[Adopted 12-29-1977 by Ord. No. 1431
as Ch. 9, Art. II of the Cheltenham Code]
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98]
A.
The Fire Marshal of Cheltenham Township shall enforce
that portion of all laws and ordinances in connection with the following and
shall have the duties set forth below:
(1)
The prevention of fires.
(2)
The storage and use of explosives and inflammables.
(3)
The installation and maintenance of automatic and other
fire alarm systems and fire extinguishing equipment.
(4)
The maintenance and regulation of fire escapes, the means
and adequacy of exits in case of fire from factories, schools, hotels, lodging
houses, asylums, hospitals, churches, halls, theaters and all other places
in which numbers of persons work, live or congregate, from time to time, for
any purpose.
(5)
The investigation of the cause, origin and circumstances
of fires.
(6)
The Fire Marshal will, at the direction of the Fire Board,
oversee the fire training area.
B.
He shall have such other powers and perform such other
duties as are set forth in other sections of this article and as may be conferred
and imposed from time to time by law.
C.
The Fire Marshal shall investigate the cause, origin
and circumstances of every fire occurring in the Township by which property
has been destroyed or damaged and, so far as possible, shall determine whether
the fire is the result of carelessness or design. Such investigations shall
be begun immediately upon the occurrence of such a fire, cooperating with
the Fire Chief in whose district the fire occurs, and if it appears to the
officers making such an investigation that such a fire is of suspicious origin,
they shall notify the proper authorities designated by law to pursue the investigation
of such matters, and shall further cooperate with the authorities in the collection
of evidence and in the prosecution of the case.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The former unnumbered paragraph which immediately
followed this subsection, dealing with fire drills in educational institutions,
was deleted 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95.
D.
The Fire Marshal shall keep a record of all fires and
of all the facts concerning the same, including statistics as to the extent
of such fires and the damage caused thereby and, if readily available, whether
such losses were covered by insurance and, if so, in what amount.
A.
The Fire Marshal may, at all reasonable hours, enter
any building or premises within his jurisdiction for the purpose of making
any inspection or investigation which he may deem necessary to be made in
the performance of his duties.
B.
It shall be the duty of the Fire Marshal to inspect,
as often as may be necessary, all buildings and premises, except the interiors
of occupied or private dwellings, for the purpose of ascertaining and causing
to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire or any violations of the
provisions or intent of any ordinance of the Township affecting fire hazards.
C.
Whenever he shall find in any building or upon any premises
combustible or explosive matter or dangerous accumulations of rubbish or unnecessary
accumulation of wastepaper, boxes, shavings or highly flammable materials
and which is so situated as to endanger property; or shall find obstructions
to or on fire escapes, stairs, passageways, doors or windows, liable to interfere
with the operations of the Fire Department or egress of occupants in case
of fire, he shall order the same to be removed or remedied.
D.
Whenever the Fire Marshal shall determine that the parking
of motor vehicles upon any road, street, lane or alley in Cheltenham Township
is liable to interfere with the operations of the Fire Department or seriously
hamper the egress of occupants from buildings in case of fire, he shall post
signs on such road, street, lane or alley reading "No parking by order of
the Fire Marshal". Any person or persons, firm or corporation parking motor
vehicles in disregard of any sign so erected by the Fire Marshal shall be
guilty of a violation of this article and subject to the fines and penalties
hereinafter specified.
E.
The Fire Marshall shall have the power to restrict and
regulate the parking of motor vehicles on all parking lots adjacent to commercial
buildings or buildings open to the public for the purpose of providing proper
egress by occupants in case of fire and the ingress of fire equipment. He
shall designate the location for the installation of necessary signs setting
aside said restricted areas, and it shall be the duty of the owner of the
property to install, maintain and replace signs designating the restricted
areas.
[Amended 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; 12-15-1998
by Ord. No. 1932-98]
The Fire Marshal, Assistant Fire Marshal and their designate shall inspect,
as often as may be necessary, all specially hazardous manufacturing processes,
storage or installation of gases, chemicals, oils, explosive and flammable
materials, all interior fire alarms and automatic sprinkler systems and other
similar appliances and shall make such orders as may be necessary for the
enforcement of the laws and ordinances governing the same and for safeguarding
of life and property from fire. In so doing they shall apply the standards,
regulations and requirements of NFPA 54 National Fuel Gas Code and NFPA 50S,
58 and 59A for fuel gases, state statutes and the Cheltenham Township Code.
They shall have the following specific powers:
A.
To approve permits and inspect all installations of compressed
and liquefied gases. The fee for such permits shall be $35 for the first $1,000
of cost and $5 for each additional $1,000 of cost or fraction thereof.
B.
To approve permits and inspect all fire protection systems.
The fee for such permits shall be $35 for the first $1,000 of the cost thereof,
$20 for each additional $1,000 of cost, plus a review fee of $50 for a fire
protection system covering less than 2,500 square feet and $100 for a fire
protection system covering more than 2,500 square feet.
[Amended 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; 12-15-1998
by Ord. No. 1932-98]
A.
The National Fuel Gas Code shall be considered the standard
for installation, use, storage and transportation of liquefied gases, fuel
oils and gas appliances.
B.
The Pennsylvania state laws governing flammable liquid
and finisher are to be considered part of this article.
C.
Except as hereinafter provided, the provisions of NFPA
70 are adopted as standard for the installation for electric wiring and apparatus
in Cheltenham Township.
D.
All buildings shall be subject to regulations for protection
from fire and panic and for public safety, as provided for by the laws of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the ordinances of Cheltenham Township
which shall have the same force and effect as if stated in this article.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98]
The Fire Marshal or Assistant Fire Marshal, upon the complaint of any
person or whenever it shall be deemed necessary, shall inspect any building
or premises within the Township. Whenever such officer shall find a building
or premises which, for want of repairs or sufficient fire escapes, fire alarm
apparatus, fire extinguishing equipment or lighting, or which by reason of
age or dilapidated condition or any other cause, is especially liable to fire
and which is so situated as to endanger other property or the occupants thereof,
or whenever such officer shall find in any building combustible or explosive
matter, or a flammable condition dangerous to the safety of such building
or the occupants thereof, such officer may serve notice to remedy the dangerous
condition or remove the dangerous material and may further serve notice to
evacuate the building or premises until reentry is authorized.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98]
Service of notices authorized by this article shall be made upon the
owner or occupant of the building or premises by hand delivery to any person
then in charge of the premises or, in case no such person is found upon the
premises, by affixing a copy thereof in a conspicuous place at the entrance
thereto. It shall also be made upon the owner by regular mail to the owner's
last known post office address, if different than the address of the premises.
Such notice shall identify the condition found and the time period within
which it shall be obeyed. Failure to comply with any such notice within the
time specified shall constitute a violation of this article.
