Publications

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE TRAER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Article I

Sec. 1 This Department shall be known by the name of Traer Fire Department.

Sec. 2 The Fire Department shall have not less than eighteen members.

Article II

Sec. 1 The elective officers of the department shall consist of a Chief, Assistant Chief, Captain, and a Secretary/Treasurer.

Sec. 2 The time of the regular meetings shall be 7:00 p.m. on the LAST MONDAY of each month.

Sec. 3 The election of officers shall be held on the regular meeting in December each year.

Sec. 4 Twelve members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Sec. 5 The Officers must be chosen by ballot only, and each must receive a majority of all votes cast.

Sec. 6 The By-Laws may be changed or ammended only by a two thirds majority vote of the members, and at least 2 elected officers must be present. The By-Laws must be read once and voted on twice at regularly scheduled meetings.

Article III

Sec. 1 The Chief shall have command over the Fire Department at all meetings, fires, and practices.

Sec. 2 The Assistant Chief shall assist the Chief in the discharge of his duties, and in the absence of the Chief, shall assume command of the department.

Sec. 3 The Captain shall be the safety officer of the department.

Sec. 4 The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep a record of all meetings of the department, and shall keep a record of all fire calls and make a report to the State Fire Marshall on forms as required by the State Department.

Sec. 5 The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep a record of cash on hand and issue warrants on same only when authorized by majority vote of the members present at a regular meeting.

Sec. 6 The financial records of the department shall be audited once a year.
Article IV

Sec. 1 The Chief shall appoint each member to a position within the department upon his election and shall change that position upon his discretion.

Sec. 2 Every Member shall be required to take part in the practice, unless excused by the Chief.

Sec. 3 Each new member shall take and complete Fundamentals of Firefighting when available and in our immediate area.

Sec. 4 Each officer shall take, when available and practical, training equivalent to the position held.

Sec. 5 The Chief of the Traer Fire Department does order all members to take appropriate action at any time you should be involved with any fire or emergency. Any member is also ordered to attend any firemanic meetings or activities that they are delegated to attend as a delegate or member. (Travel to and from should begin and end at the Fire Station).

Sec. 6 Establishment of a 6 months probationary period. Starting August 28, 1995 all new members voted onto the Traer Fire Department will be placed on a 6 months probationary period. The new member will be governed by the same rules and regulations as the regular members of the Department. After 6 months, the new member will be asked by the officers if they want to become a member of the Department. At that time they will be voted on by the members of the Department at the next regular meeting.

Article V

Sec. 1 The business meeting will be conducted by the Chief generally following Roberts Rules of Orders. Practice should be a part of every meeting.

Sec. 2 Special meetings may be called by the Chief whenever he deems it advisable.

Sec. 3 Any expenditure of over $500.00 for new equipment must be approved by a majority of the members present, excluding repair and maintenance.

Article VI

Sec. 1 It shall be the Chief’s responsibility to see that there is a set of written operational guidelines for incidents. These guidelines shall be reviewed and revised by the general membership at least once a year.

Sec. 2 Absences from meeting or practice can only be excused by the Chief.

Sec. 3 Every member of the fire department shall receive five dollars from the city for attending regular meetings. Every member attending a fire call in city limits shall receive five dollars per hour for each hour served. The same shall apply from rural funds for rural calls.

Sec. 4 If a member is absent from the regular meeting, unexcused, he shall be fined five dollars.

Sec. 5 If a member is absent three consecutive meetings, he shall be automatically dropped from the fire department unless he has a reasonable excuse which must be passed upon by the Chief or the majority of the department. A member may also be dismissed for actions not in the best interest of the department on an 80% majority vote at a regular meeting. Notification of dismissal shall be by registered mail.

Sec. 6 Vacancies shall be filled upon recommendation of the Chief and 2/3 vote of the members present at a regular meeting.

Sec. 7 An Honorary Badge is to be given to all members after twenty years of service.

STANDARD OPERATION GUIDELINE
January 1, 1998

1. Each truck shall have two firemen aboard before leaving the station.
2. Trucks going to calls shall not have passengers on the back or sides of the trucks.
3. Every fireman shall go to the station before going to the call.
4. Every fireman shall wear his turn out gear to all calls.
5. The rescue truck shall have a minimum of three firemen on board before leaving the station.
6. Any fireman driving the pumpers to calls must be able to operate the pumper at the call.
7. Firemen must always work in pairs (minimum of 2 pairs) when entering a structure fire unless it is life threatening.
8. Fire Response Truck #351 must go to all calls.
9. The passenger of Truck #351 is designated the IC, unless relieved by an officer.
10. The pumpers and tankers are to be used for storm watches.
11. The city fire trucks go to city calls and city Mutual Aid calls only. The rescue truck goes to all calls.
12. On city fire calls, the city pumper goes to the hydrant and will lay water lines to the fire. The second truck (country pumper) will lay water line from the hydrant to the fire scene.
13. The farm trucks to the farm fires and farm Mutual Aid calls. The farm pumper and equipment go to city calls unless there is a farm call at the same time. Then the farm equipment must go to the farm call. This is in exchange for the city housing the farm equipment.
14. The First Response Truck #351 and the Rescue Truck #331 are to be the first two trucks to respond to accident calls.
15. Any fireman with less than 1 year of experience and training shall be under the delegated supervision of the I.C. at a fire or rescue scene.
16. All junior firemen shall be under the delegated supervision of the I.C.
17. SCBA’s should be worn at all incidents where hazardous materials could be present.