[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 1]
There is hereby adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Manchester
Township the fire control measures and regulations as herein set forth
for the purposes of controlling conditions which could impede or interfere
with fire suppression forces.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1998, § 2]
The fire prevention code official or duly authorized representatives,
as may be in charge at the scene of a fire or other emergency involving
the protection of life and 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
his duty. The fire prevention code 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 operations of the fire department. The
fire prevention code 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 re-enter
the area until authorized to do so by the fire prevention code official.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 3]
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.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 4]
A person shall not willfully fail or refuse to comply with any
lawful order or direction of the fire prevention code official or
to interfere with the compliance attempts to another individual.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 5]
A vehicle shall not be drive 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 prevention code official in command of said operation.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 6]
Authorized emergency vehicles shall be restricted to those which
are defined and authorized under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 7]
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 prevention code official or a police
officer.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 8]
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle, other
than one on official business, to follow closer than 500 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.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 9]
A person shall not, without proper authorization from the fire
prevention code 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 to 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.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 10]
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 or conspire to injure, fire department
personnel while performing departmental duties.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 11]
1. The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in §
7-306 of this Part, 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. The driver of any emergency vehicle may:
A. Park or
stand irrespective of the provisions of existing traffic regulations.
B. Proceed past a red or stop signal or other sign but only after slowing
down as may be necessary for safe operation.
C. Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as the action does not
endanger life or property.
D. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning
in specified directions.
E. The exemptions herein granted to an emergency vehicle shall apply
only when the driver of any such vehicle, while in motion, sound an
audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably
necessary and when the vehicles 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.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 12]
1. 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 located on public or
private streets and access lanes or on private property.
2. If, upon the expiration of the time mentioned in the notice of violation,
obstructions or encroachments are not removed, the fire prevention
code official shall proceed to remove the same. Costs incurred in
the performance of necessary work shall be paid from the Township
Treasury on certificate of the fire prevention code official and with
approval of the chief administrative official and the legal authority
of the Township shall institute appropriate action for the recovery
of such costs.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 13]
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 prevention
code 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.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 14]
The fire prevention code official shall recommend to the chief
administrative official of the Township the location or relocation
of new or existing fire hydrants and the placement or replacement
of inadequate water mains located upon the distribution pattern. A
fire hydrant shall not be placed into or removed from service until
approved by the fire prevention code official.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 15]
All new and existing ship yards, oil storage plants, lumber
yards, 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 prevention code official and shall
be connected to a water system in accordance with accepted engineering
practices. The fire prevention code official shall designate and approve
the number and location of fire hydrants. The fire prevention code
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 be placed or removed
from service until approved by the fire prevention code official.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 16]
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 a fire, training or testing purposes,
recharging or making necessary repairs or when permitted by the fire
prevention code official. Whenever a fire appliance is removed as
herein permitted, it shall be replaced or re-installed as soon as
the purpose for which it was removed has been accomplished. Defective
and non-approved fire appliances or equipment shall be replaced or
repaired as directed by the fire prevention code official.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 17]
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
prevention code official, or which is not in proper working order,
or the contents of which do not meet the requirements of the fire
prevention code 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.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 18]
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 section shall mean
any roadway accessible to the public for vehicular traffic including,
but not limited to, private streets or access lanes, as well as all
public street and highways within the boundaries of the Township.
[Ord. 1994-8, 6/14/1994, § 19; as amended by Ord.
1997-2, 3/11/1997, § 2; and by Ord. 2002-01, 1/7/2002]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a district justice in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary
offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall
be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and,
in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment
not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues
or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated
shall constitute a separate offense.