1480 Fire Prevention(Published in the Salina Livening Journal April , 1909)
10
ORDINANCE NO.",fOe
An ordinance relating to the fire department of the cit of Salina the
prevention of fires, ravidi penalties for violations hereof, and
repealing Ordinancesfimbered 281, 559 and 842.
Be it ordained by the Mayor. and 8ounclmen of the city of Salina: --
Section. 1. '?he fire department of the city of Salina shall consist
mann
of a fire chief and asnregular firemen.as the mayor and council may from
time to time deem necessary.
Sec. 2. The fire chief shat; to . appointed.. by the mayor and con-
firmed by the council, in the manner and form provided by law for the
appointment of other city officers, and shall not�,,removed from his
office during the term for which he was appointed, except for cause,.
and in the manner provided by law and ordinance. He shall take and sub --
scribe an oath and give bond in the.sum of $1,000.00 conditioned for the
faithful performance of his duties, which bond shall be approved by the
.mayor. All other members of said fire department shall be selected and
appoiflted ,byr the fire chief by and with the consent and approval of the
mayor and W, ft coAncil, and shall remain members of
said fire department during good behavior, unless removed therefrom for
cause, as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 3., The employees of the fire department shall be classified
and graded as follows, to -wit: Class 1, to be composed only of employees
who have served > or more months continuously as regular members of
said department; Class 2, to be composed of members who have served
less than., six months
pa a Mia rovi ded, that the,
shall be considered as belonging to Class 1. And no person shall
be 1deem8d eligible to appointment as a member of aid said department
until he shall have passed such mental and physical examination as the
fire ehief shall require, and shall have demonstrated to the fire chief
that he is fully capable of discharging the duties thereof by a trial
service of not less than thirty days. Duployees engaged for non -con-
tinuous or partial service shall not be attached to either class above
named, but shall receive such compensation as shall be agreeed upon at
the time of employment, not in excess of that allowed employees of
Class 2. Then any employee shall.be absent from duty by permission of
the fire chief, or by reason of illness or injuries received, the fire
chief may, if deemed necessary after consultation with the mayor and at
least two members of the fire committee of the council,* appoint a sub-
stitu&e for.such absentee, and such substitute while employed shall, if
paid by the city, be rated as of Class Z, except that if such substitute
be an es -member. of -40* Class 1 , then and in that event
he may be rated and pai# as of the clans to which he had formerly been
attached.
Sec. 4. The fire chief shall be held responsible for the discipline,
good order and proper conduct of the entire fire department, and for the
propel care of all fire department stations and all apparatus and prop-
erty of the city coming under his control; and shall have power to
assign and locate employees of the department as shall*to him seem to
best promote the efficiency of the service, and shall establish and en-
force such rules and regulations as he shall deem necessary, and shall
have power to suspend or dismiss any employee of the department for
drunkenness, inefficiency, neglect of duty, disobedience of orders, or
other good cause; the action so taken to be reported to the mayor.
Sec. 5. The fire chief may at his discretion designate and assign
to duty from the members of said department an assistant chief, also
such for men and assistant foremen for the different fire stations as the
efficiency and necessities of the fire service may require, and in the
Absence of the chief the employees of the several stations shall yield
such obedience to the assistant chief, or foreman, or assistant foreman,
as the fire chief might require if present. All employees of the fire
department shall, when on duty, wear such badges and uniforms as the
fire
chief
may
direct, and
shall perform all duties
required of them by
him,
or by
his
directions,
and shall comply with all
rules and regula4
tions established by him for the government of said department.
Sec. 6. The fire chief shall receive as full compensation for
all of his duties and services as such a a salary of twelve hundred.
(1,200) dollars per annum; and the other members of said fire depart-
ment shall be paid the following salaries, to -wit: Firemen of the first
class,, each, per annum, $600,00 firemen of the second class,, each, per
annum $540.00;. all
to be paid monthly as other bills against said city are presented and'"d
paid.
