.01 Purpose
To establish Rule and Regulations for the personnel of the Tupelo Fire Department that are particular to the Fire Department and which are not included in the City of Tupelo Personnel Rules and Regulations, and federal or state regulations and statutes.

.02 Scope

These rule and regulations apply to all personnel of the Tupelo Fire Department, unless specifically noted.

.03 Definitions

.031 PERSONNEL are all persons, uniformed and non-uniformed, employed by the City of Tupelo Fire Department.
.032 MEMBER is a uniformed firefighter or fire officer employed by the City of Tupelo Fire Department.
.033 FIREFIGHTER is a member who is in the ranks from Introductory Firefighter to Sergeant-Driver/Operator.
.034 FIRE OFFICER is a member who has attained the rank of Captain or Chief Officer.
.035 CHIEF OFFICER is a member who has attained the rank of Assistant Chief, Division Chief, Deputy Chief, or Fire Chief.

.01 All Fire Department personnel shall promptly obey all laws, rules, regulations, ordinances and orders whether general, special, written, or verbal and any violations may be sufficient cause for disciplinary action.

.02 When a member acts in obedience to orders of a superior, the superior giving the order will be solely responsible for the reaction or harm (if any) created by said order, unless collusion to commit wrong did exist between the two parties at which time both the superior and subordinate involved will share the responsibility of their act.

.03 All department rules and regulations will be enforced. Non-compliance with the rules and regulations of this department will not be tolerated, particularly when it comes to life threatening situations, serious injury, or unsafe practices or infractions of rules and regulations governing these practices. Those personnel committing such infractions will be subject to disciplinary actions.

.04 All future orders or memos relative to discipline, duties, or powers of members shall be recognized as a portion of these rules and regulations and shall be added annually.

.01 All Fire Department personnel shall acquaint themselves with the City of Tupelo Personnel Rules and Regulations and the Rules and Regulations of the Tupelo Fire Department. A plea of ignorance will not be relief from any responsibility for compliance.

.02 Obedience to orders of a superior in rank must be faithfully observed and any member offending this rule will be held strictly accountable where the superior had the right to give such orders, unless the same order had been properly countermanded.

.03 All Fire Department members shall be addressed by their proper titles, especially when in the public eye.

.04 Fire Officers shall be just, dignified and firm in their association with subordinates, being careful at times to abstain from violent, abusive or obscene language in giving orders and directions, as well as in conversation with them.

.05 Fire Department members shall conduct themselves in such a manner as not to needlessly endanger themselves, other personnel or citizens.

.06 All Fire Department personnel shall be ready to respond promptly to any task involving fire or rescue with the jurisdictional authority of the City of Tupelo. All Fire Department personnel of the City of Tupelo shall have as scheduled, regular hours assigned to them for active duty and when not on active duty, they shall be considered off-duty.

.01 When on duty, all Fire Department personnel must remain constantly with the assigned company, except where directed otherwise by proper authorities.

.02 All Fire Department personnel shall keep themselves physically fit to perform their required duties. No exceptions will be granted.

.03 All Fire Department personnel shall provide themselves with proper telephone service at their residence so they may be called in to duty with the least possible delay, should the need arise. Superiors shall be informed of these numbers, as well as any changes in either addresses or telephone numbers that may occur during the course of employment, and assignment within the Department. All Assistant Chiefs shall keep a current list of these numbers on file at the station, all Captains are responsible for keeping the Assistant Chiefs informed of these changes.

.04 At the request of proper authorities, off duty firefighters will report for emergencies deemed necessary by the Fire Chief or his/her designee.

.05 All Fire Department personnel shall be punctual when reporting for duty. Members of the Emergency Services Division (ESD) not reporting for duty by shift change time, without making proper arrangements, will be subject to disciplinary action. Shift change is at 0600 hours.

.06 Fire Department personnel shall not waste supplies or abuse city property nor shall the same be loaned, sold, or given to unauthorized persons or taken for personal use (other than in the performance of assigned duties), without proper authority.

.07 All members of the ESD shall be required to see that their personal gear and equipment is operational and the apparatus is ready for service when assuming duty. (Personal gear includes, but is not limited to personal protective clothing, SCBA, PASS, Passport ID). All members of ESD are responsible for removing personal gear, equipment, etc. from the apparatus at the end of their tour of duty and storing appropriately and securely.

