Chapter 8.12 — CONDUCT DURING FIRES

Upon the sounding of the fire siren, the operator of every motor vehicle and bicycle shall immediately drive as near as possible to the right-hand side of the road clear of any intersection, and thereupon stop and remain in such position so long as the fire siren continues to sound.

(Ord. 175 §1, 1952)

No operator of a motor vehicle or bicycle shall follow any firefighting equipment which is travelling in response to a fire alarm within a distance of four hundred feet or stop or park the motor vehicle or bicycle within a distance of four hundred feet of any firefighting equipment which has responded to a fire alarm.

(Ord. 175 §2, 1952)

The provisions of Sections 8.12.010 and 8.12.020 of this chapter shall not apply to law enforcement officers, or to members of the fire department or volunteer fire department who are responding to a fire alarm or otherwise performing their official duties, nor to any person who, in the public interest, shall have been granted special permission by the chief of the police department to do those things prohibited by said sections.

(Ord. 175 §6, 1952)

A.

All law enforcement officers, members of the fire department and members of the volunteer fire department are granted the following powers:

To establish fire lines about the scene of a fire or about the location of firefighting equipment which has responded to a fire alarm;

To exclude from within such fire lines and to prevent from entering within the fire lines all persons excepting law enforcement officers, members of the fire department, members of the volunteer fire department, and persons having special permission from the chief of the police department to enter within the fire lines;

To direct traffic at or near the scene of a fire or near the location of firefighting equipment which has responded to a fire alarm;

To arrest any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter.

B.

None of the authority granted in this section shall be exercised by any persons except those to whom such authority is expressly granted.

(Ord. 175 §3, 1952)

No person shall enter within the fire lines referred to in this chapter and any person finding himself within the fire lines shall promptly depart therefrom.

(Ord. 175 §4, 1952)

No person shall fail to promptly comply with any directions or orders of law enforcement officers, members of the fire department and members of the volunteer fire department given pursuant to the authority granted in this chapter.

(Ord. 175 §5, 1952)

In view of the fact that Kaweah Avenue in the city is a portion of California State Highway 65 which is extensively used by through traffic, and in view of the fact that it would not be in the public interest to unduly interfere with such traffic, all motor vehicles which are travelling on California State Highway 65 at the time of the sounding of a fire siren are exempted from the provisions of Section 8.12.010 of this chapter so long as the motor vehicles remain on California State Highway 65.

(Ord. 175 §7, 1952)

Each separate act in violation of this ordinance shall constitute a misdemeanor and be a separate offense, and every person, firm, association, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not exceeding three hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the city jail, not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. 175 §8, 1952)