[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Springfield 5-14-1980 by Ord. No. 696.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Outdoor burning — See Ch. 16.
Emergency Services Board — See Ch. 26.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 36.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 34, Fire Department, adopted 2-11-1959 by Ord. No. 439, as amended.
The Fire Department of Springfield Township shall consist of the Flourtown Fire Company, the Wyndmoor Hose Company and the Oreland Fire Company and any additional companies as the Board of Township Commissioners may from time to time receive into the Department. Each fire company shall have one vote in all Fire Department matters.
The Fire Department may recommend rules and regulations covering the following matters, but such rules and regulations shall not be effective until submitted to and approved by the Board of Commissioners:
A. 
Prevention of fires.
B. 
Storage and use of explosives and flammables.
C. 
Installation and maintenance of fire alarm systems.
D. 
Inspection and regulation of fire escapes and exits from all buildings where a number of persons work or congregate.
E. 
The investigation of the cause, origin or circumstance of fires.
F. 
The establishment of fire drills in educational or other establishments.
G. 
Determining the number and location of fire hydrants.
H. 
The inspection of all fire-fighting equipment.
I. 
The institution of classes in fire fighting.
J. 
Elimination of fire hazards.
K. 
Procedure for dispatching fire companies.
[Added 12-14-1983 by Ord. No. 718]
The Board of Commissioners of Springfield Township does hereby authorize the Fire Department and all its members to perform the following duties:
A. 
To fight fires.
B. 
To identify and remove fire hazards.
C. 
To inspect buildings to determine whether fire hazards exist.
D. 
To assist in the removal or salvage of all property of any type which has been subject to windstorms, floods, wrecks, fires or other catastrophes.
E. 
To assist in the maintenance and repair of any buildings or real estate or other property owned by the said volunteer fire companies or property owned by the Township of Springfield which is being utilized or operated by said companies.
F. 
To assist with emergency management services (civil defense) programs.
G. 
To attend and participate in fire/training schools, exhibitions or programs whether held in the township or elsewhere.
H. 
To assist in the maintenance of fire alarm systems or fire hydrants.
I. 
To assist in the rescue of persons or animals.
J. 
To participate in fund-raising activities.
K. 
To participate in parades, either in the township or in a community within a twenty-mile radius of the Township Building or at such other locations as may be approved by the Board of Township Commissioners.
L. 
To participate in water rescues.
M. 
To use Fire Department equipment to pump out basements in residential or commercial properties during an emergency.
N. 
To assist in fire prevention.
O. 
To respond to out-of-the-jurisdiction calls pursuant to mutual aid agreements.
P. 
To travel to and from any of the above activities, either on foot or in any type of vehicle.
Q. 
To review proposed subdivision/land development plans and to recommend, in an advisory capacity to the Board of Commissioners, changes or modifications to the plans that will facilitate access for fire equipment.
[Added 4-12-1989 by Ord. No. 766]
R. 
To recommend to the Board of Commissioners amendments that will improve and strengthen Building Code provisions in the interest of fire prevention and public safety.
[Added 4-12-1989 by Ord. No. 766]
S. 
To provide interdepartment response among and between the fire departments located within Springfield Township. The responding firefighter must be 18 years of age or older. Once the responding firefighter is identified as a member of a fire department within Springfield Township, the officer in charge of the dispatched fire company may choose to accept the assistance. All interdepartment responses shall be from the dispatched fire station, excepting chief officers.
[Added 7-13-2011 by Ord. No. 913]
The Township Commissioners shall appoint an officer to be known as the Fire Marshal of Springfield Township, whose duties shall be as hereinafter described.
The Fire Marshal shall:
A. 
Act as the operating agent for the Fire Department.
B. 
Enforce all laws, ordinances and regulations pertaining to fires.
C. 
Render a monthly report to the Fire Department.
D. 
Make periodic inspections as required by the Fire Department.
E. 
Serve notices required by the Fire Department regulations.
F. 
