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The Middletown Township Fire Marshal's Office

The primary goal of the Fire Marshal's Office is to prevent fires by assuring that all publicly occupied structures are maintained in accordance with nationally recognized fire safety standards. The Emergency Management Coordinator provides assistance to the citizens of the community when faced with catastrophic events by developing and maintaining an emergency operations plan.

Duties of the Fire Marshal

• Investigates all accidental and suspicious fires that occur within Middletown Township for cause and origin.
• Assist civil authorities in pursuit and prosecution when such fires occur by design.
• Conduct fire safety inspections of all publicly occupied commercial, mercantile, educational and multifamily structures on an annual basis.
• Provide public education programs in conjunction with the Skyline Fire District Association Emergency Prevention & Education Division to eliminate the cause of accidental fires.

The Fire Marshal serves as the liaison to the emergency response community and the Township's Emergency Services Advisory Board (ESAB). The Fire Marshal also assists the Township Administration in the development of contracts, leases, and agreements for emergency services.

Duties of the Emergency Management Coordinator

• Conducts municipal hazardous assessments and develops and Is an Emergency Operations Plan to mitigate the effects of catastrophic, man-made or natural conditions.
• Coordinates the emergency response to such event(s) and advises the township administration and elected officials in the proper actions necessary to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens of the community.
• Investigates the unwanted release of hazardous substances, either intentional or accidental, and assists the emergency services community in proper mitigation actions.
• Assists residents and businesses in the community with the development of facility emergency response plans designed to protect lives and property of citizens as well as the environment.
• Develops and conducts training for Township employees, emergency response organizations, businesses, and the citizens of the community and public employee Right to Know regulations.

Code Enforcement

The enforcement of the Mechanical Code is accomplished by the Fire Marshal's office. The Mechanical Code official assures that all publicly occupied structures are maintained in accordance with nationally recognized building and fire safety standards.

The Mechanical Official is also responsible for reviewing plans and specifications for those mechanical devices and fire systems that either cause, detect, or suppress fires in all structures within the municipality to insure that such systems are installed and in accordance with local and nationally recognized codes and ordinances.

The Fire Marshal and the mechanical official are responsible to develop and recommend to the elected officials the adoption of updated codes and ordinances designed to promote fire and life safety in the community.

Fire Inspector

Fire Inspectors work under the Fire Marshal's direction performing annual fire/life safety inspections of all publicly occupied commercial, mercantile, and multifamily structures. These inspections ultimately help reduce fire hazards and eliminate life safety issues and ensure that all fire suppression, detection and early warning devices are maintained according to pertinent codes and ordinances. Additionally, emergency contact infortmation, building and business ownership records, and information regarding any potential dangers or hazardous chemicals to our first responders are updated at the time of the inspection.

For each inspection, a fee is charged based upon the square footage of the building. A business and/or building owner found to be in violation of an applicable code will receive a notice to correct the violation within forty-five days. When violations are not corrected within the allotted time, enforcement actions are commenced.

A pre-inspection notice is hand delivered to each business a week to ten days prior to the annual inspection. If the business is of a sensitive nature, an appointment can be made for the fire inspection. Marked vehicles, badges, uniforms, and business cards identify our inspectors.

Levittown Heaters

Zero clearance heaters were installed in all Levittown homes when they were first built in the 1950's. In the 1980's, it became apparent that these heaters were the cause of numerous house fires. After many years of operation, the heating devices dried out the materials surrounding them causing them to reach ignition temperature, thereby causing fires.

To eliminate the dangers of zero clearance devices, Township Ordinance 85-8 was adopted in 1985. This ordinance mandates all Levittown heater compartments to be inspected at the time of sale and when a new boiler is installed. The "85-8" standard requires that the walls within the heater compartment be protected with a fire resistant material and that no holes exist within the compartment, except for air intake.

Prior to the sale of a home or the installation of a heater/boiler, a permit must be obtained from the Township Department of Licenses & Inspections and an inspection conducted by the Fire Marshal.

Emergency 911

The emergency number in Bucks County for any life or death-threatening situation is 911. Dial 9-1-1 if any resident has an Emergency that requires the urgent response of Police, Fire, or Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Once connected with the 911 operator, it is imperative you:

• Speak clearly & slowly
• Let the 911 operator ask the necessary questions.
• Know the address where the emergency is occuring.
• Be able to give your name, address & phone number.
• State the problem
• Remember help is on its way - Remain Calm

For Non-Life Threatening Situations, such as noise complaints or illegally parked vehicles, dial the Middletown Township Police Department at 215-949-1000. All other calls, such as requests for accident reports, should be directed to the Police Records Department @ 215-750-3845.

