Chapter 52. Fire Code
Chapter 52 Fire Code
SECTION A - FIRE SAFETY CODE
§ 52-1. Local enforcement.
§ 52-2. Agency designation.
§ 52-3. Duties.
§ 52-4. Life hazard uses.
§ 52-5. Organization.
§ 52-6. Appointments, term of office, removal.
§ 52-7. Board of appeals.
§ 52-8. Additional required inspections and fees.
§ 52-9. Permits.
§ 52-10. Technical amendments.
SECTION B** RAPID ENTRY SYSTEM [KNOX BOX]
§ 52-11. Definitions.
§ 52-12. Requirement.
§ 52-13. Key Box Location.
§ 52-14. Key Box Contents.
§ 52-15. Compliance.
§ 52-16. Penalties.
SECTION A & B
§ 52-17. Short title.
§ 52-18. Inconsistency.
§ 52-19. Repealer.
§ 52-20. Effective date.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester on August 26, 1985 as Ord. No. 0-85-48; Amended 5-11-87 by Ord. 0-87-15; Amended 8-24-87 by Ord. 0-87-25]
[10-25-03 by Ord. 0-93-52][4-10-94 by Ord. 0-95-14] [**Amended on 12-15-08 by Ord. O-08-30]
Be it ordained and enacted by the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester, in the County of Camden and State of New Jersey, as follows:
§ 52-1.* Local enforcement.
Pursuant to Section 11 (Eleven) of the Uniform Safety Act (P.L., 1983, C. 393), New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Code shall be locally enforced within the established limits of Fire District No. 1, Fire District No. 2, Fire District No. 3, Fire District No. 4, Fire District No. 5, and Fire District No. 6 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey.*(Amended by 0-87-15 on 5-11-87)
§ 52-2.* Agency designation.
The local enforcing agencies shall be the respective Bureaus of Fire Prevention created by the respective Boards of Fire Commissioners of Fire District No. 1, Fire District No. 2, Fire District No. 3, Fire District No. 4, Fire District No. 5, Fire District No. 6 each within the respective limits of said Fire Districts heretofore created and established in and by the ordinance listed below:
A. Fire District No. 1 - Ordinance No. 208, entitled "An ordinance to Establish Fire District No. 1 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey", adopted January 21, 1957 (Article I, Chapter A100 of the Code of the Township of Gloucester .)
B. Fire District No. 2 - Ordinance No. 209, entitled "An Ordinance to Establish Fire District No. 2 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey", adopted January 21, 1957 (Article II, Chapter A100 of the Code of the Township of Gloucester.)
C. Fire District No. 3 - Ordinance No 210, entitled "An Ordinance to Establish Fire District No. 3 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey", adopted January 21, 1957 (Article III, Chapter A100 of the Code of the Township of Gloucester.)
D. Fire District No. 4 - Ordinance No. 211, entitled "An Ordinance to Establish Fire District No. 4 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey", adopted January 21. 1957 (Article IV, Chapter A100 of the Code of the Township of Gloucester.)
E. Fire District No. 5 - Ordinance No. 0-77-32, entitled "An Ordinance to Establish Fire District No. 5 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey", adopted December 30, 1977 (Article V, Chapter A100 of the Code of the Township of Gloucester.)
F. Fire District No. 6 - Ordinance No. 0-77-33, entitled "An Ordinance to Establish Fire District No. 6 in the Township of Gloucester, County of Camden and State of New Jersey", adopted December 30, 1977 (Article VI, Chapter A100 of the Code of the Township of Gloucester.) *Amended by Ord. 0-87-15 on 5-11-87)
§ 52-3. Duties.
The local enforcement agencies shall enforce the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the codes and regulations adopted under it in all buildings, structures and premises within the respective established boundaries of Fire District No. 1, Fire District No. 2, Fire District No. 3, Fire District No. 4, Fire District No. 5, Fire District No. 6, other than owner-occupied one and two family dwellings, and shall faithfully comply with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Code.
§ 52-4. Life Hazard uses.
Each local enforcing agency established by § 52-2 of this ordinance shall carry out the periodic inspections of life hazard uses required by the Uniform Fire Code on behalf of the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
§ 52-5.* Organization.
