As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Those vehicles which are defined and authorized as such under
the laws of the State of New Jersey.
Any roadway accessible to the public for vehicular traffic,
including but not limited to private streets or access lanes as well
as all public streets and highways within the boundaries of the municipality.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
The Township of Bloomfield hereby adopts the
New Jersey State Uniform Fire Code, N.J.A.C. 5:70, pursuant to the
Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq.
It shall be unlawful to interfere with, attempt
to interfere with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or restrict
the mobility of or block the path of travel of any Fire Department
emergency vehicle in any way or to interfere with, attempt to interfere
with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or hamper any Fire Department
operation.
A person shall not willfully fail or refuse
to comply with any lawful order or direction of the Fire Official
or interfere with the compliance attempts of another individual.
A vehicle shall not be driven or propelled over
any unprotected fire hose of the Fire Department when laid down on
any street, alleyway, private drive or any other vehicular roadway
without the consent of the Fire Chief in command of said operation.
Upon the approach of any authorized emergency
vehicle giving audible and visual signal, the operator of every other
vehicle shall immediately drive the same to a position as near as
possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the street
or roadway, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in
such position until the authorized emergency vehicle or vehicles shall
have passed, unless otherwise directed by the Fire Chief or a police
officer.
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any
vehicle, other than one on official business, to follow closer than
300 feet to any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm
or to drive any vehicle within the block or immediate area where fire
apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
A person shall not, without proper authorization
from the Fire Chief in charge of said Fire Department emergency equipment,
cling to, attach himself to, climb upon or into, board or swing upon
any Fire Department emergency vehicle, whether the same is in motion
or at rest, or sound the siren, horn, bell or other sound-producing
device thereon or manipulate or tamper with or attempt to manipulate
or tamper with any levers, valves, switches, starting devices, brakes,
pumps or any equipment or protective clothing on or a part of any
Fire Department emergency vehicle.
It shall be unlawful for any person to damage
or deface or attempt or conspire to damage or deface any Fire Department
emergency vehicle at any time or to injure or attempt to injure or
conspire to injure Fire Department personnel while performing departmental
duties.
A.
The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in § 239-7 of this article, shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights on or disobey any existing traffic regulations, except when said vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not upon returning from, a fire. Tactical strategies, such as but not restricted to move-ups, do not constitute an emergency call. The driver of an emergency vehicle may:
(1)
Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of existing
traffic regulations.
(2)
Proceed past a red or stop signal or other sign, but
only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation.
(3)
Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as the
action does not endanger life or property.
(4)
Disregard regulations governing direction of movement
or turning in specified directions.
B.
The exemptions herein granted to an emergency vehicle
shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle, while in motion,
sounds an audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle, as may
be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at
least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal
atmospheric conditions at a distance of 500 feet from the front of
such vehicle.
A.
It shall be unlawful to obscure from view, damage,
deface, obstruct or restrict the access to any fire hydrant or any
Fire Department connection for the pressurization of fire-suppression
systems, including fire hydrants and Fire Department connections that
are located on public or private streets and access lanes or on private
property.
B.
Any Fire Department member encountering a violation of Subsection A above shall issue a notice of violation and order to pay any penalty in the amount determined by the Fire Official. Said penalties will be forwarded to the Finance Department and applied to the Fines and Penalty Account for the Uniform Fire Code.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
C.
If, upon the expiration of the time mentioned in a
notice of violation, obstructions or encroachments are not removed,
the Fire Official shall proceed to remove the same. Costs incurred
in the performance of necessary work shall be paid from the Municipal
Treasury on certificate of the Fire Official and with the approval
of the chief administrative official, and the legal authority of the
municipality shall institute appropriate action for the recovery of
such costs.
A person shall not use or operate any fire hydrant
intended for the use of the Fire Department for fire-suppression purposes
unless such person first secures permission from the Fire Official
and obtains a permit from the Engineering Department. This section
shall not apply to the use of such hydrants by a person employed by
and authorized to make such use by the water company having jurisdiction.
The Fire Official shall recommend to the chief
administrative official of the municipality the location or relocation
of new or existing fire hydrants and the placement or replacement
of inadequate water mains located upon public property and deemed
necessary to provide an adequate fire flow and distribution pattern.
A fire hydrant shall not be placed into or removed from service until
approved by the Fire Chief.
