[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Glenolden
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-11-1980 by Ord. No. 836;
approved 9-11-1980]
There is hereby created in the Borough of Glenolden a Fire Prevention
Board for the purpose of directing the enforcement of this chapter. Said Board
shall be composed of the Fire Chief of Glenolden Fire Company No. 1, elected
annually (hereinafter called the "Fire Chief"); the Fire Inspector approved
by Borough Council; and one member of Borough Council, appointed by Council.
Said Fire Chief and Fire Inspector shall be appointed to said Board and directed
to enforce this chapter by Borough Council at its regular meeting in October
1980 and at the regular meeting in January of each subsequent year.
The Fire Prevention Board shall report to Borough Council from time
to time such proposals or actions as it may deem necessary and proper toward
the furtherance of the intent and purposes of this chapter.
No person, firm or corporation in possession of or having control of
any building or premises shall permit or allow therein or thereon any fire
hazard nor any installation, construction equipment, matter or thing which
is not installed, constructed or maintained according to recognized standards
and practices for the prevention of fire and which hereby creates or produces
a danger to persons or property from fire.
It shall be the duty of the Fire Chief or Fire Inspector to enforce
all laws and ordinances relating to the prevention of fires, the storage and
use of explosives and flammables, the installation and maintenance of private
fire alarm systems and fire extinguishing equipment, the maintenance and regulation
of fire escapes, the means or adequacy of exit in case of fire from all buildings
covered by the law or this chapter and other places in which persons work
or congregate for any purpose, and to investigate the cause, origin and circumstances
of fires.
The Fire Chief or Fire Inspector may at all reasonable hours and not
less than twice yearly enter any public or private building used for any business,
commercial or industrial purpose and any apartment house or converted dwelling
with two or more apartments for the purpose of making such inspection or investigation
as he may deem necessary for the prevention of fire and to secure the safety
of persons from fire.
Whenever the said Fire Chief or Fire Inspector shall find in any public
building or apartment or upon any premises covered by this chapter, combustible
or explosive matter or dangerous accumulation of rubbish or unnecessary accumulation
of wastepaper, boxes, shavings or any highly flammable material and which
is situated as to endanger property, or shall find obstructions to or on fire
escapes, stairs, passageways, doors or windows liable to interfere with the
operation of the Fire Department or egress of occupants in case of fire, he
shall order the same to be removed or remedied.
Whenever the said Fire Chief or Fire Inspector shall find any public
building or apartment or other structure covered by this chapter which, for
want of repairs, lack of sufficient fire escapes, automatic or other fire
alarm apparatus or fire-extinguishing equipment, or by reason of age or dilapidated
condition, or from any other cause, is especially liable to fire, and which
is so situated as to endanger other property or the occupants thereof, and
whenever such officer or authorized assistant shall find in any building covered
by this chapter, combustible or explosive matter or flammable conditions dangerous
to the safety of such buildings or the occupants thereof, he shall order such
dangerous conditions or materials to be removed or to be remedied in accordance
with recognized standards and practices for the prevention of fire.
The Fire Chief and Fire Inspector shall keep records of all inspections,
fires and of all facts concerning the same and shall report to the Borough
Council at such times as Borough Council shall request.
The Fire Chief and Fire Inspector shall receive no compensation but
shall be reimbursed by Borough Council for actual and necessary expenses approved
by Council.
[Amended 12-9-1982 by Ord. No. 867]
The "recognized standards and practices for the prevention of fire"
shall be held to mean the standard practices and requirements set forth by
the National Fire Protection Association and as from time to time adopted
by said Association.
The owner, occupant or person in charge of or managing any building
or premises covered by this chapter shall forthwith, after notice from the
Fire Chief or Fire Inspector so to do, correct such condition in such building
or premises so that the premises, building, processes or materials shall be
in such condition as to comply with the recognized standards and practices
for the prevention of fire.
Neither the Fire Chief nor Fire Inspector shall solicit sales of any
fire protective appliances in conjunction with the enforcement of this chapter.
The failure or neglect of any person responsible hereunder to comply
with any order of the Fire Chief or Fire Inspector made pursuant to the provisions
of the chapter shall be deemed to be a violation of this chapter.
[Amended 9-18-2001 by Ord. No. 1092,
approved 9-18-2001]
No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire, rubbish fire or burning
of recyclable materials, including leaf and yard waste, or authorize any such
fire to be kindled or maintained on any private land. No person shall kindle
or maintain any fire on public land or highways except where permitted in
proper park areas.
