[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Ambridge as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire insurance proceeds — See Ch. 158, Art. I.
[Adopted 5-12-2015 by Ord. No. 1270[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 134, Fire Response Fees, adopted 1-25-2011 by Ord. No. 1239.
Section 1202 of the Pennsylvania Borough Code,[1] Act 2014-130 of the 2014 Legislative Session, as amended, authorized the Borough Council to provide fire protection within the Borough.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1202.
The Borough previously created the Ambridge Fire Department presently operating under the jurisdiction of the Borough.
The Borough wishes to provide for reimbursement to the Fire Department for any and all costs and/or expenses incurred by the Department which may be obtainable by the Department by submitting claims only to the individual property owners' insurance carrier.
It is the finding of the Council of the Borough of Ambridge that individual property owners may maintain insurance coverage within their own casualty insurance policies, homeowner's policies and/or other applicable policies that would provide reimbursement to the Borough for firefighting and other services rendered to the individual property owners' properties in response to emergency service requests.
The Fire Department is hereby authorized and directed, by and through its officers and authorized representatives, to ascertain what insurance coverages may be applicable and available under any given circumstance, and to take all necessary and affirmative steps to apply for and receive reimbursement from any insurance carriers where a property owner is or may be insured to reimburse the Fire Department for any costs and/or expenses incurred for services, supplies and/or equipment used for or provided to the property owner by the Fire Department.
Under no circumstance shall any property owner ever receive a bill from the Borough or Fire Department for fire protection or other services provided by the Department except in the cases of false alarms, inspections and/or fire intentionally set by the property owner.
Previously adopted Ordinance No. 1239, Chapter 134 of the Ambridge Borough Code, is repealed as it assessed fire response fees against the property owner.
This article shall be liberally construed to accomplish its purpose to compensate and/or reimburse the Borough of Ambridge Fire Department from insurance proceeds only for costs and/or expenses incurred while providing services pursuant to its duties for the Fire Department.