GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Prevention — See Ch. 192.
[1997 Code § 294-1]
The following words used shall have the definitions set forth
herein:
Any structure, building, suite or unit of space occupied
by the owner or rented, offered for rent or available for rent to
tenants, whether furnished or unfurnished, which is occupied or intended,
arranged or designed to be occupied for sleeping, shelter or living
accommodations by one or two families.
The owner, owners, landlord, holder of title or agent for
the owner of the dwelling unit.
Detection devices which sense visible or invisible particles
of combustion and which, when activated, provide an alarm sufficiently
audible to warn the occupants within the dwelling unit(s).
[1997 Code § 294-2]
The smoke detector(s) shall be either one-hundred-twenty-volt
(AC) or nine-volt (DC) powered, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., (UL)
or Factory Mutual Research Corporation (FM) or other nationally recognized
testing laboratory listed ionization and/or photoelectric-type detector.
[1997 Code § 294-3]
A.
The smoke detector(s) shall be installed in all dwelling units in
locations selected to effectively provide an alarm and shall be located
within 10 feet of the doorway to each sleeping area within the dwelling
unit.
B.
Smoke detectors shall be required on every story of the dwelling
unit, including basements. In dwelling units with split levels, a
smoke detector installed on the upper level shall suffice for the
adjacent lower level, provided that the lower level is less than one
full story below the upper level. If there is an intervening door
between the adjacent levels, a smoke detector shall be installed on
both levels.
C.
In dwelling units with one-hundred-twenty-volt detectors and where
more than one detector is installed within an individual dwelling
unit, the detectors shall be wired in such a manner that the actuation
of one alarm will actuate all the alarms in the individual unit.
[1997 Code § 294-4]
A.
Whenever a change of tenant or ownership occurs in a single- or two-family
residence constructed before 1977, a certificate of inspection shall
be obtained from the Construction Official by the new tenant or owner.
B.
The new tenant or owner shall fill out, on forms provided by the
Construction Official, an application for a certificate of inspection.
C.
The application fee for a certificate of inspection obtained in accordance
with this section shall be $25 and be made payable to the City of
Absecon City. If a certificate of occupancy or a certificate of continuing
occupancy is being applied for concurrent with the certificate of
inspection, the fee for the certificate of inspection shall be waived.
[1997 Code § 294-5]
No certificate of occupancy or certificate of continuing occupancy
shall be issued for any dwelling unit(s) unless the appropriate municipal
authority certifies that a smoke detector(s), in proper working condition,
has been installed in the unit for which said certificate of occupancy
has been applied.
[1997 Code § 294-6]
A.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of each dwelling unit(s),
subject to the terms of this chapter, to have installed and maintained
a smoke detector(s) as required by this chapter, and it shall be unlawful
for any such owner to refuse to install such smoke detector(s) in
accordance with this chapter or to fail to maintain the detector(s)
in proper working condition.
B.
It shall be the responsibility of the tenant or occupant of each
dwelling unit, at his/her own cost and expense, to maintain the smoke
detector(s) installed by the owner in the dwelling unit, including
the replacement of batteries of all battery-operated detectors. Any
tenant or occupant who fails to maintain the smoke detector(s) shall
be in violation of this chapter.
C.
The responsibility of the tenant or occupant to maintain the smoke
detector(s) shall not relieve the owner of the responsibility to maintain
the smoke detector in proper operating condition, other than the battery,
in the dwelling unit.
D.
It shall be unlawful for any tenant, occupant, owner or any other
person to intentionally interfere or tamper with, damage, destroy,
remove, paint or do anything to cause a smoke detector or any of its
parts to malfunction or fail to operate.
E.
Testing requirements. It shall be the responsibility of the tenant
or occupant of each dwelling unit to test or inspect each smoke detector
as recommended by the manufacturer.
[1997 Code § 294-7]
A.
The municipal officials charged with the duty of enforcing the provisions
of this chapter shall be the Construction Official, Electrical Subcode
Official, Fire Protection Subcode Official and the Building Subcode
Official.
B.
Enforcement upon complaint. In addition to the enforcement of this
chapter by the aforementioned officials, any person may institute
and file a complaint with the Construction Official or Fire Official
of the City of Absecon City.
[1997 Code § 294-8]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this
chapter shall, upon conviction in the Municipal Court of the City
of Absecon City, for each offense, be subject to a fine not to exceed
$100.