Each local enforcing agency established by § 52-2 of this ordinance shall be a part of the Fire District and shall be under the supervision of the Fire Official who shall report to the Board of Fire Commissioners. Such funds as may be necessary to support the operation of the agency shall be raised by the District in the manner provided by law. *(Amended by 0-87-15 on 5-11-87)
§ 52-6. Appointments, term of office, removal.
A. Appointment of Fire Official.
Each local enforcing agency shall be under the supervision of Fire Official who shall be appointed by the Board of Fire Commissioners of said Fire District.
B. Term of office of Fire Official.
The Fire Official of each enforcing agency shall serve for a term of one (1) year. Any vacancy occurring during the term of said office shall be filled for the unexpired term.
C. Inspectors and employees.
Each Fire District shall appoint such inspectors and employees as may be necessary to carry out all required inspection activity in the Fire District. Such inspectors and employees shall be under the supervision and control of the Fire Official.
D. Removal from office.
Fire Officials, inspectors and other employees of the enforcing agency shall be subject to removal by the Board of Fire Commissioners for inefficiency or misconduct. Each Fire Official, inspector or employee to be so removed, shall be first afforded an opportunity to be heard by the appointing authority or a designated hearing officer.
§ 52-7. Board of appeals.
Pursuant to Sections 15 and 17 of the Uniform Fire Safety Act, any person aggrieved by any order of any local enforcement agency shall have the right to appeal to the Construction Board of Appeals of Camden County.
§ 52-8.* Additional required inspections and fees.
In addition to the inspection and fees required pursuant to the act and the regulations of the Department of Community Affairs the following additional inspections, registration and fees shall be required:
A. Inspection fees for non-life hazard use buildings
Residential Buildings
Time of Inspection, is once every twelve (12) months
Residential Use Group
Includes buildings with dwelling units not listed as Life Hazard Use by the New Jersey Bureau of Fire Safety, except one or two family owner occupied units, containing common areas, each building as follows:
Unit Size Fee
One to three units $ 35.00
Four to ten units $ 75.00
Eleven to Twenty units $100.00
Twenty-one to forty units $125.00
For each additional twenty units or less $ 25.00
Commercial or Industrial Use Groups
Commercial or industrial use group includes all buildings not listed as Life Hazard Use by the New Jersey Bureau of Fire Safety.
Building Type Fee
Buildings with or without attached dwelling units not in excess of 1,000 square feet $ 35.00
Buildings with or without attached dwelling units in excess of 1,000 square feet not exceeding 3,000 square feet $ 58.00
Buildings in excess of 3,000 square feet not exceeding 9,000 square feet $86.00
Buildings in excess of 9,000 square feet not exceeding 15,000 square feet $144.00
Buildings in excess of 15,000 square feet not exceeding 50,000 square feet $200.00
Buildings in excess of 50,000 square feet not exceeding 100,000 square feet $260.00
Buildings in excess of 100,000 square feet not exceeding 200,000 square feet $460.00
Buildings in excess of 200,000 square feet not exceeding 300,000 square feet $690.00
For each additional 100,000 square feet or part there of $230.00
Any structure required inspection not covered under the Life Hazard Fee Schedule or the Non-Life Hazard Fee Schedule $25.00
Certificate of Fire Code Status:
Fee established for copies of Fire Marshall investigative/incident reports to insurance companies, owners or occupants $35.00
Fee Exemptions
The following buildings or structures if classified as Non-Life Hazard, although not exempt from registration or inspection, will be exempt from paying an inspection fee as pursuant to the Act. these buildings are as follows: Municipal Owned Buildings, Fire Stations and EMS Stations.
(Added on 10-25-93 by Ord. 0-93-52)
Fee and Inspection Exemptions
Any complex, defined as Non-Life Hazard Use that is presently under the jurisdiction and review of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and is thereby required to file annually an inspection report to the Department of HUD, which inspection shall include of all common areas of the complex shall be exempt from inspection and fee as required by this ordinance. Provided, however, that such complex shall submit annually to the Fire Official having jurisdiction over the complex, a copy of the annual inspection report filed with the Department of HUD, and further provided that such inspection and report shall include an inspection for appropriate smoke detectors and fire alarms, and fire suppression equipment as may from time to time be required by the Uniform Fire Prevention Code of the State of New Jersey.
