| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to privately owned fire hydrants; |
| 3 | requiring owners of private fire hydrants to test hydrants |
| 4 | in accordance with national standards and to contract with |
| 5 | licensed professionals or local fire-control authorities |
| 6 | to inspect and service such hydrants; authorizing local |
| 7 | fire officials to contract with owners of private fire |
| 8 | hydrants to maintain such hydrants; providing fines for |
| 9 | noncompliance; providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. (1) A person who owns a private fire hydrant |
| 14 | must ensure that the hydrant is tested in accordance with |
| 15 | National Fire Protection Association Standard 24, subsection 4- |
| 16 | 3.6, and that it is inspected and maintained in compliance with |
| 17 | National Fire Protection Association Standard 25, Standard for |
| 18 | the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire |
| 19 | Protection Systems, the edition currently adopted by the State |
| 20 | Fire Marshal pursuant to its code-adoption and standards- |
| 21 | adoption authority in chapter 633, Florida Statutes. A person |
| 22 | who owns a private fire hydrant must produce, upon request of an |
| 23 | authorized fire official, a valid and continuing maintenance |
| 24 | contract with a plumbing contractor licensed under chapter 489, |
| 25 | Florida Statutes, an underground utility contractor licensed |
| 26 | under chapter 489, Florida Statutes, or, if the private hydrant |
| 27 | is part of a fire suppression system, a fire protection |
| 28 | contractor licensed under chapter 633, Florida Statutes. |
| 29 | (2) The fire department having jurisdiction over the |
| 30 | subject property may contract with the owner to maintain the |
| 31 | fire hydrant as required by the code, if the contract does not |
| 32 | violate any other federal law or state or local code, statute, |
| 33 | or ordinance. |
| 34 | (3) A person who violates this section commits a |
| 35 | noncriminal violation, punishable by a fine not to exceed $100 |
| 36 | for a first offense or $250 for each subsequent offense. |
| 37 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |