Section 102.01

This standard shall apply to all members of the Vegreville Fire Department to conduct their official duties in a manner that serves the public interest and realize that they inherit a tradition of excellence from the past and present.

II. Code of Conduct:

As a basic condition of membership, all members of the Vegreville Fire Department have an obligation to conduct their official duties in a manner that serves the public interest, upholds the public trust and protects the department’s resources and professional image. To this end all members have the responsibility to:

A. Perform their duties to the very best of their abilities and in a manner that is efficient, is cost effective and meets the needs of the public.

B. Demonstrates integrity, honesty and ethical behavior in the conduct of all department business.

C. Ensure that personal interests do not come in conflict with official duties and avoid both actual conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest, with dealing with vendors, customers and other individuals doing business or seeking to do business with the department.

D. Ensure that all department resources including funds, equipment, vehicles and other property are used in strict compliance with department policies and solely for the benefit of the department.

E. Conduct all dealings with the public, town employees, mayor and council and other organizations in a manner that presents a courteous, professional and service-orientated image of the department.

F. Treat the public and other employees fairly and equitably without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other factor unrelated to the department’s business.

G. Avoid any behavior that could fall under the definition of misconduct in the disciplinary section of this manual.

H. Report for duty only when called upon, fully equipped, fit and able to perform assignments.

I. Ensure that their activities and decisions pertaining to community services, personal actions and the management of public funds are consistent with the department’s policies and practices.

A. The department has a long and proud history. This heritage of dedication and unselfish sacrifice has accumulated over a century of service. Each member of the department inherits this tradition of excellence from the past and now. It is the actions of the current members that will shape how the department will be viewed in the present and in the future.

B. All members are held to a certain code of ethics and standard of behavior to which compliance is both expected and mandatory. Non-compliance with this code may result in disciplinary action which could include termination. This code affirms the department’s commitment to uphold the highest moral and ethical standards.

C. While it is sometimes difficult to apply general principals to specific situations there are, however, some basic questions department members can ask themselves before committing to a course of action.

2. Is it consistent with guidelines - do I know what the guidelines are and have I assessed the risks or effects.

3. Is it the right thing to do – what would the action make me feel if my decision was published in a newspaper? Would I feel good if my family knew about my decision or action?

D. All members are encouraged to discuss unclear or borderline situations with their officers and peers as the needs arise in order to determine what is the proper action or decision to make. Following a true moral compass is important, not only for success in the fire service, but in life situations as well.

E. Members are expected to be sincerely interested in and dedicated to the job and show compassion for those whose lives have been affected by crisis.

F. The member’s responsibility extends beyond fighting fire and other easily identifiable duties. They must be loyal to the department and fellow members while insisting their peers act in accordance with this code.

H. Members must be aggressive in the pursuit of all education and training opportunities.

I. Members are expected to be the type of person who inspires confidence and respect, while being able to accept criticism and praise graciously.

J. Members must not use their association with the department to obtain personal gain by accepting gifts, payments or loans from those individual, groups or companies that does or is seeking to do business with the department.