WEEKLY BLOG POSTS

Check THE BLOG POSTS which are updated WEEKLY with new information from FIRE MARSHAL BOYD, on questions and examples of the FIRE CODE

ADOPT A HYDRANT

With winter snowfall on it's way, many fire departments in the nation rely on citizens to help maintain access to fire hydrants. By making sure that snow and other debris is cleared from around any fire hydrant near their home or place of business. Of course this helps fire crews get access to a hydrant in case of an emergency.

So, consider asking your water utility company to place a notice in the water bill asking that hydrants be kept free of snow.  Please adopt-a-hydrant and dig it out!  The building it saves may be your own!

Here are a few helpful hints:

• Clear a three foot area around the hydrant after each snowfall.
  
• A fire can double in size every 2-3 minutes. It can be a significant delay in fire operations if an Engine crew needs to search for and clear out a hydrant.
  
• Contact the Water Department if a hydrant is damaged.
  
• Do not block hydrants with autos, trailers or dumpsters

Many communities have started to place metal or fiberglass poles on or near the hydrant so that the hydrant is more visible.

A great web site to visit is: http://www.http//www.hyviz.com From reflective tape, to spring loaded hydrant flags they have it all.

Keep warm

MAYBERRY RFD

I am sure by now you have noticed that the fire code term "Authority Having Jurisdiction" is painted with a very broad brush. Actually after 31 years of applying the fire code, one thing is for sure . . . people expect their government officials to explain the why, not just the why not!

I remember well as a kid growing up and watching a television show titled, Mayberry RFD. The show was considered a comedy, but always seemed to have a moral to the story. Andy, the town sheriff was wise and well respected. His deputy, Barney however was flighty, unpredictable, and always a law abiding zealot! In fact, Andy knew better than to allow Barney to carry a loaded gun, so the deputy had to carry his one bullet in his shirt pocket. Barney would routinely beg for the least opportunity to load his pistol.

Andy, rarely carried a weapon. He knew that the majority of time the town folk wanted to have an understanding leader, who would only resort to using the full fury of the law for those who deserved it.

One of my favorite times during the show was when Otis, the town drunk needed to sleep off a friday night toot! He had a jail cell prearranged. He simply walked into the cell and slept it off. Andy would never lock the cell door, but given the chance Barney would not only lock the door, but look forward to the next morning so he could rub a tin can side to side on the metal bars causing Otis no end of headache pain.

In fire code enforcement, we can all choose to be an Andy, or a Barney. This is not to say that we should be soft and allow something as serious as an obstructed exit to pass . . . just ask those who experienced the Rhode Island Night Club Fire about code violations. There truly is a time when the badge has to come out, and code enforcement is used to it's fullest.

My purpose is writing this day is to remind us all that "To enforce may be necessary, but to explain can be divine." Think about it.

See ya next week.

EMERGENCY LIGHTING

Question: What are the requirements for emergency “means of egress lighting” for existing and for new buildings?

Answer:

Existing Buildings

1027.5 Illumination emergency power. The power supply for means of egress illumination shall normally be provided by the building electrical supply. If however the power fails, illumination is required to be automatic from an emergency system for the following occupancies that require two or more exits:

• Assembly with an occupant load of 50 or more, Churches with an occupant load more than 300
  
• Business with an occupant load of 100 or more above or below ground level, or 3 stories or higher, or 1,000 or more occupants
  
• Educational all interior stairs, corridors, windowless areas, shops and laboratories
  
• Factory all egress areas with more than 100 occupants
  
• Institutional all egress areas
  
• Mercantile if over 3,000 sq. ft. or 1 story in height excluding mezzanines
  
• Residential Motels/Hotels, Egress areas unless the bedroom(s) have an exit directly outside at grade. 
• Apartments, Egress areas unless there is a direct exit to the outside at grade.
  
• Day Care, Egress areas unless the bedroom(s) have an exit directly outside at grade.
  

The emergency power system shall provide power for not less than 60 minutes and consist of storage batteries, unit equipment or an on-site generator.

New Buildings

While a building’s exit system needs to be illuminated at all times, the fire and building codes recognize the need for “emergency egress illumination.”

In the event of a power failure, an emergency power system lasting not less than 90 minutes must automatically illuminate the following areas required to have two or more exits:

• Aisles and unenclosed egress stairways
• Corridors, exit enclosures, and exit passageways
• Exterior egress components at other than the level of exit discharge until exit discharge is accomplished
• Interior exit discharge elements in buildings (Exit, Exit Access, Exit Discharge)
• Exterior landings for exit discharge doorways

The emergency power system may consist of storage batteries, an on site generator, or unit equipment”.

The lighting must be capable of illuminating the exit path an average of 1 foot-candle and a minimum of 0.1 foot-candle at any point. As power decreases over the 90 minutes, the illumination levels are permitted to decline to 0.6 foot-candles and a minimum at any point of 0.06 foot-candle at the end of the designated time. This allowable decline acknowledges that the battery performance will decline over time as the lights operate.

Fire inspection personnel must remember to check the operation of emergency egress lighting whenever they conduct a fire safety inspection. Faulty units or burned-out bulbs should be repaired or replaced promptly.

Note: For existing or new buildings and for all occupancies the means of egress conforming to the requirements of the building code under which the building was constructed shall be considered as a complying means of egress if, in the opinion of the fire code official, it does not constitute a distinct hazard to life.