NH Fire By Laws 1988
(-... -4- ("
~,U/'u:i!..ak,;;,f.., { /Lr
U'
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF THE
NEW HOPE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 1
NAME
This organization shall be kno\yn as the New Hope Volunteer Fire
Department, here-in-after referred to as the Department.
ARTICLE 2
MEMBERSHIPS
Sec. 1. The Department shall be headed by the Fire Chief who
shall be an employee of the City, Having a position in the
classified service, who shall act as President. In addition to
the Fire Chief, the Department shall consist of volunteer
personnel as follows:
OFFICERS: An Assistant Fire Chief who shall act as
Vice President, such Captains and
-. Lieutenants as deemed necessary for the
proper operation of the Department.
TRAINING OFFICER: A Training Officer shall be appointed by
the Fire Chief to a five (5) year term.
The Training Officer must meet the
eligibility requirements as set forth in
the Rules and Regulations.
1 l
FIRE FIGHTERS: Not less than 10 nor more than 45 fire
fighters.
Sec. 2 . Application for membership must be made in writing on
forms provided and are to be submitted to the membership
committee. No application shall be entertained where the
applicant is under eighteen (18) years of age. Applications
shall be read to and voted upon by the general membership only
after favorable recommendation of the membership committee. Upon
general membership approval and the passing of an acceptable
mental and physical examination the applicant shall be
recommended by the Fire Chief for appointment as a probationary
fire fighter by the City Manager.
Sec. 3 . A probationary fire fighter, only after twelve (12)
months probation period and no less than one hundred and forty
(140) hours of specialized training have been satisfactorily
completed, upon recommendation of the Training Officer may be
appointed a regular member of the Department by the Fire Chief.
NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
APRIL 1988
Page 2
Sec. 4. All probationary members shall have all rights and
privileges of regular members with the exception of the right to
make a motion, or be counted as part of a quorum for any meeting,
or vote at any meeting, or. hold an elected office during their
probationary time.
Sec. 5. Any member desirjng to withdraw from the Department
shall on application be entitled to an honorable discharge
providing there are no current charges on file against him/her.
Sec. 6. The membership committee shall be comprised of all
officers of the Department.
ARTICLE 3
ELECTIONS
Sec. 1. The members of the Department shall elect the following
officers annually: Assistant Chief, Captains and Lieutenants as
may be deemed necessary for the proper operation of the
Department. All members elected to office must be ratified by
the City Council.
Sec. 2. Officers shall be elected at the regular meeting on the
first Sunday of February each year and shall hold office for one
year unless sooner removed as herein provided. Said officers to
be elected by a yes/no ballot with a fifty-one (51) per cent
majority needed to elect anI unopposed candidate. A simple
majority vote to elect if more than one candidate, abstentions
not considered a vote.
Sec. 3. Any member seeking the office of Assistant Fire Chief,
captain or Lieutenant must meet the eligibility requirements as
set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the Department.
Sec. 4. Any member seeking office must file for said office
between the dates of January 1st and January 15th. Said
applications must be in writing and signed by the person seeking
office. All applications mus~ be submitted to the designated
filing officer. No member shal~ file for more than one office
for anyone election. In the event a member is not successful
in his/her bid for the office of Assistant Fire Chief or Captain
nominations from the floor will be permitted to nominate that
member for an office of a lower rank.
NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
April 1988
Page 3
Sec. 5. Should a vacancy or leave of absence occur among the
elected officers, said office to be filled by temporary
appointment by the Chief of the Department pending ratification
of the membership committee and the appointed officer shall
assume the duties and responsibilities of the office until such
time as the incumbent returns or the present term expires,
whichever comes first.
ARTICLE 4
COMMITTEES
The President shall appoint the committees for the ensuing year.
Committees shall be appointed as may be deemed necessary for the
proper operation of the Department.
ARTICLE 5
DUTIES OF THE CHIEF OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT
Sec. 1. Duties of the Chief: On an alarm he/she shall at
his/her discretion respond to fires and other emergencies and
upon arriving, he/she may assume full command thereon. The
companies shall be placed in such a manner as he/she shall deem
best for the extinguishment of the fire. In the absence of an
officer, it will be the duty of the senior member present to take
command and act as chief at any fire/emergency that may occur
until an officer arrives. It shall be the duty of the Chief to
examine at least once every three (3) months, all fire apparatus
and equipment belonging to the Department. The Chief shall also
have all the repairs made. whert heeded and procure all material to
keep the same in order, and see that all members are properly
trained. The Chief shall be the administrator of the Department
and act as liaison officer to work with the City Manager in all
matters relative to the operation of the Department.
Sec. 2. Duties of the Assistant Fire Chief: It shall be the
duty of the Assistant Fire Chief to fulfill all duties of the
Fire Chief during his/her absence.
ARTICLE 6
DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY
Sec. 1. Duties of the President: It shall be the duty of the
President to preside at all meetings and to preserve order. The
President shall call special meetings of the Department on the
written request of five (5) members thereof, such requests to
state the object of the call, or the President may call a
meeting of his/her own motion whenever he/she may deem it
necessary. The President shall appoint a secretary and standing
committees such as are deemed necessary for the proper operation
of the Department.
NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
April 1988
Page 4
Sec. 2 . Duties of the Vice President: It shall be the duty of
the Vice President to fulfill all duties of the President during
hiS/her absence.
