City of Passaic, NJ Reimbursement for Services and Materials

The City Council of the City of Passaic hereby authorizes the Fire Department to recover the costs of fire-fighting materials used and expended; the costs of the use of the fire trucks, fire engines, rescue equipment, and tankers; the costs of personnel hours and hazardous situation abatement materials involved in any fire, safety and rescue incident or operation, and hazardous abatement incident, including vehicular accidents and fires.

§ 139-19 Schedule of fees and costs.

The following fees and costs shall be charged and invoiced to any person or insurance carrier for whom or for whose property such services were rendered and/or materials provided:

Motor vehicle accidents.

(1)

Level One includes the standard response which includes scene safety and investigation, traffic control, patient and hazard control, cleanup of minor spills of automotive fluids caused by accident: $500.

(2)

Level Two includes response for car fires which includes scene safety, fire suppression, rescue tools, foam, structure protection and cleanup of automotive and related fluids: $600.

(3)

Level Three includes Level One and Level Two responses as well as extraction (heavy rescue tools, jaws of life, ropes, airbags, cribbing, etc.) where such equipment is necessary to remove one or more passengers from the vehicle: $1,500.

Hazardous materials.

(1)

Level One includes the standard response which includes engine response, first response team, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first responder setup and command, replacement cost of all equipment and materials: $650.

(2)

Level Two includes Level One response as well as response by certified Haz-Mat team and/or DECON unit, Level A and B suit dawning, breathing air and detection equipment, set-up and removal of DECON trailer and wash-down: $1,000 plus an additional fee of $300 per hour for disposal charges and hourly personnel fee for Haz-Mat team and/or DECON unit.

Arson investigations: $250 per hour.

Utility breakage/repairs; includes the response or a fire engine or ladder truck, first response team and command for any gas, sewer, water, utility and/or oil line: $400.

Marine incidents; includes deployment of department vehicle and marine vehicle, fire engine or ladder truck for land support, scene safety and investigation, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first response team and command and cleanup and containment of fuel or other fluids: $250 plus $50 per hour.

§ 139-20 Collection of costs.

The Fire Department, or an authorized representative contracted to act on its behalf, shall bill directly for recovery of such amounts pursuant to the guidelines set forth in § 139-21.

§ 139-21 Billing guidelines.

Structures; cost recovery. Billing will be processed for hazardous material discharge at a structure wherein there is sufficient damage for the owner/tenant of the property to file a claim with his or her insurance company. Structures subject to these provisions shall include all dwellings, apartments or apartment complexes, commercial, noncommercial or industrial buildings or outbuildings, but shall not include residential units designed to be occupied by three families or less.

Vehicles. Billing will be processed for all vehicle fires and vehicle accidents wherein either owner/insured/operator involved files a claim with their insurance company. Billing shall also be processed for vehicle fires in any vehicle holding yard or junkyard, regardless of insurance. Invoices shall be sent directly to the owner of the property.

Other. Billing will be processed for all other incidents not covered above, regardless if insured or not. Examples would be dumpsters, illegal burns, etc.

§ 139-22 Enforcement.

In the event that a person utilizing the services or materials of the Fire Department fails to make payment for those fees and services directly to the Fire Department, then, upon receipt of notice of the failure of payment, the Fire Department shall advise the City Attorney, who shall be authorized to bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for the collection of any amounts due hereunder plus attorneys' fees or for any other relief that may be appropriate.