Fire Lanes
Under the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC), Section 503.4, "Obstruction of Fire Apparatus Access Roads" and Prince William County Public Schools, Regulation 408-1, Fire Safety, a fire lane is an access road designed for fire and emergency apparatuses and shall not be obstructed in any manner, including the parking of vehicles. The purpose of the fire lanes is to prevent parking and standing in front of or adjacent to fire hydrants and to provide clear access to buildings and fire protection equipment for fire and rescue apparatus. Parking or otherwise obstructing such areas is hereby prohibited by the Fire Marshal's Office.
Vehicles parked illegally in fire lanes also make evacuation difficult, if not impossible. Many of the emergency exits will open into the fire lane for rapid dispersal of staff and students. Additionally, vehicles in the fire lane are within what firefighters call the "collapse zone." If the building falls from fire damage, most of the debris will fall within that fire lane.
Our first responders cannot put out the fire, rescue the patient, or otherwise conduct emergency operations unless they can get to the emergency.