[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Bergenfield 5-6-2014 by Ord. No. 14-2470. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Noise — See Ch. 215.
Parks and playgrounds — See Ch. 223.
A. 
The Borough of Bergenfield wishes to maintain a safe environment for all of its employees, residents and visitors. Therefore, all Borough employees and Borough-approved community groups that use the facilities who are supervising outdoor activities will adhere to the following procedures when thunderstorms are in the area. Please note that the Borough of Bergenfield has installed the Strike Guard Lightning Detection System on various fields throughout the municipality.
B. 
The sounding of the alarm or horn signifies that thunder or lightning is in the vicinity. Immediate action must be taken. If a supervised activity, appropriate action is to be taken by Borough employees and/or members of volunteer organizations utilizing the fields as defined in the emergency procedures set forth by the Borough to assure the safety of employees, residents, community groups and visitors. If a spectator event or activity on Borough athletic fields, spectators from the field, playing area, or any outdoor location are to seek the nearest available safe structure or shelter or cars.
A. 
Siren and flashing light.
(1) 
Once the siren goes off, the initial alarm or horn will remain activated for a period of approximately 18 seconds followed by the activation of a strobe light. The strobe will stay on for about 30 minutes past the last lightning detected.
(2) 
In the case of a scrimmage or game, coaches are to immediately evacuate all participants into a designated evacuation area or the nearest safe structure, i.e., vehicle or adjacent public building.
(3) 
Determination of eventual resumption of the outdoor activity, game or practice will be made, respectively, by the game official, supervisor, coach, and/or the supervisor on site.
B. 
Activity stoppage.
(1) 
Practice/school activity or community activities: The decision regarding the stoppage of an outdoor practice or activity will be directly related to the sound of the siren—immediate evacuation of fields must take place. On-site supervisors have the right to affirm the stoppage based on the lightning detection system siren and/or officials to stop the event using the criteria associated with the lightning detection system.
(2) 
High school interscholastic event or competition. Pursuant to NJSIAA rules, the decision regarding stoppage of play of an official game or contest is the domain of the on-site officials. This authority is unchallengeable and is set forth by the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association. All coaches, officials and administrators need to abide by this to ensure the safety of all athletes, coaches, games management, spectators and all others who may be present.
(3) 
It is important to note that blue skies and no rain are not protection from lightning. Lightning can strike from a distance as far as 10 miles.
C. 
Resumption of activity. A clearance signal will activate signifying a return to the outdoor location is permissible, and the strobe light will no longer be activated. If a NJSIAA-sponsored event, the officials will determine whether to resume the activity.
D. 
Shelter.
(1) 
Safe areas include:
(a) 
Enclosed buildings.
(b) 
Fully enclosed metal vehicles with a hard metal roof and windows up.
(c) 
Low ground areas as a last resort (ditches, bottom of hill); assume a crouched position; minimize your body area; do not lie flat.
(2) 
Unsafe areas include:
(a) 
Open fields.
(b) 
Golf carts/gators.
(c) 
Metal bleachers (on or under).
(d) 
Fence.
(e) 
Umbrellas, flag poles, light poles.
(f) 
Tall trees.
(g) 
Pools of standing water.
(3) 
If caught in a thunderstorm without availability or time to reach safe structures, you can minimize the risk of lightning-related injury by following a few basic guidelines:
(a) 
Avoid being the highest object; seek a thick grove of small trees or bushes surrounded by taller trees or a dry ditch.
(b) 
Avoid contact with anything that would be attractive to lightning. Stay away from freestanding trees, poles, antennas, towers, bleachers, baseball dugouts, metal fences, standing pools of water and golf carts.
(c) 
Crouch down with legs together, the weight on the balls of the feet, arms wrapped around knees, and head down with ears covered.
A. 
The hours of operation for lighting wave notification stations are from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. The horns will only sound during these hours. The strobe light operates on a twenty-four-hour, seven-day schedule.
B. 
Since the alarm system referenced in this chapter is an emergency evacuation signal, any existing chapter covering noise, alarms, or sound systems inconsistent with this chapter shall not apply.
Members of the Police Department of the Borough of Bergenfield, members of the Bergenfield Fire Department, designated agents of the Department of Public Works, Recreation Department, the Mayor and Council and any other agents designated by the Mayor and Council shall be the enforcing authorities authorized to enforce the terms of this article.
A. 
If the Code of the Borough of Bergenfield provides for the licensing or permitting of any person or entity who/which violates the terms of this chapter, the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Bergenfield reserve the right to revoke such permit or license.
B. 
Any person or entity found guilty of violating this chapter of the Code of the Borough of Bergenfield shall be subject to a penalty consisting of a fine not to exceed $500.