.08 All Fire Department personnel shall, to the best of their ability, do their duty under any and all circumstances.
 

.09 All Fire Officers shall post a current duty roster, schedules, and any written documentation sent to the company from/through the Assistant Chief, on the company's bulletin board, whereby subordinates can read and understand their assigned duties and responsibilities within the company, station, and/or department.

.10 All Fire Department personnel shall check the bulletin board upon arrival for duty so as to be aware of any special orders, changes of duties, etc., that may have occurred during their absence from duty.

.11 All Fire Department personnel are responsible for the timely completion and forwarding of all reports requested by superiors in the Fire Department.

.12 Fire Officers are expected to attend all meetings requested of them, unless properly excused by a superior officer.

.13 Fire Officers are to see that on and off duty station members are informed of deaths to Tupelo Fire Department personnel or members of their family.

.01 Sick leave, military leave, or line of duty injuries shall be considered paid leave within the established guidelines and in accordance with the Personnel Rules and Regulations of the City of Tupelo. The Assistant Chief shall have the discretion to provide minimum staffing levels and grant leave in advance contrary to normal policies in order to maintain the minimum staffing levels. Any leave taken in advance must be taken under unusual circumstances and with the understanding that the leave will be deducted at the appropriate time or at the time of termination.

.02 No Fire Department personnel shall be absent from duty without leave granted by proper authority.

.03 Temporary leave of absence (without proper relief) may be granted by proper authority (company officer), in the event of sudden illness, accident, or other emergency situations involving company members or his/her immediate family (spouse, child, step child, father, or mother). The supervising Chief Officer shall be informed and proper relief provided.

.04 All Fire Department Personnel unable to report for duty due to sickness, injury, etc., shall report this fact to the immediate supervisor on duty indicating the nature of the sickness or injury. When ESD duty is involved, this notification shall be no later than thirty minutes prior to the scheduled reporting time so proper relief can be arranged. Notification should take place as soon as possible. The company officer should notify the Assistant Chief immediately, if the immediate supervisor is unavailable, the Assistant Chief should be notified.

.041 When sick time is utilized for over 1.5 consecutive shifts, a medical excuse is required upon return to work.
.042 A medical excuse will also be required when a person has accumulated more than forty-eight 48 hours of non-medically excused sick leave within the twelve month period preceding and including the date sick leave is used.
.043 Previous medically excused absences will not be counted toward the forty-eight (48) hour rule.
.044 Failure to produce a medical excuse will result in a violation of sick leave policy, constituting an abuse of sick leave benefits, resulting in a suspension equal to the duration of the time off, on the first offense. Subsequent offenses will result termination for abuse of sick leave.

.051 The Fire Department has to maintain a minimum number of personnel on duty and vacation planning will be conducted in the best interest of the department to adhere to the minimum staffing level of firefighters and the minimum company officer staffing level. All leave should be scheduled to minimize the need for payment of overtime to fill vacancies.
.052 All vacation procedures must adhere to the guidelines as set by the City of Tupelo Personnel Rules and Regulations Handbook.
.053 Selection of vacation periods should begin November 1 and should be finalized by January 15 of the affected year. Selection of vacation periods shall be made on a seniority basis, with the most senior man of the shift picking first, then the second most senior next, and so on.
.054 If there is a conflict of seniority due to the hiring of personnel on the same date, the most senior man will be determined by the first letter of his/her last name. Should the first letter of the last name be the same, then the second letter will be used and so on.
.055 Personnel are not eligible for vacation leave until the anniversary date of their first year. At which time the member shall be eligible for vacation which may be taken between the anniversary date and the following January 1. These personnel may schedule their leave on an open date after their anniversary date, in the vacation selection process.
.056 In the event that additional leave time is granted by the Mayor and/or City Council (holidays, etc.) this time will be granted as compensatory time to members of the ESD and shall be scheduled as a part of the vacation period for the affected year, when the number of days left within the granted year are limited and time will not permit the leave to be taken within the calendar year the leave was granted.
.057 Military leave shall in no way hinder the selection or taking of vacation of any member. Military time is not considered as a vacation period, but must be selected in a manner similar to vacation time to assist in scheduling.
.058 Cancellation of vacation leave must be requested to the Assistant Chief no later than 48 hours prior to the affected dates, with the exceptions of emergency situations. The canceled leave will be utilized as dates become available.

