CHAPTER 68.
FREETOWN FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES.
An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the law relating to the
protection of the City of Freetown from fire.
[18TH MAY,
1. This Ordinance rna y be cited as the Freetown Fire
Prevention Measures Ordinance.
2. In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires-
" City " means the City of Freetown as defined in t~e
Freetown Municipality Ordinance, or any Ordinance substl'
tuted therefor.
" Fire Authority " means the City Council of Freetown &5
constituted by the same Ordinances.
" Fire Brigade " includes all such persons as are from ti:trle
to time employed by the Fire Autho;rity as officers of the
Fire Brigade or firemen and all such apparatus, equipment aJIJj
Freetown Fire Prevention Measures [Cap. 68
. 1 ents as the Fire Authority shall or may provide for
~~r :fltcient protection of life and property in case of fire in
the City.
,, Fire Brigade Headquarters " means the place for the
. being notified in the Gazette by the Fire Authority ·as
tune f h F. B · dthe Headquarters o t e 1re nga e.
3 The Fire Authority shall employ such number of firemen
d. shall provide such equipment as to meet efficiently all
an . t
· r:mal reqmremen s.110 · h 11 · h ffi ·4 The Fire Authonty s a appomt sue o cers to tram,
·age and control the Fire Brigade as they think necessary,
~
~~g not less than two, and the Fire Authority shall nominate
Je~. of such officers to be the Fire Brigade Commander and
~~other to be the Assistant Fire Force Commander.
5 On an alarm of fire being communicated to them, the
Chi~f Fire Officer or Assistant Chief Fire Officer together with
the firemen then on duty, shall proceed as quickly as possible
to the locality of the fire with all such fire-fighting apparatus,
safety equipment and other implements, as are requisite and
aYailable.
6. (1) Notwithstanding any law or custom to the contrary,
all vehicular traffic in the City shall give way to the Fire
Brigade when proceeding to the locality of a fire.
(2) Any person in charge or control of any vehicle who
neglects or refuses to comply with the provisions of this section
shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction
to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or to imprisonment for a
period not exceeding three months .
. 7. (1) .Any Police Officer on learning of an outbreak of fire
111 ~he q1ty shall promptly inform Fire Brigade Headquarters
anct_ Pohce Headquarters and shall within the vicinity of the
~uFt?re~,k give the alarm by blowing his whistle and crying
·Ire.
(2) The Senior Police Officer at the scene of the fire shall take
~~eh step_s as may be laid down by the Commissioner of Police
nu~hns_urmg the maintenance of order, and shall have power to
lifu :~~e; for the purpose of extinguishing the fire or protectirtg
persons prope~ty, ~ny Police Officer to prevent the entry of
ow~ d or vehiCles mto any place whether public or privatelycons:nt a~d to enter into an~ land or building without the
· 0 the owner or occupier thereof, and to do such acts
Firemen and
equipment.
20 of 1959.
Officers.
Duties of
Fire
Brigade on
alarm being
given.
Right of
way of Fire
Brigade when
proceeding
to a fire.
Duties of
Police
Force
in case of fire.
Senior Fire
Officer to
have control
of firefighting
operations.
Fire alarms.
False alarms
of fire.
Fire hydrants
and water
supplies.
Cap. 68] Freetown Fire Prevention Measures
therein, whether causing damage or not, as are reasonably
required for the purposes aforesaid.
(3) Any act which may be done by a Police Officer when
duly authorised under sub-section (2) hereof, may also be done
by any fireman acting under the direct orders of an officer of
the Fire Brigade.
(4) No action for damages in respect of anything done under
the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3) shall be maintained
against the Fire Authority or any Police Officer or any officer of
the Fire Brigade or any fireman.
(5) Any person who wilfully obstructs or hinders any Police
Officer or any officer of the Fire Brigade or any fireman in the
execution of the powers conferred upon him by this section
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon summary
conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or imprisonment
for a period not exceeding three months.
8. At any fire, the senior officer of the Fire Brigade present
shall have full charge and control of all operations for the
extinction of the fire including the fixing of the position of
fire engine and apparatus, the attaching of hose to any water
supply, and the selection of the parts of the building on fire or
of adjoining buildings against which water is to be directed,
and may cause the water to be shut off from the mains and pipes
in any area in order to give a greater supply and pressure of
water for extinguishing the fire and the Fire Authority shall not
be liable to any claim by reason of the interruption of the supply
of water occasioned only by compliance with such a requirement.
