PRINTER'S NO. 2976
No. 2258 Session of 1976
INTRODUCED BY MISCEVICH, A. K. HUTCHINSON, ABRAHAM, TRELLO,
M. M. MULLEN, NOVAK, MENHORN, WALSH, PETRARCA, FRYER,
MRKONIC, COWELL, KERNICK, McGRAW, GEISLER, CAPUTO,
MILANOVICH, FLAHERTY, ITKIN AND RAVENSTAHL, MARCH 24, 1976
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 24, 1976
AN ACT
1 Authorizing the chiefs of fire companies to appoint members of
2 the fire companies to inspect fire hydrants at various times;
3 notifying water companies of any deficient water pressure and
4 providing penalties for failure to maintain adequate water
5 pressure.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Every chief of every fire company, whether such
9 company operates as a paid fire company or a volunteer fire
10 company, of every municipality is hereby granted authority to
11 appoint two members of the fire company to inspect, on a
12 quarterly basis, all the fire hydrants within the area served by
13 such fire company. The inspections shall determine the exact
14 location of the fire hydrant, whether or not such hydrant is
15 free from debris, the operating condition of such hydrant, and
16 whether sufficient water pressure is present to insure effective
17 use of the fire fighting equipment of the company.
18 The chiefs of the various fire companies shall meet and
1 assign areas of responsibility to each fire company in an effort
2 to avoid a duplication of inspection and the temporary
3 disturbance of the water supply system. Each chief may order the
4 inspection of the fire hydrants at such times within each
5 quarter as such chief deems necessary for the adequate
6 protection of the citizens of the municipality involved.
7 Section 2. Whenever insufficient water pressure is present
8 the inspectors shall immediately notify the water company or
9 authority responsible for water supply to correct the situation
10 and recheck the fire hydrant within ten days.
11 The results of the inspections shall be open to public
12 inspection at each headquarters of the fire company responsible
13 for the inspection.
14 Section 3. Any fire company, fire chief or fireman who
15 choose to inspect fire hydrants in accordance with the
16 provisions of this act shall not be held liable in a civil suit
17 or guilty in a criminal proceeding brought by any person who may
18 suffer damage as a result of the improper functioning of a fire
19 hydrant due to low water pressure or other impediments.
20 Section 4. Any water company or authority which fails to
21 correct the sufficiency of water pressure after notification in
22 accordance with section 2 and after a reinspection of the
23 hydrant shall, in a summary proceeding by the district attorney
24 and the fire chief of the inspecting company, be sentenced to
25 pay a fine of $25 for each day the fire hydrant has insufficient
26 water pressure until adequate water pressure is restored. The
27 fine shall be measured from the day of the second inspection
28 until the date that adequate water pressure is restored.
29 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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