|
Part 100
100.000 FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION* Ord. No. 7a Adopted: April 2, 1973
---------- *Cross reference(s)--Penalty for ordinance violation, Pt. 1; limiting use of water to assure adequate supply for fire fighting, § 83.001 et seq.; burning of refuse in open fires, Pt. 101; hazardous chemicals, storage and handling, Pt. 102. ----------
An ordinance to establish rules and regulations regarding
fire prevention and protection.
THE CITY OF READING ORDAINS THAT:
100.001 In general.
Sec. 1.
(A) False fire alarms; interference with fire department
equipment. No person shall turn in, sound, or cause to
be communicated to the fire department a false alarm of
fire; or molest any fire fighting apparatus or
equipment, or anything pertaining to the fire alarm
system; or make, or have in his possession, any
impression or duplicate of any key belonging to the
fire department, without the express permission of the
chief of the fire department.
(B) Obstruction of fire plugs. No person shall place any
building material or any other obstruction whatever,
nor shall any person responsible for such material or
obstruction, permit the obstruction to remain within
fifteen (15) feet of any fire hydrant or fire plug.
(C) Opening fire plugs. No person, except authorized
employees of the city, shall use any fire plug, except
in case of emergency, without first securing permission
from the City Council or their authorized
representative for such use, and by paying or agreeing
to pay for the water to be used. In no case shall any
wrench or tool be used on any fire plug other than a
regulation fire department hydrant wrench.
(D) Authority of the council to permit public displays of
fireworks. The Council may grant permission, upon
application in writing, for the public display of
fireworks to any association or group of individuals.
100.002 Fire prevention.
Sec. 2.
(A) Fire prevention code adopted; scope. There is hereby
adopted by the city for the purpose of prescribing
regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and
property from fire or explosion, that certain code
known as the Fire Prevention Code, Abbreviated Edition,
recommended by the American Insurance Association,
being particularly the 1970 edition thereof and the
whole thereof, save and except such portions as are
hereinafter deleted, modified or amended in this
division, of which code not less than three (3) copies
have been and now are filed in the office of the City
Clerk, and the fire prevention code is hereby adopted
and incorporated as fully as if set out at length
herein, and the provisions thereof shall be controlling
within the limits of the city.
(B) Chief of the fire department to enforce fire prevention
code. The fire prevention code adopted in this division
shall be enforced by the chief of the fire department.
(C) "Municipality" as used in fire prevention code defined.
Wherever the word, "Municipality" is used in the fire
prevention code adopted in this division, it shall mean
the City of Reading.
(D) Duration of permits issued under the fire prevention
code. All permits issued under the fire prevention code
of the city are valid for a period of one (1) year,
unless revoked due to changes or conditions
constituting a hazard.
(E) Modification of requirements of fire prevention code.
The chief of the fire department shall have the power
to modify any of the provisions of the fire prevention
code adopted in this division upon application in
writing by the owner or lessee of property affected by
the fire prevention code, or his duly authorized agent,
when there are practical difficulties in the way of
carrying out the strict letter of the fire prevention
code, provided that the spirit of the fire prevention
code shall be observed, the public safety secured, and
substantial justice done. The particulars of the
modification when granted or allowed, and the decision
of the chief of the fire department thereon shall be
entered upon the records of the department and a signed
copy shall be furnished the applicant.
(F) Appeals from administrative actions of the chief of the
fire department. Whenever the chief of the fire
department shall disapprove an application or refuse to
grant a permit applied for under the fire prevention
code, or when it is claimed that the provisions of the
fire prevention code do not apply or that the true
intent and meaning of the fire prevention code have
been misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, the applicant
may appeal from the decision of the chief of the fire
department to the council within thirty (30) days from
the date of the decision appealed.
(G) Observance of state fire prevention laws. No person
shall violate any law of the state, nor any rule or
regulation adopted by any duly authorized agency of the
state pertaining to fire, fire hazards, fire
prevention, or fire waste.
(H) Flammable liquids regulations adopted. There are hereby
adopted by reference those regulations promulgated by
the Michigan State Police, Fire Marshal Division,
contained in that publication entitled "Flammable
Liquids Regulations," being particularly the 1963
edition thereof; which regulation shall be in full
force and effect in the city as if set out at length in
this division.
(I) Liquefied petroleum gas regulations adopted. There are
hereby adopted by reference as regulations covering the
use and storage of liquefied petroleum gas in the city,
those regulations promulgated by the Michigan State
Police, Fire Marshal Division, and entitled, "Liquefied
Petroleum Gases Regulations," effective May 13, 1960;
which regulations shall have such force and effect as
if set out at length in this division.
(J) Inspections; notice of violation.
(1) The chief of the fire department is hereby
empowered to enter at any and all reasonable times
upon and into any premises, building, or structure
for the purpose of examining and inspecting the
same, to ascertain the condition thereof with
regard to fire hazards and the condition, size,
arrangement, and efficiency of any and all
appliances for fire fighting.
(2) If an inspection made pursuant to subsection (1)
shall disclose any fire hazard or any deficiency
in fire fighting appliances the fire chief shall
order the condition remedied.