Sec. 7. The chief shall have full power, control and command over
all persons at fires, and shall station the engine and apparatus, and
see to it that all persons belonging to the fire department do the
duties required of them by law and ordinance; and it shall be the duty
of the chief to direct at all fires all such measures as he shall deem
most advisable
for
the extinguishment
of said fire. In the absence of
the fire chief
the
assistant chief or
next higher officer in such de -ft
partment - shall command and be in control at at such fire; and airy person
who shall hinder, obstruct or resist the person so in charge of any
fire in the performance of his duties shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor and, upon conviction, punished by a fine not exeseding.one
hundred dollars.
Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the fire chief to report to the
council all repairs, alterations or improvements that may be needed at
any time to any of the fire apparatus or fire stations, and when the
same are ordered by the council it shall be his duty to cause the same
to be done, and to superintend the same, unless otherdsie ordered. It
shall also be his duty to purchase all supplies required for the use of
the fire department, after being authorized so to do by the mayor and
• .mss e
council or the committee on of the couhcil, and to order
any repairs that may be heeded on any apparatus or department building,
as the said mayor anti ' +council or said committee may
direct; and he shall keep an accurate account of all such supplies or
repairs, and of all department expenses, and shall report the total -
amount of the same to the mayor and council at the close of each fiscal
year, and at such other times as may be required. And'all bills and.
accounts for expenses incurred for the fire department, including the
salaries of all firemen, shall be carefully examined and certified to by
him as to their correctness before being presented to the Council for
payment. He shall keep or cause to be kept, in a suitable book, a re-
cord of all fires that occur, showing the estimated value of the prop-
erty placed at risk thereby, together with the supposed cause of each
fire and the amount of insurance involved and the loss incurred. He
shall also keep suitable. account books showing in a detailed and accu-
rate manner the_ entire . expenses and cost of the fixe department, to-
gether with a record of all accounts certified by him to'the mayor and
council for payment. He shall, also keep a record of all men employed
in the department, with the bine so employed; also an inventory book,
shoving at all times a list of the property belonging to the city in
charge of the fire department, together with any other records that may
be necessary to show at any time the workings and conditions of said
department; and at the close of each fiscal year he shall make a report
to the mayor and council giving a summry of the work done by.h.m and
his department and the expenses and general condition of said department.
Sec. 9. It shall be ' the duty of . the fire chief. to adopt, in his
discretion, all prudent measures for the prevention of fires, and for this
purpose he or his assistants may, whenever he has r®$son to believe that
the safety of property demands it, and as often as he may deem proper,
enter any buildings, yards, or premises in the city and examine the fird
places, hearths, chimneys, stoves, pipes, boilers,, furnaces, heating
pipes, lighting appliances, or other.apparatus liable to cause fire,also
places -where gunpowder, ashes, straw, hay, shavings, oil or other com-
bustibles may be deposited, kept or stored, and give such.directions for
the alteration, change,.removal,.or better care or manmgement of the same
as he may deem proper, and such directions shall be obeyed and complied
with by the persons directed,in that regard, and at their expense.
Sec. 10• It is hereby made a miedemeanor for any person to throw
or depositn any alley or on any lot in the rear of any business build-
ing within the' f ire. limits of the city of Salina,, any paper,
shavings, litter, trash, old bosee or any other combustible.or inflam-
matory
nflam-matory material; or for any owner.or occupant of such building or lot
to permit any paper, shavings, litter, trash, old boxes or any other
combustible or inflammatory material to accummulate or remain in such
as)
c-- — c�
alley upon such 1 and it i hereby e'tko-du f the fire chief
and his assistants to diligently watch and inspect the said alloys and
lots in the rear of such buildinge.within the fire limits and require
the owner or occupants thereof to clear away, remove therefrom or burn
all paper, shavings, littera trash, old boxes or other combustible or
inflammatiry material, and if such owner or occupant or occupants of such
premises shall desire to destroy any such paper or shavings or like
material by burning the same, he shall provide himself with a fire«
proof receptacle within which to burn the same, mad which shall be built
of such material and in such manner as may be satisfactory to the fire
chief and shall not be located nearer than twenty feet to any wooden
building or structs of any kind; Any person who shall violate any of
the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be fined in any
sum not less than five nor more than one hundred dollars.
