House Bill hb0553c1

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002              CS/HB 553

        By the Committee on Local Government & Veterans Affairs
    and Representatives Henriquez and Fasano





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to fire hydrants; requiring

  3         owners of private fire hydrants to contract

  4         with licensed professionals or local fire

  5         control authorities to inspect and service such

  6         hydrants; providing penalties; providing an

  7         effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  (1)  A person who owns a private fire

12  hydrant must ensure that the hydrant is installed in

13  compliance with the provisions of National Fire Protection

14  Association Standard 24, Standard for the Installation of

15  Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances, and is

16  inspected and maintained in compliance with the provisions of

17  National Fire Protection Association Standard 25, Standard for

18  the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire

19  Protection Systems, in the edition currently adopted by the

20  State Fire Marshal pursuant to the code and standards adoption

21  authority in chapter 633, Florida Statutes.  A person who owns

22  a private fire hydrant must produce upon request by the fire

23  official a valid and continuing maintenance contract with a

24  plumbing contractor licensed under chapter 489, Florida

25  Statutes, an underground utility and excavation contractor

26  licensed under chapter 489, Florida Statutes, or, in a case in

27  which the private hydrant is part of a fire suppression

28  system, a fire protection contractor licensed under chapter

29  633, Florida Statutes.  Upon failure to produce a valid

30  maintenance contract as required in this section, the owner

31  must contract with the local government fire control authority

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2002              CS/HB 553

    171-669-02






  1  that serves the property where the fire hydrant is located to

  2  inspect and service the fire hydrant annually.

  3         (2)  A person who violates this section commits a

  4  noncriminal violation, punishable by a fine not to exceed $100

  5  for a first offense or $250 for each subsequent offense.

  6         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.