Sec. 3 . Duties of the Secretary: It shall be the duty of the
Secretary to keep a record of all meeting of the Department and
all business transacted by the Department. The Secretary shall
also call roll and record all absences, give notice of all
special meetings, keep a list of all members of the Department
showing the date when each person become or ceased to be a
member. The Secretary shall notify each new applicant of his/her
appointment and furnish him/her with a copy of the Constitution
and By-laws and Rules and Regulations of the Department.
ARTICLE 7
MEETINGS
Sec. 1. The regular meetings shall be held on the first Sunday
of every month with the meeting in February being the annual
meeting. If a meeting date falls on a legal holiday weekend, it
shall be held the following weekend.
Sec. 2 . The hour of the regular meeting shall be at 0800 hours
for all months except June, July and August when the hour shall
be at 1930 hours. Hours of the regular meetings subject to
change by a majority vote of the general membership.
Sec. 3 . One-half (1/2) of the members shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business.
Sec. 4 . Over one-half (1/2) of the members present and voting
shall constitute a majority for transaction of business other
than amendments to the Constitution and By-laws.
Sec. 5. There shall be an officer's meeting held one and one-
half (1.5) hours preceding the regular meeting.
ARTICLE 8
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendments to the Constitution be made ~ when proposed in
may
writing. The Secretary shall notify the membership of such
proposed amendments in writing fourteen (14) days prior to the
Department meeting at which action is to be taken. Two-thirds
(2/3) of the members present and voting shall constitute a
majority.
NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
April 1988
Page 5
B Y - LAW S
ARTICLE
Order of Business
The Order of ausiness of the Department shall be as follows:
1. Call to order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3 . Roll call
4. Reading of the minutes of the last meeting and disposal
of same
5. Communications
6. Report of committees
7. Unfinished business
8. Applications and election of members
9. New business
10. Report of alarms
11. Adjournment
ARTICLE 2
Duties of Members
Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of each member to attend all alarms
of fire and emergencies and shall not leave the apparatus floor
until after roll call on return to the fire station U111ess
stationed otherwise or excused by the officer in charge.
Sec. 2 . It shall be the first duty of all members of the
Department to obey at all times all commands of their officers
while on duty.
Sec. 3 . It shall be the duty of each member to attend all
meetings and drills of the Department unless excused by the
officer in charge.
Sec. 4. No member shall use equipment of the Department or any
part of the same at any time except at emergencies, training
sessions, or on permission or on direct orders of the Chief of
the Department.
ARTICLE 3
Expulsion/Suspension
Sec. 1. Whenever a member is reported negligent in any of
hiS/her duties as a member or without authorized absence fails
to attend three (3 ) consecutive meetings or drills, the Secretary
shall notify him/her by mail that he/she must appear at the next
membership
NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
April 1988
Page 6
Sec. 1. ( cent. )
committee meeting to show cause as to why he/she should not be
suspended or expelled from the Department.
Sec. 2 . If any member uses insulting language to an officer of
the Department or if he/$he is guilty of conduct to bring
disgrace upon the Department, he/she may be expelled at any
regular meeting by the majority vote of all members present,
providing that the charges against him/her be made in writing and
filed with the Secretary at least one month before the vote to be
taken upon it and a copy of the charges must be sent or served
upon him/her at least two (2) weeks before such action is taken.
Sec. 3 . Regular members shall continue as members of the
Department during good behavior and by complying with the Rules
and Regulations of the Department, and my be removed by the city
Council only for cause and after a public hearing.
Sec. 4. If during the member's probationary period he/she should
be found incompetent or fails to discharge his duties, he/she may
be expelled by the Chief, only upon recommendation of the
membership committee.
Sec. 5. Any member may be suspended for violation of the
Constitution, By-Laws or Rules and Regulations of the Department
by the Fire Chief and shall appear at the next membership
committee meeting to show cause as to why he/she should not be
suspended or expelled from the Department.
ARTICLE 4
Leave of Absence
Sec. 1. Any member who is injured, sick, disabled for seven (7)
days or more must notify the Chief of the Department on forms
provided.
Sec. 2 . Any member wishing to be absent from duty for
medical/personal reasons for thirty (30) days or more up to one
year, must request a leave of absence from the Chief.
Sec. 3 . Any member absent from duty for a period longer than
twelve (12) months on any leave will be dropped from the
membership subject to all conditions of a new member.
Sec. 4 . Military leaves will be granted per Federal Regulations.
NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
April 1988
Page 7
ARTICLE 5
Drills
It shall be the duty of the Training Officer to order at least
two (2) training drills per month.
ARTICLE 6
Honorary Memberships
Honorary memberships shall be awarded certain persons upon
recommendation of the membership committee and approval of the
general membership.
ARTICLE 7
Rules of Order
The rules contained in the Robert's Rules of Order shall be given
the Department in all cases to which they are applicable and in
which they are not inconsistent with the rules of order of the
Department.
ARTICLE 8
Amendments to the By-Laws
The By-Laws shall be equally binding with the Constitution.
Amendments to the By-Laws may be made when proposed in writing.
The Secretary shall notify the membership of such proposed
amendments in writing fourteen' (14) days prior to the Department
meeting at which action is to be taken. Two-thirds (2/3) of the
membership present and voting shall constitute a majority.
********
Amended eneral
Fire Chief
.' e--j
f jj .. Ii /,
Y ''''{
'; I ..':'\ Jit /'
/ J' t !, _VI! ../;(,4 ( ~tr: . )
Secretary