The text
Sec. 26-1. - Bureau of fire prevention.#
(a)
The fire chief, fire marshal and any other qualified members of the fire department designated by the fire chief shall constitute the Narragansett Bureau of Fire Prevention, hereinafter referred to as bureau of fire prevention. All members of the bureau of fire prevention shall be sworn constables of the town and shall uphold and enforce all Narragansett fire related ordinances and laws.
(b)
Any plans involving relocation or adjustment of fire alarm equipment, boxes or cable required by building, road construction, road reconstruction, cable television or utilities shall be submitted to the fire department. All pertinent information of the work to be performed and material requirements shall be included.
(c)
The town council shall establish by resolution and amend from time to time standard rates to be used when computing charges.
(Code 1986, § 6-1; Ch. 1080, § 1, 10-19-2020)
Sec. 26-2. - State code adopted.#
There is adopted by the town for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion, that certain code known as the state Fire Safety Code, chapters 28.1 to 28.39 of title 23 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, 1956 as amended, and the Fire Safety Code sections 1 through 15 adopted by the Rhode Island Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review pursuant to R.I.G.L. 23-28.3-3, which provisions are adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out in length herein, and from the date this section takes effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the town.
(Ch. 1080, § 1, 10-19-2020)
Sec. 26-3. - Duty to enforce laws, ordinances, regulations.#
(a)
It shall be the duty of the bureau of fire prevention to enforce all laws of the state and ordinances of the town, and all regulations that have or shall be adopted by the town covering the following:
(1)
The prevention of fires.
(2)
The storage of petroleum and petroleum products in bulk, the storage of dangerous chemicals, the storage and use of all other explosive and flammables of whatever name or nature.
(3)
The installation and maintenance of automatic and other fire alarm systems, and fire extinguishing equipment.
(4)
The condition and accessibility of exits in case of fire, from factories, schools, hotels, lodging houses, asylums, hospitals, churches, halls, theatres, amphitheaters, and all other places in which numbers of persons work, live or congregate, from time to time, for any purpose.
(5)
The investigation of the cause, origin, and circumstances of fires.
(b)
The bureau of fire prevention shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as are set forth in other sections of this chapter 26 and as may be conferred and imposed from time to time by law and regulations adopted by said Town of Narragansett. The chief of the fire department may delegate any of his/her powers or duties under this chapter 26 to the Narragansett Fire Marshal.
(Ch. 1080, § 1, 10-19-2020)
Sec. 26-4. - Investigation of cause and origin of fires.#
(a)
The bureau of fire prevention shall investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of every fire occurring in the town by which property has been destroyed or damaged and, so far as possible, shall determine whether the fire is the result of carelessness or design.
(1)
Such investigations shall begin as soon as an investigator can respond, upon the occurrence of such a fire
(2)
If it appears to the investigator making the investigation that the fire is of suspicious origin, the chief of the fire department shall be immediately notified of the fact; the investigator shall take charge immediately of the physical evidence, shall notify the proper authorities designated by law to pursue the investigation of such matters, and shall further cooperate with the authorities in the collection of evidence and in the prosecution of the case.
(b)
The chief of the fire department or his/her designee, shall report any structure damaged by fire to the town building inspector, and furnish a basic fire report no later than 24 hours following the extinguishment of the fire, accompanied by a recommendation with proposed measures to insure reasonable safety.
(c)
Upon receipt of a report from the fire chief or his/her designee, regarding a structure damaged by fire, the building inspector, or a designee, shall inspect said structure no later than 24 hours following the receipt of such a report.
(d)
The building inspector shall ensure that any structure classified as a public safety hazard and/or a general safety threat to the community is secured immediately following such a classification and/or determination.
(1)
The burden of securing such a structure shall be placed upon the owner of the property.
(2)
The owner of a property classified as a public safety hazard and/or general safety threat to the community shall secure the said property within seven days of such a classification.
(3)
In the event that an owner of a structure classified as a public safety hazard and/or general safety threat fails to secure such property, the building inspector, or a designee, shall secure the structure and charge the owner of the aforementioned property with any and all applicable expenses necessary to secure the structure.
(Ch. 1080, § 1, 10-19-2020)
Sec. 26-5. - Plans and rates for fire alarm equipment, boxes or cable.#
(a)
Any plans involving relocation or adjustment of fire alarm equipment, boxes or cable required by building, road construction, road reconstruction, cable television or utilities shall be submitted to the fire department. All pertinent information of the work to be performed and material requirements shall be included.
(b)
The town council shall establish by resolution and amend from time to time standard rates to be used when computing charges.
(c)
Transition to radio transmitting and receiving devices: All current and future town businesses required by the Rhode Island Fire Code to maintain emergency forces notification (master boxes) shall upgrade their system to conform to Narragansett fire regulations within a five-year timeframe. The Narragansett Fire Department will no longer maintain or receive signals on the current 100-milliamp wired system starting on January 1st of 2025. Any premise that requires this upgrade shall have a new radio master box installed and operating by December 31, 2024. (See the radio box guidance and regulations on file with the Narragansett Fire Department for details.)
(d)
There shall be a yearly maintenance and registration fee for all master boxes and a registration fee for local alarms made payable to the town at the time the business license is renewed. This fee will be accompanied by an application and approval by the fire chief or his/her designee.
(e)
Town not liable for losses: The town shall not be responsible or liable and no cause of action shall arise or be asserted against the town as a result of any losses, damages or injuries or any type whatsoever, to life or property, which may arise or occur to the applicant, his heirs, successors or assigns as a result of the failure of the applicant's fire alarm system to function properly or of the town's fire alarm system to function properly, whether considered jointly or severally and further the town shall in no way be held liable or responsible for any damages, losses or injuries to persons or property, which may be occasioned or arise by reason of the applicant's fire alarm system being connected to the town fire alarm system, and in any such event the town shall be held harmless.
(Code 1986, § 6-1; Ch. 1080, § 1, 10-19-2020)
State Law reference— Interference with fire alarm apparatus, G.L. 1956, § 11-4-10; fire alarm systems, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.25-1 et seq.; approval by town required, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.25-2; compliance with state law, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.25-2.
Note— Formerly, § 26-1.
Sec. 26-6. - Fire prevention inspection fees.#
These fees are governed by RIGL chapter 23-28.2, section 23-28.2-27 and are subject to change if alternate fees are adopted
The fire department shall assess an inspection fee for any inspection performed by the department pursuant to any provision of the state fire code including any rule or regulation of the state fire marshal. In the case of any commercial, industrial, manufacturing, educational, religious or governmental use, the fee shall be payable by the licensee of the property inspected if the occupant of the property inspected holds any license issued by the board of licenses, otherwise the fee shall be payable by the lessee of the property inspected or, if none, then by the owner of the property. In the case of any residential property, the fee shall payable by the owner of the property.
The fee shall be waived if, after inspection, no violation of any provision of the Narragansett Code of Ordinances or the Rhode Island State Fire Code including any rule or regulation of the state fire marshal has been found. Each subsequent re-inspection shall constitute an inspection for which a separate fee shall be payable if continuing violations are found. No inspection fee shall be assessed against the town, or any department, board, or commission thereof.
(Ch. 1080, § 1, 10-19-2020)