19791204 1979-25 ORDINANCE NO. 1979-25
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REENACTING ARTICLE XII
OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FAIRFAX,
VIRGINIA, PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION OF A DEPART-
MENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES.
· BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, that
Article XII of Chapter 2 of the Code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, pro-
viding for the creation of a department of fire and rescue services be and the
same hereby is amended and reenacted to read in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE XII. Department of Fire and Rescue Services
and Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department,
In co rpo rat ed.
Sec. 2- 54. Created.
There is hereby created a department of the city government which shall
be known as the "department of fire and rescue services."
Sec. 2- 55. The Chief.
There shall be a position of the chief within the department of fire and
rescue services; the chief shall serve without salary. The chief is the rank-
ing officer in the department of fire and rescue services. Fire and rescue
operations and day-to-day operations will be carried out under the control of
the chief who, for this purpose, reports to the city manager.
The chief shall: (1) at his discretion, exercise command on the fire
ground; (2) ensure members of the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, Incor-
porated, report for physical examinations when scheduled by the city; (3)
carry out liasion activities with the county chiefs association; (4) in
coordination with the fire service administrator plan fire ground operating
procedures and response procedures within the overall area approved by the
city; (5) exercise best efforts to provide volunteer manpower; (6) serve
as chairman of the city's equipment selection committee; (7) ensure that all
Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated, and department of fire and
rescue services personnel receive copies and amendments of the governing ad-
ministrative regulation and other appropriate communications; in addition,
the chief is responsible to the city manager for the enforcement of this
1979-25
administrative regulation; (8) establish and utilize a system for evaluating
volunteer personnel; and (9) submit and support an overall volunteer recruit-
ing plan. In addition, the chief will carry out other responsibilities to
include coordination tasks in administrative regulation 5-4 and enabling
city ordinances.
Sec. 2- 56. Fire Service Administrator.
The office or position of fire service administrator is hereby created.
This position is at commmnd level and is directly subordinate in chain of
command to the position of the chief, Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department,
Incorporated. The fire service administrator shall have responsibility for
normal day-to-day station operations and reports to the chief for these
op erat ions.
The fire service administrator shall: (a) assign duties and tasks as
required to shift commanders (paid and volunteer); (b) establish minimum
physical, performance and training requirements for all fire and rescue
personnel (paid and volunteer); (c) ensure tbmt all fire and rescue personnel
(paid and volunteer) meet the aforementioned minimum requirements; and (d)
evaluate performance of paid personnel.
Sec. 2- 57. Fire Company.
The Fairfax Volunteer Department, Incorporated, a volunteer firefighting
organization, is designated and approved as a fire company of the city in
accordance with Title 27, Chapter 2 of the State Code.
The principal officer of such fire company shall be known as "the chief.
The chief shall have overall responsibility for fire and rescue operations
and reports for this purpose to the city manager.
The Fa±rfax Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated, shall promulgate
by-laws to ensure that the chief is elected based on objective criteria re-
lating to training, experience and management skills.
To assist the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated, in
electing a ~hief based on objective criteria, on an annual basis the fire
service administrator shall review the records and demonstrated performance
of volunteer personnel to determine those qualified for the position of chief
This review shall be based on city standards for command officers/chief (whicl
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as a minimum will meet those in existence in Fairfax County) 8_nd Fairfax
Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated, byiaws. Those individuals meeting
the standards shall be certified as qualified for chief by the fire service
administrator. The results of the review shall be transmitted in a
"certification letter" to the board of directors of the Fairfax Volunteer
Fire Department, Incorporated, 60 days prior to their annual election with
an information copy to the city manager.
If no individual is certified by the fire service administrator as being
qualified for the chief's position, the operational duties of the chief shall
be assumed by the fire service administrator on an interim basis until an
individual qualifies.
Upon recommendation of the city manager, the city council shall have the
right, by a unanimous vote, to remove the person serving as the chief for
cause. In the event of such removal for cause, the fire service administra-
tor shall assume operational duties of the chief until an individual is
qualified and elected as the chief.
Sec. 2- 58. Chain of Command.
There shall be one integrated chain of command for the fire and rescue
service for paid and volunteer personnel. This chain of command shall be
as follows:
City louncil
City ~mnager
The Chief
Fire Servic! Administrator
I
Shift Commanders (Battalion Chiefs)
I
Lieutenants
I
CCT and Firefighters
Paid and volunteer personnel will be assigned to the positions sub-
ordinate to the fire service administrator by the fire service administrator
based soley on their meeting the city's minimum physical, performance and
training standards.
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1979-25
Sec. 2- 59. Fire and Rescue Service Personnel.
The city manager shall hire all personnel in accordance with city
ordinances and procedures after consultation with the chief.
This ordinance shall take effect on December 4~ 1979
Introducted: November 6, 1979
Adopted: December 4, 1979
Mayor
Attest:
C~y dlerk
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