New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 5 - COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Chapter 23 - UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE
Subchapter 4 - ENFORCING AGENCIES; DUTIES; POWERS; PROCEDURES
Section 5:23-4.25 - Emergency building inspection program

(a) The emergency building inspection program is hereby established, pursuant to section 1 of P.L. 2007, c. 2 (52:27D-126.3) . In accordance with section 5 of P.L. 2007, c. 2 (52:27D-126.7) , participation in the emergency building inspection program is voluntary, but any municipality not enacting and filing a resolution of non-participation by February 15, 2008 shall be deemed to be participating, unless and until an opt-out resolution is later enacted and filed. Municipalities that later choose to participate may do so by enacting and filing a resolution of participation. All such resolutions of non-participation and of participation shall be effective upon filing with the Office of Regulatory Affairs, PO Box 818, Trenton, NJ 08625.

(b) Participating municipalities shall be responsible for the payment of any costs that they incur with regard to their own employees for regular and overtime pay, insurance coverage and liability, and for equipment and supplies used in the course of any assistance or deployment for the benefit of another municipality. In the event of a presidentially-declared disaster, participating municipalities shall, subject to Federal rules, be eligible for Federal reimbursement for costs incurred, even if they are not located within the disaster area.

(c) The Department shall provide the construction official of each participating municipality with contact information for construction officials and subcode officials of all participating municipalities, Department contact persons, and registered architects, licensed professional engineers and persons holding construction code licenses but not employed by participating municipalities who have volunteered to participate in the program. Such information shall be provided through the Department's "Permits NJ" Internet program and shall be a nonpublic record.

(d) In the event of an emergency affecting a participating municipality for which assistance is required, the construction official, or any subcode official acting with authorization from the construction official, shall first call code officials in neighboring participating municipalities that are not themselves affected by the emergency. In the event of a regional emergency, or of any other emergency that requires assistance beyond that which would be available from neighboring participating municipalities, the construction official or authorized subcode official shall contact the designated contact person at the Department. The Department shall then deploy code officials in its employ and shall contact participating municipalities and persons participating in the program pursuant to (b) above and ask them to assist the municipality or municipalities affected by the emergency. In the event that the nature or scope of the emergency is such that voluntary assistance is insufficient, the Department shall first utilize its own employees. If more assistance is needed, the Department may then order the deployment of personnel from any participating municipality that is not itself affected by the emergency.

(e) The construction official and subcode officials of the affected municipality shall have jurisdiction over all aspects of construction code enforcement in the affected municipality. The construction official may authorize the issuance of permits within the affected municipality by other licensed construction officials who provide assistance. If so authorized by the construction official of the affected municipality, licensed subcode officials providing assistance may exercise all functions of a subcode official within the affected municipality; if not so authorized, they shall exercise the functions of an inspector. All records of construction code enforcement activity in the affected municipality shall be the property of the affected municipality.

(f) The governing bodies of two or more municipalities, whether or not they are participating in the emergency building inspection program, may by resolution enter into agreements with each other for mutual construction code enforcement aid concerning the evaluation of buildings and structures affected by a natural or man-made disaster or emergency. Such agreements may provide for the reimbursement of the municipality or municipalities rendering such aid, including reimbursement for any damage to property and for payment to any official or employee of a local construction code enforcing agency for injuries sustained while serving pursuant to such agreements, or to a surviving spouse or other dependent in the event of death of that official or employee. A copy of any such agreement shall be filed with the Office of Regulatory Affairs, PO Box 818, Trenton, NJ 08625, by the local enforcing agencies concerned.