[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Tinicum 9-17-1979 by Ord. No. 534. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Includes any structure or building in which it is intended
or likely that people will dwell or habitate and shall specifically
include any structure or building in which it is intended or likely
that people will sleep. By way of illustration, but without limitation,
the term shall include single-family residences, duplexes, apartment
houses, condominiums, hotels, motels and boardinghouses.
Includes any person, firm, association, group or corporation,
and includes the plural as well as the singular.
[Amended 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 617]
A.
Before any person shall occupy, inhabit or use any
dwelling or part thereof in the Township of Tinicum as owner, and
before any person being the owner shall lease or let or release or
re-let any dwelling or part thereof to any other person, such owner
shall install or cause to be installed therein a smoke detector system
meeting the specifications outlined herein and shall obtain a certificate
from the Fire Marshal of the Township of Tinicum certifying that said
smoke detector system has been installed and meets the specifications
and requirements of this chapter.
B.
The fee for obtaining said certificate shall be $5
and shall be payable to the Township of Tinicum.
C.
In addition, the Fire Marshal or such other person
as the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Tinicum may from
time to time designate shall, every two years, make an inspection
of all hotels and motels in the Township of Tinicum to determine whether
the smoke detection system contained therein meets the requirements
of this chapter.
D.
The fee for said inspection shall be $2.50 for each
room in each said hotel or motel being inspected.
In order for a smoke detector system to meet
the requirements of this chapter, the following shall be required:
A.
The system shall have individual smoke sensors and
audible alarms located in or near each room or portion of the dwelling
where it is intended or likely that people will sleep.
B.
The system, at each such location, shall be capable
of generating an audible alarm of sufficient loudness to alert sleeping
persons.
C.
The system shall be sufficiently sensitive to smoke
so as to sound an alarm upon the presence of a level of smoke which
would be detectable by ordinary human senses.
D.
The system, if powered by electricity, shall be primarily
or secondarily powered by battery and shall be constructed so as to
give off a continuous audible or visual signal when its batteries
require replacement or recharge.
Any smoke detection system installed pursuant
to this chapter shall be maintained in good working order so long
as the building or structure in which it is located is maintained
or used as a dwelling. "Good working order" shall include batteries
with sufficient charge or power to sound an alarm meeting the requirements
of this chapter.
Whenever any person is aggrieved by the decision
of the Fire Marshal or such other designated person, such person may,
within 10 days therefrom, take an appeal to the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Tinicum. Such appeal shall set forth the decision
of the Fire Marshal, or such other designated person, and the exception
thereto; and if such person desires to appear and be heard, he shall
be, provided that the appeal filed so states. The decision of the
Board of Commissioners of the Township of Tinicum shall be final.
A person who, after the effective date of this chapter, occupies, inhabits or uses any dwelling or part thereof in the Township of Tinicum as owner or who, being the owner, shall lease or let or re-lease or re-let any dwelling or part thereof to any other person without having installed therein a smoke detector system which meets the requirements of §§ 292-3 and 292-4 hereof, and without having obtained the certificate from the Fire Marshal as designated in § 292-2 hereof, shall be in violation of this chapter and shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to pay for each and every offense a fine of not more than $600, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days. Whenever such person shall have been notified by the Fire Marshal, or such other designated person or official of the Township of Tinicum, or by service of summons in a prosecution, that he is committing such violation of this chapter, each day in which he shall continue such violation after such notification shall constitute a separate offense punishable by a like fine or penalty.
Such fines or penalties shall be collected as
like fines or penalties are now or may hereafter by law be collected.
The requirements of this chapter shall be deemed
to be in addition to the requirements of any other federal, state
or local law, ordinance or rule which deals with smoke, fire or other
safety alarms or systems.
