All cities having a paid fire department shall have one full-time fire chief who shall supervise and administer the fire department in accordance with the policies and procedures prescribed by the governing body or by the city manager. The fire department shall be under the direction and control of the fire chief who shall not serve as fire chief and also as police chief, city manager, mayor or any other position that impairs the ability to perform the duties of a fire chief. The fire chief, whether permanent or interim, of any paid municipal fire department shall have had at least three (3) years' actual experience as a paid fire fighter before assuming the position of fire chief. It shall be the duty of the fire chief to file the appropriate activity report forms with the Office of the State Fire Marshal in Oklahoma City on an annual basis. The activity report forms shall be designed by the State Fire Marshal and shall include, but not be limited to, the amount of property and vehicle fire loss, types of fires, inspections and investigations. The report shall include notification of all fire-related civilian deaths and injuries in the respective jurisdiction and of fire fighter deaths in the line of duty and of fire fighter injuries in the line of duty requiring the services of a hospital or physician or both.

Added by Laws 1977, c. 256, § 29-102, eff. July 1, 1978. Amended by Laws 1980, c. 250, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1980; Laws 1982, c. 83, § 1; Laws 1986, c. 190, § 4, operative July 1, 1986; Laws 1990, c. 16, § 1, emerg. eff. March 29, 1990; Laws 2009, c. 435, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Laws 2014, c. 281, § 1, emerg. eff. May 12, 2014.