[Adopted 10-20-1971 by Ord. No. 364]
[Amended 2-6-2002 by Ord. No. DR-27]
There is hereby adopted by the Mayor and Council of the City
of Hoboken, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions
hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion and incorporated
by reference pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:70 et seq., that certain code
known as the "New Jersey Uniform Fire Code," save and except such
portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified, or amended by this
chapter. Ten copies of said New Jersey Uniform Fire Code have been
filed and shall remain on file in the office of the City Clerk, and
10 copies have been filed and shall remain on file in the Office of
the Department of Law, Division of Public Safety, for the examination
of the public; and said code is hereby adopted and incorporated by
reference as fully as if set out at length herein. From the date of
adoption of this chapter, the provisions thereof shall be controlling
within the limits of the City of Hoboken.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation.
The Fire Marshal.
The City Attorney for the City of Hoboken.
The City of Hoboken.
The routes referred to in Section 12.7 of the Fire Prevention
Code for vehicles transporting explosives and blasting agents shall
be stated in reasonable detail on the permit issued for the transportation
of the explosives.
The routes for vehicles transporting hazardous chemicals and
other dangerous articles shall be stated in reasonable detail on the
permit issued for the transportation of said chemicals or other dangerous
substances.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former §§ 101-9 and 101-10, containing portions of Ordinance No. V-140 and pertaining to fire lanes and amendments and deletions to the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, were repealed 2-6-2002 by Ord. No. DR-27. These provisions are contained in the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code which was adopted by reference in § 101-1 of this chapter.
[Added 2-6-2002 by Ord. No. DR-27]
The Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation
or any Inspector, on the complaint of any person or whenever said
Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation shall deem
it necessary, may inspect any building or premises within the City
of Hoboken.
[Added 11-13-2000 by Ord. No. R-466; amended 2-6-2002 by Ord. No.
DR-27]
In the event that a building or buildings are found to be in
a hazardous condition, the Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention
and Investigation is empowered to find that the hazardous condition
constitutes a clear and present danger to the people of the municipality
and the firemen thereof. Said Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention
and Investigation is hereby empowered to take any and all emergency
action to remove the fire hazard promptly and to charge the owners
of said property with the cost thereof. Prompt notice within three
days of the emergency action by the Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention
and Investigation shall be given to the owners of said property by
certified mail at the address listed on the tax records of the City
of Hoboken.
[Added 2-6-2002 by Ord. No. DR-27]
This provision shall apply to all structures, occupancies, or
premises required to have supervised fire alarm systems pursuant to
the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code or the New Jersey Uniform
Fire Code. The individual or entity responsible for supervising and/or
monitoring any fire alarm system shall notify the Hoboken Fire Division
immediately upon notice that a fire alarm has been activated or that
a fire call has been placed. The Hoboken Fire Division shall be the
first agency notified of the receipt of a fire alarm or fire call.
No other agency or person, including but not limited to, property
owners, managers, site security, or site maintenance, etc., shall
be notified prior to the Hoboken Fire Division.
[Added 3-4-2009 by Ord. No. DR-394; amended 11-4-2009 by Ord. No.
Z-21]
It shall be unlawful to permit a false fire alarm in any building
in the City of Hoboken.
A.
False fire alarm defined. As used in this section, a "false alarm"
shall mean the transmission, either directly or indirectly, to the
Hoboken Fire Division of any automatic fire alarm, smoke alarm, fire
sprinkle water flow alarm, that was not caused by an actual fire,
smoke condition or other condition beyond the control of the owner.
B.
The Hoboken Fire Division shall investigate and determinate the cause
of any false alarm, as it is defined in this section, and shall maintain
a list of all false alarms. Said list shall identify the location
of each false alarm the number of false alarms at the location, and
the determined reason for the false alarm.
C.
Upon the determination that a false alarm has occurred, the Fire
Chief or his designated representative shall promptly notify the Fire
Marshal, who shall issue a municipal summons to the property owner.
D.
The following penalties shall apply to false alarms:
|
False Alarm Number
|
Fine
| |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
WARNING ONLY
| |
|
2
|
$25
| |
|
3
|
$100
| |
|
4
|
$150
| |
|
5
|
$200
| |
|
6 and above
|
$250 (per each violation)
|
|
These penalties shall reset and start anew on January 1st of
each year.
|
E.
