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.

EXITING - "The Means of Egress System"

I keep getting asked to explain the various components of "The Means of Egress System".  This is code lingo for how do I get out of a building!

The fire and building codes have to use the terms, Access, Exit, Discharge, and Public Way in order to keep things straight.

Illustrated is a color coded example of the various terms.  One example in the code would be to find the maximum travel distance in an R-1 (Motel/Hotel) occupancy.

If there is only one exit, with one story, the occupant load is 10 with a maximum travel distance of 75 feet allowed.  See IFC Table 1019.2

ALWAYS REMEMBER.....IFC 1019.3 EXIT CONTINUITY

Exits shall be continuous from the point of entry into the exit to the exit discharge.

ACCESS

Hallways, corridors, and aisles are examples of exit access.

EXIT

That portion of a means of egress that is separated from all other spaces of the building structure by construction or equipment and that provides a protected way of travel to the exit discharge.

DISCHARGE

The portion of a means of egress that is between the exit and a public way.

PUBLIC WAY

A parcel of land such as a street or sidewalk that is essentially open to the outside and is used by the public for moving from one location to another.

SPRAY PAINT BOOTHS

Chapter 15 of the International Fire Code regulates the application of "Flammable Finishes". When applied through the process of "aeration" or spray, many substances become flammable. This is primarily caused by creating finely divided vapors in an area which is capable of combustion.

Electrical wiring and equipment in flammable vapor areas shall be of an "explosion proof type" approved for use in such hazardous locations.

Open flame, sparks, or heat producing appliance within the area affected by flammable vapors produced by spray operations are strictly regulated.

Grounding of the paint booth and liquid dispensing equipment is required. No smoking signs, Class I Division II electrical equipment and proper ventilation, (a minimum of 100 cfm at the face of the paint booth is necessary to meet the fire code.

Spray booths and spray rooms shall be protected by an approved automatic fire-extinguishing system. Protection shall extend to exhaust plenums, exhaust ducts and both sides of dry filters when such filters are used.

FIRE SPRINKLER HEAD IN OBSTRUCTED CONSTRUCTION

This past week I was asked how the code interprets proper fire sprinkler head distance (measurements) from the bottom of beams in obstructed ceiling construction.

It can be confusing, especially when some manufacturers of fire sprinkler heads have specific criteria. (Such as ESFR)

Many also wanted to know about separate head placement options between beams, so here is the new additional information.

I have on my web page firestatllc.com specific “Contractor ~ Inspector Cards” for many other significant interpretations and graphics.

WHY? 3RD Party Plan reviews

You may have wondered why the County and City Code Officials are requiring 3rd party plan reviews?

The New 2006 International Codes grants authority to busy code officials who can require technical assistance without charge to their jurisdiction. They require 3rd party review to save time so that the plan review process is expedited. This helps you and the owner to begin the process of construction as soon as possible.

Who is qualified to perform 3rd party plan reviews?

The opinion and report shall be prepared by a qualified engineer, specialist, laboratory or fire safety specialty organization acceptable to the fire code official and shall analyze the fire safety properties of the design, operation or use of the building or premises and the facilities and appurtenances situated theron, to recommend necessary changes.