For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
PERSON
One or more persons of either sex, natural persons, corporations,
partnerships, associations, joint-stock companies, societies and all other
entities of any kind capable of being sued.
It shall be unlawful for any person in any manner to obstruct the use
of any fire hydrant within the City, or have or place any material in front
thereof, from the curbline to the center of the street and to within 10 feet
from either side thereof. Any and all material found as an obstruction as
aforesaid may be forthwith removed by the officers or members of the Fire
Department and at the risk, cost and expense of the owner or claimant.
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than a member of the Fire
Department, unless duly authorized, to unfasten, open or draw water from or
otherwise use or interfere with any of the fire hydrants set in any of the
public streets, places or grounds, or to break, open, unfasten, remove or
otherwise willfully injure or interfere with any of the outer boxes, cases,
fastenings or other appurtenances of such hydrants.
It shall be unlawful for any person willfully or without proper authority
to injure, deface, destroy, remove, take away, keep or conceal any tool, appliance,
accessory, apparatus or other property or article belonging to or used in
any way by the Fire Department.
It shall be unlawful willfully to hinder or obstruct or offer any hindrance
or obstruction to any apparatus of the Fire Department while proceeding to
a fire, or willfully to hinder or obstruct any fireman in the performance
of his duty.
The Chief of the Fire Department or any of his assistants having charge
of or at any fire shall have authority, whenever in their opinion it shall
become necessary so to do to facilitate the extinguishing of such fire, to
establish fire lines about the same. It shall be unlawful for any person,
to enter the limits fixed by such lines. Nothing herein contained shall operate
to exclude from the limits so established any member of the Fire Department,
any official of the City or any person who shall have obtained and exhibited
a written permit from or badge issued by the Chief of the Fire Department
so to enter. Such lines so established shall be taken charge of by the police
(or special police), with full power to make arrests and to prosecute persons
violating this section.
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this chapter,
either by himself or itself or by his or its agent or employee, or who commits
an offense against any order, rule or regulation made in pursuance of this
chapter, shall be guilty of a violation punishable as follows: by imprisonment
for a term not exceeding 15 days or by a fine not exceeding $250, or by both
such fine and imprisonment.