Pennsylvania Act 1937-68 — FIREMEN, FIRST CLASS CITIES

Act text

FIREMEN, FIRST CLASS CITIES
                  Act of Apr. 8, 1937, P.L. 276, No. 68               Cl. 11
                                  AN ACT

     Regulating the employment and hours of employment of the
        officers and members of the uniformed fire protection forces
        of the cities of the first class; and repealing existing
        laws.

        Be it enacted, &c., That,
        Section 1.  Platoon System; Hours of Service.--The director,
     or other officers of the department having charge of the fire
     bureau in each city of the first class, shall divide the
     officers and members of the companies of the uniformed fire
     protection forces in the employ of such cites, excepting the
     chief engineer and assistant chiefs and those employed subject
     to call, into two bodies or platoons. One to perform day service
     and the other to perform night service. The hours of day service
     shall not exceed ten commencing at eight o'clock in the morning,
     and the hours of night service shall not exceed fourteen
     commencing at six o'clock in the afternoon. The hours of day
     service shall not exceed thirty hours, and the hours of night
     service shall not exceed forty-two hours in the same calendar
     week. The employes of such fire forces shall be allowed to have
     at least twenty-four consecutive hours of rest in every calendar
     week exclusive of the change day, and to have an annual vacation
     of not less than fourteen days without diminution of, in either
     case, of the salary or compensation fixed by ordinance or
     resolution. But no vacation or suspension period shall be
     increased or reduced by reason of the fact that, during such
     period, such member, if working, would have been entitled to one
     or more rest days under the provisions of this act. In case of
     public celebrations, riots, serious conflagration, floods, times
     of war, pestilence or such emergencies, the chief engineer in
     charge of the bureau of fire or the assistant chief deputy or
     chief officer in charge at any fire, shall have the power to
     assign all members of the fire protection forces to continuous
     duty or to continue any members thereof on duty if necessary. No
     member of either said shifts, bodies or platoons shall be
     required to perform any longer day duty than thirty hours of day
     service or forty-two hours of night service in the same calendar
     week, excepting as may be necessary to equalize the hours of
     duty and service, and also excepting in case of emergencies as
     above provided.
        Section 2.  All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith
     are hereby repealed.
        Section 3.  This act shall become effective immediately upon
     its final enactment.