Sec. ll • The firs chief shall have full right and authority to
detail and place on $uty,'at his discretion, one or two regular mem.
bers of his force within any theater, lyceum, opera house, public hall
or other place.of amusement in the city of Salina, where scenery, drop
curtains, footlights and necessary stage Fittings are used, during any
performance therein, and .shall require every precaution possible to be
taken by the owner, manager, lessee, or employes, to prevent fire, and
to guard the public from panic; and all persons shall ca*ly with any
such requirements made as aforesaid, and the fire chief, or his assist-
ant under his direction., when -in the proper discharge of their duties,
shall have the right to enter any such theater, lyceum, opera house,
public hall or place of amusement at any and all times. Every such
theater,, lyceUM, opera house, public hall. or place of amusement within
said city shall'be supplied with a sufficient quantity of good, 'service-
able hose, with connections for the same with the city's water service,
to enable all parts of the stage, scenery or xoom or hall to be reached
properly in case of fire, or, in lieu of .such hose, not lees than two
chemical hand f ire extinguishers, which shall, be kept properly i harged
and in good working order at all times, and in plain view of the au-
dience, and said hose shall be kept and maintained at all times effi+
cient, and subject to the approval, of. the fire chief • leo camp stools,
loose chairs or`other obstructions shall be allowed in any of the
aisles or the lobby daring any performance in any such theater, lyceum,
opera house, public hall or place of azMj ement in said city, and all.
proprietors, lessees or managers of,such theaters, lyceums, opera houses,
public halls of places of amusement shall not permit any person or
persons to stand in the aisles, doors or windows of such places while any
performance of any kind is -or may be going on therein.
Sec.12. ?he fire chief shall also adopt in his discretion such
system of examination as he may deem practicable of the following gasses
of buildings .
. already ereoted- or that may her'eafter�be' eredted within
the city as shll render the fire department familiar at-'all''times with
the manner of construction and internal arrangement of such buildings,
the modes of egress and ingress, and any existing defects, in order that
the workings of said department may be facilitated in case of fire,
to -wit : School buildings, public halls and theaters, manufacturing es-
tablishments, hotels, business houses and .,. warehouse's.
Sec. 13. It shall be the duty of the fire chief to ascertain and
report to the city council.all violations of and non-compliance with his
directions, as herein provided, together with the names of the offenders;
he shall also have charge of and look to the enforcement of all ordi-
nances of the city relating to fire limits or fire precautions.
Sec. 14. All firemen, under the direction and control of their
proper officers, shall, upon alarm of fire, repair to the place of such
fire with the engine and other apparatus under their care, and there
work and manage the same under the direction of the chief and his assist-
ants, or of the officer having chief control, and shall not remove there-
from except by permission of such officer.
Sec. 15. The fire department may, under the direction of the chief,
or in his absence under the direction of the assistant chief, out down or
remove any building, erection or fence for the purpose of checking
the progress ofre, every reasonable effort having been made to check
the flames by other. means.
Sec. 16. At every alarm of fire it shall be the duty of the owners
or drivers of all animals, wagons, carriages or other vehicles in any
street, avenue or alley, or upon any bridge, upon which the fire chief,
or his assistant, is approaching with any vehicle, hose carriage, hook xd
and ladder truck or other apparatus belonging to the fire department, to
imediately yield the right of way to such officer or apparatus, or to
move in such manner as not to obstruct or delay them or either of them
on their way to such fire; and all drivers, engineers and conductor of
or
street railway',;cars, when in fht vicinity of any such fire department
vehicle or apparatus, when the same is on its way to or on duty at any
fire shall so manage and control such car and the motive power which
moves the same as not to obstruct or delay the fire department or any
part of it in the discharge of its duties. The drivers of all fire de-
partment vehicles and apparatus when answering alarms of fire must cause
the gongs upon their apparatus to be sounded upon leaving the station,
and when approaching all cross streets and street crossings, and continue
the same while enroute to the fire as constantly as the public safety
may require.
