[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Wilkins 3-9-1992 by Ord. No. 824 (Ch. 88 of the 1998 Township Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 9-12-2011 by Ord. No. 1018; 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
The Township of Wilkins hereby adopts the International Fire Code, known as the "International Fire Code, 2018 Edition," as published by the International Code Council, for the purpose of regulating and governing the safeguarding of life and property from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances, materials and devices, and from conditions hazardous to life or property in the occupancy of buildings and premises as herein provided; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of said Fire Code on file in the office of the Township of Wilkins are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part hereof, as if fully set out in this chapter, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes, if any, prescribed in § 201-6 of this chapter.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The Fire Prevention Code shall be enforced by the Bureau of Fire Prevention of the Township of Wilkins as herein described.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be operated under the supervision of the Fire Marshal and three Deputy Fire Marshals, which offices were established by Ordinance No. 742. The Fire Marshal shall be the Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
A. 
The Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal shall be appointed by the Board of Commissioners, upon recommendation of the fire companies of the Township of Wilkins, for two-year terms. They shall serve without compensation and may not be removed except for cause and after hearing before the Board of Commissioners.
B. 
In the absence of the Fire Marshal or a Deputy Fire Marshal, in cases of emergency, the highest-ranking company fire officer in whose jurisdiction the emergency occurs is hereby empowered to act as a Deputy Fire Marshal, with all the powers of that office, until such time as the Fire Marshal or a Deputy Fire Marshal arrives at the scene.
A. 
The powers and duties of the Fire Marshal and the Deputy Fire Marshals shall be as described in the International Fire Code, Section 104, General Authority and Responsibilities.
[Amended 9-12-2011 by Ord. No. 1018]
B. 
The Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal may detail such members of the duly chartered volunteer fire companies situate within the Township of Wilkins to perform inspections and report thereon as may from time to time be necessary.
A report of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be made annually and transmitted to the Township Secretary; it shall contain data regarding all proceedings under this Fire Prevention Code, with such statistics as the Fire Marshal shall wish to enclose therein and such recommendations for amendments to the Fire Prevention Code which, in the Fire Marshal's judgment, shall be desirable.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 88-6, Fire Prevention Hearing Board, and § 88-7, Appeals, of the 1998 Code were repealed 7-29-2002 by Ord. No. 945.
[Amended 9-12-2011 by Ord. No. 1018]
The International Fire Code hereby adopted is amended as follows:
A. 
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Fire Code of the Township of Wilkins, hereinafter referred to as "this code."
B. 
109.4 Violation penalties. Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, install, alter, repair or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the Fire Code Official, or of a permit or certificate used under provision of this code and from which no appeal has been taken or who shall fail to comply with such an order as affirmed or modified by the Fire Marshal, or by a court of competent jurisdiction within the time fixed herein, shall severally, for each and every such violation and noncompliance, respectively, be guilty of an ordinance violation, punishable by a fine or penalty of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of the fine or penalty and costs imposed, the violator may be sentenced and committed to the county jail for a period not to exceed 30 days. The imposition of one penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation nor permit it to continue, and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or defects immediately on notice to do so. Each day that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense.
[Amended 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
C. 
111.4 Failure to comply. Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop-work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be liable to a fine of not less than $600 nor more than $1,000.
D. 
5601.2.4 Financial responsibility. Before a permit is issued, as required by Section 5601.2, the applicant shall file with the Township of Wilkins a corporate surety bond in principal sum of $100,000 or a public liability insurance policy for the same amount for the purpose of payment of all damages to persons or property which arise from or are caused by the conduct of any act authorized by the permit upon which any judicial judgment results. The Township Solicitor is authorized to specify a greater or lesser amount when, in his opinion, conditions at the location of use indicate a greater or lesser amount is required. Government entities shall be exempt from this bond requirement.
[Amended 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
E. 
5704.2.9.6.1. Locations where aboveground tanks are prohibited. Storage of Class I and Class II liquids in aboveground tanks outside of buildings is prohibited within all residential-zoned areas of Wilkins Township as defined by Chapter 450, Zoning.
[Amended 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
F. 
5706.2.4.4. Locations where aboveground tanks are prohibited. The storage of Class I and II liquids in aboveground tanks is prohibited within all residential-zoned areas of Wilkins Township as defined by Chapter 450, Zoning.
[Amended 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
G. 
5806.2. Limitations. Storage of flammable cryogenic fluids in stationary containers outside of buildings is prohibited within the geographic borders of the Township of Wilkins.
[Amended 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
H. 
6104.2. Maximum capacity within established limits. Within the limits established by commonwealth law restricting the storage of liquefied petroleum gas for the protection of heavily populated or congested areas, the aggregate capacity of any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters).
[Amended 1-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1086; 5-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1105]
I. 
901.6.2. Records. Records of all system inspections, test, and maintenance required by the referenced standard shall be maintained on the premises for a minimum of three years and shall be provided to the Fire Code Official/Fire Marshal, by the company performing the inspections and maintenance, via the Fire Code Official/Fire Marshal's third-party inspection reporting system. All reports shall be submitted electronically within 15 days of the inspection, test, and maintenance.
[Added 4-30-2018 by Ord. No. 1075]
The Fire Marshal shall have power to modify any of the provisions of the Fire Prevention Code upon application, in writing, by the owner or lessee or his duly authorized agent when there are practical difficulties in the way of carrying out the strict letter of the Fire Prevention Code, provided that the spirit of the Fire Prevention Code shall be observed, public safety secured and substantial justice done. The particulars of such modification when granted or allowed and the decision of the Fire Marshal thereon shall be entered upon the records of the department, and a signed copy shall be furnished to the applicant.
The Public Safety Committee and the Fire Marshal and his Deputies shall act as a committee to determine and specify, after giving affected persons an opportunity to be heard, any new materials, processes or occupancies which shall require permits, in addition to those now enumerated in said Fire Prevention Code.
A. 
Whenever the words "municipality" or "jurisdictions" are used in the Fire Prevention Code, it shall be held to mean the Township of Wilkins.
B. 
Whenever the term "legal officer" is used in the Fire Prevention Code, it shall be held to mean the Township Solicitor.
C. 
Whenever the words "Fire Code Official" are used in the Fire Code, they shall be held to mean the Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshals of Wilkins Township.[1]
[Amended 9-12-2011 by Ord. No. 1018]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 88-12, Violations and penalties, of the 1998 Code, as amended, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 9-12-2011 by Ord. No. 1018.