COUNTY FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION MEETINGS

DIVISION UPDATES – December 2010

 

 

·         The 2010 Annual has been emailed to all LEA’s. Fire officials will be required to list only those LHU inspections that have not been completed in calendar year 2010. If all of the Local Enforcement Agency’s LHU inspections have been completed, provide only the requested information in the top portion of the form, submit it electronically, and then forward your signed and notarized Inspection Certification Form to the Division.  The electronic information submitted and the executed Certification Form completes the Annual Report. All requests for filing extensions must be made prior to January 31, 2011 in the form of a letter/email explaining why an extension is needed.  This letter/email should be addressed to Curtina McQueen-Martin, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Unit PO Box 809, Trenton, NJ 08625 or Curtina.McQueen-Martin@dca.state.nj.us and must include your email address.  Only written requests received prior to the January 31, 2011 deadline will be reviewed.  All requests submitted after January 31, 2011 will be denied.  If an extension is granted, you will receive notice of that fact via a return correspondence attached to the provided e-mail. 
 
The Division will no longer accept telephone inquiries related to the electronic filing of this report.  If your question is of a technical nature, you may address it to Karen Luckie via e-mail only.  Her address is Karen.Luckie@DCA.state.nj.us. 

·         The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in cooperation with Eastern America Trio Products Inc., announced a voluntary recall of compact fluorescent light bulbs consumer product. The light bulb can overheat and catch fire.  Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.  For more information go to:  http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml11/11001.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4ceaae484422dad7,0.

·         The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with American Honda Motor Co., of Torrance, Calif., announced a voluntary recall of the Honda and Mantis Mini Tillers. A rubber grommet that is part of the engine’s fuel tank may crack and leak fuel, posing a fire hazard. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.  For more information go to:  http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11040.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4ceaad8f5e05f891,0.

·         The anticipated revenue for 2011 is now on form site. All fire officials should have received an email explaining that they need to go into the link provided them in the email and put in their LEA code so they can produce their own document from the DFS.

 

 

 

Page 2

Division Updates

December 2010
 
 

 

 


·         The DFS would like to remind all LEA’s that provisions regulating holiday decorations may be found in the 2006 IFC – NJ Edition at Section 806.  Christmas tree, holiday wreaths, decorative materials display, open flame and electrical fixtures and wiring requirements are all addressed in this section.  For your convenience, Section 806 containing the applicable holiday provisions is attached to these updates.

 

·         Chief Kramer, Bureau of Fire Department Services, has again issued a memorandum concerning the requirements for fire officers. This is the time of year when most volunteer fire departments prepare to select fire officers for next year. It is important to ensure that those selected meet the minimum incident management requirements established by the Division of Fire Safety.

            This information can be accessed at:   http://www.nj.gov/dca/dfs/. On the    dropdown menu, announcements, 2010, click on fire officer requirements.

 

·         There are several ICC National Certification Examinations and FEE66 Fire Inspector I Based on 2006 International Codes testing for new inspectors scheduled.  The next tests will be held at the Saturday, March 12 2011, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM at Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center, 53 Academy Drive, Westampton, NJ 08060,  Saturday, June 11 2011, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM at Bergen County Fire Academy (Law and Public Safety Institute, Police, Fire & EMS), 281 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430, Saturday, September 10 2011, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM at Monmouth County Fire Academy, 1027 Hwy 33 East, Freehold, NJ 07728 and Saturday, December 10 2011, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM at Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy, 402 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844.  The cost of the exam is $180.  The information bulletin may be obtained from ICC at www.iccsafe.org/exams or call 1-888-422-7233, ext. 5524.  This information will also be posted on the DFS Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs.

 

·         The “Fire in New Jersey 2009” report is now available on our Division website.

            The link: http://www.nj.gov/dca/dfs/fire_in_nj09.pdf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 8 - SECTION 806

DECORATIVE VEGETATION

806.1 Natural cut trees. Natural cut trees, where allowed by this section, shall have the trunk bottoms cut off at least 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) above the original cut and shall be placed in a sup-port device complying with Section 806.1.2.

806.1.1 Restricted occupancies. Natural cut trees shall be prohibited in all occupancies.

Exceptions:

1.      Trees located in areas protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2 shall not be prohibited.

2.      Trees shall be allowed within individual dwelling units.

806.1.2 Support devices. The support device that holds the tree in an upright position shall be of a type that is stable and that meets all of the following criteria:

1. The device shall hold the tree securely and be of ade­quate size to avoid tipping over of the tree.

2. The device shall be capable of containing a minimum two-day supply of water.

3. The water level, when full, shall cover the tree stem at least 2 inches (51 mm). The water level shall be main­tained above the fresh cut and checked at least once daily.

806.1.3 Dryness. The tree shall be removed from the build­ing whenever the needles or leaves fall off readily when a tree branch is shaken or if the needles are brittle and break when bent between the thumb and index finger. The tree shall be checked daily for dryness.

806.2 Artificial vegetation. Artificial decorative vegetation shall meet the flame propagation performance criteria of NFPA 701. Meeting the flame propagation performance criteria of NFPA 701 shall be documented and certified by the manufac­turer in an approved manner.

806.3 Obstruction of means of egress. The required width of any portion of a means of egress shall not be obstructed by dec­orative vegetation and the decorative vegetation shall not be placed near any stairway or elevator shaft.

806.4  Open flame. Candles and open flames shall not be used on or near decorative vegetation. Natural cut trees shall be kept a distance from heat vents and any open flame or heat-produc­ing devices at least equal to the height of the tree.

806.5 Electrical fixtures and wiring. The use of unlisted elec­trical wiring and lighting on natural cut trees and artificial dec­orative vegetation shall be prohibited. The use of electrical wiring and lighting on artificial trees constructed entirely of metal shall be prohibited.

806.6 Show windows.  Decorative vegetation and wreaths shall not be used for decorative purposes in show windows or other parts of buildings in such a quantity as to constitute a fire hazard unless such material is flameproofed in an approved manner.

806.7 Under-tree decorations.  No flammable decorations, combustible tree skirts or decorative gift packages may be placed on or under or around decorative vegetation.  This restriction does not apply to decorative vegetation displayed in a sprinklered building.

806.8 Holiday wreaths. Holiday wreaths shall be permitted in any building but such wreaths shall not exceed 10 percent of the aggregate wall area of any room or space.

806.9      Live trees.  Live trees include any container-grown balled and burlaped or bailed and potted tree that has been uprooted, its roots protected by an earthen ball and maintained in a fresh, hardy condition.  Live trees shall be displayed in a manner that does not allow the tree to become dry, and any tree which becomes dry, brittle, or show signs of dying, shall be removed from the building.

806.10  Powers of enforcing agency. The appropriate enforcing agency or fire official shall approve the placement of a live or natural tree in a public or commercial building, may limit the number of trees in any building, and may order the removal of a tree from a building or occupancy if the fire official determines that the condition of the tree poses a safety hazard.