HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-01-8759ORDINANCE NO. 2023-01-8759
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2, SECTION 2-315
"FIREFIGHTER TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS;
APPOINTEE PROBATIONARY PERIOD" OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY
WHEREAS, this Ordinance amends Chapter 2 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of
Paducah, regarding the training period for Paducah firefighters.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the City Commission of the City of Paducah as
follows:
SECTION 1. That the City of Paducah, Kentucky hereby amends Section 2-315 "Firefighter
training and qualifications; appointee probationary period" of the Paducah Code of Ordinances as
follows:
Sec. 2-315. - Firefighter training and qualifications; appointee probationary period
(a) EMT certification. Any person employed on a permanent basis as a firefighter in the
Paducah Fire Department shall, within a period of twenty-four (24) months, complete the
required course and become certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) through the
Commonwealth Department of Human Resources. Further, all firefighters so employed shall
keep their EMT certification current at all times and participate in continuing EMT education
and training programs. Failure to maintain EMT certification, with absence of good cause, shall
be grounds for discipline or dismissal pursuant to KRS 95.450.
(b) Qualif cations for employment. No person shall be employed as an appointee for
employment as a firefighter in the Fire Department who does not possess the following
qualifications and comply with the following requirements:
(1) They must be able to read, write and understand the English language and
must be a high school graduate or hold a certificate of high school equivalence issued
on the basis of a successful completion of the General Educational Development Test
administered and approved under the supervision of the United States Armed Forces
Institute, or a recognized institute of higher learning, or the state.
(2) They must be at least nineteen (19) years of age.
(3) They must be a person of sobriety and integrity who at all times has been an
orderly law-abiding citizen.
(4) They must be able to identify the colors of red, green and yellow.
(5) They must have standard visual acuity, without correction, not less than
20/40 in one eye, and 20/100 in the other eye; and, with correction, not less than 20/20
in one eye, and 20/40 in the other eye.
(6) They must have a valid driver's license. The firefighter candidate recruit
qualifications and selection procedure manual, a copy of which is on file with the City
Clerk, shall be a part of this Code to the same effect as if set out in full herein.
(c) Probationary period.
(1) All appointments to the Fire Department shall be for a probationary period of
one (1) year from the completion of the initial training period of thirteen (13) weeks to
thirty-two (32) [t (20)] weeks (based on a forty (40) hour work week). The initial
training period shall not exceed thirty-two (32) [twenty ] weeks. During this time
appointees shall be paid the hourly wage as established by ordinance at the same time
other regular firefighter wages are paid. Upon completion of the initial training period
the Fire Chief shall assign the appointee to a regular platoon, working twenty-four (24)
hours on duty and forty-eight (48) hours off duty and paid the hourly wage by ordinance
at the same time other regular firefighter wages are paid. Until the probationary period
has elapsed, the appointment shall be conditional. At any time during this probationary
period, the appointee may be summarily removed by the Board of Commissioners of the
City. During this probationary period the appointee shall not be entitled to the grievance
procedure of KRS 95.450 . At such time the appointee may have successfully
completed the probationary period they shall become a member of the Fire Department
and entitled to the procedures of KRS 95.450 .
(2) Until the one (1) year probationary period has elapsed, the appointment shall
be conditional. As such, the appointee shall not be entitled to the discipline procedures
of KRS 95.450 . At any time during the appointee's probationary period, the appointee
may be summarily removed by the Board of Commissioners of the City.
(d) Additional training. After the completion of the above requirements, each member shall
engage in all training needed to meet State requirements.
(e) Supervision of training program. The training program provided for in subsections (c)(1)
and (2), and (d) of this section shall be under the direction and supervision of the Chief of the
Fire Department, subject to any rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Commissioners,
and each person employed as an appointee for employment as a firefighter shall participate
therein and shall perform such duties as may be assigned to the person by such Chief.
SECTION 2. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Ordinance
shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the invalidity or unenforceability of such
section, paragraph or provision shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 3. COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS LAWS. The City Commission
hereby finds and determines that all formal actions relative to the adoption of this Ordinance were
taken in an open meeting of this City Commission, and that all deliberations of this City Commission
and of its committees, if any, which resulted in formal action, were in meetings open to the public, in
full compliance with applicable legal requirements.
SECTION 4. CONFLICTS. All ordinances, resolutions, orders or parts thereof in conflict
with the provisions of this Ordinance are, to the extent of such conflict, hereby repealed and the
provisions of this Ordinance shall prevail and be given effect.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall be read on two separate days and
will become effective upon summary publicaierJ V to KRS Chapter 424.
, Mayor
ATTF}ST: (� p
Lindsay Parisj� City Clerk
Introduced by the Board of Commissioners, January 10, 2023
Adopted by the Board of Commissioners, January 24, 2023
Recorded by the City Clerk, January 24, 2023
Published by The Paducah Sun, January 27, 2023
Ord\2-315 Training Period Fire Department