Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
PREFACE
The mission of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department is to provide prompt quality service to our stakeholders by promoting safety, security, enhancing sustainability, and enriching the quality of life through professional development and dedication to service. All employees of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department are essential to the overall mission of the department. It is the responsibility of each and every employee to work towards the achievement of the mission of the department. The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department requires its employees to exercise a great deal of discretion, due to the nature of its responsibilities. Employees are often required to make important decisions, frequently with little time for weighing alternatives. The informed and well-trained employee has the best chance of making correct decisions. For this reason, the department makes available to its employees, organizational expectations in the form of the Employee Work Rules and other directives. Knowing and complying with these rules, regulations and directives will result in the development of good work ethics, high standards, high morale and an effective and productive work force. For this reason, ignorance of the law as well as any Atlanta Fire Rescue Department rule, regulation, procedure, or policy is no excuse for disobedience. Rules, regulations and directives, however, cannot be expected to cover every situation employees may face. Many decisions are left to the sound judgment of the individual employee. If employees perform their duties in good faith and with prudence, they will be supported by the chain of command and other departmental employees.
REVISED
OCTOBER 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Work Rule
Page
Rule 1.14 Rule 1.15 Rule 1.16 Rule 1.17 Rule 1.18 Rule 1.19 Rule 1.20 Rule 1.21 Rule 1.22 Rule 1.23 Rule 1.24 Rule 1.25 Rule 1.26 Rule 1.27 Rule 1.28 Rule 1.29 Rule 1.30 Rule 1.31
Confidentiality of Department Business Right to Know Security Matters Personal Debts Personal Problems Providing Telephone Number and Address Reporting Change of Name, Address and/or Telephone Number Understanding Directives Conformance to Directives Chain of Command Forwarding Written and/or Electronic Communications Physical and/or Psychological Fitness for Duty Keeping Up to Date Submitting Reports Identification Cards Providing Identification Improper use of Department Correspondence Recommending Businesses and/or Services
4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7
II
Rule 2.12 Rule 2.13 Rule 2.14 Rule 2.15 Rule 2.16 Rule 2.17 Rule 2.18 Rule 2.19 Rule 2.20 Rule 2.21 Rule 2.22 Rule 2.23 Rule 2.24 Rule 2.25 Rule 2.26 Rule 2.27 Rule 2.28 Rule 2.29 Rule 2.30 Rule 2.31 Rule 2.32 Rule 2.33 Rule 2.34 Rule 2.35 Rule 2.36 Rule 2.37 Rule 2.38 Rule 2.39 Rule 2.40 Rule 2.41 Rule 2.42 Rule 2.43 Rule 2.44
Personality Clashes/Conflicts Sexual Harassment Prohibited Discrimination Use of Discriminatory References Call to Duty Sleeping on Duty Malingering or Pretending Punctuality Absence Without Leave (AWOL) Abandonment of Job Abuse of Leave Job Actions Prohibited Private Business Outside Employment Conflicts of Interest Peddling or Soliciting Prohibited Loitering by Public General Appearance Wearing of Uniforms and Equipment Off-Duty Personnel, in Uniform, in Public Unsatisfactory Performance Radios/Pagers/Cell phones to Remain On Interfering with Radio Communication Emergency Situations Mutual Protection/Assistance Cowardice Unnecessary and/or Excessive Force Prohibited Reporting Required When Force Used Situations Involving Off-Duty Employees Civil Actions Outside Affiliations Indebtedness Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships
10 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 17
III
IV
References/Additional Resources
32
CHAPTER l
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Purpose
Based on the responsibilities of employees with the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and their visible positions within the community, both publicly and privately, the following work rules shall be obeyed by employees at all times.
Chapter 2
GENERAL CONDUCT
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to establish general rules and guidelines to regulate the general conduct of employees on and/or off duty.
11
12
13
14
16
17
CHAPTER 3
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to provide employees with the proper guidelines relative to appearances before judiciary bodies and/or investigative boards.
18
19
CHAPTER 4
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards for all employees acting in an official capacity regarding department property and/or equipment.
20
A vehicle maintenance checklist shall be filled out by the operator at the beginning of a tour of duty; as defined in the COA Vehicle Use Policy Number 08-CWP-DPW-01.
b. A completed vehicle maintenance checklist shall be signed by both the operator and the immediate supervisor, and kept on file for inspection.
21
a. The system is not to be used to broadcast personal messages or to forward "chain letters" of any kind. b. Images or files that display nudity, obscenity, or sexually explicit material shall be prohibited. c. Images or files that would be considered offensive due to sexual or graphic content by any reasonable member of the public or any employee of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department shall be prohibited. d. Images or files that would bring discredit to any employee of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department as a whole shall be prohibited. e. Electronic mail (e-mail) advocating political, religious, gender, or racial preferences shall be prohibited. f. E-mail messages intended to harass, ridicule, or otherwise demean an individual or group of individuals, shall be prohibited. g. Any act or omission which is in violation of applicable City policies and/or SOPs covering electronic communications, shall be prohibited.
22
23
Chapter 5
PUBLIC ACTIVITIES
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines relative to public activities regarding employment.
24
25
(b)
(c)
26
CHAPTER 6
FIREARMS POLICY
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a single source of reference to the requirements of the department, and expectations of all investigators (Fire Investigations and Internal Affairs) who are authorized to carry firearms. It is the primary intention of this policy to ensure the safety of both the public and the employees of the department. Therefore, while it may become necessary for an investigator to discharge a firearm, it is required that the investigator first make every effort to avoid such drastic action. In all cases, only the necessary amount of force shall be used, which is consistent with the accomplishment of a mission. Investigators shall use caution and act in a calm and deliberate manner when they find the use of a firearm necessary. Investigators will not be criticized for choosing not to discharge a firearm if the discharge threatened the life or safety of another or if the discharge was not clearly warranted by the policy, state law, or reasonable judgment. Nor will criticism be made of an investigator who, when faced with a situation which threatens life or serious physical injury, discharges a firearm in self-defense or in defense of another. Investigators are reminded that the use of deadly force cannot be taken lightly and that their actions must not only be legally warranted and defensible but within accepted moral and social codes consistent with rational and humane social control in a democracy.
27
28
29
30
31
REFERENCES
City of Atlanta; COA (2009) Code of Ordinances Codified through Ordinance Number 2009-23 (09-O-0924), (Supplement No. 46, Update 1) Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10376&sid=10 City of Atlanta; COA (1994) Administrative Order Number 94-05 Violence in the Workplace City of Atlanta; COA (2007) Electronic Communications Policy Number IS-C0043007v1 City of Atlanta; COA (2008)Vehicle Use Policy Number 08-CWP-DPW-01 The Official Code of Georgia Annotated ; O.C.G.A (2009) Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.lexis-nexis.com/hottopics/gacode/default.asp
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
City of Atlanta Ethics Office , COA (2009) Standards of Conduct, Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/boards/ethics_code_091306.aspx
The Federal Hatch Act; The Hatch Act for State and Local Employees (2008), Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.osc.gov/ha_state.htm
32