<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 34-30. - Minimum standards for qualification.</div>
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               Each fire department desiring to qualify for the financial assistance provided for
               under this article shall meet the following minimum standards:
               
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                  (1)
                  
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                  The fire department shall be incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under state law.
                  A copy of the department's charter and current by-laws shall be on file in the fire
                  marshal's office.
                  
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                  (2)
                  
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                  Elections of at least a portion of the board of directors for the incorporated fire
                  department shall be held at least every year by the voting membership of the corporation.
                  The voting membership must include either residents of the fire tax district which
                  have registered with the Cabarrus County Board of Elections and are eligible to vote
                  in a general election, or all resident property owners of the district.
                  
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                  (3)
                  
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                  No absentee or proxy votes will be allowed, nor shall such election be conducted by
                  mail.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (4)
                  
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                  Notice of an annual meeting to elect officers shall be given by notice in local newspapers
                  and as prescribed in the department's by-laws, or be a fire department lawfully established
                  by a city, town or sanitary district and operate under the laws and provisions governing
                  such departments.
                  
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                  (5)
                  
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                  Each fire department shall have a fire chief, an assistant chief, other necessary
                  officers and personnel with a minimum of 19 firefighters who are eligible firemen,
                  in accordance with G.S. 118-38. A list of all members, their addresses, their telephone
                  numbers, and social security numbers must be given to the Cabarrus County Fire Marshal's
                  Office on or before July 1 of each year and within ten days of the addition of new
                  members.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (6)
                  
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                  All active members of a fire department in good standing shall have a county issued
                  ID card, and a department issued car plate to identify them as a bona fide firefighter.
                  No one other than an active or retired member in good standing shall be allowed to
                  have this identification in his possession. The department issued car plate will be
                  visible from the front of any vehicle running emergency warning devices as defined
                  by N.C. General Statutes.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (7)
                  
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                  Each fire department shall maintain a class 9 or better rating with the insurance
                  services office and shall have and maintain equipment as required by the state department
                  of insurance for initial certification. These are minimum requirements; therefore,
                  efforts should be made toward improving fire protection through equipment purchases
                  and water supply development. All equipment specified shall be kept in good condition
                  and operative at all times. Primary pumpers shall be subjected to an annual service
                  test, as prescribed by the ISO, and records of the test shall be filed with the Cabarrus
                  County Fire Marshal's Office.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (8)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  Each department shall carry liability insurance on its personnel and equipment in
                  the indemnity amount of at least $1,000,000.00, and further holding the county harmless
                  from any responsibility for damages, claims, or expenses resulting from the activities
                  of its firefighters or from the operation of its equipment. Each fire department shall
                  also carry worker's compensation insurance on its active members in order to provide
                  those members with the benefits of the worker's compensation act. A certificate of
                  insurance for each department shall be on file at the fire marshal's office.
                  
               </p>
               		
               
               <p class="incr1">
                  (9)
                  
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                  The fire department shall carry out an organized training program which shall provide
                  a minimum of 36 hours per year training. The training program shall include the training
                  and qualifying of apparatus drivers. Written records shall be kept on all drills and
                  include subject taught, instructor, hours, and members attending.
                  
               </p>
               		
               
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                  (10)
                  
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                  The fire chief for each department is responsible for stressing safety throughout
                  the department and all phases of the department activities. Emphasis shall be placed
                  on safe driving of department owned apparatus and the firefighter's personal automobile
                  to emergencies, as well as on safe practices while fighting a fire. Only qualified
                  drivers shall drive the fire apparatus. Drivers shall operate apparatus with caution
                  at all times and allow no one but active firefighters to ride the apparatus when it
                  is on call to a fire or other emergency.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (11)
                  
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                  The senior fire officer within whose area a fire emergency occurs is the authority
                  on the fire scene or when a fire occurs outside a recognized fire district the senior
                  fire officer of the first arriving department shall be the authority, unless incident
                  falls under jurisdiction of other agency as granted by N.C.G.S.
                  
               </p>
               		
               
               <p class="incr1">
                  (12)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  The senior fire officer responsible for the fire emergency shall make a full investigation
                  of each fire to determine, if possible, the cause of the fire. A report of the findings
                  of this investigation shall be forwarded to the fire marshal within 30 days of the
                  fire on forms designed by the National Fire Reporting System. If evidence shows the
                  fire may be incendiary or if persons are injured or a fatality occurs, the fire marshal
                  and other necessary state and local officials shall be notified immediately.
                  
               </p>
               		
               
               <p class="incr1">
                  (13)
                  
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                  The department shall furnish to the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners an independent
                  audit of receipts and disbursements for the fiscal year conducted by an accountant
                  certified by the state. This audit, including a financial statement for the previous
                  fiscal year and an auditor's opinion. shall be submitted to the fire marshal's office
                  by December 31 of each year for previous fiscal year.
                  
               </p>
               		
               
               <p class="incr1">
                  (14)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  The fire chief shall be responsible for filing all reports required by local, state
                  and federal agencies.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (15)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  Each department involved with the medical first responders program shall provide basic
                  life support to sick and injured persons and shall work under the guidelines set forth
                  by the first responder ordinance.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (16)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  Each department shall provide a means of notifying members of a fire call.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (17)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  Departmental operational policies will be in accordance with all local, state and
                  federal standards. Policies adopted by two-thirds majority of the Cabarrus County
                  Fire Service Board (CCFSB). and approved by the Cabarrus County Fire Marshal's Office
                  will be considered county-wide policy and will be followed by all contracted fire
                  departments. Failure to follow policies by departments will be considered deficiencies
                  under<a href="" data-chunk-id="PTIICOOR_CH34FIPRPR_ARTIIFIASFIDE_S34-29NODETIPECO" class="section-link" data-product-id="12658"> section 34-29</a> of this chapter.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (18)
                  
               </p>
               		
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                  The fire marshal will maintain a current manual on all approved policies, and provide
                  a copy to all contracted fire services. The fire marshal is responsible for updating
                  each department issued manual. The copy maintained on file in the fire marshal's office
                  will be considered the official manual.
                  
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               <p class="incr1">
                  (19)
                  
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                  Approved policies will be reviewed annually by the fire marshal, changes or deletions
                  will be brought before the CCFSB. The fire marshal can change or delete policies based
                  upon changes in state or federal requirements without approval of the CCFSB. All agencies
                  will be notified at least 60 days prior to any effective changes.
                  
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            <p class="historynote0">
               (
               <a class="ordinance-link" href="" data-product-id="12658" data-ordinance-id="1068140">
                  Ord. No. 2020-50
                  </a>
               , 12-21-20)
               
            </p></div>