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<br />The duties and powers of the Commission shall be as specified in this resoultion, and
<br />the Commission shall make rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of
<br />this resolution.
<br />i
<br />The Gommission,~from time to time, review the provisions and requirements contained in
<br />this resolution, and it shall recommend to the Board of County Commissioners amendments
<br />or changes which the Gommission may deem advisable.
<br />Section 2. A rural volunteer fire department, or a municipally-operated Eire department
<br />desiring qualification under this resolution, shall make application therefore to the
<br />Board of County Commissioners, Upan receipt of such application,the said Board will
<br />notify the Fire Commission, and the commission shall inspect the fire department, its .-
<br />equipment, personnel organizatior; and method of operation. As soon thereafter as
<br />possible, the Commission shall file a written report with the Board signifying whether
<br />such department meets the minimum standards herein contained,
<br />Section 3. The Fire Commission shall, make regular inspections of each fire department '
<br />under this resolution. At least one (1) inspection shall be made annually, but the
<br />Commission may make such other inspections as it deems advisable. During the course of
<br />any such inspection, the Fire Commission shall determine whether the department is con-
<br />tinuing to meet the minimum standards as herein specified, and the findings of the Com-
<br />mission shall be reported to the Board of County Commissioners.
<br />Section 4. If the deficiency occurs in a department which has previously met the re-
<br />quirements of the North Carolina Fire Insurance Rating Bureau, the Fire Commission shall
<br />ratify the Bureau es to the conditions that exist in the Department causing the deficiency.
<br />Section 5. Each fire department desiring to qualify for under this resolution shall meet
<br />the following minimum standards: -
<br />(a) A rural Volunteer Fire Department shall be incorporated under the laws of
<br />the State of North Carolina. A Municipal Fire Department shall be organized
<br />under an ordinance of the governing body of the incorporated city or town.
<br />(b) Each Fire Department shall have a Fire Chief, an Assistant Fire Chief,
<br />and Wither necessary officers and men, with a minimum of nineteen active
<br />members. A list of all members and their addresses and phone members must
<br />be given to the Fire Commission on or before January 1 of each year.
<br />(c) All active members of a Fire Department in good standing shall have some
<br />identification, such as a card, badge, hat, or car plate to identify
<br />them as 'bona fide firemen.' No one other than an active member of the
<br />department in good standing shall be allowed to have this identification
<br />in his possession.
<br />(d) Each Fire Department shall have as minimum equipment that egtinpment specified
<br />by the North Carolina Fire Insurance Rating Bureau as necessary £or Grade
<br />9-A Communities. The equipment shall be kept in good condition and operative
<br />at all times. The Fire Commission shall have authority to accept minor
<br />deviations from the specified equipment, when such minor deviation will not
<br />affect the ability of the department to fight fires.
<br />(e) Each department shall carry liability insurance on. its firemen and equipment,
<br />leaving the County free from any responsibility for damage or claims resulting
<br />from the activities of its-firemen or from the operation of its equipment.
<br />Each department shall also carry workmens compensation insurance on its active
<br />members, in order to provide those members with the benefits of the Workmens
<br />Compensation Act,
<br />(f) Each Fire Department shall carry out an organized training program, which shall
<br />be specified by the Fire Commission. The training program shall include the
<br />training and qualifying of fire truck drivers. Each department shall partici-
<br />pate in a minimum of one drill each month, and each fire truck shall be operated
<br />at least once each week.
<br />(g) The Fire Chief of each department is responsible for stressing 'safety' throughout
<br />the department and throughout all phases of the department's activities. Em-
<br />phasis shall be placed on the safe driving of firemen's own automobiles to the
<br />scene of the fire, as well as on safe practices while fighting a fire. Only.
<br />qualified drivers shall drive the fire truck, and the names of qualified drivers
<br />shall be posted at the fire station and furnished to the membership of the
<br />department. Drivers mall drive with caution at all times, and they shall allow
<br />no one but active members of the fire department to ride the truck when it is
<br />on call to a fire or to other emerggency.
<br />(h) A properly manned telephone shall be available at all times during the day
<br />and night to receive fire alarms and notify members of the Fire Department
<br />shall be mounted within the community for the adequate notification of all
<br />fireman, and it shall be installed so that it can be operated from a public
<br />place and so that it will be audible to a majority of the active members of
<br />the department.
<br />(i) Each Fire Department shall respond to the call of the Fire Cocrauissioner, It -
<br />shall be the duty of the Fire Commissioner to take such steps as are necessary
<br />to make sure, in the event of such a call, that the District of a Department
<br />answering a call shall not be left unprotected.
<br />(j) The Fire Chief within whose area the fire is being fought will be the final
<br />authority at the scene of the fire, or where a fire occurs in an area outside
<br />the area of any organized department, the Fire Ghief of the Department first
<br />arriving at the fire shall be the final authority. A Fire Chief, otherwise
<br />responsible, may grant permission to any other person more qualified to assume
<br />the direction of fighting the fire, or dealing with the emergency, if such
<br />other person is willing to accept the responsibility, In such cases, other
<br />persons working under the direction of the Fire Chief shall be immediately
<br />infgrmed of the change of authority,
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