[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the Town of Dover 9-11-1979 as Ord. No. 24-1979. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Alarm systems — See Ch. 101.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 189.
Housing standards — See Ch. 217.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM SIGNAL
An audible signal indicating a fire condition.
APPROVED RATING ORGANIZATION
Any of the following rating organizations:
A. 
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
B. 
Factory Mutual Research Corporation.
C. 
National Bureau of Standards.
D. 
National Fire Protection Association.
HEAT DETECTOR
An instrument meeting specifications set forth in Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Standard 217-77 for the detection of abnormal rise in temperature.
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT
All or any part of any structure utilized for human habitation.
SEPARATE SLEEPING AREA
Bedrooms or sleeping areas of a dwelling unit separated by use areas other than bedrooms, such as a kitchen or living room, or bedrooms or sleeping areas located on separate floors.
SMOKE DETECTOR
An instrument meeting specifications set forth in Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Standard 217-77 for the detection of ionized gases or product of combustion produced by burning or smoldering materials.
TROUBLE SIGNAL
An indication distinctive from the alarm signal warning of a malfunction or failure of the system.
An automatic smoke or heat detector, meeting the standards and conditions herein, shall be installed and thereafter maintained in full operating condition in any existing one-family attached or detached dwelling, hotel, motel, boardinghouse, multiple-family dwelling and any other type of dwelling existing in the Town of Dover.
A. 
Alarm-sounding system. Each detection device shall cause the operation of an alarm which shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms or living areas over background noise levels with all intervening doors closed. The tests of audibility level shall be conducted with all household equipment, which may be in operation at night, in full operation. Examples of such equipment are window air conditioners and room humidifiers.
B. 
Power supply.
(1) 
A/C primary power supply.
(a) 
An A/C primary power source of electrical power use shall be a dependable commercial light and power supply source and shall be provided with a visual power indicator.
(b) 
A cord-connected installation is acceptable, provided that the installation makes use of a receptacle not subject to loss of power by a wall switch. A restraining means shall be provided at the plug in.
(c) 
Neither loss nor restoration of power shall cause an alarm signal.
(2) 
Monitored battery primary source. Smoke detectors may be powered by a battery, provided that the battery is monitored to assure that the following conditions are met:
(a) 
All power requirements are met for at least one years' life, including routine testing.
(b) 
A distinctive audible trouble signal is given before the battery is incapable (from aging, terminal corrosion and other causes) of operating a device for alarm purposes.
(c) 
For a unit employing a lock-in alarm feature, automatic transfer is provided from alarm to a trouble condition. If a unit does not have a lock-in feature, automatic transfer alarm to trouble is not required.
(d) 
The unit is capable of providing an alarm signal for at least four minutes at the battery voltage at which a trouble signal is normally obtained, followed by seven days of trouble operation.
(e) 
The audible trouble signal is produced at least once every minute for seven consecutive days.
(3) 
Combination system.
(a) 
When common wiring is employed for a combination system, the equipment for other than the fire warning signal system shall be connected to the common wiring of the system so that short circuits, open circuits, grounds or other faults in the equipment or interconnection between the equipment and the fire warning system wiring shall not interfere with either the supervision of the fire warning system or prevent alarm or trouble signal operation.
(b) 
In a combination system, a fire signal shall take precedence or be clearly recognizable over any other signal even when the nonfire alarm system is initiated first. Distinctive alarm signals shall be obtained between fire alarm and other functions such as burglar alarms.
(4) 
Control equipment.
(a) 
The control equipment shall be automatically restoring on restoration of electrical power.
(b) 
The control equipment shall be of a type that lock in on an alarm condition. Smoke detectors circuits need not lock in.
(c) 
Any reset switch shall be sold restoring.
(d) 
No detector shall be equipped with an alarm silencing switch unless its silenced position is indicated by a readily apparent signal.
(e) 
Smoke detectors may be tested by subjecting the unit to smoke instead of a test button or component.