.061 Military leave is not to be counted on or to receive priority on the vacation schedule because:

A. Military leave is protected by law.
B. Military leave is mandatory.
C. Seniority would be virtually disregarded during vacation scheduling.
D. Some of the younger men would never get vacations with their families.
E. Members requiring military leave should work with other members the company to assure their military leave does not interfere with family vacation plans.

.062 Members requiring military leave are encouraged to inform the Assistant Chief one shift prior to the request leave date.
.063 Members must submit a copy of Military Orders prior to being granted military leave.
.064 Members requiring military leave must comply with the requirements as established by the Personnel Department.
.065 ESD personnel are currently entitled to 120 hours or five (5) shifts of military leave.

.071 Members may swap time with approval of their Company Officer. Failure to repay swap time can result in elimination of swap time for the member who fails to repay the time owed. Excessive use of swap time can result in a loss of swap time privileges.
.072 Members may not pay other personnel for working their assigned shift.
.073 Compensatory time shall be scheduled so as not to interfere with the minimum staffing requirements of the department. Compensatory leave is subject to immediate cancellation if manning levels are threatened. After arriving for work, persons may request compensatory leave if proper staffing is available.

.01 All Fire Department personnel will be held accountable for their conduct at all times and shall not conduct themselves in any manner to bring discredit upon the Department.

.02 No Fire Department personnel shall wantonly or maliciously make false reports about the Department, or about any Department personnel either as an offense of to create a disturbance, or to bring any personnel into discredit.

.03 Normal Firehouse banter is to be expected. All personnel should remember that this is a public facility, subject to visitation by members of the public. Behavior, speech, and mannerisms should be such that respect is paid to others including; co-workers, civilians, visitors, etc.

.04 No intoxicating beverages or illegal drugs or paraphernalia shall be kept or consumed in or about any fire station or on any premises occupied by the Fire Department, nor shall any member of the Department report for duty under the influence of either illegal drugs or alcohol or prescription drug that may hinder his/her performance of duties or judgement. The City of Tupelo has a drug and alcohol testing program in place. Consult your Personnel Handbook for more details.

.05 There shall be no gambling with any type of playing cards, instruments, or devices for money or articles of value on Fire Department property.

.06 Pilfering, stealing, or appropriating for their own use by any Fire Department personnel any article, whether of value or not, at fires or other time is strictly prohibited.

.07 Pornographic material and literature is not allowed on any Fire Department premise.

.08 All Fire Department personnel shall conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. They shall make every effort to assist anyone seeking help, whether in person, by telephone, or other means. All conversations shall be in a manner that is respectful.

.09 Fire Department personnel having visitors shall not conduct visits within vehicles, but shall have the visitors into the day room inside the station. Fire Department personnel should limit visits at the station during business hours as not to interfere with work. All visits shall be terminated no later than 2200 hours.

.10 Fire Department personnel shall not receive non-emergency personal telephone calls after 2200 hours.

.01 All Fire Department personnel are responsible for assuring that the workplace is free from sexual or other unlawful harassment. This Department will not tolerate any action by its employees that may constitute any form of harassment. Any member/employee of the Fire Department who commits, or condones such activity will be dealt with accordingly.

.02 This Department strictly prohibits any conduct of a sexual or other unlawful harassing nature. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

a. Unwelcome sexual advances
b. Requests for sexual acts or favors
c. Any verbal or physical conduct of a sexual and/or harassing nature
d. Display of sexually suggestive objects, materials, or pictures

.04 Any such report of sexual or other unlawful harassment and all findings with regard to the investigation, as well as the investigation itself, will be confidential in nature, both with regard to the accused, as well as the accuser. Any violation of this confidentiality by any person or persons involved will not be tolerated.

.05 Any charge of sexual or other unlawful harassment under these rules does not prohibit the filing of a compliant by an employee with any federal, state, or local agency.

