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(A) No person shall remove, tamper with, paint (change the color of the hydrant so that it does not meet the NFPA standards for hydrant marking), or render any fire hydrant inoperative or inaccessible, except as may be necessary during emergencies, maintenance, drills, training, prescribed testing, or when permitted by the Fire Official.
(B) No person shall place or keep any fence, growth (trees, flowers, shrubs, plants, and the like), stones, signs, trash, or other material near any fire hydrant that would prevent it from being immediately discernible or in any other manner hinder the Fire Department from gaining immediate access to it. A clear space of not less than three feet shall be provided on all sides of a fire hydrant.
(C) No person shall park a vehicle, boat, trailer, or any other item, or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, within 15 feet in either direction of a fire hydrant.
(D) Hydrants to be used as fire protection shall have as a minimum of two two-and-one-half-inch outlets and one five-inch outlet. This would allow the minimum requirements of the Insurance Service Office. Whenever possible, pipe systems should be arranged in loops. The County Public Works Department will be in charge of making the decision on the minimum water supply piping size to ensure the necessary water pressure needed to meet the water flow requirements at the hydrant. The size of the pipe is recommended to be as follows: (1) that no pipe less than six inches in diameter is to be used as a main water supply line; (2) no less than a six-inch pipe is to be used for two-outlet hydrants or to supply the hydrant from the main; (3) eight-inch or larger pipe is to be used if it is a dead-end main or if more than one hydrant is to be supplied; and (4) 11-inch or larger pipe is to be used for the primary main as much as possible. Hydrants should be set plumb, with the centerline of their outlets about 18 inches above the ground. When hydrants are installed before grading is complete, the final grade line and accessibility should be considered.
(E) Although the installation of fire hydrants is usually performed by Public Works Department personnel, the Public Works Department shall confirm with the Fire Marshal’s office the location, spacing, and distribution of fire hydrants. This will ensure that NFPA standards and Insurance Service Office requirements are met. By meeting these two requirements, the county will be providing the most adequate water supply for fire protection for the citizens of the county who live and work in that area. The maximum distance between hydrants shall not exceed 1,000 feet. In closely-built areas, subdivisions, townhouses, commercial/industrial with lot frontage 100 feet or less, 500 feet or less will be the maximum distant between hydrants. Hydrants should be located as close as possible to streets and intersections. Hydrants located in areas subject to heavy traffic need protection against damage from collision. (Hydrants must be inspected and approved prior to final plot approval.)
(F) Due to requirements by the Insurance Rating Services and other requirements by the insurance industry, all hydrants shall be serviced a minimum of once a year; twice a year, if possible, is the recommended service schedule. The Public Works Department, fire departments, and the Fire Marshal’s office will be overseeing this section. The following is a list of guidelines to go by to perform those requirements:
(1) Clean around the hydrant (this would include removing weeds and the like);
(2) Remove small caps and check gaskets in caps (rotate or replace as necessary);
(3) Open the hydrant slowly and flush the hydrant with caps off;
(4) Close the hydrant slowly. (Do not over-tighten the hydrant when closing);
(5) Brush or clean hydrant cap threads as needed and lubricant the cap threads;
(6) Oil the hydrant. (The lubricant used to oil hydrant and cap threads will be a food grade grease);
(7) Replace caps and energize (open slowly) the hydrant. Completely open the hydrant slowly and wait ten to 15 seconds before closing the hydrant;
(8) Check for any leaks;
(9) Close the hydrant slowly;
(10) Fill out proper paperwork (hydrant maintenance sheet). Make any notes of work that needs to be done; and
(11) Proceed to the next hydrant.
(G) Fire flow testing and marking of hydrants (when flow testing is performed, the Public Works Department must be notified). Fire flow tests are conducted on water distribution systems to determine the rate of flow available at various locations for firefighting purposes. An additional benefit derived from fire flow tests is the indication of possible deficiencies (such as tuberculation of piping or closed valves, or both), which can be corrected to ensure adequate fire flows as needed.
