Chapter 10A. Fire Prevention Committee

Chapter 10A FIRE PREVENTION COMMITTEE

§ 10A.1. Establishment.

§ 10A-2. Composition; term; service without compensation; reimbursement for expenses.

§ 10A-3. Purpose.

§ 10A-4. Funding.

§ 10A-5. Designation of Chairman; adoption of bylaws.

§ 10A-6. Records; annual report.

§ 10A-7. Smoke Detectors; premises where required.

§ 10A-8. Waiver.

§ 10A-9. Persons responsible to comply.

§ 10A-10. Definition and approval of smoke detectors.

§ 10A-11. Number, placement and installment requirements.

§ 10A-12. Enforcement.

§ 10A-13. Violations and penalties.

§ 10A-14. Severability.

§ 10A-15. Repealer.

§ 10A-16. When effective.

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester on 09-24-79 as Ord. No. 0-79-36. Amendments noted where applicable]

Be it ordained by the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester, in the County of Camden and State of New Jersey, as follows:

§ 10A-1. Establishment.

[Amended 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A.]

The Township Council hereby creates and establishes a Fire Prevention Committee, which Committee shall be concerned with the promotion of fire prevention, training, reporting and otherwise assist­ing the Township Fire Marshal and other appropriate township officials in an effort to educate the township residents about fire prevention.

§ 10A-2. Composition; term; service without compensation; reimbursement for expenses.

The Fire Prevention Committee shall be composed of the Fire Marshals from each of the fire districts within the Township of Gloucester and a detective of the Gloucester Township Police Depart­ment. Each member shall serve for a term of one (1) year, except that the first term of all appointees shall expire on December 31, 1979. In the event that a Fire Marshal shall no longer serve as Fire Marshal for a Fire district, his term on this Committee shall expire, and his successor will fill his unexpired term. Members will receive no compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for proper and authorized out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with existing township regulations and within the limits of funds appropri­ated to it for such purposes by the Township Council.

§ 10A-3. Purpose.

This Committee is formed for the following purposes:

A. To unite for the mutual benefit of the township fire districts.

B. To obtain and circulate information on arson and fire prevention.

C. To promote uniform, high professional standards of conduct and training among district Fire Marshals.

D. To maintain records of all fires that occur in the Township of Gloucester and file monthly reports with the Township Fire Marshal. [Amended 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A]

E. To receive citizens' complaints and refer them to the appropriate district Fire Marshals.

F. To hold fire prevention and arson training programs.

G. To maintain proper records and reception of correspondence.

H. To act as a coordinating agency in the community with respect to matters pertaining to fire and fire prevention and other local boards and commissions and the regional, state and federal agencies responsible for fire education and prevention.

I. To study and make recommendations concerning fire and fire prevention.

J. To conduct inspections for proper installation and operation of smoke detectors as hereinafter provided. [Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15]

§ 10A-4. Funding.

The Committee shall act and discharge its duties within the limits of funds appropriated to it for such purpose by the Gloucester Township Council.

§ 10A-5. Designation of Chairman; adoption of bylaws.

The members of the Committee shall designate one (1) of its members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer of the Commit­tee. The Chairman shall be known as the "Chairman of the Fire Prevention Committee." The Committee is authorized to adopt bylaws governing its procedural operation.

§ 10A-6. Records; annual report.

The Fire Prevention Committee shall keep records of all of its meetings and activities and shall make an annual report to the govern­ing body of the municipality on or before the first day of February of each year.

§ 10A-7. Smoke detectors; premises where required. [Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45 Amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No, 0-82-15.]

A. Multiple dwellings. All apartments, apartment houses, rooming houses, hotels, motels and the like, other than single-family dwellings, shall be required to install and maintain, in good working order, smoke detectors in accor­dance with the requirements of existing New Jersey Laws.

B. New single-family dwellings. All new single-family dwellings for which no certificate of occupancy has been issued prior to the adoption of this ordinance, shall be required to comply with existing New Jersey laws prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

C. Existing single-family dwellings. Any residential single-family dwelling existing at the adoption of this ordinance shall comply with this section prior to any sale of the dwelling to any other person after the effective date of this amendment to Chapter 10A.

D. Places of assembly. [Repealed 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A.]

E. The Term "existing family dwelling under Section C above shall include, without limitations, all types and kinds of existing single family dwellings or structures, manufactured pre-manufactured as well as single family mobile homes which are attached to the realty by a slab or foundation".

[Amended 8-22-88 by Ord. No. 30-88-37]

§ 10A-8. Waiver.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; Amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15.]

Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no smoke detec­tors shall be required for any premises which has a fire detection system and/or sprinkling system in operating condition approved by an state or local authority and for which a permit has been issued.

§ 10A-9. Persons responsible to comply.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; amended 06- 28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15; amended 2-11-85 by Ord. No. 0-85-5.]

