(A) Authority at fires and other emergencies. The Fire Prevention Code Official or duly authorized representatives, as may be in charge at the scene of a fire or other emergency involving the protection of life and/or property, is empowered to direct such operations as may be necessary to extinguish or control any suspected or reported fires, gas leaks or other hazardous conditions or situations or of taking any other action necessary in the reasonable performance of their duty. The Official may prohibit any person, vehicle or object from approaching the scene and may remove or cause to be removed from the scene any person, vehicle or object which may impede or interfere with the operations of the Fire Department. The Official may remove or cause to be removed any person, vehicle or object from hazardous areas. All persons ordered to leave a hazardous area shall do so immediately and shall not re-enter the area until authorized to do so by the Official.
(B) Interference with Fire Department operations. No person shall interfere with, attempt to interfere with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or restrict the mobility of, or block the path of travel of any Fire Department emergency vehicle in any way, or interfere with, attempt to interfere, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or hamper any Fire Department operation.
(C) Compliance with orders. A person shall not willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of the Fire Prevention Code Official or interfere with the compliance attempts of another individual.
(D) Vehicles crossing fire hose. A vehicle shall not be driven or propelled over any unprotected fire hose of the Fire Department when laid down on any street, alley-way, private drive or any other vehicular roadway without the consent of the Fire Prevention Code Official in command of the operation.
(E) Definition of authorized emergency vehicle. Authorized emergency vehicles shall be restricted to those which are defined and authorized under the laws of the State of Ohio.
(F) Operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles. Upon the approach of any authorized emergency vehicle, giving audible and visual signal, the operator of every other vehicle shall immediately drive the same to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the street or roadway, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle or vehicles shall have passed, unless otherwise directed by the Fire Prevention Code Official or a police officer.
(G) Vehicles following fire apparatus. No operator of any vehicle, other than one on official business, shall follow closer than 300 feet from any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm, or to drive any vehicle within the block or immediate area where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
(H) Unlawful boarding or tampering with Fire Department emergency equipment. A person shall not without proper authorization from the Fire Prevention Code Official in charge of the Fire Department emergency equipment, cling to, attach himself to, climb upon or into, board or swing upon any Fire Department emergency vehicle, whether the same is in motion or at rest, or sound the siren, horn, bell or other sound-producing device thereon, or manipulate or tamper with, or attempt to manipulate or tamper with any levers, valves, switches, starting devices, brakes, pumps or any equipment or protective clothing, on or a part of, any Fire Department emergency vehicle.
(I) Damage, Injury-Fire Department-Equipment Personnel. No person shall damage or deface, or attempt, or conspire to damage or deface any Fire Department emergency vehicle at any time, or injure, or attempt to injure or conspire to injure Fire Department personnel while performing departmental duties.
(J) Emergency vehicle operation. The driver of any emergency vehicle, as defined in division (E) hereof shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights on or disobey any existing traffic regulation, except when the vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not upon returning from a fire. Tactical strategies such as, but not restricted to, "move-ups" do not constitute an emergency call. The driver of an emergency vehicle may:
(1) Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of existing traffic regulations;
(2) Proceed past a red or stop signal or other sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;
(3) Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as the action does not endanger life or property;
(4) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions;
(5) The exemptions herein granted to an emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle while in motion sounds audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle.
(K) Blocking fire hydrants and Fire Department connections. No person shall obscure from view, damage, deface, obstruct or restrict the access to any fire hydrant or any Fire Department connection for the pressurization of fire suppression systems, including fire hydrants and Fire Department connections that are located on public or private streets and access lanes, or on private property.
If upon the expiration of the time mentioned in a notice of violation, obstructions or encroachments are not removed, the Fire Prevention Code Official shall proceed to remove the same. Cost incurred in the performance of necessary work shall be paid from the municipal treasury on certificate of the Fire Prevention Code Official and with the approval of the Chief Administrative Official; and the legal authority of the Municipality shall institute appropriate action for the recovery of such costs.
(L) Hydrant use approval. A person shall not use or operate any fire hydrant intended for use of the Fire Department for fire suppression purposes unless such person first secures a permit for such use from the Fire Prevention Code Official and the water company having jurisdiction. This section shall not apply to the use of such hydrants by a person employed by, and authorized to make such use by, the water company having jurisdiction.
(M) Public water supply. The Fire Prevention Code Official shall recommend to the Chief Administrative Official of the Municipality the location or relocation of new or existing fire hydrants and the placement or replacement of inadequate water mains located upon public property and deemed necessary to provide and adequate fire flow and distribution pattern. A fire hydrant shall not be placed into or removed from service until approved by the Fire Prevention Code Official.
(N) Yard systems. All new and existing ship yards, oil storage plants, lumber yards, amusement or exhibition parks, and educational or institutional complexes and similar occupancies and uses involving high fire or life hazards, and which are located more than 150 feet from a public street or which require quantities of water beyond the capabilities of the public water distribution system shall be provided with properly placed fire hydrants. Such fire hydrants shall be capable of supplying fire flows as required by the Fire Prevention Code Official and shall be connected to a water system in accordance with accepted engineering practices. The Official shall designate and approve the number and location of fire hydrants. The Official may require the installation of sufficient fire hose and equipment housed in accordance with the approved rules and may require the establishment of a trained fire brigade when the hazard involved requires such measures. Private hydrants shall not be placed into or removed from service until approved by the Official.
(O) Maintenance of fire suppression equipment. A person shall not obstruct, remove, tamper with or otherwise disturb any fire hydrant or fire appliance required to be installed or maintained under the provisions of the Fire Prevention Code except for the purpose of extinguishing fire, training or testing purposes, recharging or making necessary repairs, or when permitted by the Fire Prevention Code Official. Whenever a fire appliance is removed as herein permitted, it shall be replaced or re-installed as soon as the purpose for which it was removed has been accomplished. Defective and non-approved fire appliances or equipment shall be replaced or repaired as directed by the Official.
(P) Sale of defective fire extinguishers. A person shall not sell, trade, loan or give away any form, type or kind of fire extinguisher which is not approved by the Fire Prevention Code Official, or which is not in proper working order, or the contents of which do not meet the requirements of the Official. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the sale, trade or exchange of obsolete or damaged equipment for junk when said units are permanently disfigured or marked with a permanent sign identifying the unit as junk.
(Q) Street obstructions. A person or persons shall not erect, construct, place or maintain any bumps, fences, gates, chains, bars, pipes, wood or metal horses or any other type of obstruction in or on any street, within the boundaries of the Municipality. "Street" as used in the section means any roadway accessible to the public for vehicular traffic, including, but not limited to, private streets or access lanes, as well as all public streets and highways within the boundaries of the Municipality.
(R) Penalty. Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on each subsequent offense such a person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 44-1989, passed 12-12-89)