[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of South Hackensack 11-10-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-06. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The governing body of the Township of South Hackensack finds
that in order to better protect the property and welfare of certain
businesses, business patrons and Fire Company members, a uniform system
for rapid entry into certain buildings in the event of a report of
a fire emergency is required.
The following structures or buildings shall be required to have
installed a rapid-entry box system:
A.
Any industrial or warehouse building or structure.
B.
Hotels, motels or multiple dwellings which have locked main entrances
at any time during the day or night or which have locked boiler rooms,
electrical rooms, basements, sprinkler control rooms or elevator control
rooms.
C.
All educational and day-care buildings or structures.
D.
All mercantile buildings and structures including shopping centers.
E.
All office buildings and structures.
F.
All buildings and structures of public assembly including houses
of worship and restaurants.
The following words used in this chapter shall have the meanings
set forth below unless the context in which it is used clearly requires
a different meaning:
Any of the structures or buildings described in § 75-2
above.
A residential building containing three or more dwelling
units.
A locking vault-like container permanently mounted into the
affected structure or building and accessible from outside of such
structure or building.
Each affected building or structure shall cause an appropriate
rapid-entry box to be permanently mounted into the structure or building
and accessible from outside the structure or building. Each rapid-entry
box shall be of sufficient size and configuration to allow the required
contents as set forth below to be conveniently stored therein. In
order to assure acceptability of the rapid-entry box chosen, each
owner, tenant, or other responsible party of each affected structure
or building shall receive approval from the South Hackensack Fire
Official as to the size, type and configuration of the proposed rapid-entry
box.
The location on the outside of the building or structure at
which the rapid-entry box is to be located must be, as nearly as possible,
uniform in order to promote quick accessibility upon arrival of fire
personnel at the scene of an emergency. Given differing structural
characteristics of different types of structures and buildings, the
location of the rapid-entry box on the exterior of each building or
structure shall be submitted to and approved by the Township Fire
Official.
The rapid-entry box for each building or structure shall contain
a separately and clearly labeled key for each locked area within the
building or structure (for example, boiler rooms, electrical rooms,
sprinkler control rooms, elevator control rooms, etc.), the building
plan of any structure or building in excess of 30,000 square feet,
sprinkler keys, elevator keys, and information concerning any hazardous
materials contained with the building or structure, and a clear indication
as to the part of the building or structure within such hazardous
materials are contained.
Compliance with the provisions of this chapter must be achieved
on or before May 31, 2017.
As used herein, "master key" shall mean the instrument used
to gain access to the various rapid entry system boxes to be utilized
as a result of the provisions of this section. The Fire Department
shall establish a system of security and procedures to limit access
to any master key(s) to authorized personnel in times of emergency.
The Fire Department shall, to the extent feasible and practical, use
the latest technological advances available to preserve and enhance
the security of the master key(s).
Violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable
by a fine of $100 for the first offense and a fine of $500 for each
subsequent offense. All enforcement of this section will be conducted
by the Fire Official or his designated Fire Inspectors, Fire Chief,
and Fire Subcode Official.
If any portion of this chapter is found to be unconstitutional
or in violation of law, the remainder of this chapter shall remain
in full force and effect.
This chapter shall take effect upon passage and publication
as required by law with initial compliance with same no later then
January 15, 2017.
