(1) The Fire Department shall be composed of the Chief of the Fire Department, who shall be appointed by the City Manager, with approval of a majority of City Council, and such subordinate officers and firefighters as shall be authorized by City Council as they are deemed necessary to protect the City against fire and other emergency incidents. All members of the Department, except the Chief, the Assistant Chief, the Deputy Chiefs, Commanders, and the Battalion Chiefs, shall be determined to be members of the Civil Service and shall be appointed pursuant to Civil Service requirements.

The Chief of the Fire Department may, with the approval of the City Manager, appoint an Assistant Chief and Deputy Chiefs from the rank of Battalion Chief or Commander within the Aurora Fire Department. All persons appointed to the position of Assistant Chief or Deputy Chief shall serve at the pleasure of the Fire Chief. Persons holding these positions shall perform those duties designated by the Fire Chief. An Assistant Chief's salary must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to the highest paid Deputy Chief. A Deputy Chief's salary must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to the highest paid Commander and a Commander must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to the highest paid Battalion Chief. During such period of time as an Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief or a Commander is performing in such capacity, he or she shall retain and have accrued to him or her said time as active service in the Aurora Fire Department and in the Civil Service thereof, for all purposes in connection with retirement, pension and medical benefits, sick and injury leave, vacation leave, terminal pay, benefits to his or her spouse and dependent children upon death, and all other benefits of the Civil Service of the Aurora Fire Department in existence at that time, or hereafter provided, other than salary, on the same basis and with the same effect as if during such time the Assistant Chief, Deputy Chiefs, or Commanders had remained in active service in the Aurora Fire Department and in the Civil Service thereof, and the rank which was held in the Civil Service when appointed.

The Chief of the Fire Department may, with the approval of the City Manager, appoint Commanders from the rank of Battalion Chief and Battalion Chiefs from the rank of Captain or Lieutenant within the Aurora Fire Department, utilizing a competitive selection process. All persons appointed to the position of Commander or Battalion Chief shall serve at the pleasure of the Fire Chief. Persons holding these positions shall perform those duties designated by the Fire Chief. A Battalion Chief's salary must be at least one pay step higher than the salary paid to the highest paid Captain. During such period of time as a Battalion Chief is performing in such capacity, he or she shall retain and have accrued to him or her said time as active service in the Fire Department and in the Civil Service thereof, for all purposes in connection with retirement, pension and medical benefits, sick and injury leave, vacation leave, terminal pay, benefits to his or her spouse and dependent children upon death, and all other benefits of the Civil Service of the Fire Department in existence at that time, or hereafter provided, other than salary, on the same basis and with the same effect as if during such time the Battalion Chief had remained in active service in the Aurora Fire Department and in the Civil Service thereof, and the rank which was held in the Civil Service when appointed.

(2) The Civil Service of the Fire Department shall consist of the following ranks and grades:

Captain

Lieutenant

Engineer

Firefighter 1st Grade

Firefighter 2nd Grade

Firefighter 3rd Grade

Firefighter 4th Grade

Additional grades or ranks may be created by at least seven (7) votes of the City Council, and any such grade or rank, if so created, shall thereafter become a grade or rank in the Civil Service and subject to Civil Service regulations. Any grade or rank created by a vote of the Council may be thereafter abolished by at least seven (7) votes of the City Council. Positions allocated to such grade or rank may only be filled pursuant to Civil Service examination and certification.

(3) The Chief of the Fire Department may be appointed from the ranks of the Fire Department and, in such an event, during the time shall retain and have accrued said time as active service in the Fire Department and in the Civil Service thereof, for all purposes in connection with retirement, pension and medical benefits, sick and injury leave, vacation leave, terminal pay, benefits to his or her spouse and dependent children upon death, and all other benefits of the Civil Service of the Fire Department presently in existence or hereafter provided, other than salary, on the same basis and with the same effect as if during such time the chief had remained in active service in the Fire Department and in the Civil Service thereof, in the rank which was held in the Civil Service when appointed.

(4) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the City Charter or ordinances, the Fire Chief shall, at his or her discretion, with approval of the City Manager, be empowered to select an Assistant Chief or one (1) or more Deputy Chiefs who have had no previous employment with the City of Aurora Fire Department. Such individuals must meet, at a minimum, the educational and command experience requirements for the rank of Battalion Chief in the Aurora Fire Department. These individuals shall not be considered members of the Civil Service of the City of Aurora. At no time shall Deputy Chiefs selected from outside the department comprise more than one-half of the total number of Deputy Chiefs. This provision is intended to permit the Fire Chief to advertise, and recruit, utilizing a competitive selection process, an Assistant Chief or Deputy Chief(s) who, in the Chief's opinion, would provide qualifications and background that would be beneficial to the Aurora Fire Department. (Ord. No. 67-35, 7-25-1967; Ord. No. CA77-4, 11-8-1977; Ord. No. 87-202, § 17, 11-3-1987; Ord. No. 2005-49, § 1, 11-1-2005; Ord. No. 2005-50, § 1, 11-1-2005; Ord. No. 2012-35, § 1, 8-27-2012)