Issue permits as may be required by the Fire Department regulations.
G. 
In such cases and to such extent and manner as he deems it in the interest of public safety to do so, restrict and regulate the parking of motor vehicles anywhere in the township for the purpose of providing proper egress by occupants in case of fire and the ingress of fire equipment; but to become effective only upon resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the township.
H. 
Review, for fire prevention purposes, permit applications for new buildings and significant additions or renovations to existing buildings.
[Added 4-12-1989 by Ord. No. 766]
Representatives of the Flourtown, Oreland and Wyndmoor Fire Companies and any additional fire companies as the Board of Commissioners may from time to time receive into the Department will be represented on the Springfield Township Emergency Services Board.
The Township Commissioners may appropriate annually to each fire company which is a member of the Fire Department of Springfield Township such sum or sums as may be in the judgment of the Township Commissioners considered proper. Any such appropriations may be made upon and subject to such conditions as the Township Commissioners may deem proper to impose.
A. 
The Board of Commissioners shall establish areas within the Township of Springfield limiting the solicitation of the public for financial support on the part of the several fire companies to the designated fire company for such area. It is hereby established as such areas the following districts which are described in relationship to, but not necessarily coterminous with, political districts, and the several fire companies are hereby limited in the solicitation as aforesaid to the districts described as follows:
(1) 
Flourtown Fire Company: all of Political Districts 1-1, 1-2, 4-1, 4-2 and 6-1.
(2) 
Oreland Fire Company: all of Political Districts 3-1, 3-2, 6-2 and 7-2.
(3) 
Wyndmoor Hose Company: all of Political Districts 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 5-1, 5-2 and 7-1.
B. 
Should any fire company solicit in other than the area designated for it as aforesaid, the Board of Township Commissioners may withhold any part or all of the appropriations for such fire company as provided for in § 34-6 of this chapter.
The Board of Township Commissioners shall cause to be prepared a directory indicating every location in the township and the order in which each of the aforesaid fire companies shall be called for the purpose of fire fighting. Each of the fire companies shall abide by the aforesaid directory. The Fire Department may be called upon by the Board of Township Commissioners to assist in the preparation of said directory. Fire fighting by township fire companies outside of township boundary lines shall be regulated by mutual aid agreements subject to the approval of the Board of Township Commissioners and as specified in the fire directory. Fire companies may also be dispatched to locations outside of township boundary lines if a call for assistance is received by a responsible agency operating within the municipality where the fire is located.
A. 
Any and all persons, firms or corporations which shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter or fail to comply with any order or regulation made hereunder shall, upon conviction therefor before a District Justice, be sentenced to pay the costs of prosecution and a fine not exceeding $1,000.
[Amended 7-13-1988 by Ord. No. 756]
B. 
The imposition of one fine for any violation of this chapter shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time; and when not otherwise specified, each 10 days that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense. The applications of the fine, however, shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions.
C. 
As to the violation of any persons, firms or corporations of restrictions or regulations on parking as provided for in § 34-4G, the Fire Marshal may, prior to prosecuting by summary proceedings as hereinbefore provided, cause notice to be given of the offense by either handing to the offending operator or by affixing securely to the motor vehicle in question a ticket on which he has noted the time and place of the offense, the nature of the offense and the license registration of the motor vehicle in question, and bearing the statement that no prosecution shall be instituted for 48 hours thereafter and that if during said forty-eight-hour period the offender shall voluntarily appear at the office of the Police Department of the township, 1510 Paper Mill Road, Wyndmoor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and voluntarily enter a plea of guilty and pay a fine of $6 to the township, then no prosecution for such offense shall thereafter be brought. The Chief of Police and the Township Secretary are hereby authorized to assist the Fire Marshal in preparing a ticket in the form prescribed in this subsection and in causing a suitable number of such tickets to be printed for use by the Fire Marshal or the police officers of the township, whom the Fire Marshal is hereby authorized to have assist him in enforcing the provisions of this chapter.