And, Further, provided that failure to file the inspection report with the Fire Official shall be cause to require the Fire Official to schedule and conduct his own inspection as may be required by this ordinance, and collect the approved fees as set forth in this ordinance.
And Further, provided that the annual inspection report form to be filed with the Local Fire Official shall be on the form approved by the Fire Official and shall be complete as to all contents.
And Further, provided that an inspection shall be conducted by the local Fire Official at every fifth year following the adoption of this Ordinance, and the inspection fee required by this Ordinance shall be paid by the complex at the time of such inspection
[Added 4-10-95 by Ord. 0-95-14]
§ 52-9.* Permits.
The permit fees established by the Uniform Fire Code shall be amended as follows:
Type 1 Permit $ 27.50
Type 2 Permit $ 110.00
Type 3 Permit $ 220.00
Type 4 Permit $ 330.00
Type 5 Permit $ 1,100.00
Non-profit organizations shall be required to secure all permits, but shall not be required to pay fees therefore. *(Amended by 0-87-15 on 5-11-87; Amended by O-93-2 on 1-25-93]
§ 52-10.* Technical amendments.
A. FIRE PREVENTION CODE:
1. The following Provisions are new and supplemental provisions and are not otherwise changes of existing provisions of the Uniform Fire Code:
F306.5 Parade Floats: All decorative materials utilized on parade floats greater than 365 square feet shall be flame resistant in accordance with the field test of NFPA
701 listed in Chapter 44 of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. [Amended on 04-26-99 by Ord. O-99-12]
F326.0 Storage or Parking of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle.
F326.1 General: No person shall store or park or cause to store or park any internal combustion engine vehicle (including, but limited to those commonly known as a motor cycle, moped, dirt bike, lawn mower, snow blower, etc.) in or on any apartment or multi-family dwelling unit, porch, balcony, covered patio area, entrance, exits or any other private area of an apartment or multi-family dwelling unit.
F327.0 Storage or Use of Liquified Petroleum Gas Containers
F327.1 General: The operation, use, maintenance or storage of any liquified petroleum gas (LP gas or LPG) containers with a capacity in excess of one pound LPG, is prohibited in or on any apartment or multi-family dwelling unit, porch, balcony, covered patio area, entrance, exits or any other private area of an apartment or multi-family dwelling unit.
F328.0 Outdoor Fires
F328.1 General: The use, operation or maintenance of any open fire or any device commonly known as a "barbecue" is prohibited in or on any apartment or multi-family dwelling unit; porch, balcony, covered patio area, entrance, exit or any other private area of an apartment or multi-family dwelling unit.
F329.0 Fire Hydrant Use Approval
F329.1 General: Approval Required - No person shall use or operate any fire hydrant available for use of the fire department for fire suppression purposes unless such person first secures approval for such use from the Fire Official and Garden State Water Company and/or New Jersey Water Company, in accordance with provision herein.
F329.2 Public Water Supply, Location or Relocation - The Fire Official shall recommend to the Board of Fire Commissioners who in turn shall recommend to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Gloucester 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 Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fire District.
F329.3 Yard System. Location or Relocation - All new and existing shopping centers, apartment complexes, oil storage plants, lumber yards, 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 I.S.O. and shall be connected to a water system in accordance with accepted engineering practices. The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fire District shall designate and approve the number and location of fire hydrant. Private hydrants shall not be placed into or removed from service until approved by the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Fire District.[Amended 8-24-87 by Ord. 0-87-25]
F330.0 Street Obstructions
F330.1 General: No person shall 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 Gloucester Township. The word street shall mean any roadway accessible to the public for vehicular traffic, including, but not limited to private streets or access lanes, as well as all public streets and highways within Gloucester Township. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of temporary barricades within Gloucester Township provided approval is obtained from the Chief of Police and proper notification is given to Director of Public Works and Camden County Communications.
F409.0 Manual Fire Extinguishment Equipment
F409.7 Sale of Defective Fire Extinguishers - No person shall sell, trade, loan, or give away any form, type, or kind of fire extinguisher that is not listed and/or labeled by a recognized testing laboratory in accordance with the N.F.P.A. 10. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the sale, trade or exchange of obsolete or damaged disfigured or marked with a permanent sign identifying the unit as junk.
