Township of Upper Chichester, PA Chapter 307 Fire Prevention and Protection

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Upper Chichester 11-14-2002 by Ord. No. 601. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Fire Department — See Ch. 34.

Fire Marshal — See Ch. 60, Art. II.

Alarm devices — See Ch. 150.

Construction standards — See Ch. 240.

Fire hydrants — See Ch. 298.

Fire insurance proceeds — See Ch. 302.

Property maintenance — See Ch. 429.

§ 307-1 Knox box rapid entry system.

A Knox Box Rapid Entry System shall be required for all the following:

A. New construction of any public building, including, but not limited to, commercial establishments, day-care facilities, places of worship, schools or places of education.

B. The sale or lease of any establishment identified in Subsection A above.

C. The repair or remodeling of any establishment identified in Subsection A above.

D. Any industrial establishment without twenty-four hour, seven-day-per-week security.

§ 307-2 Illuminated exit lights.

A. Any and all buildings that require illuminated exit lights will be required to have said lights placed over each exit door, and under said exit door one foot above the floor.

B. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional lighting.

§ 307-3 Alarm system; smoke and heat detectors.

A. All public buildings, including, but not limited to, day-care centers, assisted-living facilities, school or education buildings, places of worship, and in-home day-care centers, will be required to have smoke detectors/heat detectors which must be interconnected and hardwired, with a battery backup.

B. The smoke detectors/heat detectors shall be required on each floor of all establishments identified in Subsection A above.

C. The applicable alarm shall be clearly audible with strobe lights.

D. All establishments identified in Subsection A above shall be required to have the appropriate alarm and strobe lights in each restroom/bathroom.

E. All means of egress in buildings or establishments identified in Subsection A above will be required to have a manual pull station.

F. Any establishment identified in Subsection A above that has a battery-operated smoke detector/heat detector will be required, within 90 days' notice from the Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal, to comply with this section.

G. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional smoke detectors/heat detectors.

§ 307-4 Carbon monoxide detectors.

All in-home day-care facilities shall have carbon monoxide detectors installed.

§ 307-5 Emergency lights.

A. All public buildings, including, but not limited to, commercial establishments, day-care centers, assisted-living facilities, school or education buildings, places of worship, and in-home day-care centers, shall have emergency lighting at each means of egress.

B. In addition to the above, there will be a required remote light outside each means of egress.

C. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional lighting.

§ 307-6 Means of egress.

A. All public buildings, including, but not limited to, commercial establishments, day-care centers, or places of worship, shall have the number and the name of the business placed on each rear door.

B. All other doors will have a number placed on them, both interior and exterior.

C. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional doors to be numbered or named.

§ 307-7 Sprinkler system.

Any and all new construction, renovation of or addition to any public building, including, but not limited to, commercial establishments, day-care centers with more than six children, places of worship, industrial sites, assisted-living group homes, schools or places of education, shall be required to have a sprinkler system as approved by the Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal.

§ 307-8 Fire Department connection.

A. Fire Department connections will be a four-inch Storz.

B. All connections that are not a four-inch Storz will have 30 days after being properly notified by the Township Fire Marshal to make the appropriate four-inch Storz connection.

C. All Fire Department connections that are piped away from a building will be painted red, and will have white reflective tape placed around the pipe.

D. All Fire Department connections will have a visible sign over the connection, and the lettering will be reflective.

§ 307-9 Fueling station.

A. Fueling areas will have at least one 10pd. BC portable fire extinguisher.

B. There shall be an emergency shutoff outside where the public may gain access.

C. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional fire or oil spill protection.

§ 307-10 Propane tanks.

A. All propane tanks will be placed on a concrete pad.

B. All propane tanks will be protected from vehicles with a four-inch concrete filled post. The post will be four feet deep in the earth and four feet above the ground. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion shall determine the number of posts required.

C. When more than one business is using a propane tank or tanks, the tanks will have the appropriate business name on the tank.

D. No propane tanks shall be placed in or along side a building where there is vehicle traffic inconsistent with the above.

§ 307-11 Open burning.

A. Open burning within Upper Chichester Township will be permitted on the first and third Saturdays in the months of March, April, May, and September, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

B. The open burning of leaves is prohibited.

C. All open burning shall occur a minimum of 75 feet from any structure and a minimum of 20 feet from any property line.

D. There shall be the required fire watch during any open burning.

E. An attached, operable garden hose is required, and must be able to pass the burn site by 20 feet.

F. All open burning is prohibited when the wind velocity is in excess of five miles per hour.

G. In the event that a complaint is lodged as regards open burning, the open burning will cease until the complaint has been investigated and the proper determination in that regard made by the Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal.

H. All open burning is prohibited on all construction sites and commercial properties.

§ 307-12 Fireworks.

A. There shall be no sale of fireworks or any item that will produce smoke, heat or noise within Upper Chichester Township.

B. Notwithstanding the above to the contrary, the sale of sparklers is permitted.

§ 307-13 Authority having jurisdiction.

A. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional equipment or materials for life safety purposes.

B. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional items for installation.

C. The Upper Chichester Township Fire Marshal in his sound discretion may require additional items for procedural purposes.

§ 307-14 Violations and penalties. [1]

Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000, together with the costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, shall be subject to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days. Every day that a violation of this chapter continues shall constitute a separate offense.

[1] Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).