[Adopted 2-10-1986 by Ord. No. 1986-2 (Part 10, Ch. 1, Art.
C, of the 1976 Code of Ordinances)]
The fire control measures and regulations as set forth in this
article are hereby adopted for the purposes of controlling conditions
which could impede or interfere with fire-suppression forces.
Words and phrases used in this article shall have the meanings
ascribed in the Fire Prevention Code of the Township.
The Fire Official or duly authorized representative, as may
be in charge at the scene of a fire or other emergency involving the
protection of life and/or property, is empowered to direct such operations
as may be necessary to extinguish or control any suspected or reported
fires, gas leaks, or other hazardous conditions or situations or of
taking any other action necessary in the reasonable performance of
their duty. The Fire Official may prohibit any person, vehicle or
object from approaching the scene and may remove or cause to be removed
from the scene any person, vehicle or object which may impede or interfere
with the operation of the Fire Department. The Fire Official may remove
or cause to be removed any person, vehicle or object from hazardous
areas. All persons ordered to leave a hazardous area shall do so immediately
and shall not reenter the area until authorized to do so by the Fire
Official.
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, 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 to 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 Official in command of said operation.
Authorized emergency vehicles shall be restricted to those which
are defined and authorized under the laws of the commonwealth.
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 Official 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 from
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
Official 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 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.
The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in § 259-15, shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights on or disobey any existing traffic regulation, 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.
A.
The driver of an emergency vehicle may:
(1)
Park
or stand irrespective of the provision 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
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
from a distance of 500 feet to 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.
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. Cost incurred in the performance of necessary
work shall be paid from the funds of the Township on certificate of
the Fire Official and with the approval of the Township, and the Township
shall institute appropriate action for the recovery of such costs.
A person shall not use or operate any fire hydrant intended
for use of the Fire Department for fire-suppression purposes unless
such person first secures a permit for such use from the Fire Official
and the water company having jurisdiction. 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 Manager-Secretary of
the Township 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 Official.
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 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 a 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 fire, 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 Township. The word "street," as used in this article, means
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 Township.
To the extent that any of the provisions of this article are
in conflict with other ordinances or parts of ordinances of the Township,
then, as to the subject matter of this article, this article shall
prevail.
[Added 12-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-28]
Any person who violates any provision of this article shall,
for every such violation, be subject to a fine or penalty of not less
than $50 nor more than $1,000, and costs, and, in default of payment
of fine or penalty and costs, to imprisonment for not more than 30
days, provided the penalty above prescribed in this section shall
not apply to any situation where the act of violation can be prosecuted
under the Vehicle Code[1] or other statute of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
or any state regulation promulgated or adopted by authority of any
statute of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
[Added 2-10-1986 by Res. No. 1986-16]
A.
The respective Fire Chiefs of Eden Fire Company No. 1, Neffsville
Fire Company No. 1, and Southern Manheim Township Fire Company, or
their duly appointed and authorized representatives, are hereby appointed,
pursuant to this article, to act as the Fire Official to be in charge
at the scenes of fire or other emergencies which occur within the
specific geographical areas of the Township where each of their respective
volunteer fire companies provide fire-fighting service.
B.
The appointment and authority of such respective Fire Chiefs as Fire
Officials shall be limited solely to the purposes and requirements
of the Fire Official as set forth in this article, and such Fire Chiefs
are not otherwise appointed and shall have no authority as the Fire
Official provided for in the Fire Prevention Code of the Township
or the remaining sections of this article.