[Amended 12-9-1982 by Ord. No. 867]
Any person, persons, firm or corporation who shall violate any of the
provisions of this chapter or any of the regulations pursuant thereto shall
be deemed guilty of a breach of this chapter and shall be subject to a fine
of not less than $10 nor more than $100 and, in default of payment thereof,
shall be liable to imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding
30 days. The application of the above penalty or penalties, however, shall
not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions. Such
fine and penalty shall be collected as like fines and penalties are now by
law collected.
[Adopted 9-18-2001 by Ord. No. 1093,
approved 9-18-2001]
This article applies to residential, educational, commercial and industrial
buildings with a maximum of three stories in height.
In single-family and multifamily residential structures, a combination
fire protection/sprinkler system shall be allowed. A combination fire protection
system and domestic water system can utilize the same (common) water service
supply pipe to the premises so long as they meet NFPA-13 and Philadelphia
Suburban Water Company requirements.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
The Borough of Glenolden.
Any structure used for retail and service use which is intended to
service both regional and neighborhood customers.
Schools and other public facilities.
Any structure used for light/limited industrial use in the form of
both industrial parks and individual industrial structures.
Occupancies where there are three or more living units, including
but not limited to apartment houses, convents and rectories within the Borough.
An occupancy where a living unit is occupied by members of one family,
including occupancies of the same description where rooms are rented.
For fire protection purposes, an integrated system of underground
and overhead piping designed in accordance with fire protection engineering
standards. The installation includes a water supply and/or connection by underground
piping to a city main. The portion of the sprinkler system aboveground is
a network of specially sized or hydraulically designed piping installed in
a building, structure or area, generally overhead, and to which sprinklers
are connected in a systematic pattern. The system includes a controlling valve
and a device for activating an alarm when the system is in operation. The
system is usually activated by heat from a fire and discharges water over
the fire area. The sprinkler system shall meet NFPA-13 specifications for
sprinkler performance.
An occupancy where the living units are occupied by two separate
families with independent cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities.
A.
All buildings and/or structures hereinafter constructed
shall be equipped with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
B.
Plans of all proposed automatic fire protection system
installations shall first be approved by a certified fire protection engineer
and then submitted to the Borough Fire Marshal for approval, prior to the
issuance of any building permit.
C.
Vacant or unoccupied buildings or portions thereof which
now have a sprinkler system shall be maintained in a workable condition at
all times.
D.
Where buildings are being renovated or modified for more
than 50% of their value or having the existing area increased to an area greater
than 50% of the existing area, whichever is less, the renovated, modified
and/or increased area shall conform to the provisions of this article.
E.
All buildings that shall be converted from single-family
dwellings to multiple-family dwellings or increasing the number of dwelling
units shall conform to the provisions of this article.
A.
All sprinkler systems shall be installed in compliance
with the applicable sections of NFPA 13, 13-D or 13-R and any requirements
imposed by the Borough Fire Marshal.
B.
When an automatic sprinkler system is required by these
regulations, it shall be meant to require one-hundred-percent-complete coverage,
except as specifically allowed by exception of the Borough Fire Marshal and
the Borough Engineer.
C.
A complete set of drawings showing the design, spacing
and location of all equipment as well as a listing of all hydraulic calculations
shall be submitted to the Borough Fire Marshal with approved engineer seals
prior to the commencement of any work.
D.
A permit shall be obtained from the Borough Manager prior
to the commencement of any work.
It shall be the duty of the owner of each dwelling and/or building to
maintain the fire protection system in proper operating condition at all times
as per NFPA 13.
A.
All systems shall be flow tested and inspected once a
year by a certified fire protection engineer. A report on the system shall
then be filed with the Borough Fire Marshal.
B.
All systems in existence at the time of this article
shall be tested and inspected in compliance with the appropriate section of
this article.
The Borough Fire Marshal shall ensure proper compliance of all sections
of this article.
This article creates no legal liability to the Borough of Glenolden
other than to ensure that, at the time of inspection, the system was present
and functional.
Any person who shall be convicted of a violation of any of the provisions
of this article before any District Justice shall be sentenced to pay a fine
of not more than $1,000, together with the cost of prosecution, or to imprisonment
in the county jail for a term not to exceed 30 days, or both.