.01 The purpose of the chain of command is to insure that all responsible parties are kept informed.

.02 The chain of command begins with the immediate supervisor (company officer, Captain) and progresses upward to the Fire Chief. All Fire Department personnel shall use the chain of command when giving or asking for information or privileges. The reverse procedure shall be used by superiors to convey information to subordinates.

.03 Where members wish to discuss a request with authorities beyond immediate superiors, they should request permission for special conference with the designated officer through the established chain of command. In this situation the subordinate member is not required to disclose the nature of the requested conference and in no case shall his/her request for conference be denied.

.01 Hair

A. Hair should be styled so that it is neat and becoming to the head gear and shall not interfere with the seal of the SCBA mask.
B. Hair styles should be neat and professionally acceptable for both genders. Styling shall be of a manner that allows hair to be protected under personal protective equipment.
C. Hair shall be neatly groomed and kept so that it cannot fall over the eyes or extend outward from the head excessively. Hair shall be neatly groomed and the length or bulk of the hair shall not be excessive or present a ragged, unkempt, or extreme appearance.
D. Sideburns shall not extend beyond the lower part of the earlobe and shall be of even width and end with a clean shaven horizontal line. The growth of sideburns shall not be more that one half inch in thickness/depth.

A. Mustaches shall be neatly trimmed, the thickness shall not exceed one half inch in depth and it shall not appear bushy. The extent of growth shall be limited to not more than ½ inch below the line of the mouth.
B. No other facial growth shall be permitted other than for medical reasons, at which time a written excuse from a physician must be on file. This rule exists to insure a proper seal of the SCBA face mask. Facial hair shall not interfere with the face piece seal.

A. All Fire Department personnel will maintain personal habits of cleanliness and good hygiene.

A. Personnel shall comply with the uniform dress policy outlined in section 230.15 of this section.
B. Personnel shall maintain their physical appearance in a manner to project a professional image at all times.
C. The wearing of jewelry should be limited to prevent unnecessary injury and project a professional image. Neck and ear jewelry presents a danger to the wearer, plus has an adverse affect on a professional appearance. If jewelry of this nature should be worn, the item must be hidden from public view.

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.01 Sergeant is the rank just under that of Captain and has the responsibility of second in command, when assigned to the Emergency Services Division. A Sergeant shall conform to all general rules in addition to the following rules.

.02 Sergeants assuming duty shall immediately make inspections of apparatus and equipment, filling out proper reports as outlined in the Department's Standard Operating Guidelines. Upon completion of the inspection, the Sergeant assumes all responsibility for the condition and status of the apparatus and equipment.

.03 Sergeants shall not attempt to allow any unauthorized person to make repairs or adjustments to apparatus without permission of the company officer. Sergeants are responsible from conducting minor repairs such as changing bulbs, tightening lose bolts or screws, etc.

.04 Sergeants must drive according to the commanding officer's direction (providing such direction is in accordance with the City Ordinance and State Law), using caution at all stop lights, corner, bus line stops, rail crossings, and blind intersections.

.05 Sergeants will see that precautionary measures are taken to protect apparatus from freezing or other damage during freezing or icing weather.

.06 Upon arriving at fires or other emergencies, Sergeants are to carry out activities as prescribed in the Department's Standard Operating Guidelines.

.07 When assigned to a Rescue or Special Operations Unit the Sergeant will function as the commanding officer in the absence of a superior officer.

.01 The rank of Captain shall be next below that of Assistant Chief and will be the commanding officer of a company when assigned to the Emergency Services Division. The Captain shall have supervision over all matters concerning the activities of this company (this includes enforcing all general rules). The Captain shall be bound by all the general rules in addition to the following.

.02 Captains shall perform training daily when applicable as per the in-service training schedule developed by the Training Division.

.03 Captains shall not allow any unauthorized persons to ride upon his/her assigned apparatus.

.04 Captains are to see that visitors are politely escorted through the station while making proper explanations to matters where required.

.05 Captains shall, under circumstances of emergency such as willful refusal to obey orders at fires, suspend any member of their company and then notify the Assistant Chief, as soon as possible thereafter.

