59 Establishing Meridian Volunteer Fire Department
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ORDINANCE NO. 59.
.AN ORIHNANOl!l EB'fABLlSHING THE MERIDIAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT;
PROVIDING FOR THE NUMBER OF ITS MEMBERS AND OFFICERS AND LIMITING
THE LENGTH OF THEIR TERMS; PRESCRIBING POWERS AND DUTIES OF CHIEF
OF FIRE DEPARTMENT .AND HIS ASS 1ST ANTS, THE SECRETARY, TREASURER
AND OTHER OFFICERS AND MEMBERS; PROVIDING FOR SHUTTING OFF WATER
HYDRANTS AND FAUCETS DURING FIRES AND FOR INVESTIGATION OF FIRES
AND INSPECTIONS TO CORRECT AND PREVENT FIRE HAZAr-ws, AND ]'ILING
REPORTS THEREOF; PROVIDING FOR BLOCKADING OF STREETS IN CASE OF
FIRE, PROHIBITING BREAKING OF STREET BLOCKADE AND RUNNING OVER
FIRE HOSE WITH VEHICLES AND INTERFERING WITH OPERATION OF FIRE
DEPARTMENT, AND FOR DETAIL OF POLICE OFFICERS TO HANDLE TRAFFIC
AND PREVENT INTERFERENCE WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT; PRIVIDING FOR MEET-
INGS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT j PROVIDING FOR COMPENSAT ION OF MEMBERS AND
OFFICERS AND FOR DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS OF FIRE DEPARTMENT; PRO~
VIDING A PENALTY IPOR VIOLATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDl"
NANCE; AND DECLARING j\N EMERGENCY.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MERIDIAN, ADA COUNTY, IDAHO:-
SECTION 1. ORGANIZATION: There is hereby created and
established within the City of Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, a Fire
Department, which shall be known Bnd designated as the Meridian
Volunteer Fire Department and shall consist of not more than twenty
members.
SECTION 2. OFFICERS: There shall be apPOinted by the
Mayor, sUbjeot to confirmation by~e Counoil, a Chief of said Fire
Department and also a First Assistant Chief and a Second Assistant
Chief, all Of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor Bnd
Counoil. Other offioers of suoh fire department shall be a Seore-
tary and Treasurer, who shall be ohosen by the members of the Fire
Department. The terms of officers of the Fire Department shall be
two years to correspond to the fiscal year beginning May 1st each
year of the City of Meridian.
SECTION 3. MEMBERS: The members of the Fire Department
shall be the Chief, First Assistant Chief and Second Assistant Chief
Bnd suoh volunteer members as shall apply for and be elected members
by the Fire Department, not exceeding twenty members.
SECTION 4. DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS: The Chief of
the Fire Department shall have, SUbject to the approval of the City
Council, supervision of all the affairs and business of the Depart-
ment, control of all Fire Department property and equipment, and the
work of all the members and employees thereof, and while attending
fires, answering fire calls and returning therefrom, SUbject to the
approval of the City Council, shall have the authority of a polioe
officer. The First Assistant Chief and Second Assistant Chief shall
assist the Chief of the Fire Department in his duties. In the absence
of the Chief of the Fire Department, they shall perform the duties
of such Chief.
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SECTION 5. SHUTTING OFF HYDRANTS AND WATER FAUCETS DURING
FIRE: Whenever any fire alarm shall be sounded, all persons owning
or in charge of any premises where any hydrant or faucet is locaLBd
and in use shall forthwith shut off such hydrant and faucet and keep
same shut off until all danger from fire has passed.
SECTION 6. INVESTIGATION OF CAUSE OF FIRE: The Chief Qf
the Fire Department, or in his absenoe the person in charge of said
Department, shall, after ,any fire is extinguished, make a prompt and
thorough investigation or tne oause therof, the amount of loss and
insurance, the time of the breaking out ,of such fire, description of
the building and other pe>>ticulars and shall enter the same in a
reoord book kept for that purpose in the office of said Department,
and file a copy thereof in the office of the City Clerk.
SECTION 7. INSPECTIONS: It shall be the duty of the Chief
of the Fire Department to inspect, or cause to be inspected by the
members of the Fire Department, as often as may be necessary, but not
less than twice each year, all buildings, premises'and public thor-
oughfares except the interior of private dwellings, whithin the cor-
porate 11~lts of the City of Meridian, for the purpose of ascertaining
and causing to be corrected, any conditions liable to cause fire, or
any violations of the provisions of any ordinance of the City of Mer-
idian affecting fire hazard. He shall make a written report in dup-
licate of the conditions found in making such inspections, which shall
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be filed with the Secretary of the Fire Department and a duplicate
thereof filed with the City Clerk
SECTION 8. BLOCKADE OF STRE~~S IN CASE OF FIRE: In case
of rire it shall be lawful for the Chief of the Fire Department, or
in his absence the person in command of such Department, to blockade
any street, avenue, alley, sidewalk or other place, if in his judgment
it is necessary to insure the efficient working of the men or fire
apparatus, or to protect the hose or fire equipment from injury.
