[Adopted 4-13-1992 by Ord. No. 324]
There is hereby adopted by the Exeter Township
Board of Supervisors the fire control measures and regulations as
herein set forth for the purpose of controlling conditions which could
impede or interfere with fire suppression forces.
For the purpose of this article, the following
terms shall be defined as set forth below, unless a different meaning
is plainly required by the context:
Those vehicles which are defined and authorized under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A volunteer fire company engaged by contract to provide fire
protection and related services to the Township and its residents.
[Amended 6-14-2010 by Ord. No. 695; 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
Any fire apparatus, truck, vehicle, portable tools and appliances
owned by Exeter Township or any other fire company, as well as any
fire hydrant, sprinkler system or fire suppression system, private
or public, that is used for fire protection.
The Fire Marshal of Exeter Township or a duly authorized
representative.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
Any person, owner, operator, occupant, firm, partnership,
association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
Any roadway accessible to the public for vehicular traffic,
including, but not limited to, private streets or access lanes, as
well as public streets and highways within the boundaries of Exeter
Township.
The Fire Prevention Code Official, or duly authorized
representatives as may be in charge at the scene of a fire or other
emergency involving the protection of life and/or property, is empowered
to direct such operations as may be necessary to extinguish or control
any suspected or reported fires, gas leaks or other hazardous conditions
or situations or of taking any action necessary in the reasonable
performance of their duty. The Fire Officer is authorized to close
any street and may prohibit any person, vehicle or object from approaching
the scene and may remove or cause to be removed from the scene any
person, vehicle or object which may impede or interfere with the operations
of the Fire Department. The Fire Officer may remove or cause to be
removed any person, vehicle or object from hazardous areas. All persons
ordered to leave a hazardous area shall do so immediately and shall
not reenter the area until authorized to do so by the Fire Officer.
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 Department
emergency vehicle in any way, or to interfere with, obstruct or hamper
any Fire Department operation.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
A person shall not willfully fail or refuse to comply with any
lawful order or direction of the Fire Officer or to interfere with
the compliance attempts of another individual.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
A vehicle shall not be driven or propelled over any unprotected
charged or dormant fire hose of the Fire Department when laid down
on any street, alleyway, private drive or any other vehicular roadway
without the consent of the Fire Officer or other person in command
of said operations.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
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 Officer or a police officer.
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any
vehicle to follow closer than 300 feet from any fire apparatus traveling
in response to a fire or emergency, or to drive any vehicle within
the block or immediate area where fire apparatus has stopped in answer
to a fire alarm.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
A person shall not without proper authority from the Fire Officer
or the person in charge of the Fire Department emergency equipment,
cling to, attach himself/herself to, climb upon or into, board or
swing upon any Fire Department emergency vehicle, whether the same
is in motion or at rest, or sound the siren, horn, bell or other sound-producing
device thereon, or 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 Department vehicle.
It shall be unlawful for any person to damage
or deface, or attempt to conspire to damage or deface, any Fire Department
emergency vehicle at any time, or to injure, or attempt or conspire
to injure, Fire Department personnel while performing departmental
duties.
The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in § 177-2 of this article, shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights on or disobey any existing traffic regulation, except when said vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not returning from, a fire. Tactical strategies such as, but not restricted to, move-up do not constitute an emergency call. The driver of an emergency vehicle may:
A.
Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of existing
traffic regulation.
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 the
action 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 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 from to such vehicle.
[Amended 5-18-1998 by Ord. No. 460]
A.
It shall be unlawful to obstruct from view, damage,
deface, paint, cover, obstruct or restrict the access to any fire
hydrant, dry hydrant or any Fire Department connection for the pressurization
of fire suppression system, including fire hydrants, dry hydrants
and Fire Department connections that are located on public or private
streets and access lanes, or on private property within the Township
of Exeter.
B.
It shall be unlawful to obscure from view, remove,
damage, deface, paint, cover or vandalize any fire hydrant marker,
post, stake, pin, flag or sign marking and/or showing the location
of fire hydrants, dry hydrants or Fire Department connections on public
and/or private property within the Township of Exeter.
C.
If, upon, the expiration of the time mentioned in a notice of violation,
obstructions or encroachments are not removed, the Fire Officer shall
proceed to remove the same. Cost incurred in the performance of necessary
work shall be paid from the Township treasury on certificate of the
Fire Officer and with approval of the chief administrative official;
and with the approval of the Board of Supervisors shall institute
appropriate action for the recovery of such costs from any individual
or individuals responsible therefor.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
A person shall not use or operate any fire hydrant
intended for use of the Fire Department for fire suppression purposes
unless such person first secures a permit for such use form the fire
officer and/or 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.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
The Fire Officer shall recommend to the chief administrative
official of the Township 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
Officer.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
All new and existing ship yards, oil storage plants, lumber
yards, 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 Officer and shall be connected
to a water system in accordance with accepted engineering practices.
The Fire Officer shall designate and approve the number and location
of fire hydrants. The Fire Officer 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 Officer.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
A person shall not obstruct, remove, tamper with or otherwise
disturb any fire hydrant, fire appliance or sprinkler system 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 Officer. 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 Officer or the person in charge of the Fire Department.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
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
Officer or which is not in proper working order, or the contents of
which do not meet the requirements of the Fire Officer. The requirements
of this section shall not apply to the sale, trade or exchange of
obsolete or damaged equipment for junk when said units are permanently
disfigured or marked with a permanent sign identifying the unit as
junk, with the exception of collectable antique equipment.
A person or persons shall not erect, construct,
place or maintain any bumps, fences, gates, chains, bars, pipes, wood
or metal horses, vehicles or trailers or any other type of obstruction
in or on any public or private street, within the boundaries of the
Township where it would hamper ingress or egress of emergency vehicles.
[Amended 8-13-2007 by Ord. No. 640]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate
any provision of this article, upon conviction thereof in an action
brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided
for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules
of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more
than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and
costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that
a violation of this article continues or each section of this article
which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate
offense.