.06 Captains shall under circumstances of emergency such as willful refusal to obey orders at fires or any emergency situation or any violation of ordinances, rules, regulations, dereliction of duty or tardiness of any member under their supervision, shall notify the Assistant Chief as soon as possible.

.07 Captains shall make notations of all orders, written or verbal, and any information that should be passed to the other shifts in the company log book. The oncoming Captains are to review the log book upon assuming his/her duties and relay pertinent information to his/her subordinates.

.08 Portable radios must be kept inside the station in the charger or on your person at all times. They are to be taken on all runs and not left in the vehicle for any reason.

.09 Captains are responsible for conducting employee appraisals, enforcement of policies, recommending disciplinary actions, and commendations for employees under their command.

.01 The rank of Assistant Chief is the rank next below that of Deputy Fire Chief and is in charge of supervising companies within the assigned shift. He/she is responsible to the Deputy Fire Chief and is bound by all general rules in addition to the following rules.

.02 The Assistant Chief shall closely supervise the shift under his charge.

.03 The Assistant Chief shall supervise the training of companies and instruction of officers within his shift as outlined by the Training Division.

.04 The Assistant Chief shall schedule individual companies to make inspections of fire hydrants, standpipe and sprinkler connections, etc., and the location of new streets, new commercial buildings and apartment complexes within the company's district.

.05 The Assistant Chief shall inspect personnel, equipment, and stations once each month to see that compliance to rules, regulations, and policies are being kept.

.06 The Assistant Chief will be held accountable for the condition of the companies under his/her command.

.07 The Assistant Chief shall make or cause to make all reports required of him/her or members of the shift.

.08 The Assistant Chief shall collect, or cause to be sent to their respective headquarters, daily, weekly, monthly, and special reports. These reports are to be checked and corrected if needed prior to being submitted to the receiving authority.

.09 The Assistant Chief shall have the power to discipline subordinate or cause appropriate disciplinary action to be taken for violation of rules, regulations, and policies.

.10 All company reports will be picked up as scheduled.

.01 Proper relief time is 0600 hours for Emergency Services Division Personnel

.02 The official work period is 24 hours, running from 0600 to 0600 hours.

.03 Dormitory quiet hours for sleep is required from 2200 hours until 0545 hours.

.04 Day time rest periods can be granted only at times when it is known that a company will be required to work for extended periods through the night such as extended fires, or natural or man-made disasters.

.05 Maintenance problems arising at the stations will be reported by the Station Supervisor to the Assistant Chief for repairs.

.06 No personal vehicle shall be left at the station during an off-duty period without the permission of the on-duty company officer.

.07 To eliminate a conflicting appearance, personal vehicles for sale shall not be left at Stations and the "for sale' sign should be removed while parked at the Fire Station.

.08 Telephones in fire stations are there for Fire Department business and use otherwise should be limited. Personal phone calls should be limited as not to interfere with work.

.09 Firearms are not permitted in or around any stations or premises occupied by the Fire Department. Firearms may be kept in locked personal vehicles parked on premises as long as they are not handled such as cleaning, repairing, or showing, etc.

.10 All Fire Department phones shall be answered in a courteous manner stating: Station number, Rank, and Last Name.

.11 Personnel requiring uniforms or turnouts should give their request to the Assistant Chief.

.12 Any person requesting to borrow fire hose shall be referred to the Assistant Chief.

.13 All accidents involving any motor vehicle, the following people shall be notified: Police, Safety Officer, Assistant Chief, and Deputy Chief or Fire Chief.

.14 All trash that is left on the scene, including emergency medical calls will be disposed of in a trash can or in an appropriate manner.

.15 The station work uniform shall be worn between the hours of 0600 and 1900 hours with exceptions being taken for: training, exercise, and extraordinary work duties.
 

A. The station work uniform shall be the issued work shirt, issued pants, black shoes or boots, black belt and department cap (optional).

B. Uniform dress shirts shall be worn at times when the public tours the station, during presentations, company inspections, or any time the company knowingly is to be within the public view (non-emergency situations).