(5) 
Detection circuits.
(a) 
The detectors circuit shall be such that a break in the wiring shall not cause an alarm signal, but shall cause an audible trouble signal, using either a closed loop detecting circuit or normally open contact detectors with end of line resistor or equivalent.
(b) 
All wiring shall be installed with accordance to the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code of the State of New Jersey.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 150, Construction Codes, Uniform.
(6) 
Laboratory approval. Any such detector shall bear a seal, tested and listed by an approved rating organization, and shall comply in design to all state and federal requirements.
A. 
Detectors shall be installed to protect each separate sleeping area in any dwelling occupied by a single family at a location between the bedrooms and other use areas. Detectors shall be installed to protect inhabitants of each dwelling unit in a hotel, motel, boardinghouse, multiple-family dwelling or similar dwelling, at a location between the bedrooms and other use areas in the dwelling unit.
B. 
The detectors shall be mounted in the ceiling and at the point between walls of a hallway or stairway as the case may be.
C. 
A smoke detector installed at the head of stairs shall be so located as to ensure that smoke rising in that stairwell cannot be prevented from reaching the detector by an intervening obstruction.
D. 
Where a ceiling is open joists or beams, the detector shall be mounted on the bottom of a joist or beam.
E. 
In buildings having basements and cellars, an additional smoke detector shall be installed in basements or cellars in an area approved by the authority having jurisdiction.
In any residential dwelling of any kind, whether single-family or multiple-family, where the dwelling units are customarily occupied by tenants for a period of 30 days or longer, the tenant shall inspect and test, weekly, smoke detectors installed in the dwelling units occupied by such tenants. Any malfunctions of the device, battery power loss or other problem shall be reported immediately to the landlord, both verbally and in writing.
A. 
Any person, purchaser under installment contract, partnership, corporation or other legal entity who or which owns or purports to own any building or structure or complex of buildings or structures within the Town of Dover, in which there is rented or offered for rent housing space for living or dwelling purposes under written or oral lease, shall file between January 1 and January 31 of each year beginning the year 1980, with the appropriate Housing Inspection Agency which will forward copies to the Bureau of Fire Prevention within 10 days, a signed certified statement indicating the following information:
(1) 
The name, address and telephone number of the owner of record of the premises.
(2) 
The number and identification marking of each dwelling unit and the street address of each rental premises.
(3) 
A certification whether or not each such dwelling unit is serviced by fully operational smoke detectors as required by this chapter.
B. 
No residential dwelling unit shall be sold, rented or occupied unless and until the residential dwelling unit has been brought into compliance with this section.
C. 
No certificates of habitability shall be issued by the Director of Rehabilitation (housing) unless the applicant shall at first have complied with all of the conditions of this chapter.
A. 
This chapter shall not apply to single-family detached residences occupied by their owner.
B. 
In order to provide adequate safety for the inhabitants of mixed-use nondetached structures, additional detectors shall be so installed as required by the authority having jurisdiction and be interconnected to each and every alarm-sounding system contained within the entire structure as previously set forth in this chapter so as to provide a simultaneous audible alarm to be sounded throughout the entire structure.
This chapter shall be administered by the appropriate Housing Inspection Agency and enforced concurrently by the Housing Inspection Agency and the Bureau of Fire Prevention of the Fire Department of the Town of Dover.
A. 
Any person, partnership, corporation or other legal entity who or which shall violate any provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be subject to one or more of the following: a fine not exceeding $1,000, a term of imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days. Each day shall constitute a separate violation.
B. 
Any person or persons who shall obstruct, remove, tamper, deface or cause to render inoperative or attempt to or conspire to obstruct, remove, tamper, deface or cause to render inoperative any devices covered in this chapter in total or in part thereof, except for the purpose of testing or making necessary repairs or when permitted by the enforcing agencies, shall, upon conviction, be subject to one or more of the following: a fine not exceeding $1,000, a term of imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Chapter 1, General Provisions, Art. I.