A. It shall be the duty of the owner of any premises for which a smoke detector is required to comply with the provisions of this section

B.1. Thirty (30) days prior to settlement, conveyance of title, change of ownership or change of occupancy for residential purposes (lease), application shall be made to the Administrative Fire District (or designee) for a residential smoke detector certification to the Township Fire District in charge of administering the inspection. Each completed application shall be accompanied by a thirty-five dollar ($35.00) fee, payable to Fire District, said fee shall be deposited with the Fire District Treasurer. Provided however, in the event the request for smoke detector inspection is received in less than 10 days prior to the settlement, conveyance of title, change of ownership or change of occupancy for residential purposes (lease), the initial inspection fee shall be as follows:

4-5 days prior to the settlement the initial fee shall be $70.00

Less than 4 days prior to the settlement the initial fee shall be $125.00

[Amended 1-25-93 by Ord. No. O-93-1][Amended on 04-12-99 by Ord. No. O-99-07] [Amended on 04-11-11 by Ord. No. O-11-09]

B.2. The $35.00 fee will cover the initial inspection and (2) re-inspections if needed. If the property does not pass the initial inspection and two re-inspections, the owner or agent will have to re-apply and pay another fee of $35.00. In any case where the owner or agent misses a scheduled appointment, that visit by the inspector will count as one of the above mentioned inspections. [Amended on 04-12-99 by Ord. No. 0-99-07]

C. [Amended 4-25-88 by Ord. No.0-88-17]Completed applications shall be forwarded to the proper Township Fire District by the Township Fire Marshal for field verification. Upon verification, a residential smoke detector certification will be issued to the applicant. This certificate shall not be transferrable and shall expire sixty (60) days after the date of issuance; thereafter a new application must be made. [Amended 01-25-93 by Ord. No. 0-93-1]

D. The residential smoke detector certification shall consist of three copies. Upon completion, the original copy goes to the applicant, one (1) copy to the district Fire Marshal and one (1) copy to the Township Fire Marshal.

E. The Treasurer of the administering Fire District shall retain ten dollars ($10.00) of the total amount of the fee for its share of administrative costs and remit the balance of fees collected to the appropriate Fire District on a quarterly basis

§ 10A-10. Approved smoke detectors.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15.]

All smoke detectors required to be installed shall met the requirements as set forth in existing New Jersey law and in the National Fire Prevention Association Code or any testing agency approved by the Uniform Construction Code or Fire Prevention Code,² as amended.

§ 10A-11. Number, placement and installment requirements.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; Amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15; 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A; 2-11-85 by Ord. No. 0-85-5.]

The number, placement and installation of smoke detectors in any single-family dwelling and multiple dwelling shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of the BOCA Basic Building Code 1984, and as thereafter amended, as to new construction. Existing single-family dwellings will have approved smoke detectors installed prior to any resale of the dwelling. The number and place­ment of the same shall be in accordance with the requirements for new construction under the BOCA Basic Building Code 1984, and thereafter amended. Although AC primary source is preferred, where such in not practical, a monitored battery primary power source is permitted.

§ 10A-12. Enforcement.

[Added 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A]

The provisions of this ordinance relating to existing single-family dwellings shall be enforced by the Fire Prevention Committee. All other provisions of this ordinance shall be enforced by the State of New Jersey, Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing. Bureau of Housing Inspection, and its duly authorized agents and representatives.

§ 10A-13.Violations and penalties.

[Added 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A]

Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this ordinance and who does not correct the violation with ten (10) days after notice of same, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.) or by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both. Every day that the violation continues after the initial ten (10) days' notice shall be considered a separate violation.

§ 10A-14.ⁿSeverability.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15,]

If any Article, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase or this ordinance is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision or invalidity shall not affect the remaining portions of this ordinance.

§ 10A-15. Repealer.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. O-81-45; amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15]

All ordinances and provisions thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance shall be and are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.

§ 10A-16.² When effective.

[Added 11-23-81 by Ord. No. 0-81-45; amended 6-28-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-15] This ordinance shall take effect immediately after final passage and publication in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey.

-------------------

Editor's Note: Former § 10A-12, Places other than dwellings, was deleted pursuant to Ord. No. 0-82-15 Adopted 6-28-82.

²Editor's Note: Former § 10A-13, Installation, was repealed 10-12-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A.

ⁿEditor's Note: Former § 10A-14, Enforcement was repealed 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A. For current provisions, see § 10A-12, Enforcement.

-------------------

Editor's Note: Former § 10A-15, Penalties, was repealed 10-13-82 by Ord. No. 0-82-26A. For current provisions, see § 10A-13, Violations and pen­alties.

ⁿEditor's Note: Former § 10A-16 Severability, was renumbered as § 10A-14 pursuant to Ord. No. 0-82-26A, adopted 10-13-82. Said ordinance also provided for the renumbering of former § 10A-17 and § 10A-18 as § 10A-15 and 10A-16.

------------------

Editor's Note: See Ch. 43, Construction Codes Uniform.

²Editor's Note: See Ch. 52, Fire Prevention Code.