In vanilla heretic, is the firemace one time use only? As in you pick it up and does not respawn like the ring of invulnerability and shadowsphere?

IIRC it is <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->.

Also only one can appear in a map there goes my firemace ctf defenses

In zdaemon, a bug there seems to keep the firemace where it is. Does not go away. So you can pick it up indefinitely.