(1) Flow tests.
(a) All hydrants in each fire district shall be flow tested.
(b) All equipment used and the testing procedure need shall be done by NFPA standards.
(2) Marking of hydrants. Once all flow tests have been completed and the flows for each hydrant have been determined, then each hydrant will need to be marked according to NFPA standards.
(3) Public hydrants.
(a) All barrels are to be chrome yellow, except in cases where another color has already been adopted (for hydrants maintained by the County Water Department, the barrels will be painted with a reflective-type, bright yellow paint). The tops and nozzle caps should be painted with the following capacity, indicating the color scheme to provide simplicity and consistency with colors used in signal work for safety, danger, and intermediate condition:
Class AA (1,500 gpm or greater) | Light blue |
Class A (1,000 gpm to 1,499 gpm) | Green |
Class B (500 gpm to 999 gpm) | Orange |
Class C (less than 500 gpm) | Red |
(b) For rapid identification at night, the top of the hydrant and the caps shall be marked with a reflective-type material.
(4) Private hydrants. All private hydrants (yard hydrants) within private enclosures shall be painted solid red, with caps colored coded as required. When private hydrants are located on public streets, they shall be painted solid red, with caps colored coded as required to distinguish them from public hydrants. See reference manual for private hydrant-marking procedures.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023) Penalty, see § 95.999
(A) Generally. Hazardous materials disclosure shall be as specified in G.S. §§ 95-173 through 95-218.
(B) Hazard identification signs.
(1) The increasing use of a wide variety of chemicals, many of which introduce problems other than flammability, lead to the need for a simple hazard identification system. The purpose of such a system would be to safeguard the lives of those individuals who may be concerned with fire and spills occurring in these facilities or businesses. This system provides simple, readily recognizable and easily understood markings, which will give, at a glance, a general idea of the inherent hazards of any material and the order of severity of these hazards as they relate to fire prevention, exposure, and control. Its objectives are to provide an appropriate alerting signal and on-the-spot information to safeguard the lives of the Fire Department, rescue squad, EMS members, and law enforcement during emergencies at these facilities. It will also make employees aware of the potential hazards and bring the facility into compliance with the Hazardous Chemicals Right to Know Act.
(2) The 704 symbols are usually seen on the exterior surfaces of buildings and aboveground storage tanks. The 704 symbols shall be required to identify any area that is deemed to be a hazard. This determination is to be made by the Fire Marshal.
(a) Signs required. Per the fire code, hazard and identification signs as outlined in NFPA 704 shall be placed accordingly at all entrances to and in locations where hazardous materials are stored, handled, or used in excess of the exempt amounts.
(b) Size and type of signs. The size and type of signs used to identify hazardous materials shall be of the type and size specified in NFPA standard. A reference guide on the sizes of signs and signals will be made available to the public from the Fire Marshal’s office upon request.
1. The NFPA adopted the 704 system of identifying hazardous materials in 1961.
2. The 704 system provides hazards as they relate to fire prevention, fire exposure, and fire control.
3. The colors, which are diamond shaped, indicate the following type hazards:
a. Blue - Health;
b. Red - Flammability of the products;
c. Yellow - Reactivity of products; and
d. White - Specific information entered here.
4. Numbers range from zero through four and are inserted on the diamond-shaped colors (blue, red, and yellow) to indicate the degree of hazards present, with zero being the least hazardous and four being the most hazardous.
5. Notations are also used in the white diamond to indicate special hazards. Materials demonstrating unusual reactivity with water shall be identified with the letter “W” with a horizontal line through the center of the “W.” Materials possessing oxidizing properties shall be identified by the letters “OXY”. Materials possessing radioactivity hazards shall be identified by the standard radioactivity symbol.
6. Symbols are indicated for the most dangerous hazardous material when more than one type of hazardous material is present.
