§ 91.21 AMENDMENTS.
   The Uniform Fire Code adopted by the state’s Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission and published in the Indiana Administrative Code is hereby supplemented with the following additions.
   (A)   Unlawful continuance of fire hazard. Any person operating or maintaining any occupancy, premises or vehicle subject to this subchapter who shall permit any fire hazard to exist on premises under his or her control or who shall fail to take immediate action to abate a fire hazard when ordered or notified to do so by the Chief or his or her duly authorized representative shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
   (B)   Compliance with order or notice. Any order or notice issued or served as provided in this subchapter shall be complied with by the owner, operator, occupant or other person responsible for the condition or violation to which the order or notice pertains. In cases of extreme danger to persons or property, immediate compliance shall be required. If the building or other premises is owned by one person and occupied by another, under lease or otherwise, and the order or notice requires additions or changes in the building or premises such as would immediately become real estate and be the property of the owner of the building or premises, such order or notice shall be complied with by the owner unless the owner and occupant have otherwise agreed between themselves, in which event the occupant shall comply.
   (C)   Compliance with condemnation tag. A building, premises or thing shall not be used when in violation of this subchapter.
   (D)   Removal or destruction of signs or tags. A sign or tag posted or affixed by the Chief or his or her authorized representative shall not be mutilated, destroyed or removed without authority to do so.
   (E)   Authority at fires and other emergencies. The Chief or his or her authorized representatives, as may be in charge at the scene of a fire or other emergency involving the protection of life and/or property or any part thereof, shall have the power and authority to direct such operation as may be necessary to extinguish or control any fire, perform any rescue operation, investigate the existence of suspected or reported fires, gas leak or other hazardous conditions or situations or of taking any other action necessary in the reasonable performance of their duty. In the exercise of such power, the Chief or his or her authorized representatives may prohibit any person, vehicle, vessel or thing from approaching the scene and may remove or cause to be removed or kept away from the scene any vehicle, vessel or thing which may impede or interfere with the operations of the Fire Department and, in the judgment of the Chief or his or her authorized representatives, any person not actually and usefully employed in the extinguishing of such fire or in the preservation of property in the vicinity thereof.
   (F)   Interference with Fire Department. Any person who obstructs the operations of the Fire Department in connection with extinguishing any fire, or other emergency, or disobeys any lawful command of the Chief or Office of the Fire Department who may be in charge at such a scene, or any part thereof, or any police officer assisting the Fire Department, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
   (G)   Authority to barricade. The Chief or other officer of the Fire Department in charge at the scene of an emergency shall have the authority to place ropes, guards, barricades or other obstructions across any street, alley, place or private property in the vicinity of such operation so as to prevent accident or interference with the lawful efforts of the Fire Department to manage and control the situation and to handle fire apparatus.
   (H)   Tampering with fire equipment. No person shall molest, tamper with, damage or otherwise disturb any apparatus, equipment or appurtenance belonging to or under the supervision and control of the Fire Department without authority from the Chief or his or her authorized representative to do so.
   (I)   Tampering with barricades and the like. No person, except a person authorized by the Chief or a public officer acting within the scope of his or her public duties, shall remove, unlock, destroy, tamper with or otherwise molest in any manner any lock, gate, door, barricade, chain, enclosure, sign, tag or seal which has been lawfully installed by the Fire Department or by its order or under its control.
   (J)   Obstruction of fire protection equipment.
      (1)   General. No person shall place or keep any post, fence, vehicle, growth, trash, storage or other material or thing near any fire hydrant, Fire Department connection or fire protection system control valve that would prevent such equipment or hydrant from being immediately discernible or in any other manner deter or hinder the Fire Department from gaining immediate access to said equipment or hydrant. A minimum three-foot clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of the fire hydrants, except as otherwise required or approved by the Chief.
      (2)   Identification of hydrants or equipment. All fire protection equipment or hydrants shall be clearly identified in a manner approved by the Chief to prevent parking or other obstruction.
   (K)   Fire apparatus roads.
      (1)   General. Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided and maintained in accordance with the provisions of this section.
      (2)   Where required. Fire apparatus access roads shall be required for every building hereafter constructed when any portion of an exterior wall of the first story is located more than 50 feet from Fire Department vehicle access.
         (a)   Exceptions:
            1.   When buildings are completely protected with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, the provisions of this section may be modified;
            2.   When access roadways cannot be installed due to topography, waterways, non- negotiable grades or other similar conditions, the Chief may require additional fire protection as specified in § 10.01(b) of the Uniform Fire Code; and
            3.   When there are not more than two Group R, Division 3 or Group M Occupancies, the requirements of this section may be modified; provided, in the opinion of the Chief, firefighting or rescue operations would not be impaired.
         (b)   More than one fire apparatus road may be required when it is determined by the Chief that access by a single road may be impaired by vehicle congestion, conditions of terrain, climatic conditions or other factors that could limit access.
      (3)   Width. The unobstructed width of a fire apparatus access road shall be not less than 20 feet.
      (4)   Vertical clearance. Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet, six inches. Exceptions: upon approval, vertical clearance may be reduced; provided, such reduction does not impair access by fire apparatus and approved signs are installed and maintained indicating the established vertical clearance.
      (5)   Permissible modifications. Vertical clearances or widths required by this section shall be increased when, in the opinion of the Chief, vertical clearances or widths are not adequate to provide fire apparatus access.
      (6)   Surface. Fire apparatus access roads shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be provided with a surface so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities.
      (7)   Turning radius. The turning radius of a fire apparatus access road shall be as approved by the Chief.
      (8)   Turnarounds. All dead-end fire apparatus access roads in excess of 150 feet in length shall be provided with approved provisions for the turning around of fire apparatus.
      (9)   Bridges. When a bridge is required to be used as access under this section, it shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the applicable sections of the Building Code and shall use designed live loading sufficient to carry the imposed loads of fire apparatus.
      (10)   Grade. The gradient for a fire apparatus access road shall not exceed the maximum approved by the Chief.
      (11)   Obstruction. The required width of any fire apparatus access road shall not be obstructed in any manner, including parking of vehicles. Minimum required widths and clearances established under this section shall be maintained at all times.
      (12)   Signs. When required, approved signs or other approved notices shall be provided and maintained for fire apparatus access roads to identify such roads and prohibit the obstruction thereof, or both.
   (L)   Premises identification. Approved numbers or addresses shall be placed on all new and existing buildings in such a position as to be plainly visible and legible from the street or road fronting the property. Said numbers shall contrast with their background.
   (M)   Key box.
      (1)   When access to or within a structure or an area is unduly difficult because of secure openings or where immediate access is necessary for life-saving or firefighting purposes, the Chief may require a key box to be installed in an accessible location.
      (2)   The key box shall be a type approved by the Chief and shall contain keys to gain necessary access as required by the Chief.
(Prior Code, § 91.16) (Ord. G-92-22, passed 1-12-1993) Penalty, see § 91.99