Emergency Services Access

No person shall park a motor vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended or otherwise obstruct any area designeated a fire lane in accordance with section F-311.1 of the county fire prevention code. Exceptions:

Busses, loading or unloading passengers, provided that the driver remains with the vehcile if necessary.
Fire, rescue, or law enforcement vehicles while they are involved in emergency operations.

Parking Near a Fire Hydrant

No person shall park a motor vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, with fifteen (15) feet in either direction of a fire hydrant located on public or private property. No provision of this section shall apply to a firefighting vheicle while they are involved in emergency operations.

Penalties for Violations

Any person violating any provision of these sections shall be fined as follows:

Fifty ($50.00) if paid within seven (7) claendar days at the county treasurer's office
If not paid with in seven (7) claendar days a misdemeanor summons shall be issued, upon which a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) may be assessed.

Designation and Marking of Fire Lanes

This standard shall provide the method by which fire lanes are designated and marked. Fire lanes shall be marked at any location designated as a fire lane by the Rockingham County Fire Marshal's Office. Fire lanes shall not be utilized for any purpose that will obstruct the fire lane in any manner.

Requests for deviation from this standard must be submitted in writing to the to the Fire Marshal's Office. Written requests must state the deviation requested and why it is necesary to deviate from the standard.

Fire lanes existing prior to August of 1999 shall be brought into compliance with this standard when it becomes necessary to remark the fire lane. Final approval shall be obtained from the Fire Marshal's Office prior to placement of any signs or pavement markings designating a fire lane.

Marking of Designated Fire Lanes

The following specifications shall be used to mark fire lanes:

Sign Specifications

Metal Construction.
12 inch by 18 inch.
Red reflective letters on a white background.
3/8 inch red trim strip around the outer edge of the sign.
Sign to read: NO PARKING OR STANDING FIRE LANE.
Letter size and layout to be:
     NO PARKING           2 inch letters
              OR                     1 inch letters
       STANDING              2 inch letters
       FIRE LANE               2 1/2 inch letters
Signs shall to be mounted 7 feet from bottom of the sign to the ground.
Arrows (when required) shall be on a separate 12 inch by 6 inch metal sign with a white background and a solid red reflective arrow.
Signs shall be securely mounted to the post.
Posts shall be of metal construciton, and mounted securely in the ground.
Spacing between signs shall not exceed 70 feet.
Signs shall be mounted perpendicular to the flow of traffic. If the fire lane is in an area of two-way traffic signs shall be provided facing both directions.

Curb/Pavement Markings

All markings shall be made with red, traffic grade paint, appropriate for the surface to which it will be applied.
All curbs locate in designated fire lanes shall be indicated by red paint.
In areas where there is no curb on the outside edge of the fire lane the outside edge shall be indicated by a six inch wide red strip.
In areas without curbing, a six inch wide strip shall indicate both edges of the designated fire lane.
In areas where signs cannot be placed. pavement markings shall be substituted for signs. Pavement markings shall read:
FIRE LANE 18 inch letters
NO PARKING 18 inch letters
Spacing of pavement markings shall not exceed 70 feet.
Pavement markings shall be in the direction of traffic flow. If fire lane is in an area of two-way traffic. Pavement markings shall be provided facing both directions.

Minimum Design Criteria

The following shall be the minimum design critera for any fire lane:

Fire lanes shall be provided to within 150 feet of all portions of the facility or any portion of the exterior wall of the first story of the building as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the building or facility.
The minimum width shall be 20 feet and shall be an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet 6 inches.
Fire lanes shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be surfaced so as to provide all weather driving capabilities.
Turns in fire lanes shall be constructed with a minimum radius of 50 feet at the outside curb line.
Buildings or portions of buildings or facilities exceeding 30 feet in height above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access shall be provided with approved fire lanes capable of accommodating for department aerial apparatus. Overhead utility and power lines shall not be located within this fire lane. This fire lane shall have a minimum unobstructed width of 26 feet in the immediate vicinity of any building or portion of building more than 30 feet in height.
At least one of the reqired firelanes meeting the conditions set forth in item 5 shall be located so that the inside edge of the fire lane is a minimum of 15 feet and a maximum of 30 feet from the buidling, and shall be positioned parallel to one entire side of the building.
Landscaping located between the aerial, access apparatus fire lane and the building shall not interfere with the operaiton of the aerial apparatus.
Dead-end fire lanes in excess of 150 feet in length shall be provided with an approved area for turning around emergency vehicles.
Gates located within the path of any fire lane shall be located a minimum of 30 feet away fromt he public right-of-way and shall open inward. The clear opending provided throught gates shall be at least 2 feet wider than the travel way.