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 fire fighters. New members of the fire department shall be appointed by the current members of the fire department.

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.

The chief of the fire department shall be under the supervision of the city administrator and shall have immediate superintendence 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 the first meeting in October of each year.

(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 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.

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, members responding to the alarm, and any other information deemed advisable.

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.

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to take away or use 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.

(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 in 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.

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.

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.

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.