It shall De unlawful for any person to break through or
attempt to break through the blockade mentioned in this section, or
at any time to run over or attempt to run over the hose of the Fire
Department with any automobile, wagon, car, locomotive, cart, dray,_
Buggy, carriage or other vehicle, or for any person driving or having
charge of any automobile, wagon or other vehiole to wilfully disturb,
impede Or otherwise interfere with the operation of the Fire Depart-
ment, or its officers, members or employees, either while answering
any alarm or fire or while in attendance upon any fire. -
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SECTION (9. DETAIL OF POLICE OFFICERS TO HANDLE rr'RAFFIC AND
PREVENT I1ITERFERENCE WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT: The Chief of the Fire
Department, or in his absence the person in command-therof, is
authorized to request the Chief of Police or other officer in charge
of the Police Department, and it shall be the duty of such officer,
whether or not so requested, to furnish a detail of policemen to
assist in handling traffic and to protect the Fire Department from
interference and to keep the streets and highways at and in the
vicinity of such fire, free or vehicles or other obstructions that
might interfere with the said Fire Department in its operations.
SECTION 10. MEETINGS OF MEMBERS: The Fire Department shall
hold regular bi-monthly meetings' at a time to be fixed by the members
of the Department, end special meetings may be held at the written
request of five members addressed to the Chief of the Fire Department.
The Chief of the Department and in his absenoe the First or Second
Assistant Chler or any other member designated by the members, shall
preside over all meetings of the department. It shall be the duty
of such offioers to report all delinquents at such meetings,m
supervise the correspondence of the Department and to perform such
other duties as may be hereafter presoribed by the Department and
the City Council.
SECTION 11. TREASURER--DUTIES AND BOND: All funds belong-
ing to the Fire Department shall be turned over to the Treasurer who
shall disburse the same only when countersigned by the Chief of the
Department. He shall keep proper books and records of BOOOil1nts and
shall furnish a good and sufficient bond in an amount to be approved
by the Fire Department and the City Counoil~
SECTION 12. DUTIES OF SECRETARY: It shall be the duty of
the Secretary to keep e correct record of the proceedings of the
meetings of the membership of the Department, also of all the dues,
fines and fire alarms. He shall keep all the accounts of the Depart-
ment and draw all orders on the Treasurer for the payment of claims
audited against the Department. He shall collect and pay over to fue
Treasurer all moneys reoeived by him and belonging to the Department, I
taking receipt therefor. He shall also keep an alphabetical roll of
the members of the Department and note all absentees at all meetings.
He shall notiry all persons elected to membership within two days
after election and give notice of special meetings or meetings for
drill. He shall notify all members in arrears for dues, fines or
assessments and shall cause to be published any notice of proceedings
ordered by the Department to be pUblished. He shall have the custody
of all books, papers and documents of the Department and shall deliver
the same to his successors. He shall make a full financial report to
the Department and to the City Council at the close of each fiscal
year. He shall be allowed and paid for his services such sum as the
City Counoil shall by resolution direct. He shall keep a ~'s1Mlt.r
of the members in which he shall enter the name of each member, his
age occupat~on, date of election, resignation or expulsion.
SECTION 13. COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS; Each
member of the Fire Department in attendance and assisting at any fire,
or attending meetings of the members, the ahief of the Department, its
Secretary, and any other officers duly elected or appointed, shall
receive such compensation as the City Council of the City of Meridian
shall by resolution determine. It shall be the duty or the Chief of
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the Fire Department, attested by its Secretary, to cerfify to the
City Council monthly the persons entitled to receive such compensation,
whereupon the total ot such sums shall be authorized for payment by
the City Council and paid to the Fire Department, which shall in turn
disburse to each member and offioer as so oertified, the amount he Is
entitled'to receive.
SECTION 14. PENALTY FOR VIOLA'l'ION: Any person who shall
violate any of the provisions of Seotion 5 and of Section 8 of this
Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviotion thero!
shall be punished by a fine of not less than $ 10.00 Nor more than
$ 100.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days in the City
Jailor by both such fine and imprisonment.
SECTION 13. EMERGENCY: An emergency existing therefor,
which emergency is hereby declared to exist, this ordinance shall be
1n full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and
publication as required by law.
PASSED BY the City Council and BPproVed)y the Mayor of the
City of Meridian. Ada County, Idaho, this I day of ~~tobeY,
1951.
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APPROVED:
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