[Adopted 7-5-2017 by Ord.
No. 6-2017]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings as indicated:
The Township of Fairfield Fire Departments, namely, Fairton
Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company No. 1 of Fairton and Fairfield Volunteer
Fire Company No. 2 of Gouldtown.
A natural person or persons, partnership, corporation, association,
firm or other legal entity
The Township Committee of the Township of Fairfield authorizes
the Fire Departments or other authorized parties to recover the costs
associated with the use and/or expenditure of the following: firefighting
materials used and expended; the use of fire trucks, fire engines,
rescue equipment and tankers; the cost 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.
Attached hereto, incorporated herein and made a part hereof
as Exhibit A is a Schedule of Fees and Costs which have been authorized
by the Township Committee of the Township of Fairfield to be charged
by the Fire Department. Said appendix is on file in the office of
the Municipal Clerk of the Township of Fairfield.
Said costs and fees as outlined above in Exhibit A shall be
recovered directly by the Fire Departments by direct billing of the
Fire Departments or shall be recovered by a professional agency engaged
in the business of emergency billing, provided that the agreement
with any such professional agency shall be subject to the approval
of the governing body. Said costs and professional agency fees shall
be billed to the insurance provider directly. Persons shall not be
billed directly for receiving fire services under this article unless
billing guidelines specifically provide otherwise.
A.
Structures; cost recovery. Billing will be processed for structure
fires wherein there is sufficient damage for the owner/tenant of the
property to file a claim with his or its insurance company. Examples
of such structure fires include, but are not limited to, fires to
a dwelling, apartments or apartment complexes, commercial or noncommercial
buildings or outbuildings.
B.
Vehicles. Billing will be processed for all vehicle fires and vehicle
accidents wherein the owner/insured/operator involved files a claim
with his or its insurance company. Billing shall also be processed
for vehicle fires in any vehicle holding yard or junkyard, regardless
of insurance. Invoices will be sent directly to the owner of the property.
C.
Other. Billing will be processed for all other incidents not covered
above, regardless if insured or not, such as: dumpster fires, illegal
burns, etc.
D.
Billing. The Fire Departments, at their sole discretion, may contract
with an outside business entity to process the billing and payment
collection process for Fire Department services.
In addition to the aforementioned fees and costs, the Fire Departments
and any authorized professional agency engaged in emergency billing
are authorized to collect reasonable interest and administration fees
for collecting said fees and costs.
In the event that a person utilizing the services or materials
of the Fire Departments fails to make payment for those fees and services
directly to the Fire Departments or authorized professional agency
engaged in emergency billing then upon receipt of notice of failure
of payment, the governing body of the Township of Fairfield may elect
to file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for the collection
of any amounts due hereunder, including attorneys' fees, or for any
other relief that may be appropriate.
