Town of Clarkstown, NY Article XIX Safety Requirements

§ 143-78 Safeguards.

A. When operated in the performance of duty, the following vehicles shall have the right-of-way: Fire Department, police, emergency repair of public service corporations, ambulances and the military, but this does not relieve the driver or owner of any vehicle from consequences of the arbitrary or careless exercises of this right.

B. A vehicle must not be driven so as to impede or obstruct the progress of the apparatus of a Fire Department or of any official or employee of the Town in the discharge of his duty at a fire. The operator of a vehicle not a part of the municipal fire apparatus shall not operate in, through or within the established fire lines. On the approach of fire apparatus, as evidenced by suitable and continuous warning, the operator of a vehicle which is not a part of the fire apparatus must immediately draw up such vehicle as near as practicable to the right-hand curb and parallel thereto and bring it to a standstill until the fire apparatus has passed.

C. No vehicle of any kind shall at any time be parked upon any streets, avenue or highway in front of any firehouse.

D. No vehicle of any kind, not a part of the municipal fire apparatus, shall at any time be parked within a radius of 10 feet of any fire hydrant.

E. No vehicle of any kind, except fire apparatus, shall at any time be parked or stopped within a line of 100 feet distance each way from any building which is on fire. Any vehicle which shall be parked in violation of this chapter may be summarily removed by the Fire Department.

F. No vehicle of any kind, not a part of the municipal fire apparatus, shall at any time be driven over a fire hose or other fire equipment.

G. No person, except a driver of fire apparatus, shall follow in a vehicle of any kind within 200 feet of any fire apparatus answering a fire alarm.

H. No person or persons shall willfully or designedly make or raise a false cry of fire or cause a false alarm to be sounded.

I. No person or persons shall at any time interfere with the work of a Fire Department at any fire or in the course of any work incidental thereto.

J. No person or persons shall at any time interfere with any Chief Fire Safety Inspector in his duties or in carrying out an inspection or in the performance of any other duties as such representative.

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

K. Any person or persons, partnerships or corporation maintaining electric wires for whatever purposes shall keep such wiring so arranged, insulated and protected as to be in conformity with the current edition of the National Electric Code approved by the American Standards Association, and any wiring designed to convey electricity and found, by the authority empowered to grant a certificate of compliance, to be in an unsafe condition, or any wiring cut or removed by the Fire Department in the discharge of its duties, must be repaired or replaced by the owner or lessee thereof in accordance with said code and in a safe and proper manner. Whether such repair or replacement is in conformity with such code is a fact to be determined by the Chief Fire Safety Inspector having jurisdiction of the premises.

[Amended 1-23-1996 by L.L. No. 1-1996; 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

L. All buildings used for public amusement, public lodge or other meetings, offices, hotels, boardinghouses and factories must have reasonable means for fire protection and for the safety of their patrons, especially as to exits and fire escapes.

M. No person or persons shall construct a chimney in or attach any chimney to any building unless such chimney shall have an approved flue lining; no smoke pipe shall be placed within 18 inches of any woodwork unless such woodwork shall be protected in a manner approved by the Chief Fire Safety Inspector having jurisdiction of the premises.

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

N. All owners or lessees in charge of property must keep all chimneys in any buildings thereon reasonably clean.

O. No person shall, without the permission of a Chief Fire Safety Inspector or the man in charge of the fire force during a fire, enter upon the premises where such a fire is located or in any space within a radius of 100 feet therefrom.[1]

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

[1] Former Subsection P, as amended, and Subsections Q and R, which immediately followed, regarding school buildings and factories, fire escapes, and nonfireproof tenement houses, respectively, were repealed 3-16-2010 by L.L. No. 1-2010. This local law also redesignated former Subsection S as Subsection P.

P. Access to hydrants.

[Added 6-22-1982 by L.L. No. 9-1982]

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to cover, obscure or in any way block free access within a radius of 10 feet of any fire hydrant located within the Town of Clarkstown.

(2) It shall be the duty and obligation of any owner, occupant or tenant of any premises located within the Town of Clarkstown to maintain a clear and unobstructed path for a radius of 10 feet in every direction from any fire hydrant located on or in front of any premises or within 20 feet of any lot line and to maintain said area clear from all obstructions, including but not limited to dirt, debris, shrubbery and snow.[2]

[2] Former Subsection T, which immediately followed, regarding grills for cooking food, was repealed 3-16-2010 by L.L. No. 1-2010. This local law also redesignated former Subsections U and V as Subsections Q and R, respectively.

Q. Key box required.

[Added 6-13-1989 by L.L. No. 2-1989]

(1) Installation.

(a) When a structure is protected by an automatic fire alarm system or fire suppression system and access to or within the structure is unduly difficult because of secured openings and where immediate access is necessary for lifesaving or fire-fighting purposes, the Chief Fire Safety Inspector may require a key box to be installed in an approved location.

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

(b) All new business, mercantile, industrial, storage, assembly, institution and three-or-more story multiple residences constructed, altered or changed in use after the effective date of this section shall have installed a key box in an approved location. Such key boxes shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

(c) The key box shall be of the type approved by the Chief Fire Safety Inspector and, in order to maintain uniformity throughout the Town, the order forms for said key box must be obtained from the Chief Fire Safety Inspector.

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

(2) Contents. The key box shall contain:

(a) Keys to locked points of ingress, whether on the interior or exterior of such structures.

(b) Keys to locked mechanical equipment rooms.

(c) Keys to locked electrical rooms.

(d) Keys to elevator controls.

(e) Keys to other areas as directed by the Chief Fire Safety Inspector or Fire Chief.

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

(f) The layout of the building, showing the locations of the above.

(g) Other information as requested by the Chief Fire Safety Inspector or Fire Chief.

[Amended 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

R. Shafts and stairway markings.

[Added 12-31-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996]

(1) Every outside opening accessible to the fire department that opens directly on any hoistway or shaftway communicating between two or more floors in a building shall be plainly marked with the word "SHAFTWAY" in red reflective letters at least six inches high on a white background; such warning signs shall be so placed as to be readily discernible from the outside of the buildings.

(2) Stairways serving four or more stories shall be provided with signs indicating floor level, roof access or no roof access, and re-entry locations in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA 101).