§ 10-1018 Duties of chief and assistants. The chief shall be president
of the council and of the meetings of the fire department. He shall,
under the direction of a separate board of fire commissioners, if any,
have exclusive control of the members at all fires, inspections and
reviews, the supervision of the engines, hose and other apparatus owned
by the village for the prevention or extinguishment of fires, of all
property owned by the fire department, and of all officers and employees
thereof elected or employed by the council or by a separate board of
fire commissioners, if any. He shall, whenever required by the board of
fire commissioners, report to the board the condition of the property of
the department and such other information respecting the department as
may be required. He shall hold the members, officers and employees of
the department strictly to account for neglect of duty, and may, in a
village in which separate fire commissioners are not appointed, suspend
or discharge them at any time, subject to the approval of two-thirds of
the members of the council at the next meeting. He shall, upon
application, and if authorized by the council, or a separate board of
fire commissioners, if any, issue through the secretary of the fire
department a certificate of the time of service of a member of the fire
department, and shall give to each officer of the department immediately
after his election a certificate thereof countersigned by the secretary.
In case of the inability or absence of the chief, the first assistant
and in case of the absence or inability of both the chief and first
assistant, the second assistant, and in the absence of the second
assistant, the third assistant, if any, and in the absence of the third
assistant, if any, the fourth assistant, if any, shall perform the
duties and have all the powers of the chief.