[Adopted 12-9-1980 (Sec. 6:4 of the 1975 General Ordinances)]
There is hereby adopted by the Township of Burlington
the fire control measures and regulations as herein set forth for
the purposes of controlling conditions which could impede or interfere
with fire-suppression forces.
[Amended 9-26-2006 by Ord. No. 06-OR-031]
The Fire Official or, in the absence of the
Fire Official, the officer in charge who is charged with the duty
of supervising or directing operations at the scene of any fire shall
be the sole authority within fire lines established by said Fire Official
or officer in charge. At the scene of any fire with respect to all
fire-fighting operations relating to the protection of life and property
endangered by such fire, and within said fire lines, the authority
of the Fire Official or officer in charge shall supersede that of
any municipal police authority. The authority hereby invested in the
Fire Official or officer in charge shall terminate at such time as
the fire is declared extinguished. Nothing in this article shall affect
the responsibilities and powers of the Municipal Emergency Management
Coordinator during a declared emergency.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
It shall be unlawful to interfere with, attempt
to interfere with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or restrict
the mobility of, or block the path of travel of any Fire District
emergency vehicle in any way, or to interfere with, attempt to interfere
with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or hamper any Fire District
operation.
A person shall not willfully fail or refuse
to comply with any lawful order or direction of the Fire Official
or to interfere with the compliance attempts of another individual.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
A vehicle shall not be driven or propelled over
any unprotected fire hose of the Fire District when laid down on any
street, alleyway, private drive or any other vehicular roadway without
the consent of the Fire Official in command of said operation.
Authorized emergency vehicles shall be restricted
to those which are defined and authorized under the laws of the State
of New Jersey.
Upon the approach of any authorized emergency
vehicle giving audible and visual signal, the operator of every other
vehicle shall immediately drive the same to a position as near as
possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the street
or roadway, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in
such position until the authorized emergency vehicle or vehicles shall
have passed, unless otherwise directed by the Fire Official or a police
officer.
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any
vehicle, other than one on official business, to follow closer than
300 feet from any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm,
or to drive any vehicle within the block or immediate area where fire
apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
A person shall not, without proper authorization
from the Fire Official in charge of said Fire District emergency equipment,
cling to, attach himself to, climb upon or into, board or swing upon
any Fire District emergency vehicle, whether the same is in motion
or at rest, or sound the siren, horn, bell or other sound-producing
device thereon, or to manipulate or tamper with, or attempt to manipulate
or tamper with any levers, valves, switches, starting devices, brakes,
pumps or any equipment or protective clothing on or a part of any
Fire District emergency vehicle.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
It shall be unlawful for any person to damage
or deface or attempt or conspire to damage or deface any Fire District
emergency vehicle at any time, or to injure or attempt to injure or
conspire to injure Fire District personnel while performing district
duties.
The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in §
275-6 of this article, shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights on or disobey any existing traffic regulations except when said vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not upon returning from, a fire. Tactical strategies, such as, but not restricted to, "move-ups" do not constitute an emergency call. The driver of an emergency vehicle may:
A. Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of existing
traffic regulations.
B. Proceed past a red or stop signal or other sign, but
only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation.
C. Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as he does
not endanger life or property.
D. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement
or turning in specified directions.
E. The exemptions herein granted to an emergency vehicle
shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle while in motion
sounds audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as may be
reasonably necessary and when the vehicle is equipped with at least
one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric
conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle.
A. It shall be unlawful to obscure from view, damage,
deface, obstruct or restrict the access to any fire hydrant or any
Fire District connection for the pressurization of fire-suppression
systems, including fire hydrants and Fire District connections that
are located on public or private streets and access lanes or on private
property.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
B. If upon the expiration of the time mentioned in a
notice of violation obstructions or encroachments are not removed,
the Fire Official shall proceed to remove the same. Cost incurred
in the performance of necessary work shall be paid from the Municipal
Treasury on certificate of the Fire Official and with the approval
of the chief administrative official, and the legal authority of the
municipality shall institute appropriate action for the recovery of
such costs.
[Amended 10-27-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-025]
A person shall not use or operate any fire hydrant
intended for use of the Fire District for fire-suppression purposes
unless such person first secures a permit for such use from the Fire
Official and the water company having jurisdiction. This section shall
not apply to the use of such hydrants by a person employed by, and
authorized to make such use by, the water company having jurisdiction.
The Fire Official shall recommend to the chief
administrative official of the municipality the location or relocation
of new or existing fire hydrants and the placement or replacement
of inadequate water mains located upon public property and deemed
necessary to provide an adequate fire flow and distribution pattern.
A fire hydrant shall not be placed into or removed from service until
approved by the Fire Official.
All new and existing shipyards, oil storage
plants, lumberyards, amusement or exhibition parks, and educational
or institutional complexes and similar occupancies and uses involving
high fire or life hazards and which are located more than 150 feet
from a public street or which require quantities of water beyond the
capabilities of the public water distribution system shall be provided
with properly placed fire hydrants. Such fire hydrants shall be capable
of supplying fire flows as required by the Fire Official and shall
be connected to a water system in accordance with accepted engineering
practices. The Fire Official shall designate and approve the number
and location of fire hydrants. The Fire Official may require the installation
of sufficient fire hose and equipment housed in accordance with the
approved rules and may require the establishment of a trained fire
brigade when the hazard involved requires such measures. Private hydrants
shall not be placed into or removed from service until approved by
the Fire Official.
A person shall not obstruct, remove, tamper
with or otherwise disturb any fire hydrant or fire appliance required
to be installed or maintained under the provisions of the Fire Prevention
Code except for the purpose of extinguishing fire, training or testing
purposes, recharging or making necessary repairs, or when permitted
by the Fire Official. Whenever a fire appliance is removed as herein
permitted, it shall be replaced or reinstalled as soon as the purpose
for which it was removed has been accomplished. Defective and nonapproved
fire appliances or equipment shall be replaced or repaired as directed
by the Fire Official.
A person shall not sell, trade, loan or give
away any form, type or kind of fire extinguisher which is not approved
by the Fire Official, or which is not in proper working order, or
the contents of which do not meet the requirements of the Fire Official.
The requirements of this section shall not apply to the sale, trade
or exchange of obsolete or damaged equipment for junk and said units
are permanently disfigured or marked with permanent signs identifying
the units as junk.
[Amended 8-11-2009 by Ord. No. 09-OR-016; 2-27-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-OR-004]
No person shall erect, construct, place or maintain
any type of obstruction in or on any street or right-of-way within
the boundaries of the municipality. It is also unlawful to obstruct
or to permit or maintain the growth or accumulation of any weeds,
grasses, shrubs, bushes or other material obstructing the highways,
streets, or alleys of said Township except on collection day. The
word “streets,” as used in this article, shall mean any
roadway or Township right-of-way accessible to the public for vehicular
and pedestrian traffic, including, but not limited to, private streets
or access lanes, as well as all public streets and highways within
the boundaries of the municipality. This section shall be enforced
by members of the Police Department and/or the Department of Licensing
and Inspection.