Fire Safety

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances ch. 104

in effect

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-1 Power to Tear Down Buildings to Check Fire.

104-1. Power to Tear Down Buildings to Check Fire. The chief engineer and his assistants may direct the firemen to remove, tear down, or otherwise dispose of any building, erection or fence, when it shall become absolutely necessary to do so for the purpose of stopping or checking the progress of the fire.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-3 Fires in Neighboring Municipalities and Beyond County Limits.

104-3. Fires in Neighboring Municipalities and Beyond County Limits. 1. In case of a fire or other emergency in any municipality of the county of Milwaukee, the chief engineer of the fire department may, in his discretion, permit or direct any officer or member of the fire department to go to the fire or other emergency with or without an engine or other fire apparatus under his or their care, provided, that previously thereto arrangements shall have been made satisfactory to the mayor and the chief of the fire department for the payment of a specified consideration for the use of such engines or other apparatus. 2. The chief of the fire department may send equipment and personnel in excess of that which is specified in the reciprocal fire service agreements to other municipalities when such aid is requested. The fee specified in s. 81-52.5 shall be charged to any city, town or village for every engine (pumper), truck (hook & ladder), rescue squad, water tower, water tank truck, special equipment, or wrecker, together with its regularly assigned personnel, which may be requested by the respective municipality which is in excess of that determined by thechief of the Milwaukee fire department to be the amount eligible for reciprocal fire service or a no-charge basis. 3. The chief engineer shall also have the power to grant permission to any officer or member of the fire department to go with or without any engine or other fire apparatus to any municipality of the county for civil defense exercises, demonstrations, or training, and to be absent such lengths of time as he may direct. 4. The chief engineer shall also have the power to grant permission to any officer or member of the fire department to go with or without any engine or other fire apparatus beyond the limits of the county of Milwaukee for civil defense exercises, demonstrations, or training, or for fire fighting purposes, disasters, or other emergencies, to be absent such length of time as he may direct; and any officer who shall take, permit or suffer any engine or other fire apparatus under his charge to be taken beyond the limits of the county of Milwaukee without such order or permission shall for each offense forfeit a penalty of not less than $10 nor exceeding $25.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-5 Interference with Fire Department While Making Inspections.

104-5. Interference with Fire Department While Making Inspections. Any person interfering with any inspection made in accordance with the laws of the state of Wisconsin by the chief engineer of the fire department or the officers or members of the fire department shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $25, or by imprisonment in the house of correction of Milwaukee county for a period of not exceeding 30 days.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-7 False Alarm; Meddling with Apparatus.

104-7. False Alarm; Meddling with Apparatus. 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to give, or cause to be given a false alarm, with intent to deceive, or to pull the lever of any signal box, except in accordance with regulations established for its use, or to tamper, meddle, or to interfere in any way with said boxes, or any part thereof, or to cut, injure, break, deface, or remove any of said boxes, or any of the wires or supports thereof connected with any part of said system; or to make any connection or communication therewith so as to interrupt or interfere with the proper working of said system, or with evil intent to injure, break or destroy any machinery or fixtures connected with said systems. a. Any person guilty of the violation of any of the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined a sum not less than $100, nor more than $500, or by imprisonment in the house of correction for not less than 30 days, nor more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court, with costs of prosecution. b. Conviction for repetition of the violation of any of the provisions of this section shall make imprisonment mandatory for a period of not less than 30 days, nor more than one year, and may be further fined a sum of not less than $100, nor more than $500, for each offense, at the discretion of the court, with costs of prosecution.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-9 Driving Over Fire Hose Prohibited.

104-9. Driving Over Fire Hose Prohibited. If any wagon, car, street railway car, or other vehicle be driven over the hose belonging to the fire department of the city of Milwaukee, laid in the streets at the occurrence of any fire in the city, or at any alarm of fire, the driver or owner or drivers of such vehicle shall be subject to prosecution, and upon conviction shall be fined in any sum not exceeding $25 for the first offense, and upon any subsequent conviction for the same offense shall be subject to a fine of not more than $50, in the discretion of the court, with the cost of prosecution.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-10 Placing Snow Near Fire Hydrant Prohibited.

104-10. Placing Snow Near Fire Hydrant Prohibited. 1. PROHIBITED. It shall be unlawful for any person to shovel, blow, pile, plow or otherwise place snow or ice into an area within 3 feet of a fire hydrant. 2. EXCEPTION. This provision shall not apply to operators of mechanical equipment removing snow from the public way under the authority of the commissioner of public works. 3. PENALTY. Any person convicted of violating this section shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each violation, and in default of payment thereof shall be imprisoned as provided by law.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-11 Fire Training Course for Key Hotel Employes.

104-11. Fire Training Course for Key Hotel Employes. 1. COMPULSORY. The manager, owner or person in charge of any hotel in the city of Milwaukee shall require such number of key persons employed by such hotels as may be designated by the chief engineer of the fire department to enroll and complete within 60 days after the commencement of their employment a course of instruction in fire drills and the use of fire extinguishers and other fire fighting appliances with the Milwaukee fire department. The facilities of the training school of the Milwaukee fire department shall be utilized for such training purposes and the extent of any training course shall be determined by the chief engineer of the fire department. 2. PENALTY. It shall be unlawful for the manager, owner or person in charge of any hotel in the city of Milwaukee to employ any key persons mentioned in this section who fail to comply with the provisions of this section, and any manager, owner or person in charge violating this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100 for each and every offense or by imprisonment in the county jail or house of correction for a period of not less than 10 days nor more than 90 days. Each day that any such person shall be employed after the expiration of 60 days without enrolling and completing such training course shall constitute a separate offense.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-13 Fire Drills in Public, Private or Parochial Schools.

104-13. Fire Drills in Public, Private or Parochial Schools. 1. REQUIRED. The person having direct charge of any public, private or parochial school shall, at least once each month without previous warning, drill all pupils in the proper method of departure from the building as if in case of fire. The provisions of this section shall be observed except when, in the judgment of the principal or person having such direct charge, he shall deem that the health of the pupils may be endangered by inclement weather conditions. 2. REPORT. The principal or person having direct charge of any public, private or parochial school shall annually render a brief concise report pertaining to the drills provided for in this section on forms furnished by the Milwaukee fire department. Such report shall be submitted to the chief of the fire department.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 104-15 Obstructing Firemen or Policemen.

104-15. Obstructing Firemen or Policemen. Any person who shall willfully hinder, obstruct or otherwise interfere with the fire or police department, or any member thereof, while engaged in fighting a fire or in traveling thereto or therefrom, or while otherwise engaged in the performance of his duty or any official function, or who shall willfully damage or destroy property belonging to the fire or police department, or any member thereof, while so engaged, or who shall commit an assault, battery, or throw any object which could inflict bodily harm upon a member of the fire or police department while so engaged, shall forfeit not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), and in default thereof be imprisoned in the house of correction for a period of not less than 90 days nor more than six months.

Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/Master-V1.pdf#page=457Fetched: 10/26/2026