There is established a fire department in the city, to consist of a chief, an assistant chief, and not less than ten nor more than twenty-five persons per company, who shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council.

(Ord. 548 § 1, 1970; Code 2016)

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

B.    The compensation of the chief and the other members of the department shall be fixed by resolution of the city council adopted at a regular or special meeting of the governing body.

(Ord. 548 § 2, 1970)

The chief of the fire department shall be under the supervision of the mayor and shall have superintendency and control over and be responsible for the care and condition of the fire apparatus and equipment, and it shall be the chief’s duty to see that all such apparatus and equipment shall be at all times ready for immediate use, and shall submit a written report as to its condition to the mayor and council at their first meeting in February.

(Ord. 548 § 3, 1970)

A.    The chief of the fire department shall be responsible for the discipline of members, and is hereby given the authority to suspend or expel any member for the refusal to obey orders, or for misconduct or failure to do their 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.

(Ord. 548 § 4, 1970)

The chief of the fire department shall have full power, control and command over all persons whomsoever present at fires, and the chief shall direct the use of all fire apparatus and equipment, and command all firemen in the discharge of their duties. The chief shall take such measures as he may deem necessary in the preservation and protection of property and the extinguishing of fires.

(Ord. 548 § 5, 1970)

The chief of the fire department shall keep in convenient form a complete record of all fires. Such information shall include the time and 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.

(Ord. 548 § 6, 1970)

It shall be the duty of the chief of the fire department to adopt all prudent measures for the prevention of fires, and for this purpose the chief’s assistant under his direction may, upon request or whenever he has reason to believe that the safety of life and property demands it, and as often as he may deem necessary, enter any building, yard or premises in the city during reasonable hours for the purpose of inspection, and where dangerous, unsafe or hazardous conditions are found to exist, he shall give such directions for the alteration, change or removal or better care or management of the same as he may deem proper, and such directions shall be obeyed and complied with by the person directed in that regard and at their expense.

(Ord. 548 § 7, 1970)

The chief of the fire department is authorized and directed to enter into mutual assistance pacts with the chiefs of the fire departments of such other cities in Kansas as he deems advisable, and upon such conditions as he deems necessary for the purpose of planning in advance what men and equipment of each department will be made mutually available under authority of as 1949, 12-111, upon the occurrence of any emergency; provided, however, that no such pact shall be valid until approved by the governing body of the city, nor shall it be valid unless it contains a provision for its cancellation or revocation upon not less than thirty days’ notice thereof to the other city.

(Ord. 354 § 1, 1953)

The chief of the fire department is authorized and directed to cooperate with any state, district or local civil defense agency for the purpose of coordinating his mutual assistance pacts with the overall planning of civilian defense.

(Ord. 354 § 2, 1953)

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

(Ord. 548 § 8, 1970)

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 of fire, and no person or persons shall in any manner obstruct or hinder such apparatus as aforesaid stated.

(Ord. 548 § 9, 1970)

No person shall place or cause to be placed upon or about any fire hydrant any rubbish, building material, fence or other obstruction of any character whatsoever, in any manner to obstruct, hinder or delay the fire department in the performance of its duties in case of fire; nor shall any person hitch or cause to be hitched to any fire hydrant any animal or animals, nor fasten to same any guy rope or brace, nor back or stand any wagon, truck, automobile or other vehicle within ten feet of any such hydrant.

(Ord. 548 § 11, 1970)

It is unlawful for any person or persons to drive any wagon, carriage, automobile, truck, locomotive, railroad car or any other vehicle over any fire hose laid in any street, avenue, alley, bridge or vacant lot; provided, that this section shall not apply to any apparatus or vehicle belonging to the fire department.

(Ord. 548 § 10, 1970)

No person or persons shall use any fire apparatus or equipment for any private purpose, nor shall any person willfully and without proper authority remove, take away, keep or conceal any tool, appliance or other article used in any way by the fire department.

(Ord. 548 § 13, 1970)

It is unlawful for any person or persons to make or sound or cause to be made or sounded, or by any other means, any false alarm of fire without reasonable cause.

(Ord. 548 § 12, 1970)

Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this chapter or refusing or neglecting to comply with any of the requirements thereof, shall upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, plus court costs.

(Ord. 548 § 14, 1970; Code 2016)