[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Port Chester 6-20-1966.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
No building or part thereof situated within the confines of the Village
of Port Chester shall be used or occupied for the purpose of boarding, lodging,
caring for or treating three or more persons who are aged or infirm or who
are afflicted with or convalescing from any disease or ailment unless such
building or part thereof conforms to the following requirements and compliance
is made with the regulations herein contained.
All buildings or parts thereof so used or occupied shall be of fireproof
construction, except that in the case of buildings not exceeding two stories
in height and not exceeding 2,500 square feet in area where not more than
10 persons are accommodated, an approved system of automatic sprinklers may
be installed in lieu of fireproof construction.
Exits allowing a path of egress from any floor to the street or ground
shall be provided as follows:
A.
Each floor shall be provided with at least two means
of exit.
B.
Exits shall be remote and independent of each other.
C.
In all buildings exceeding two stories in height there
shall be provided, in addition to the two exits required under Paragraph A
of this section, an exterior iron stairway having suitable doorways leading
thereto from each story above the first story.
D.
Exit doors shall open in the direction of travel to a
means of egress.
E.
Each exit door shall be so arranged and equipped as to
be readily opened from the inside without the use of a key and without requiring
any special knowledge or effort. Devices used for this purpose shall be of
a type approved by the Superintendent of Buildings of the Village of Port
Chester. The use of draw belts is prohibited.
F.
Each exit shall have over it on the inside the word "Exit"
in legible letters not less than six inches high, and where illuminated exit
signs are not provided, a red light shall be kept lighted at all times over
the word "Exit."
An outside fire-alarm box connected to the public fire-alarm system
of the Village of Port Chester shall be installed on the building or premises
under the direction of the Chief of the Fire Department.
All buildings not equipped with an approved sprinkler system shall be
provided with an interior fire-detection and alarm system directly connected
to the fire-alarm box located on the building or premises.
The heating plant shall be cut off from the remainder of the building
by a fire-resistant enclosure which shall be provided with a self-closing
fire door, such enclosure to be constructed in a manner approved by the Superintendent
of Buildings of the Village of Port Chester.
All heating equipment, including flues, pipes and steam lines, shall
be kept in good serviceable condition, shall be properly insulated and shall
be kept separated from all combustible material by a safe distance.
No portable heating device, including coal, gas or oil heaters, having
a direct connection to a chimney, and no gas- or oil-fired steam radiators
shall be permitted in any room or ward. Nothing in this section is to be construed
as applying to ranges in the kitchen used for cooking purposes or to electric
heating devices used for the treatment of the sick.
Ashes, garbage and rubbish shall be deposited in metal containers with
metal covers, which shall be stored in a fireproof enclosure.
Mattresses, stuffed furniture and other combustible materials not in
use shall be stored in a fireproof storage room.
No combustible material or supplies shall be stored under stairways.
Electric lights in storage closets shall be permanently fixed, properly
screened and so located that they cannot come in contact with materials or
supplies stored therein.
No inflammable X-ray film or combustible anesthetics shall be stored
or used in any building without a permit issued by the Fire Department of
the Village of Port Chester.
Refrigerators using an inflammable or toxic refrigerant shall not be
permitted.
Doors leading from one room or ward to another or to a hall or vestibule
shall be provided with a self-closing device to be controlled by a fusible
link which would be actuated by the application of 160° of heat.
All electrical appliances shall be of a type approved by the National
Board of Fire Underwriters and shall be installed in a manner approved by
the Building Inspector of the Village of Port Chester.
Over all stair wells, dumbwaiters, light or other shafts, there shall
be provided a skylight or other means of ventilation which shall be constructed
in a manner approved by the Building Inspector of the Village of Port Chester.
At least one fire extinguisher of a type approved by the Chief of the
Fire Department shall be installed in a readily accessible place on each floor
and in the cellar.
All employees shall be familiar with the operation of fire extinguishers
and fire-alarm box located on the building or premises. The Chief of the Fire
Department shall, upon the request of the owner or management, and within
a reasonable time after such request is made, instruct or cause to be instructed
all persons employed in a building or part thereof so used or occupied in
the operation and use of said fire extinguishers and fire-alarm box.
Smoking shall not be permitted in bed.
There shall be at least one competent person or watchman on duty at
all times, and he or she shall visit every ward or room at least once every
hour.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall notify, either by written or
printed notice, any person or persons of any firm or corporation violating
any of the provisions of this chapter of such violation. Such notice shall
contain a reference by number of the section of this chapter which is being
violated and shall require that such violation be removed or corrected within
the time and in the manner prescribed by the Chief of the Fire Department.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all buildings occupied or intended to be occupied for any of the purposes set forth in § 160-1 hereof, except buildings operating under a permit issued by the Department of Public Health prior to the effective date of this chapter, and except buildings intended to be occupied by the purposes set forth in § 160-1 hereof and for which building plans have been filed and approved prior to the effective date of this chapter. Such buildings shall, however, comply with the provisions of § 160-5 of this chapter within four months after its adoption.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this
chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be liable
to a fine not exceeding $100, or to imprisonment not exceeding 60 days, or
to both such fine and imprisonment.
