HEAR ARE SOME PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGES RELATED TO YOUR FIRE SAFETY

*****FIRE HYDRANTS*****

Fire Hydrants are very vital in a fire emergency! However, they only work when we can find them and they are cleared for our use!
It is common for us to loose precious seconds and minutes while we try to locate a hydrant to supply water to fight a fire because they are overgrown with flowers and bushes in the summer, leaves are piled too high around them in the fall, and snow is not shoveled during the winter.
You ask - How can I help?
It's easy: Take care of "your" Fire Hydrant!
Even if the Hydrant is 3 or 4 houses down, it most likely will be used to fight a fire at your house. Ensure it is kept clear all year long. Shovel it out in the winter, keep the leaves clear in the fall, and please don't plant flowers, shrubs and other plants around them. If the hydrant is in the neighbor's front lawn and they put a fence in front of it (yes, we've seen it!) ask them not to, it's putting your lives in jeopardy!

In order for us to get to you quickly in an emergency, the 911 system was developed. Part of that system is posting your street number on your house or business. Precious time is lost trying to find a residence when street numbers are not posted or visable.
Chapter 116 of the Somers Town Code requires the following:
All properties within the Town of Somers that contain a principal building thereon, whether or not said building is occupied shall bear and display at least one (1) set of house numbers.
Buildings facing two (2) or more public roadways shall be required to display auxiliary numbers, if necessary, to pass the visibility test (as hereinafter set forth) when viewed from those points in the center line of the public roadway opposite those points where regularly used pedestrian or vehicular passageways enter the public roadway.
House numbers shall be Arabic design, shall have a minimum height of three (3) inches and shall be mounted in a secure fashion to the building's front wall or to a porch or other fixed appurtenance in front of the building in the general vicinity of the main entryway or main path of travel which leads to the main entrance from a public street, or otherwise separately mounted in an approved manner upon the face of a wall or upon a post in the front yard of the premises.
Auxiliary numbers shall be mounted at a height between four (4) feet and ten (10) feet above the adjacent grade or exterior landing directly beneath, but never higher than fifteen (15) feet above the adjoining grade. They shall be sufficiently legible as to contrasting background, arrangement, spacing, size and uniformity of integers so that the numbers may be read with ease during the daylight hours by a person possessing at least 20/40 vision as he views the numbers from the center line of the facing street and at an elevation of five (5) feet above the finished surface thereof. The numbers shall be so placed that trees, shrubs or other obstructions do not block the line of the sight from the center of the street to any appreciable degree.
Violations of this chapter can be liable for a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.) for each offense.
If you are in doubt of your street number, please call the Assessor’s office Monday through Friday, between 9:00am and 4:30pm at 277-3504.

*****FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS AND PERMITS*****

Fire Alarm Systems are great for immediate notification to us in the event of a fire in it's early stages. However, they are also a nuisance when not properly maintained, and cause undue Fire Department response when they malfunction. This also causes problems when fire apparatus and personnel are responding to a malfunctioning alarm and someone in town needs us in a true emergency!
Remember- FALSE ALARMS KILL!
Chapter 62 of the Somers Town Code requires the following:
A permit shall be obtained for the Installation of any fire alarm system.
A user permit is required for all new and existing fire alarm systems.
User permits must be visibly posted in the immediate vicinity of the main control panel.
All fire alarm systems must be properly maintained at all times. Buildings that are required by law to have fire alarm systems may not be occupied by the public if the system is not operational.
All fire alarm systems must be tested and serviced annually by a qualified installer and have certification on the equipment stating when the system was serviced.
Violations of this Article can be punishable by a fine not exceeding $50.
Fines for false alarms that are transmitted to the Fire Department, can be up to $200.
If you have questions regarding Fire Alarms, please call the Bureau of Fire Prevention at the Building Department, Monday through Friday, at 277-8228.

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