9. The Fire Authority may erect or fix and maintain fire
alarms, in such positions in any street or public place in the
City as they think fit, after consultation with the Commissioner
of Police.
10. Any person who by any means gives an alarm of fire
knowing it to be false, shall be guilty of an offence, and liable
on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds and
in default of payment to imprisonment for a _term not exceeding
six months, and for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine
not exceeding one hundred pounds or to imprisonment for a
term not exceeding six months.
11. (1) The Fire Authority shall provide and maintain, or
cause to be provided and maintained such fire hydrants and
other water installations as are necessary for securing the best
Freetown Fire Prevention Measures [Cap. 68
practical use of the available water supply in case of fire, and
the situation of every such hydrant shall be plainly indicated
by a notice or distinguishing mark which may be placed on any
wall or fence adjoining a street or public place.
(2) Any person who uses a fire hydrant or other water
installation as mentioned in sub-section (1) for any purpose
not authorised by the Fire Authority shall be guilty of an
offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding
twenty-five pounds or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months.
(3) The Fire Authority may use for the purpose of extinguishing fires any convenient or suitable supply of water.
12. The Chief Fire Officer may, on the receipt of information Power to
search for
which he believes to be true, enter at any time any dwelling and order
house, store house, or premises of any nature, with a view to :e~wval o£
ascertaining if inflammable matter is being stored to the danger :at!~~:. e
of life and property and shall be empowered to order the
immediate removal of such inflammable matter. Any person
refusing to obey or comply with such instructions shall be
guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine
not exceeding ten pounds or to imprisonment for a period not
exceeding three months.
13. (1) The Fire Authority shall secure efficient arrange- AFireh .
ut onty to
ments- make
(a) for obtaining by inspection or otherwise information ;~~aon!t:%~~!s
required for fire-fighting purposes with respect to the charac- information
ter of buildings and other property in the area of the Fire l';h~!:~ and
Authority, the available water supplies and the means of for fire .
access thereto, the limited use or prohibition of the uRe of ~~e~;~~~~·
Dutch stoves in old buildings except on concrete pavements
outside such buildings or in regular kitchens and with respect
to other material local circumstances;
(b) for ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to prevent
or mitigate damage to property resulting from measures taken
in dealing with fires in the area of the Fire Authority;
(c) for the giving, when requested, of advice in respect of
buildings and other property in the area of the Fire Authority
as to fire prevention, restricting the spread of fire and means
of escape in case of fire.
(2) For the purposes of such arrangements, a member of the
Fre~town Fire Brigade, if authorised in writing by the Fire
Authority, may between the hours ofsix o'clock in the forenoon
Fire Brigade
may operate
outside the
City
boundaries.
Payment of
expenses.
Fire
Authority
may sue and
be sued.
Rules.
Cap. 68] Freetown Fire Prevention Measures
and six o'clock in the afternoon on any weekday not being a
public holiday enter any dwelling house, store house, or premises
of any nature, and any person obstructing or refusing admission
to an authorised member of the said Fire Brigade to enter any
premises shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary
conviction to a fine not exceeding tel!- pounds or to imprisonment
for a period not exceeding three months.
14. The Fire Authority may permit the Fire Brigade to be
utilised for the purposes of extinguishing fires which occur
outside the boundaries of the City.
15. All salaries, wages, pensions and gratuities payable, and
all charges, expenses and liabilities incurred, under the provisions of this Ordinance or of any rules made in pursuance
thereof, shall be paid out of the City Fund.
16. The Fire Authority may sue and be sued in the name of
the Fire Authority.
17. For the better carrying into effect of this Ordinance, the
Fire Authority may make rules to be approved by the Governor
in Council-
(a) to ensure the maximum efficiency of the Fire Brigade ;
(b) to provide for the training and duties of the officers of
the Fire Brigade and the firemen;
(c) to provide the conditions of service of officers of the
Fire Brigade and firemen including rates of pay and other
emoluments, payment for overtime, awards for gallantry,
compensation, pensions, gratuities, medical examination,
superannuation and the provision of uniform and equipment;
and
(d) to provide for the discipline of the Fire Brigade,
offences against discipline, the trial of such offences and the
punishments therefor which may include-
(i) confinement to station when off duty for a period not
exceeding two days;
(ii) stoppage of pay for a period not exceeding fourteen
days;
(iii) dismissal ;
(iv) reduction in rank;
(v) loss of increment; and
(vi) any lesser punishment.
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