[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Edgewood 2-16-1999 by Ord. No. 951. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 17.
Police Department — See Ch. 49.
Solid waste — See Ch. 169.
This chapter shall be known as the "Borough of Edgewood Emergency Abatement Vehicular Accident Ordinance."
The Borough of Edgewood determines that the release, whether it be deliberate or negligent or otherwise, of any hazardous materials or deposits onto or upon properties or facilities within the service area of police, fire and other emergency services of the Borough of Edgewood (or into other areas if called or requested by the proper authority), and that extended traffic obstructions threaten the safety and welfare of its residents and traveling public and create situations which must be immediately responded to and corrected; and the Borough Council of the Borough of Edgewood is desirous of protecting the safety and welfare of the residents of the community, traveling public and of emergency response personnel, and obtaining expense reimbursement.
A. 
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings herein indicated:
BOROUGH
Borough of Edgewood.
CARTWAY
The paved traveled portion of a road, street or highway.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OR SUBSTANCES
Any material or substance which is determined by the person in charge of police, fire or emergency services provided through the Borough or its authorized representatives to pose an unreasonable or imminent risk to the life, health and safety of persons or property, and shall include but not be limited to such substances as gasoline, oil, vehicular fluids, explosives, radioactive materials, petroleum products or gases, poisons, etiologic (biologic) agents, flammables, corrosives or materials listed in the Hazardous Substance List of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the Solid Waste Management Act, 35 P.S. § 6018.103, and the Worker and Community Right-to-Know Act, 35 P.S. § 7303, and hazardous materials as defined at 35 P.S. § 6022.103, the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act, and such other hazardous materials as are or may be defined by federal law.
PERSON
Any natural person, firm or corporation, association or partnership or other legal entity, excluding the Borough.
SIDEWALK
Any concrete or asphalt pedestrian walkway, including all structures or appurtenances necessary, desirable or incidental to the installation and safe use of a sidewalk.
TRAFFIC EMERGENCY
Any condition which, in the determination of the police of Edgewood, constitutes an extended obstruction or potential obstruction to cartways, sidewalks, roads, streets, highways in the Borough (or in areas outside of the Borough if called or requested by proper authority) which require prompt removal or traffic control in order to prevent safe and convenient passage thereon or which otherwise poses an unreasonable risk to life, health, or safety of persons or property, and shall include but not be limited to fire fighting, vehicle accidents, electrical conditions, vehicle failures or environmental accidents.
VEHICLE
Every device which is or may be moved or drawn upon a road, street or highway.
B. 
Words in the singular shall include the plural, and those in the plural shall include the singular.
The Borough hereby authorizes and directs its various emergency services, employees or any other persons utilized or hired for such purposes or any volunteer emergency services organization recognized by the Borough to take reasonable steps to clean up, or abate, or cause to be cleaned up or abated, any hazardous materials or substances released to abate hazardous material or substances or traffic emergency within the service area of Borough police (or outside of the Borough if called or requested by proper authority). The reasonable steps to be taken shall include, without limitation, towing, removing and impounding of vehicles, providing traffic control, evacuation, relocation, substance monitoring or removal, establishment of medical care facilities and to recover from any persons responsible for the emergency, any and all costs incurred in carrying out such steps. Any person or persons who intentionally or accidentally or negligently caused such emergency shall be liable for all costs of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by the Borough of Edgewood or any volunteer services organization recognized by the Borough of Edgewood. For purposes of this chapter, "release" shall include any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing into the environment, including but not limited to the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers and other receptacles containing a hazardous material. The remedies provided by this chapter shall be in addition to all other remedies provided by other laws or ordinances of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and this Borough.
[Amended 8-1-2005 by Ord. No. 1003]
For purposes of this chapter, "costs of cleanup and abatement" shall include, but are not limited to, actual labor cost of Borough personnel, including workmen's compensation benefits, fringe benefits, administrative overhead, cost of equipment operation, cost of special cleaning or containment agents or fire extinguishing agents used and cost of any contracted labor and materials; and further, it shall include any costs incurred by the Department of Police, the Volunteer Fire Department, and any other agency or contractor engaged in the abating or cleaning up activities, including but not limited to, all "response costs" as defined at 35 P.S. § 6022.210(c), excepting however, costs of actual fire suppression services which are routinely provided. In addition to these charges identified above, a charge as set forth in Chapter 118, Fees, shall be assessed for vehicle extrication services provided by the Borough of Edgewood Police or the Volunteer Fire Department, including but not limited to, use of the Hurst tool or jaws of life. This charge shall be payable by the person extricated.