2. [Deleted 1-25-93 by Ord. No. O-93-2]
SECTION B - RAPID ENTRY SYSTEM - [KNOX BOX] Amended on 12-15-08 by Ord O-08-30
Chapter 52 be and is hereby amended by adding the following subsection requiring the installation of a Knox Box “ Rapid Entry System” on all structures as noted below, and to establish installation requirements and compliance as determined by the local Fire Official.
Experience has shown when fires occur in buildings, the Fire Department must make entry into the structure, locate, confine, control and extinguishment the fire. Further, fires within buildings are not always readily evident from the outside when the fire department arrives. Delaying fire department entry into a building can and will allow a fire to grow and make the fire more dangerous. When evidence of a fire is noted from the outside, forcible entry into a building is time consuming and represents a delay in locating and extinguishing the fire. In order to expedite entry into a structure and to aid the Fire Department in the task of extinguishment, the installation of a Knox Box “Rapid Entry System” shall be required.
§ 52-11. Definitions.
AUTOMATIC DIALER - A device that automatically dials and/or relays a prerecorded message to a central station or the Fire Department.
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM - A system or assembly of piping, valves, controls and sprinklers which are designed and installed to comply with the NFPA standards, which utilized water, foam, CO2 or other gas to automatically react to suppress fire.
CENTRAL STATION - An office of a private company which remote alarm and supervisory signaling devices are transmitted and where personnel are in attendance at all times to supervise the circuits and investigate signals.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM - Equipment which automatically actuates a fire alarm when the detecting element is exposed to fire, smoke, abnormal rise or decrease in temperature or activation or a sprinkler system or manually activated device.
LOCK BOX - A high security key vault which is listed under the UL 1610 and the UL 1037 standards, master keyed with a Medeco Biaxial Level 7 or equivalent lock. Locks shall be keyed to the key configuration provided by the Fire District or Fire Protection District.
§ 52-12. Requirement.
The owner or person in control of the following types of buildings, shall install and maintain a Rapid Entry Key Box of a type approved by the local Fire Official.
a. All buildings within the Township of Gloucester, having an automatic alarm system, dialer, Central Station or equipped with an automatic fire suppression system except one and two family owner-occupied dwellings.
b. Multi-family residential structures, including senior citizen apartment/condo complexes, that have restricted access through locked doors and have a common corridor for access to the living units.
c. Commercial and industrial buildings identified by the Fire Official as difficult to access during emergencies.
d. All high rise buildings, i.e. structures having floors at or above fifty (50) feet above ground level.
§ 52-13. Key Box Location.
The Key Box, shall be of a UL type, and approved by the local Fire Official.
The Key Box shall be installed, at or near the recognized public entrance, adjacent to the fire alarm panel, on the exterior of the structure or in a location or locations designated and approved by the local Fire Official in consultation with the local Fire Chief.
The box shall be located at a height approved by the local Fire Official of not less than four (4) feet and not more than six (6) feet above final grade. The Key Box is not required to be attached to or monitored by the alarm system, however, this action is recommended.
§ 52-14. Key Box Contents.
The Key Box shall contain the following:
a. Keys to locked points of access/egress, whether interior or exterior of such buildings.
b. Keys to all locked rooms and/or panels, including but not limited to mechanical, electrical, sprinkler and alarms.
c. Keys to locked elevator rooms and elevator controls.
d. Keys to any fenced or otherwise physically secured areas.
e. Keys to any other areas, as determined necessary and appropriate, by the local Fire Chief or Fire Official.
f. Emergency information card, containing the name(s) and telephone number(s) of emergency contacts for such buildings.
SECTION A & B
§ 52-17. Short Title.
This ordinance shall be known, and may be cited or referred to as the "Gloucester Township Fire Safety Code Enforcement Ordinance."
§ 52-18. Repealer.
All ordinances and provisions thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance shall be and are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
§ 52-19. Severability.
If any section, subsection, part, clause, or phrase of this ordinance shall be declared invalid by judgement of any court of competent jurisdiction, such section, subsection, part, clause, or phrase shall be deemed to be severable from the remainder of this ordinance.
§ 52-20. Effective date.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately after final passage and publication as required by law.
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²Editor's Note: Former Chapter 52, "Fire Prevention Code" was superseded by the "Fire Safety Code." See the Basic Fire Prevention Code of the State of New Jersey.