Operational Procedures of the Westampton Twp. Bureau of Fire Prevention
The State of NJ Uniform Fire Code has been in existence since 1985. A series of severe fires with large loss of life in the early 1980’s prompted a comprehensive fire code. This fire code is considered a maintenance code for buildings which have received their certificate of occupancy or were in business at the time the code was adopted.
Within the State of NJ, there are two classifications of registrations for the businesses. The two classes are as follows; Life Hazard Use (LHU) or Non-Life Hazard Use (NLHU). The state has published a registration guide book that each Fire Official uses to classify a new or existing registration.
In our town we have a mixture of both Life Hazard uses and Non-Life Hazard uses. Let me give you an example of each: An example of an LHU would be Hampton Inn Hotel on Rt. 541 at Hancock Lane. An example of a NLHU would be Dunkin Donuts at Rt. 541 and Woodlane Rd.
As the Fire Official in Westampton Twp., I am the person charged with enforcing the NJ Uniform Fire Code in all of the businesses. I have a staff of certified fire inspectors who work in my department and perform inspections each month throughout the township. The enforcement of this code is only in the businesses, schools and churches. The fire code does not allow us to inspect owner occupied one and two family dwellings. The code does permit the Fire Official to be notified of all fires within the township, which includes residential buildings and allows the Fire Official to investigate the probable origin and cause.
The Fire Code has a fee schedule set for the LHU registrations and the Township has a square foot fee ordinance for the NLHU businesses. The operation and funding of the Bureau of Fire Prevention is paid for 100% from the inspection fee’s collected. No individual homeowner tax dollars pays for this operation. Our department also performs Smoke Alarm/CO Detector inspections along with a fire extinguisher at time of resale of residential properties.
Over the years the fire code has helped lower the number of actual fires across the state. The code is a tool to be used to prevent fires and make the businesses and places of assembly safe for employees, visitors and the emergency personnel who may have to respond to an incident at an individual business.
The Westampton Twp. Bureau of Fire Prevention is always available to answer any questions or offer fire prevention related information. Please contact my office anytime at 609-267-2041, ext. 215 or by email at firemarshal@westamptonfire.org. Thank you and practice fire safety each and every day.
Useful Links:
Westampton Township Fire Prevention Ordinance
NJ Uniform Fire Code – Administrative Code Title 5 Chapters 70 -76
NJDCA Registration Inspection Management System RIMS Online *FOR STATE REGISTERED LHU’s*
Burlington County Construction Board of Appeals
FREE ONLINE ACCESS to NFPA Codes & Standards
Residential Resale Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide Detector/Fire Extinguisher Inspection Information
New Jersey Division of Fire Safety
NJ Division of Fire Safety FORMS
Useful Forms:
Annual Letter and Preinspection
Affidavit Interior Finish Protection Jan 2013
Knox Box Online Ordering **It is important that you select the correct fire department from the list (Westampton Two FD & FPB). If the wrong fire department is selected, your Knox products will not work for our fire department and you will be subjected to a $25.00 re-keying fee from the Knox Company.**
