The City of Chester does hereby adopt this article for the purpose of ensuring that any contractor that designs, installs, modifies, performs maintenance on, inspects, tests, or in any other way services fire protection equipment within the limits of the City of Chester meets a minimum certification requirement for licensing.
[Adopted 1-14-1993 by Ord. No. 7-1993 (Art. 1551 of the 1979 Codified Ordinances); amended in its entirety 8-28-2024 by Ord. No. 4-2024]
Contractors that designs, install, modify, perform maintenance on, inspect, test, or in any other way service fire protection equipment within the limits of the City of Chester are required to obtain a license from the City of Chester Fire Department annually (January 1st to December 31st of the calendar year).
Means a licensee or a person who is currently employed by a fire equipment distributor or fire sprinkler contractor licensed under this article whose full or part-time duties include servicing, recharging, hydrotesting, installing, maintaining, or inspecting fire protection equipment.
Means any person, company or corporation that services, recharges, hydrotests, inspects, installs, maintains, alters, repairs, replaces, or services fire equipment for customers, clients, or other third parties.
Means any portable or fixed fire extinguishing/suppression device, fire alarm or water-based fire sprinkler system under the Fire Protection Equipment Contractor Licensing Article.
Means any person, company or corporation that services, inspects, installs, maintains, alters, repairs, replaces, or services water-based fire sprinklers for customers, clients, or other third parties.
Means the International Code Council.
Means the National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors.
Means the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies.
Means a natural person or any company, corporation, or other business entity.
A.
Portable fire extinguishers. All employees that install, inspect, service, recharge, hydrostatically test or maintain all types of portable fire extinguishers are required to be an ICC/NAFED Certified Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician or equivalent.
B.
Pre-engineered systems - commercial cooking. All employees that install, modify, inspect, service, recharge, hydrostatically test or maintain all types of commercial cooking systems for cooking operations in buildings and mobile and temporary cooking operations are required to be an ICC/NAFED Certified Kitchen Fire Extinguishing System Technician or equivalent.
C.
Pre-engineered systems - industrial. All employees that install, modify, inspect, service, recharge, hydrostatically test or maintain all types of industrial suppression systems are required to be an ICC/NAFED Certified Industrial Fire Extinguishing System Technician or equivalent.
D.
Special hazard suppression systems - installation, service and maintenance. All employees that install, inspect or modify special hazard fire suppression systems are required to be NICET II certified or higher or equivalent.
E.
Special hazard suppression systems - design. All employees designing special hazard fire suppression systems are required to be NICET III or higher certified or a licensed Public Engineer in Pennsylvania or equivalent.
F.
Fire alarm - installation, service and maintenance. All employees that inspect, install or modify fire alarm systems are required to be NICET II certified or higher, or ESA Certified Fire Alarm Technician Level 2, or possess a certificate of training from the alarm manufacturer or equivalent.
G.
Fire alarm - design. All employees designing fire alarm systems are required to be NICET III certified or higher or ESA Certified Fire Alarm Designer Level 3 or a licensed Public Engineer in Pennsylvania or equivalent.
H.
Fire sprinkler systems - installation, service and maintenance. All employees that inspect, install or modify fire sprinkler systems are required to be NICET II certified or higher, or ASSE 15010, or NFPA 25 ITM or equivalent.
I.
Fire sprinkler system - design. All employees designing fire sprinkler systems are required to be NICET III certified or higher or a licensed Public Engineer in Pennsylvania or equivalent.
The fee for the licensing of Fire Protection Equipment Contracts shall be set forth in the City's adopted fee schedule.
A Certificate of Insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 each occurrence naming the City of Chester as the certificate holder, proof of workman's compensation insurance, an insurance declaration page, and a list of all employees must be supplied at the time of submission for the license. The insurance certificate must contain a clause stating the policy will not be canceled until the City of Chester is provided with a thirty-day written notice prior to cancelation.
This article creates no legal liability to the City of Chester other than to ensure proper compliance.
Any person that installs, modifies, performs maintenance on, inspects, tests, or in any other way services fire protection equipment within the limits of the City of Chester without meeting all requirements for license shall, upon conviction, be fined not to exceed $1,000 and costs, or imprisoned for not more than 30 days. Each instance shall constitute a separate violation.