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of Fire, told the City of Chester Public Safety Committee on Wednesday that he will propose replacing the city’s outdated Article 123 — last substantially revised in 1956 — with a four-section ordinance that reflects the department’s status as a full-time, all‑hazards career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

Committee discussion and key points

Council members sought clarification about the ordinance’s historical language and how staffing and appointments would work under the proposed replacement. Councilman Davis asked for a historical clarification about when the city began employing paid firefighters: “Just for clarity’s sake, since ’61 the city has employed paid firefighters,” he said, and the commissioner explained that paid firefighters worked out of volunteer houses until the city opened its first municipal fire station in 1978 at Third and Tillman. The commissioner said a second city station opened in 1984 on 14th Street and that most volunteer companies ceased responding by the late 1980s.

Council members pressed the commissioner on the deputy chief proposal — whether the deputy should be appointed solely by the fire chief and whether the deputy position should be budgeted permanently. The commissioner argued that the chief should have discretion to select a deputy but that appointees must meet written qualifications. “The fire chief should be choosing who his deputy chief is,” the commissioner said, adding that qualifications in the ordinance would prevent appointments that amount to patronage.

The committee discussed budgeting for a deputy chief. The commissioner confirmed the deputy’s salary would be set through the budget and that any appointed position above battalion chief is outside the collective bargaining agreement and requires council appropriation. He explained the practical reason for a permanently available deputy: union rank structure limits the authority of battalion chiefs to direct each other, so an appointed deputy provides a clear chain of command.

Operational and regulatory points

The commissioner told the committee the new Article 123 would codify that the fire chief also serves as the fire marshal and emergency management coordinator and that the department follows the 2018 International Fire Code and other applicable city and state rules. He said four staff members are certified as fire marshals (including himself) and two are certified investigators. The committee also discussed fire hydrant maintenance and water supply: the commissioner said hydrants are maintained by the Chester Water Authority, annual flow tests are performed, and hydrants are effectively dry below the frost line in winter until activated for use.

Training and career development

The commissioner said the department contracts with Bucks County Community College for training and that the city pays training costs from its budget. He described a plan to work with the union to set certification requirements for officers and to create clearer career‑advancement pathways to ensure candidates for lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and chief have required certifications.

Next steps and other items

No formal vote was taken on the proposed ordinance during the committee meeting; the commissioner said he will present the proposed replacement language for Article 123 in committee and work later in the year on additional related ordinances covering fire escrow and the disbursement of fire insurance funds. He also said he will meet with the Civil Service Commission to pursue updates to rules and begin testing to establish an eligibility list for new firefighter hires. The commissioner and staff noted two Civil Service Commission members’ terms have expired and will need reappointment.

Votes at the meeting

The committee approved the minutes from an earlier meeting by voice vote; a motion to approve the minutes was moved and seconded and the chair declared the motion carried. There was a motion and second to adjourn at the meeting’s close.

The meeting adjourned with no additional committee action on Article 123.