Sec. 17. No person shall place or cause to be placed upon or about
any fire hydrant any rubbish, building material, fence or other obstruc-
tion of any character whatsoever in any manner to obstruct, hinder or
impede the fire department in the performance of its duties in case of
a fire in the vicinity of such hydrant; nor shall any person hitch or
cause to be hitched to any fire hydrant any animal or animals nor fasten
to the same any guy rope or brace, nor back or stand any wagon, dray or
other vehicle against any such hydrant.
Sec. 18. At all fires the city marshal, assistant marshal and
policemen shall act as a fire guard, under the control and direction of
the fire chief. It shall be the duty of the fire guard to take charge
of all property removed from buildings at fires and deliver the same to
the chief, or, in his absence, to store or otherwise protect the same
until it is claimed by the owner or owners and upon such claim to deliver
J up such property to the owner or owners upon the payment to the chief
of all expenses necessarily and actually incurred in and about the care
and protection of such property, and for which a receipt shall be given
by the chief; and the said fire guard are hereby invested with all ne-
cessary authority for the purpose of taking charge and possession of such
property; and it shall be the further duty of said fire guard to prevent
the hose from being trodden upon, and to keep all idle and suspected
persons from the fire and its vicinity, and also to use all proper
exertions within their power for the protection of property endangered
at fires; and all citizens are hereby enjoined and required to comply
with the directions of any of the said fire guards.
Sec. 19. Any fireman or other person who at a fire shall refuse to
obey the orders or directions given by the officer in charge, or who
shall resist or impede any officer or fireman in the proper discharge
of his duty, shall, in the absence of a sufficient excuse, be deemed
guilty of a misedmeanor and upon conviction thereof be fined in any sum
not exceeding fifty dollars.
Sec. 20. No person shall wilfully and without.proper authority
remove, take away, keep or conceal any tool, appliance or other article
belonging to any fire apparatus or fire station, or anything used in any
way by the fire department, and any person who shall wilfully insure in
any manner any hose, fire engine, or other apparatus, or any building
containing the same belonging to the city of Salina shall upon convic-
tion thereof be fined in any sum not exceeding fifty dollars.
Sec. 21. No person shall within the city limits boil any pitch,
tar, or other inflammable substance of like nature, unless the same be
done in an open space not less than twenty-five feet distant from any
building or other property that can be endangered thereby, or within a
building specially designed for such purpose and a� such distance from
any other building as the fire chief shall direct; nor shall any person
set on fire within said city limits any hay, straw, paper, shavings,
rubbish or other combustible material within twenty-five feet of any
6k'A'-tt�r•'P►'Al Crt., o 4.,t.4-, m, -.-; 0' rn-,J
buildingnProvided, That in no case shall any such material be burned
upon any avenue,stree or alley within the city paved with bitulithic,
or asphalt pavement or wooden blocks.
Sec. 22. It shall be lawfi;,j, the chief of the fire de-
�
partment, or off is i C*il 'c� ' " i` I an company, or for the mayor, to
require the ai f i `96'rse nor't am found in the city at the time` a .in
conveying any f ire apparat sn to y fire; and if any person
shall refuse or neglect"ttr .yz i such demand he shall be liable
to pay a fine not eeing twenty-five dollars
Sec. 23. Every person at or near a fire who shall conduct himself
in a disorderly manner, or neglect or refuse to obey promptly any proper
order of the fire chief or his assistant, or who shall resist, obstruct,
hinder or abuse any officer of the fire department, or any fireman, in
the proper discharge of his duties shall, upon conviction thereof, be
fined not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for
each offense; and any of the aforesaid officers or any police officer may
forthwith arrest without warrant and take to the police station any
person so offending.
Sec. 24. Any person found guilty of violating any of the provis-
ions of this ordinance for which no penalty is hereinbefore named, or
who shall refuse or neglect to comply with any directions of the fire
__chief_ _or his ,.:.,'-stant given in accordance therewith shall, upon con-
viction, be fined not less than or more than one hundred dollars
4
for each offense.
Sec. 25. What Ordinance leo. 281, passed and approved June 27, 1879,
Ordinance No. 559, passed and approved May 24, 1887, Ordinance leo. 842,
passed and approved October 30, 1893, and all ordinance or parts of or-
ninances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
Sec. 26. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and
after its publication once in the official city paper.
Passed and approved: 1909.