Smyrna times., 1953-04-16

An Ordinance Providing For Fire Escapes
and Fire Towers on Certain Buildings
Within The Town of Smyrna and Estab-
fishing Regulations Therefor.
Be it ordained by the Council of the
Town of Smyrna in Council Met:
Section l. That from and after the
passage and approval of the act by the
Town Council OF the Town of Smyrna, the
owner or owners of any building now
erected or hereafter to be erected, and
being more than two stories in height
above the basement which shall be used
in the third or any higher story in whole
or in fact a college, seminary, school,
house, hotel. hospital, asylum. almshouse.
a factory, or workship, or as an apartment
house. or when rooms are let to families
or dodgers, or for the accommodation of
organized associations of any description,
shall be required to furnish such building
with sufficient permanent hre-escapes from
the third and all higher stories, and which
escapes shall be kept and maintained in
good order. Such fire escapes may be by
means of stairways or ladders outside the
buildings, or by stairways in a separate
tower or structure furnished with safe and
easy communication with such building.
Provided that Section l to 9, inclusive, of
this Ordinance, shall not apply to any
building whatever that is already supplied
with two or more independent stairways
leading from the highest story to the
ground floor. if said stairways shall not be
nearer to each other at any point than a
distance of sixty feet.
Section 2. The Mayor and Town Council
will appoint an inspection committee COM
posed of the Town Manager, one member
of the Town Council and a member of the
Citizens Hose Company to make periodic
inspections of any such buildings, to eN-
anime such fire escapes as TO their suit
ableness and sufficiency, whether as to
II. ion nppRCSlTV. L
upon such examination such escapes be
found to be sufficient and suitable. the
inspection committee examining shall give
the owner of such building or some one
of them, if more than one. certihcate
stating such examination and their ap-
proval, which certificate shall be good for
two years, at the expiration of which time
another examination shall be had and a
like certificate given. Such certlhcate OIL
approval shall be evidence OF suthclent
compliance with the requirements OF Sec
ton | to 9, inclusive, of this Ordinance,
and shall protect such owner from any
penalty therein prescribed during the time
for which it may have been given. II
upon such examination such escapes are
found to be insufficient and unsutable, the
inspection committee examining shall make
out a detailed report on said building CIV
ing their reasons why the escapes and
buildings are insufficient and unsuitable
and present this report to the Mayor and
Town Council for their final consideration
and enforcement according to Section OF
this Ordinance. The fee for such exam-
ination shall be one dollar.
Section 8. All buildings or structures
within the provisions of this Ordinance
shall be equipped with an exterior fire
escape or fire tower built of incombustibe
materials, either free-standing or support
ed by the walls of the building. The con-
struction of such fire towers or fire escapes
shall be in accordance with the Suioing
Code as recommended by the National
Board of Fire Underwriters. except where
stipulated provisions of this ordinance are
in contradiction thereto, in which case the
provisions of this ordinance shall apply to
the construction.
Section A. The following provisions
shall control in the erection or construction
Of an exterior fire escape or fire tower
required under the provisions of this ordin-
ance: :,
(a) At every floor above the first
floor, adequate provisions for access TO
the fire escape or fire tower from the
building proper shall be constructed in
accordance with the approval of the
Inspection Committee appointed by the
Town Council.
(b) ALL such fire escapes shall be of
sufficient strength to sustain live
load of 100 pounds per square loot on
balconies, passageways and stair land
inps and a concentrated load of 40C
pounds on stair treads. :,
(c) Fire escapes or fire towers shall
be placed so that they can be readily
and safely reached by the occupants OF
that the foot of the tower or fire
escape shall have free access to an
open yard, alleyway or street. ;,
(d) Fire escapes or fire towers shall
be spacious enough that the move
ments of those using them shall not be
retarded
(e) The access way to the fire escape
or fire tower at each floor shall con
meet with a portion of the building
where no accumulations of materials
or furniture is allowed to remain II
a position where it can interfere witt
the rapid exodus of persons through the
access way.
Section 5, No accumulation or storag,
of materials of any kind shall be permitted
on any portion of the fire escape or fir
tower at any time.
No accumulation of materials of an.
kind shall be permitted on the grount
near the foot of the fire escape or fir
tower where it can interfere with the sal
and rapid escape of persons using theN FIR
escape or fire tower.
No parking of vehicles shall be per
! mitted at any time within ten feet OF an!
portion of the foot of the fire escape o
fire tower.
oNSPSAANS
from the side of the building are locates
on the street side of the building, the low
est section of the fire escape shall be 0
the counter balanced type, hanging normal
ly with its foot eight feet above the side
walk or street and so balanced that tn
weight of a person descending the fir
escape will automatically lower the counte
balanced section SO that the foot is on tn
ground.
Section Z. All buildings to which thi
ordinance applies shall have fire escape
or fire towers erected in accordance wit
the provisions of this ordinance With
ninety days next after the Town Counc
of the Town of Smyrna has adopted thi
ordinance.
Section 8. Any person, firm, association
or corporation violating any of the pre-
visions of this ordinance shall upon cor
viction thereof be fined not less than Fiv
(S5.OO) Dollars and each day shall be cor
sidered and treated as separate an
distinct offense.
y Section 9. Enforcement of this Orc
d nance is to be executed by the law er
forcement officers of the Town of Smyrni
to the same extent as all other Ordinance
are enforced.
Adontad AnriI TO- 1858