Chapter 6 · Fire Protection

Article 1. Fire Department

Sections 6-101 to 6-113 · 13 sections

6-101 Reserved.

See fire department bylaws for information about the organization.

(Ord. 787, Sec. 1; Ord. 1626, Sec. 1; Code 1988; Code 2016)

6-102 Reserved.

See fire department bylaws for information about the organization.

(Ord. 1626, Sec. 1; Code 1988; Code 2016)

6-103 Fire chief; duties.

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 vehicles and conditions of the fire apparatus and equipment. It shall be his or her duty to see that all such apparatus and equipment shall be at all times ready for immediate use. He or she shall submit a written report as to its condition to the mayor and city council at their first meeting in October.

(Code 1983)

6-104 Reserved.

See fire department bylaws for information about the organization.

(Code 1983; Code 2016)

6-105 Same; authority.

The chief of the fire department shall have full power, 6-1 control and command over all persons whomsoever present at fires and he or she shall direct the use of all fire apparatus and equipment and such measures as he or she may deem necessary in the preservation and protection of property and the extinguishing of fires.

(Code 1983)

6-106 Reserved.

See fire department bylaws for information about the organization.

(Code 1983; Code 2016)

6-107 Right of fires.

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 buildings, 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 1983)

6-108 Inspection; right of entry.

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 he or she or his or her assistant under his or her direction may, upon request or whenever he or she has reason to believe that the safety of life and property demands it and as often as he or she may deem necessary, enter any building, yard or premises in the city with permission of the owner or occupant during reasonable hours for the purpose of inspection. Where dangerous, unsafe or hazardous conditions are found to exist he or she shall give such directions for the alteration, change or removal or better care or management of the same as he or she may deem proper, and such direction shall be obeyed and complied with by the person directed in the regard at their expense.

(Code 1983)

6-109 Assistant fire chief.

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

(Code 1983)

6-110 Permits for sirens and red lights.

All applications for sirens and red lights by the members of the fire department shall be approved by the chief of the department. The vehicle shall be inspected by the chief of police prior to the issuance of permit for red lights and sirens. All red lights and sirens shall be installed in a manner as provided by law.

(Code 1988)

6-111 Emergency vehicle drivers.

No person shall be eligible for active service in the fire department who does not possess a valid driver’s license. Any member of the fire department who shall lose his driver’s license shall be dropped from active service in the department until he shall have re-acquired a valid driver’s license. No equipment shall be driven by any person under 21 years of age.

(Ord. 1218, Sec. 2)

6-112 Unlawful use of fire equipment.

No person 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.

(Code 1983)

6-113 Firemen’s relief fund.

The laws of the State of Kansas shall govern the firemen’s relief and the fund shall be handled in all respects in accordance with this section:

(a)When any regular, active member of the fire department shall be injured or physically disabled while in and by reason of the discharge of duties as such fireman, while on actual duty as such, in answering a call, in an effort to put out a fire or in returning to home or duties directly therefrom, he or she shall receive from such relief fund the sum of $25 per week during the time of his or her being actually disabled, in addition to the doctor and hospital bill in connection therewith; that as a substitute for the aforesaid payments, the Firemen’s Relief Association of Beloit, Kansas, may, at its option, elect to purchase from the available monies in the fund, insurance which will provide for any or all of the foregoing purposes for which the portions of the fund are authorized to be extended.

(b)When any fireman may be killed in the discharge of duties as fireman, as outlined in the preceding section, or may die from the effect of injury so received, or from disease contracted by reason of duties as such, the widow or those directly dependent upon him or her shall receive the sum of $1,400 and in addition thereto, $50 necessary funeral expense, as well as the necessary doctor bill and hospital bill; that as a substitute for the aforesaid payments provided herein, the Firemen’s Relief Association of Beloit, Kansas, may, at its option, elect to purchase from the available monies in the fund, insurance which will provide for any or all of the foregoing purposes for which the portions of the fund are authorized to be expended.

(Ord. 807, Secs. 1:2; Code 1988, 6-114; Code 2016)