These regulations shall be known as the Fire Code of [NAME OF JURISDICTION], hereinafter referred to as "this code."
This article, which is a portion of the Los
Angeles Municipal Code "LAMC," shall be known as the
"Los Angeles Fire Code," and whenever the word code is
used in this article it shall mean the Los Angeles Fire Code.
The Los Angeles Fire Code adopts by reference portions of the 2016 California Fire Code (CFC) or the 2015 version of the International Fire Code.
The Los Angeles Fire Code adopts by reference portions of the 2016 California Fire Code (CFC) or the 2015 version of the International Fire Code.
This code establishes regulations affecting or relating to structures, processes, premises and safeguards regarding all of the following:
- The hazard of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices.
- Conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises.
- Fire hazards in the structure or on the premises from occupancy or operation.
- Matters related to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression or alarm systems.
- Conditions affecting the safety of fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.
- Such other laws as it may be the duty of the fire department to enforce.
Provisions in the appendices shall not apply unless specifically adopted.
The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements consistent with nationally recognized good practice for providing a reasonable level of life safety and property protection from the hazards of fire, explosion, panic, or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures and premises, and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.
If a section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this code is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this code.
In the event any part or provision of this code is held to be illegal or void, this shall not have the effect of making void or illegal any of the other parts or provisions hereof, which are determined to be legal; and it shall be presumed that this code would have been adopted without such illegal or invalid parts or provisions.
Nothing in this article
shall be construed to prevent the enforcement of other
laws which prescribe more restrictive limitations.
The permissive provisions of
this Article shall not be presumed to waive any limitations
imposed by any other laws.
The Chief shall report to the Board
from time to time as necessary, recommending revisions of
this article. Such recommendations may be based upon, but
not limited to, studies of the following:
- Number of requests for variances.
- Number of fire hazards reported or determined by inspections.
- Changes and technological advancements of methods, materials, and processes.
- Investigation of fires.
- Recommendations of the Fire Code Advisory Committee.
The Chief shall
establish a Fire Code Advisory Committee which shall consist
of: the Fire Marshal, who shall serve as chairperson; and
representatives from industry, business, and other governmental
agencies as may be determined from time to time by
the Chief. The purpose of the Fire Code Advisory Committee
shall be to assist the Chief in any revision of this article by
submitting recommendations.
The official badge of the Los Angeles
Fire Department is hereby established as that badge
adopted by the Board by Resolution No. 189, on June 12,
1941, provided, however, that for the period of January 1,
1986 through and including December 31, 1986, the official
badge of the Los Angeles Fire Department shall be that badge
adopted by Resolution No. 759 on November 21, 1985 by the
Board as the Centennial Badge of the Los Angeles Fire
Department.
It shall be
unlawful for any person to wear, display, or have in his or
her possession any such badge unless that person is a
member of the Department, employed to perform the duty
of extinguishing or preventing or investigating fires, or
providing an emergency ambulance service. The members
of the Board, while actively serving as such under valid
appointment, are members of the Department within the
meaning of this section.
Exception: The Board may adopt a design of badge,
upon which the word "RETIRED" shall clearly appear,
which may be worn by members of the Department who have been honorably retired from active duty by
reason of length of service or physical disability.
No person
who is not a regular member of the Department shall wear,
display, or have in his or her possession any official badge
or one which resembles or may be mistaken for the official
badge, or which is calculated to indicate that he or she is a
member of the Department.
No official badge, or badge of
any design indicating a connection with the Los Angeles
Fire Department shall be issued to any person as an honorarium.
All badges
and uniform insignia shall remain the property of the City.
Every person receiving such property shall be required to
personally sign a receipt therefor, and the receipt shall set
forth an agreement to reimburse the City in the event of
loss for the standard cost price as determined from time to
time by the Board.
No person shall
manufacture, make, sell, design, or transfer any official
fire department badge except upon the official order of the
fire department's custodian of badges. The manufacturer
shall deliver manufactured badges only to said custodian
and may manufacture only the number of badges authorized
by that person. Nothing herein shall be considered as
affecting the manner in which contracts for the purchase of
badges by the City shall be awarded as provided in the city
charter.
Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this article, the Board
of Fire Commissioners may:
- Cause a member's badge and number to be retired from active service and use.
- Cause the badge, or a similar badge, to be presented to the deceased member's surviving spouse, child, or person in the member's immediate family, as a memorial honoring the member.
Prior to the presentation,
the Board shall cause the badge to be affixed
permanently to a plaque or within a frame, which will
effectively preclude improper use of the badge, with a
statement clearly visible showing the member's death
in the line of duty.
No person shall remove from the plaque or frame
any badge presented under this section, or wear such
a badge, or display it, except while it is attached to
the plaque or within the frame, with the above-prescribed
statement clearly visible. Any badge
removed, worn or displayed in violation of this section
shall be subject to confiscation.
The repeal of the previous provisions
of Chapter 5, Article 7, of the LAMC and the adopting
of new ones shall not be construed to commence anew the
running of any time limits which may have been imposed by
law, regulation, or order of the Chief or the Board, relating to
the enforcement of such limit, notices, or orders.