Chester fire commissioner proposes overhaul of century-old Article 123; no vote taken

Fire Commissioner, the city’s Commissioner of Fire, told the City of Chester Public Safety Committee on Wednesday that he will propose replacing the city’s outdated Article 123 — last substantially revised in 1956 — with a four-section ordinance that reflects the department’s status as a full-time, all‑hazards career force.

The Fire Commissioner said the current code still lists five volunteer companies, which “have not responded to the city since the late 1980s,” and proposed new language that would: name a single fire chief as head of the department; require the chief to meet Department of Human Resources job‑description requirements; allow the chief to appoint a deputy; and confirm that the chief serves as fire marshal and emergency management coordinator. “The fire chief shall be appointed, again, by the mayor with the approval and consent of council,” the commissioner said.

Why it matters: the city’s existing ordinance reflects an era of volunteer fire companies and social club firehouses; the proposed rewrite would align the municipal code with current operations — a career, 24/7 fire service responsible for fires, hazardous materials, technical rescue and other emergencies — and clarify appointment and qualification processes for…