All provisions of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code with respect to
the maintenance of fire alarms shall continue to apply.
[Added 6-20-2018 by Ord.
No. B-43]
A.
All new Type 1 and Type 2 buildings in the City of Hoboken shall,
in accordance with Section 510 of the International Fire Code, have
radio coverage for emergency responders within the building based
upon the existing coverage levels of the public safety communication
systems of the jurisdiction at the exterior of the building that has
been approved by the Construction Official and the Fire Code Official
and/or Sub Fire Code Official. The owner/developer shall conduct an
independent study to prove adequate coverage if required by the Construction
Official and the Fire Code Official. The following exceptions shall
apply:
[Amended 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. B-516]
(1)
Where approved by the Construction Official and the Fire Code Official
and/or Sub Fire Code Official, a wired communication system in accordance
with Section 907.2.13.2 of the International Fire Code shall be permitted
to be installed or maintained instead of an approved radio coverage
system.
(2)
Where it is determined by the Fire Code Official that the radio coverage
system is not needed.
(3)
In facilities where emergency responder radio coverage is required
and such systems, components or equipment required could have a negative
impact on the normal operations of that facility, the Fire Code Official
shall have the authority to accept an automatically activated emergency
responder radio coverage system.
(4)
All antennas shall be maintained and recalibrated periodically.
B.
High-rise buildings. Newly constructed high-rise buildings shall
be provided with an automatic smoke detection system in accordance
with Section 907.2.13.1 of the International Fire Code, a Fire Department
communication system in accordance with Section 907.2.13.2 of the
International Fire Code and an emergency voice/alarm communication
system in accordance with Section 907.5.2.2 of the International Fire
Code. The following exceptions shall apply:
(1)
Airport traffic control towers in accordance with Section 907.2.22
of the International Fire Code and Section 412 of the International
Building Code.
(2)
Open parking garages in accordance with Section 406.5 of the International
Building Code.
(3)
Buildings with an occupancy in Group A-5 in accordance with Section
303.1 of the International Building Code.
(4)
Low-hazard special occupancies in accordance with Section 503.1.1
of the International Building Code.
(5)
Buildings with an occupancy in Group H-1, H-2 or H-3 in accordance
with Section 415 of the International Building Code.
(6)
In Groups I-1 (supervised residential) and I-2 (hospitals; nursing
homes; detox center; supervised living facilities) occupancies, the
alarm shall sound at a constantly attended location, and occupant
notification shall be broadcast by the emergency voice/alarm communication
system.
C.
Emergency voice/alarm communication systems.
(1)
In all newly constructed buildings, emergency voice/alarm communications
systems shall be provided with emergency power. The system shall be
capable of powering the required load for a duration of not less than
24 hours, as required in NFPA 72.
(2)
Emergency voice/alarm communication systems shall be designed and
installed in accordance with NFPA 72 in all newly constructed buildings.
The operation of any automatic fire detector, sprinkler waterflow
device or manual fire alarm box shall automatically sound an alert
tone followed by voice instructions giving approved information and
directions for a general or staged evacuation in accordance with the
building's fire safety and evacuation plans required by Section 404
of the International Fire Code.
(3)
In high-rise buildings, the system shall operate on at least the
alarming floor, the floor above and the floor below. Speakers shall
be provided throughout the building by paging zones.
(5)
In Group I-1 and I-2 occupancies, the alarm shall sound in a constantly
attended area, and a general occupant notification shall be broadcast
over the overhead page.
D.
Enforcement. Unless otherwise specified herein, this section shall
be enforced by the Fire Code Official or Sub Fire Code Official.
E.
No certificate of occupancy shall issue until the Construction Official
and Fire Code Official or Sub Fire Code Official has indicated in
writing that the applicant is in compliance with this section.
(1)
Beginning on the date of enactment of this section, where a certificate
of occupancy has been issued without approval from the Fire Code Official
or Sub Fire Code Official indicating that the holder is in compliance
with this section, same shall be automatically revoked if the Fire
Code Official or Sub Fire Code Official deems that the holder has
failed to abide by or adhere to the provisions of this section.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former §§ 101-12 through 101-14, pertaining to appeals, new materials, processes and occupancies, violations and penalties, were repealed 2-6-2002 by Ord. No. DR-27. These provisions are contained in the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code which was adopted by reference in § 101-1 of this chapter.