All new and existing shipyards, oil storage
plants, lumberyards, amusement or exhibition parks and educational
or institutional complexes and similar occupancies and uses involving
high fire or life hazards and which are located more than 150 feet
from a public street or which require quantities of water beyond the
capabilities of the public water distribution system shall be provided
with properly placed fire hydrants. Such fire hydrants shall be capable
of supplying fire flows as required by the Fire Official and shall
be connected to a water system in accordance with accepted engineering
practices. The Fire Official shall designate and approve the number
and location of the fire hydrants. The Fire Official may require the
installation of sufficient fire hose and equipment housed in accordance
with the approved rules and may require the establishment of trained
fire brigade when the hazard involved requires such measures. Private
hydrants shall not be placed into or removed from service until approved
by the Fire Official.
A person shall not obstruct, remove, tamper
with or otherwise disturb any fire hydrant or fire appliance required
to be installed or maintained under the provisions of the Fire Prevention
Code except for the purpose of extinguishing fires, training or testing
purposes, recharging or making necessary repairs or when permitted
by the Fire Official. Whenever a fire appliance is removed as herein
permitted, it shall be replaced or reinstalled as soon as the purpose
for which it was removed has been accomplished. Defective and nonapproved
fire appliances or equipment shall be replaced or repaired as directed
by the Fire Official.
A person shall not sell, trade, loan or give
away any form, type or kind of fire extinguisher which is not approved
by the Fire Official or which is not in proper working order, or the
contents of which do not meet the requirements of the Fire Official.
The requirements of this section shall not apply to the sale, trade
or exchange of obsolete or damaged equipment for junk when said units
are permanently disfigured or marked with a permanent sign identifying
the unit as junk.
A person or persons shall not erect, construct,
place or maintain any bumps, fences, gates, chains, bars, pipes, wood
or metal horses or any other type of obstruction in or on any street
within the boundaries of the municipality.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to identify
and mark buildings of truss-type construction in order to safeguard
the occupants and emergency personnel in the event of fire or other
hazardous conditions.
B.
Scope. The provisions of this section shall apply
to the owner/occupant of any building or structure of truss-type construction
as determined by the Fire Official.
C.
BUILDING/STRUCTURE
FIRE OFFICIAL
OWNER/OCCUPANCY
TRUSS-TYPE CONSTRUCTION
Definitions. As used in this section, the following
terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or
occupancy, including but not limited to commercial, residential, governmental,
educational and any other place of public assembly.
The Township of Bloomfield Fire Official or their designated
representative, as defined in N.J.A.C. 5:70 et seq., Uniform Fire
Code.
Any natural person or individual or any firm, partnership,
association, limited partnership, sole proprietorship, corporation
or any other business entity or any government agency or entity.
A "truss" is a single plane framework or individual structural
members connected at their ends to form a series of triangles to span
a distance greater than would be possible with any of the individual
members on their own.
D.
General regulations.
(1)
This section shall be enforced by the Fire Official
as required by the Mayor and the Council.
(2)
Upon inspection and identification of a building of
such truss-type construction, the owner/occupant shall be notified
by the Fire Official of the requirements of this section in accordance
with the Uniform Fire Code of the State of New Jersey.
(3)
Upon written notification, the owner/occupant will
be required to make application to permanently affix to structures
with truss construction an emblem approved by the Fire Official.
(a)
The emblem shall be a bright and reflective
color made of reflective material and shall be the shape of an isosceles
triangle; the size shall be 12 inches horizontally by six inches vertically.
The following letters of size and color to make them conspicuous shall
be painted on the emblem:
(b)
The identification signs shall be properly installed
within 10 days after written notice. The identification signs will
be supplied by the Fire Prevention Bureau. The owner shall be responsible
for permanently affixing the signs to the building.
(4)
The owner/occupant shall be required to maintain the
approved identification logo at the designated locations on the building,
and missing or damaged identification logos will be reported to the
Fire Official immediately. The replacement cost shall be the responsibility
of the owner/occupant. Replacement must be made within 10 days of
written notice from the Fire Official. Approved identification logos
are available from the Fire Official.
F.
Penalties. Penalties shall be assessed in accordance
with the Uniform Fire Code, State of New Jersey, N.J.A.C. 5:70.
All violations and penalties conform with the
State of New Jersey Uniform Fire Code.
