[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City
of Northfield 7-5-1977 by Ord. No. 10-1977 (Ch. 67 of the 1974
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby adopted by the City of Northfield
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 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
The Fire Chief or his 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 take any other action necessary in the reasonable performance of
his duty. The Fire Chief 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 Chief 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
Chief.
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, attempt to interfere
with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or hamper any Fire Department
operation.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A person shall not willfully fail or refuse
to comply with any lawful order or direction of the Fire Chief or
interfere with the compliance attempts of another individual.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A vehicle shall not be driven or propelled over
any unprotected 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 Chief 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.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
Upon the approach of any authorized emergency
vehicle giving audible or visual signals, 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 Chief 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 to 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 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A person shall not, without proper authorization
from the Fire Chief in charge of said Fire Department emergency equipment,
cling to, attach himself 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 emergency vehicle.
It shall be unlawful for any person to damage
or deface or attempt or conspire to damage or deface any Fire Department
emergency vehicle at any time or to injure or attempt to injure or
conspire to injure Fire Department personnel while performing departmental
duties.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A.
The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in § 160-6 of this chapter, 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 upon returning from, a fire.
B.
The driver of any emergency vehicle may:
(1)
Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of existing
traffic regulations.
(2)
Proceed past a red or stop signal or other sign, but
only after coming to a complete stop, as may be necessary for safe
operation.
(3)
Disregard regulations governing direction of movement
or turning in specified directions.
C.
The exemptions herein granted to an emergency vehicle
shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle while in motion
sounds an 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 from the front
of such vehicle.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A.
It shall be unlawful to obscure from view, damage,
deface, obstruct or restrict the access to any fire hydrant or any
Fire Department connection for the pressurization of fire suppression
systems, including fire hydrants and Fire Department connections that
are located on public or private streets and access lanes or on private
property.
B.
If, upon the expiration of the time mentioned in a
notice of violation, obstruction or encroachments are not removed,
the Fire Chief shall proceed to remove the same. Costs incurred in
the performance of necessary work shall be paid from the municipal
treasury on certificate of the Fire Chief 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 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
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 from the Fire
Chief 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.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
The Fire Chief 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 Chief.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A.
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 Chief and shall be connected to
a water system in accordance with accepted engineering practices.
B.
The Fire Chief shall designate and approve the number
and location of fire hydrants. The Fire Chief 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.
C.
Private hydrants shall not be placed into or removed
from service until approved by the Fire Chief.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
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 Chief. 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 Chief.
[Amended 2-2-1993 by Ord. No. 5-93]
A person or persons shall not erect, construct,
place or maintain any bumps, fences, gates, chains, bars, pipes, wood
or metal horses or any other type of obstruction in or on any street
within the boundaries of the municipality. The word "street," as used
in this chapter, shall mean any roadway accessible to the public for
access lanes, as well as all public streets and highways within the
boundaries of the municipality.
