Sections:
7.28.01 Authority to dispatch
7.28.02 Restrictions
7.28.03 Cost of aid without mutual aid agreement
7.28.04 Mutual aid agreement
7.28.05 Payment of money collected
7.28.01 Authority to dispatch. No Fire Department apparatus shall be taken beyond the limits of the established fire district to assist at any fire or for any other purpose, except by order of the Mayor or Fire Chief or such other person as they may designate, and subject to the restrictions and conditions hereinafter set forth.
7.28.02 Restrictions. The Mayor or Fire Chief or such other person as they may designate, is authorized, in his discretion, to aid in the extinguishing of fires in another city, (or town), public institutions, corporation or other properties within a reasonable distance from the city or on property immediately adjacent to the city in which there is a possibility of fire spreading within the corporate limits, under the following conditions:
A. A request from a city or incorporated town for assistance must come only from the Mayor, Fire Chief or such other person as may be designated by mutual agreement;
B. Calls may be responded to only by such apparatus which, in the judgment of the Mayor or Fire Chief or such other person as they may designate, can be safely sent without unduly impairing the fire protection within the city, and when highways and weather conditions are favorable;
C. The city, incorporated town, public institution, corporation, or individual requesting assistance must pay the charge for apparatus and service hereinafter provided unless there exists a mutual aid agreement;
D. The city, incorporated town, public institution, corporation or individual must compensate the city for any loss or damage to such apparatus while answering such call, and be responsible to the members of the Fire Department of the city for any injuries suffered or incurred by them while responding to such calls and while working at such fire, unless otherwise covered by insurance.
STATE LAW REFERENCE – See A.C.A. 14-53-102
7.28.03 Cost of aid without mutual aid agreement. Unless there exists a mutual aid agreement, every municipality, institution, corporation or individual requesting and receiving services of the Fire Department of the city, shall pay for such services and the use of apparatus as follows:
Pumper, Ladder, or Tanker – $300.00 within 2 miles of station; $5.00 additional for each mile or fraction thereof.
7.28.04 Mutual and Automatic aid agreements. The Mayor and Chief of the Fire Department are hereby authorized to enter into mutual and automatic aid agreements with other fire districts, municipalities, firms, corporations or individuals for the rendering of fire services, subject to the following conditions:
A. That the parties with whom such mutual aid agreements are entered into shall agree to indemnify the city against any or all loss, cost and damage which it may suffer or sustain by reason of damage to any apparatus arising from any cause whatsoever while such apparatus is going to or from the scene of the fire or while at the scene of the fire. The duty to indemnify shall be performed within fifteen (15) days after demand.
B. As to each firefighter injured while driving to or from the fire, or while at the scene of the fire, and as to each firefighter helping at the fire, injured between the time he reports to the foreman of his company and the time his services end, the person entering into such mutual aid agreements shall pay within fifteen (15) days after demand to the city a sum sufficient to cover the medical and hospital expenses by such injured driver or firefighter.
7.28.05 Payment of money collected. Money collected under the terms of Sections 7.28.03 and 7.28.04 of this chapter shall be paid to the Fire Department.
