§2541.6. Deputy fire chief; city of DeRidder; competitive appointment

            A.(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the governing authority of the city of DeRidder may create, by ordinance, the position of deputy fire chief in accordance with the provisions of this Section. The position shall be filled on a competitive basis from a list of eligibles as provided for in R.S.33:2551, and the right of selection, appointment, supervision, and discharge for such position shall be vested in the fire chief, subject to approval of the appointing authority. The position of deputy fire chief is not the same as the position of assistant fire chief.

            (2) The governing authority shall establish the duties and responsibilities of the deputy fire chief in the ordinance creating the position. Such duties and responsibilities may include direct supervision over all positions in the classified service below the rank of fire chief.

            B.(1) The deputy fire chief shall not have less than seven years of full time fire service experience with the DeRidder Fire Department.

            (2) Any person who holds the position of deputy fire chief may, while holding such position, apply for admission to the promotional examination for the class next higher than that from which he was appointed as deputy fire chief. However, the name and score of any deputy fire chief shall not be certified to the appointing authority by the civil service board as eligible for appointment to a position of the promotional class; his name and score shall be eligible for certification, in accordance with the maximum period for which a name may remain on the eligibility list in accordance with the provisions of this Part, only upon demotion to a position of the class from which he was appointed as deputy fire chief.

            (3) Eligibility for admission to the competitive test for the position of deputy fire chief shall be limited to members of the DeRidder Fire Department.

            C. Any person who is appointed from a position in the classified fire service to serve as deputy fire chief shall not forfeit his seniority accumulated to the date of his appointment, and he shall continue to accumulate seniority in accordance with the provisions of this Part during the time he holds the position of deputy fire chief.

            D. If a deputy fire chief is subjected to corrective or disciplinary action, he shall have the same rights as any other employee in the municipal fire and police civil service.

            Acts 2016, No. 284, §1.