C. During exercise periods, departmental T-shirts with issued exercise pants shall be worn.

D. Issued shorts or exercise pants with station shirts are permitted after 1900 hours. Flip flop style shoes or sandals shall not be worn with either uniform at any time, except when in the locker room, bed hall, or bathroom.

.01 Daily station cleaning should be completed by 0800. In order to establish a basic departmental cleaning policy, all company officers are urged to divide their station into areas to be cleaned as follows:

Daily: Mop and sweep floors; dust furniture and window sills; empty and clean trash cans; keep stoves, counters, and sink clean; and keep dishes put up.

The following individual station work detail schedule should be adhered to, with the exception of delays due to unforeseen work conditions, excessive or extended incidents, or weather, in which case the next day the shift works, the detail should be completed. Work details are to be completed in addition to regularly assigned duty, special duties, and training details.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Saturday

Station 1: Woodwork Windows Kitchen Floors

Station 2: Windows Woodwork Floors Kitchen

Station 3: Woodwork Floors Windows Kitchen

Station 4: Kitchen Woodwork Windows Floors

Station 5: Floors Woodwork Windows Kitchen

Station 6: Woodwork Floors Windows Kitchen

Fridays: All Stations: Apparatus, Equipment, and Yard

Saturdays: All Stations: Engine Room and Parking lot
 

Monthly Maintenance Duty Schedule:

January: PPE Safety Inspection SCBA Yearly Inspection

February: Small Engine Service

March: Cascade Testing Ladder Maintenance

April: Lawn Equipment Service Change Smoke Detector Batteries

May: Pump Testing

June: Cascade Testing

July: PPE Safety Inspection

August: Small Engine Service

September: Cascade Testing

October: Smoke Detector Batteries

November: Refinish Wooden Tool Handles Paint Tools

December: Cascade Testing

.01 Perform the required clean-up, check lists and complete the TFD equipment and apparatus forms.

.02 Wash or wipe the apparatus daily if necessary by 0900.

.03 After each run, check the apparatus for lost or defective parts. All equipment, when possible, shall be placed back in service without delay.

.04 To prevent damage to brake drums, water shall not be sprayed on wheels while brake drums are still hot.

.05 Hose that has been laid will be checked and properly cleaned, then placed in the hose rooms to dry.

.06 Polish the apparatus as often as needed or every 120 days. Steam cleaning underneath the apparatus should be done every 120 days.

.07 Hose shall be tested annually.

.08 Apparatus and equipment repairs, other than loose bolts and screw are to be reported directly to the Assistant Chief.

.09 The crew of the apparatus will make themselves available to the shop personnel for any assistance while at the shop, except in cases when repairs are expected to take more than one hour (repairs that will take the apparatus out of service in a manner that the apparatus cannot be placed in-service rapidly). In this case the company will pick-up a reserve apparatus and switch all necessary equipment to remain in-service.

.10 Equipment should not be started unnecessarily. If necessary to start the apparatus, run at least three minutes at 1000 RPM's.

.11 Anytime fire apparatus is to be left at an idle for an extended period, the engine should be throttled up between 900 and 1000 RPM's.

.01 In-service training will be held at the station or at a nearby location where the company could respond without delay. Where hose or ladders are to be taken off the truck, the Assistant Chief should be notified that a slight delay in responses (to break hose or load ladders) can be expected.

.02 Captains are to hold drills or study periods as scheduled by the Training Division. This in-service training should be conducted between the hours of 0930 and 1030 Monday through Friday. All company members are expected to participate in these duties.

.03 Captains shall see that their companies are well trained in all phases of their company operations, as outlined by the Training Division.

.04 Fire Service Hydraulics (as outlined by the Training Division) shall be mastered by all Emergency Services members.

.05 Companies shall, at frequent intervals, review streets, hydrant locations and complicated high-hazard areas within their district.

.06 Physical training (PT) periods shall be scheduled for each shift. A group PT period best fits the team building effort. PT periods should be used for cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance and flexibility enhancement, not competitive sports. PT periods should be scheduled so as not to interfere with other activities (emergency or non-emergency) of the company. PT periods should last for no more than 60 minutes. Company's shall remain within their response district for PT sessions outside the station or companies should swap districts. Personnel wishing to pursue advanced levels may engage in additional exercise programs after hours.