House Number Ordinance

All houses within Middletown Township are required to display assigned house numbers. The numbers must be at least 4" in height and visible from the street in front of the residence. This helps emergency responders locate a house quickly during an emergency.

Supplemental Heating Devices

Many residents have installed supplemental heating devices in their homes such as gas fired fireplace inserts or wood/coal burning stoves. It is recommended these devices be installed by a licensed contractorand in accordance with the manufacturer specifications. As a general rule, keep all combustibles at least 28 inches away from these units. Additionally, have your chiminey inspected and cleaned annually.

Residents must be aware some of these devices are Ornamental Devices and can Only burn decorative logs. Be sure to read the manufacturer's specifications carefully.

Homeowners or contractors must obtain a permit from our License and Inspection's Department and schedule an inspection by the Fire Marshal's Office to insure the proper installation of the supplemental heating device.

Snow Emergencies

Residents are reminded that during snow emergencies, along with removing your vehicle from the roadway, it is a good idea to clear the area from around your closest fire hydrant. This will help the fire departments locate and connect to these hydrants without wasting precious time.

Fire Protection Tax Millage

All Middletown residents are charged a maximum of five (5) mills in real estate taxes each year to fund fire protection services. These funds are divided among the four volunteer fire companies that service Middletown Township.

Be Ready, Be Prepared: Create a Family Disaster Plan

Disasters strike quickly and usually without warning. Agencies such as the Red Cross, FEMA, the Office of Homeland Security and the Middletown Township Office of Emergency Management encourage families to create a disaster plan.

What would you do if basic services were cut off? Hold a family meeting to discuss what you would do in case of fire, severe weather or other emergencies. How would you escape from your home if there was a fire? Who would you call in an emergency? Does everyone in your family have emergency numbers memorized?

Designate two places for the family to meet. The first should be right outside your home. The other one should be outside your neighborhood. Assign two emergency contact phone numbers - a friend or relative where family members can call in case they are separated from the rest of the family. Cell phones should not be counted on for communication during a disaster. After Tropical Storm Allison, many cell towers were affected by the severe weather conditions. During the September 11th Crisis and the bombings in London, cell phone circuits were overwhelmed and not able to handle the high call volume. Local land line phone service can also be overwhelmed in a time of crisis. After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance as long distance calls are routed through different circuits and aren’t affected by local call volume. Ask an out-of-state friend or family member to be part of your family emergency phone contact list.

Make sure everyone in your family understands your plan and knows exactly where they should meet and the emergency contact phone numbers. Remember, by preparing in advance and working as a team, families can and do cope in an emergency or disaster.

Here are some things to consider when creating a family disaster plan:

• Establish a disaster communications plan.
• Assemble a disaster supply kit to meet your needs for at least three days.
• Teach responsible family members how to turn off utilities in the home.
• Be familiar with escape routes in case you need to evacuate your neighborhood.
• Discuss what to do in an evacuation.
• Find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster.
• Instruct household members to turn on the radio for emergency information. In our area, tune to WBCB 1490 AM.
• Post emergency telephone numbers by each phone.
• Teach children how to use the phone to make calls to emergency contacts, and how to dial 9-1-1.
• Take a basic first aid and CPR class.
• Find out how to help elderly or disabled persons, if needed.
• Plan how to take care of your pets.

Visit www.fema.gov/plan for more more information.

Download a Family Emergency Plan Worksheet:

• Family Emergency Plan Worksheet

Fire Safety Tips

• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually.
• Change that battery in your smoke detector frequently
• Do not overload any electrical outlets.
• Have your heater inspected and cleaned annually.
• Clean your dryer's lint screen after every load. Every 6 months disconnect the exhaust hose and clean the inside connection and hose with a vacuum.
• Instead of using extension cords, use a circuited power strip.
• Never leave candles burning unattended.
• Before using propane gas grills, inspect the gas lines to be sure they are free of cracks, splits and kinks and that all connections are tight.
• Inspect propane tank(s) to make sure they are free of rust and corrosion and check the valve to make sure it is working properly.

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2008, Middletown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. All rights reserved.

Middletown Township
3 Municipal Way, Langhorne, PA 19047
Telephone: (215) 750-3800, Fax: (215) 750-3801

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