§ 17-3.1. Fire department to be divided into two classes; classification of positions within classes and organizational elements.

(a)

The fire department of the City of Irving shall be divided into two (2) classes based on the similarity in duties and responsibilities within each respective class. The first class shall be known as "emergency activities" and the second to be known as "fire prevention."

Personnel of the fire and rescue operations division and the special services division shall constitute the emergency activities class. Every member of these divisions shall satisfactorily complete the training and certification requirements as established by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education for a Firefighter. Personnel of the fire prevention division shall constitute the fire prevention class. Every member of the fire prevention division shall satisfactorily complete the training and certification requirements as established by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education for a Fire Inspector.

The chief may make assignments to any fire department activity as manpower availability and the needs of the fire department arise.

The emergency ambulance activity shall be operated in the emergency activities class and shall be staffed by those holding positions in the fire equipment operator classification who have been assigned to emergency ambulance activity by the chief, save and except functional supervision of the emergency ambulance activity shall be provided by a fire captain assigned that duty by the chief.

The training officer position shall be a part of the emergency activities class and the training officer shall be a battalion chief assigned the duty of training officer by the chief.

Every member of the class of emergency activities shall be subject to assignment at the discretion of the chief of the fire department but at all times shall have firefighting as one of his or her primary duties.

(b)

All uniformed personnel of the fire department with the exception of the chief of the fire department shall be divided into classifications within the two (2) above classes. All promotional examinations within the emergency activities class shall be open to a civil service employee who has held a continuous position for two (2) years or more at the next lower pay grade classification in the class for which the promotional examinations being offered. All promotional examinations within the fire prevention class shall be open to a civil service employee who has two (2) years or more at the next lower pay grade classification in the fire prevention class for which the promotional examination is being offered.

If a civil service employee in the emergency activities class wishes to test for other than an entry level position in the fire prevention class as a prerequisite to being eligible to take the test, the employee shall on the date of the examination, be certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education as a Fire Inspector. If a civil service employee in the fire prevention class wishes to test for other than an entry-level position in the emergency activities class, as a prerequisite for being eligible to take the test, the employee shall on the date of the examination, be certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education as a firefighter.

Firefighter is the entry-level position classification for the emergency activities class. Fire Prevention Specialist is the entry-level position classification for the fire prevention class.

All of the duties performed within each classification are necessary to the mission of the fire department and are of equal status. The chief, in his or her discretion, may assign each member those duties or responsibilities within the classification of the member as the chief deems necessary to accomplish the mission of the fire department.

The chief may, in his or her discretion, vary or change assignments or reassign members as the chief may deem necessary to accomplish the goals of providing efficient service and ensuring the continuity of the service. Because continuity can be assured by changing assignments and by providing training in different areas, no member has the right to continue to perform any particular duties within his or her classification. The chief may make such temporary assignments and/or out-of-class assignments as he or she may deem necessary to accomplish the mission of the fire department.

The current classification title Fire Inspector I is changed to Fire Prevention Specialist. The position of Fire Inspector I is abolished as the position becomes vacant. The base pay of each classification shall be set forth in the annual budget or other separate ordinance, and the number of positions authorized for each classification shall be set in a separate ordinance relating to the schedule of classified personnel. The only classification titles in each class of the fire department are as set out below:

Emergency activities class classifications:

Assistant Fire Chief

Fire Battalion Chief

Fire Captain

Fire Lieutenant

Fire Equipment Operator

Firefighter

Fire prevention class classifications:

Fire Marshal

Assistant Fire Marshal

Fire Prevention Specialist

(Ord. No. 4394, § 1, 4-26-84; Ord. No. 5101, § 1, 12-4-86; Ord. No. 5918, §§ 2, 3, 1-31-91; Ord. No. 6432, § 1, 6-9-94; Ord. No. 6867, §§ 1, 3, 9-5-96)

Editor's note

The fire department schedule of civil service personnel, as amended from time to time, is on file in the office of the deputy city clerk.