SECTION 7.01
Fire Department for the City of Baton Rouge

There shall be a Fire Department for the City of Baton Rouge as extended by this Plan of Government. It shall consist of the Fire Chief, who shall be head of the department, and such other officers and employees of such ranks and grades as may be provided by the Metropolitan Council. It shall be responsible for providing fire protection within the boundaries of the City of Baton Rouge and not elsewhere in the Parish, and any service rendered outside such area, except in accordance with a mutual assistance agreement, shall be rendered only with the approval of the Chief or acting chief, who shall not approve such outside service in any case in which the assistance given will detract from the protection provided within the boundaries of the City of Baton Rouge. The City Council shall, immediately after the first day of January 1949, provide by the issuance of bonds approved by the resident property taxpayers qualified to vote in the City of Baton Rouge or by the issuance of excess revenue bonds, for the construction of fire houses and a fire alarm system and the purchase of equipment sufficient to furnish adequate fire protection throughout the City. It shall also be the duty of the Council to increase the number of employees of the department to man adequately all of the City's firefighting equipment. (As amended October 20, 2007)

SECTION 7.02
Fire Department Organization

The Metropolitan Council shall have, except as provided in this Plan of Government, all the powers and duties relating to the organization and activities of the Fire Department conferred or imposed on the City of Baton Rouge by its charter and general laws of the state. The Fire Chief shall be in direct command of the department and, subject to the provisions of Chapter 9 of The Plan of Government, shall have power to appoint and remove all other officers and employees of the department. He shall assign all members of the department to their respective posts, shifts, details and duties. He shall make rules and regulations, consistent with this Plan of Government, the ordinances of the Council and the laws of the state, concerning the operation of the Fire Department, the conduct of its officers and employees, their equipment, training and discipline, and the penalties to be imposed for the infraction of such rules and regulations, which rules and regulations, when approved by the Council, shall be binding on all members of the department.

SECTION 7.03
Continuance of Civil Service Status
Existing Members of the Fire Department

All Regular full-time officers and employees of the Fire Department of the City of Baton Rouge and all regular full-time firemen employed by East Baton Rouge Parish on the first day of January 1949, are hereby continued as members of the City Fire Department in their present ranks and grades, and shall hold such positions until promoted, demoted, transferred or removed as provided in Chapter 9 of this Plan of Government. All regular full-time employees of Fire Protection District Number One of East Baton Rouge Parish shall also be transferred to the City Fire Department without competitive examination, provided they meet all requirements for admission to competitive examinations.

SECTION 7.04
Financing of Fire Department

The Fire Department shall be supported by appropriations made by the Metropolitan Council.