7. Although 704 symbols are subject to change, depending on changes in the area of storage or use of hazardous materials, they should be removed from an area only when hazardous materials are no longer present.
8. Symbols should be located where they can be readily seen by responding fire departments and other emergency agencies, and as near as is practical to the area of the hazard.
9. The sign must be easily seen from the roadway. The sign must be a minimum of 30 by 30 inches in size (type and size specified in NFPA standard).
10. A current Material Safety Data Sheet for all chemicals stored on the property should be put in a waterproof container located near the entrance to the property.
11. The owners of the business will be given 30 days from date of inspection to comply.
12. Hazardous materials that, when mixed, react violently, or evoke toxic vapors or gases, or that, in combination, become hazardous by reason of toxicity, oxidizing power, flammability
or other properties, shall be separated from each other in storage by distance, partitions or other approved manner so as to preclude accidental contact between them.
13. The Fire Marshal may require warning signs wherever hazardous materials are stored, processed, or handled. The warning signs shall be conspicuously lettered in accordance with NFPA standard.
14. This section shall not apply to hazardous materials in transport, which are placarded in accordance with Department of Transportation regulations, or applicable provisions of other NFPA codes and standards listed in the NFPA manuals.
(C) Warning signs required in coin-operated, dry-cleaning establishments. Each coin-operated, dry-cleaning establishment using the solvent known as “perchloroe-thylene” shall display, prominently upon or near each dry-cleaning machine, a sign warning the public of the danger of excessive solvent vapor inhalation, or that prolonged or repeated contact of skin or eyes can be harmful.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023) Penalty, see § 95.999
All new and existing buildings shall display their assigned address numbers in accordance with the NCFC and Chapter 93 of this code. The minimum addressing number size for single-family or duplex structures must be three inches in height. The minimum addressing number size for all other structures must be six inches in height. Numbers for all commercial, business, public assembly, educational, and any other structures that is open to the public must be posted on the building face that is readily visible from the road from which the number is assigned. Unit designators must be posted at each unit within three feet of the front entrance of the unit. In the event that a structure, or its posted number, is not visible from the road from which the number is assigned, the number must also be posted at or near every driveway or access to the structure. Violation of this section can result in a civil citation being issued by the Fire Marshal or its designee.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023) Penalty, see § 95.999
(A) Any facility utilizing a rack storage system of more than one level shall be considered to fall under the definition of “in-out dry storage facility.”
(B) Factors, such as method and height of stock piling, combustibility of materials, fuel load and rate of heat release, areas and size of piles, aisles, automatic fire extinguishing systems, smoke removal
systems, fire protection and fire separations, and access requirements, will be determined by consultation with the NCFC, the State Building Code, NFPA 303, NFPA 307, NFPA 30A, NFPA 230, NFPA 231, and NFPA 13 of the National Fire Protection Association Standards and any other codes and standards related to these types of facilities.
(1) The contractor or the owner of the building will also need to obtain a permit through the Fire Marshal’s office for this type of building.
(2) Plans for this type of building must be reviewed by the Fire Marshal’s office and approved before permits can be issued.
(3) Prior to occupancy, buildings housing high-rack storage systems shall be approved by the Fire Marshal’s office.
(4) Storage of boats and other equipment in these type buildings shall meet the requirements of the state building codes and the NFPA 303 §§ 5-2.1 a-h, 5-2.3 e-g, and 5-2.4 a1-6.
(5) The State Fire Code, along with State Amendments, and NFPA 303, 307, and 30A cover the areas of operational hazards that will need to be met, including the working, storage, and fueling of the boats.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023) Penalty, see § 95.999
The construction and operations of the above-named facilities shall meet or exceed the requirements set forth in the state building codes and NFPA 303, NFPA 307, NFPA 30A, NFPA 230, NFPA 231, and NFPA 13 of the National Fire Protection Association Standards, and any other codes and standards that deal with these types of facilities.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023)
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