall plow or bum fire guards around the city or such places as the fire chief may deem necessary to protect the city from prairie fires.

(Code 1984, 6-203)

The burning of combustible solid waste within the city limits of the city is hereby authorized under the following terms and condition:

(a)   The governing body of the city may from time to time establish periods for the burning of combustible solid waste within the city  limits of the  city, by resolution for the purpose of facilitating such community projects as clean up seeks and other similar projects and for the general purpose of enhancing the appearance of the city.

(b)   The city clerk is hereby authorized to issue a license to individuals for the burning of combustible solid waste within the city. The fee for the issuance of such license shall be $5. Any person wishing to obtain such license shall make application to the city clerk on a form provided by him or her which shall describe with particularity the name of the person wishing to bum combustible solid waste, the type of combustible solid waste to be burned, the time and place of such burning and the person who shall be in charge of supervising such burning.

(c)   Upon receipt of such application and application fee in the amount specified above, the city clerk shall issue a license for the burning of combustible solid waste within the city upon a form provided by the city clerk which shall specify with particularity the time of such burning, the place of such burning, the nature of the combustible solid waste that may be burned and the name of the person who shall supervise such burning.

(d)   The fire chief of the city shall specify areas of the city in which the burning of combustible solid waste may occur and areas of the city in which the burning of combustible solid waste shall not be allowed under any circumstances.

(e)   If at any time it shall be necessary for the city fire department to be called to the location of the burning of such combustible solid waste which is being burned under the provisions of the aforementioned license, the applicant shall be responsible for the total cost to the city of such fire run.

(Ord. 852)