(3) The chief of the fire department is empowered to
appoint members of the regular personnel of the
fire department to make the inspection
hereinbefore provided for, who shall report in
writing the results of the inspections to the
chief of the fire department and who are hereby
empowered to make such written order in respect to
the conditions found by them upon inspection as is
hereby authorized to be made by the chief of the
fire department; the order shall be complied with
forthwith. Should any person receiving such order
consider himself aggrieved thereby, he may, within
twenty-four (24) hours after the receipt of the
order, appeal to the chief of the fire department
who shall thereupon make such written order in the
premises as he may deem right and reasonable.
(4) No person shall fail to comply immediately with
any order of the chief of the fire department, or
of his authorized representative, which orders are
issued pursuant to this section.
(K) Obstruction of fire exits.
(1) No obstruction shall be placed or permitted to
remain in the way of, or upon, any fire escape,
balcony, or ladder intended as a means of escape
from fire.
(2) No flammable material shall be placed or permitted
to remain under or at the bottom of any stairway,
elevator, or other part of any building used for
the purpose of entering, leaving, or going from
place to place within such building.
(3) No obstruction shall be placed or permitted to
remain in hallways of multiple dwellings.
(4) No person shall obstruct or permit to be
obstructed any door, aisle, or passageway of any
theater, church, or other place of public
assemblage with any furniture or article.
(5) No person shall sit or stand in any such place of
assemblage in any aisle, or in any exit or passage
required for the safe exit of the assemblage.
(6) Clear passage from all exits and on sidewalks must
be maintained outside of all such places of public
assemblage.
(7) No aisle, passageway, or stairway in any store
shall be obstructed with tables, showcases, or
other obstructions during hours said store is open
to the public, or at any other time, unless an
employee is actually present in such store.
(L) Accumulations of combustible materials.
(1) No person owning or being responsible for any
premises shall permit any waste paper, ashes, oil,
rags, waste rags, excelsior, cellophane, or other
flammable plastic material, tobacco, smoking
wastes, or any material of a similar nature to
accumulate thereon, unless contained in covered
fireproof receptacles.
(2) No person owning or being responsible for any
structure shall permit any waste paper, ashes,
oil, rags, waste rags, excelsior, cellophane or
other flammable plastic material, tobacco, smoking
wastes, or any material of a similar nature to
accumulate therein.
(M) Combustible materials in proximity to buildings;
removal by the city.
(1) No fallen timber, wooden posts or poles, logs,
brush bark, or sawdust piles, stubs, or stumps, or
other flammable or combustible material or
substance, likely to endanger the safety of any
building, or to increase the speed of fire, shall
be permitted upon any lot within one hundred fifty
(150) feet of any building thereon or upon any
adjacent lot.
(2) Whenever the chief of police, the city engineer,
or the chief of the fire department shall find any
violation of subsection (1) he shall give written
notice to the owner of the lot that such lot shall
be cleared within five (5) days. If the notice is
not complied with within five (5) days, or the
owner of the said lot cannot be found within such
time, the city may clear or cause to be cleared
said lot at the expense of the owner thereof, and
the expense of clearing, together with any fees or
fines authorized by this Code, shall be and remain
a special assessment upon the lot, to be collected
in the same manner as other special assessments
are collected under this Code.
(N) Dry cleaners and dyers.
(1) No person shall violate any provisions of Act 327,
P.A. of Michigan, 1947, which Act is found at
M.S.A. § 18.577 (31), et seq.
(2) The chief of the fire department and his
authorized representatives shall have authority to
enter every establishment where commercial dry
cleaning or dry dyeing or both are done, at all
reasonable times, for the purpose of inspecting
the premises to determine whether it is being
operated in accordance with the terms of this
section.
(O) Fire in streets. No person shall kindle fire in or upon
any paved street or alley.
(P) Fires on private property. No person shall kindle any
bonfire on any private property.
100.003 Hotels, rooming houses and motels.
Sec. 3.
(A) Burning premises. No person shall carelessly,
recklessly, or negligently set fire to any hotel,
rooming house, lodging house, motel, or any place of
public abode, or to any bedding, furniture, curtains,
drapes, or other furnishings therein so as to endanger
life or property in any way.
(B) Smoking in bed; notice.
(1) No person shall smoke or have any lighted
cigarette, pipe, or cigar, while such person is in
or upon any bed in any hotel, rooming house, or
motel.
(2) In each sleeping room of all motels, hotels,
rooming houses, lodging houses and other places of
public abode, a plainly written notice shall be
posted in a conspicuous place as notice of the
provisions of subsection (1).
100.004 Explosives.
Sec. 4.
(A) Conformance with state law. No person shall violate any
law of the state, nor any rule or regulation adopted by
any duly authorized agency of the state, pertaining to
explosives.
(B) Blasting permit. No person shall blast or carry on any
blasting operation without first having obtained a
written permit therefor from the City Council or their
authorized representative. Before any such permit is
issued, the applicant therefor shall file with the city
clerk a bond or policy of insurance in the amount
specified by the City Council or their authorized
representative, as commensurate with the risk of damage
from injury or death to persons, or damage to property
arising out of the proposed blasting operations, which
shall be approved as to form by the city attorney. The
bond shall be conditioned to save harmless the city and
the members of the public from death to or injury of
persons or damage to property resulting from such
blasting.
(C) Regulations adopted. There are hereby adopted by
reference those regulations promulgated by the Michigan
State Police, Fire Marshal Division, and entitled
"Regulations for Storage and Handling of Explosives,"
being particularly the October 19, 1953, Revision; such
regulations shall be in full force and effect as if set
out at length in this division.
Effective date. This Ordinance to take effect 10 days after adoption by the City Council.
|