Chapter 5 Fire Service Features

(Section deleted)

The following terms are defined in Chapter 2:

AGENCY.

FIRE APPARATUS ACCESS ROAD.

FIRE COMMAND CENTER.

FIRE DEPARTMENT MASTER KEY.

FIRE LANE.

KEY BOX.

TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES.

Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided and maintained in accordance with Sections 503.1.1 through 503.1.3.

Approved fire apparatus access roads shall be provided for every facility, building or portion of a building hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction. The fire apparatus access road shall comply with the requirements of this section and shall extend to within 150 feet (45 720 mm) of all portions of the facility and all portions of the exterior walls of the first story of the building as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the building or facility.

Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed width of not less than 20 feet (6096 mm), exclusive of shoulders, except for approved security gates in accordance with Section 503.6, and an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet 6 inches (4115 mm).

Exception: Fire apparatus access roads exclusively serving single-family dwelling or townhouse developments that are fully sprinklered as provided for in Sections R313.1 or R313.2 of the International Residential Code shall have an unobstructed width of not less than 18 feet (5486 mm), exclusive of shoulders.

When required, gates and barricades shall be secured in an approved manner. Roads, trails and other accessways that have been closed and obstructed in the manner prescribed by Section 503.5 shall not be trespassed on or used unless authorized by the owner and the fire code official.

Exception: The restriction on use shall not apply to public officers acting within the scope of duty.

Key boxes provided for nonstandardized fire service elevator keys shall comply with Section 506.1 and all of the following:

1. The key box shall be compatible with an existing rapid entry key box system in use in the jurisdiction and approved by the fire code official.
2. The front cover shall be permanently labeled with the words “Fire Department Use Only—Elevator Keys.”
3. The key box shall be mounted at each elevator bank at the lobby nearest to the lowest level of fire department access.
4. The key box shall be mounted 5 feet 6 inches (1676 mm) above the finished floor to the right side of the elevator bank.
5. Contents of the key box are limited to fire service elevator keys. Additional elevator access tools, keys and information pertinent to emergency planning or elevator access shall be permitted when authorized by the fire code official.
6. In buildings with two or more elevator banks, a single key box shall be permitted to be used when such elevator banks are separated by not more than 30 feet (9144 mm). Additional key boxes shall be provided for each individual elevator or elevator bank separated by more than 30 feet (9144 mm).

Exception: A single key box shall be permitted to be located adjacent to a fire command center or the non-standard fire service elevator key shall be permitted to be secured in a key box used for other purposes and located in accordance with Section 506.1.

The first six rows of columns five and six of Table B105.1 of Appendix B of the International Fire Code shall be modified as shown below for the use of Table B105.1 in Section 507.3.1.

Fire hydrant systems shall be located and installed as directed by the fire department. Fire hydrant systems shall conform to the written standards of the jurisdiction and the fire department.

Buildings equipped with a standpipe system installed in accordance with Section 905 shall have a fire hydrant within 100 feet (30 m) of the fire department connections.

Exception: The distance shall be permitted to exceed 100 feet (30 m) where approved by the fire code official.

Private fire service mains and water tanks shall be periodically inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 25 at the following intervals:

1. Private fire hydrants (all types): Inspection annually and after each operation; flow test and maintenance annually.
2. Fire service main piping: Inspection of exposed, annually; flow test every 5 years.
3. Fire service main piping strainers: Inspection and maintenance after each use.

The fire command center shall comply with NFPA 72 and shall contain the following features:

1. The emergency voice/alarm communication system control unit.
2. The fire department communications system.
3. Fire detection and alarm system annunciator.
4. Annunciator unit visually indicating the location of the elevators and whether they are operational.
5. Status indicators and controls for air distribution systems.
6. The fire-fighter’s control panel required by Section 909.16 for smoke control systems installed in the building.
7. Controls for unlocking stairway doors simultaneously.
8. Sprinkler valve and water-flow detector display panels.
9. Emergency and standby power status indicators.
10. A telephone for fire department use with controlled access to the public telephone system.
11. Fire pump status indicators.
12. Schematic building plans indicating the typical floor plan and detailing the building core, means of egress, fire protection systems, fire-fighting equipment and fire department access, and the location of fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, smoke barriers and smoke partitions.
13. An approved Building Information Card that contains, but is not limited to, the following information:
1. 13.1. General building information that includes: property name, address, the number of floors in the building (above and below grade), use and occupancy classification (for mixed uses, identify the different types of occupancies on each floor), estimated building population (i.e., day, night, weekend);
2. 13.2. Building emergency contact information that includes: a list of the building’s emergency contacts (e.g., building manager, building engineer, etc.) and their respective work phone number, cell phone number, and e-mail address;
3. 13.3. Building construction information that includes: the type of building construction (e.g., floors, walls, columns, and roof assembly);
4. 13.4. Exit stair information that includes: number of exit stairs in the building, each exit stair designation and floors served, location where each exit stair discharges, exit stairs that are pressurized, exit stairs provided with emergency lighting, each exit stair that allows reentry, exit stairs providing roof access; elevator information that includes: number of elevator banks, elevator bank designation, elevator car numbers and respective floors that they serve, location of elevator machine rooms, location of sky lobby, location of freight elevator banks;
5. 13.5. Building services and system information that includes: location of mechanical rooms, location of building management system, location and capacity of all fuel oil tanks, location of emergency generator, location of natural gas service;
6. 13.6. Fire protection system information that includes: locations of standpipes, location of fire pump room, location of fire department connections, floors protected by automatic sprinklers, location of different types of automatic sprinkler systems installed (e.g., dry, wet, pre-action, etc.); and
7. 13.7. Hazardous material information that includes: location of hazardous material, quantity of hazardous material.
14. Work table.
15. Generator supervision devices, manual start and transfer features.
16. Public address system, where specifically required by other sections of this code.
17. Elevator fire recall switch in accordance with ASME A17.1.
18. Elevator emergency or standby power selector switch(es), where emergency or standby power is provided.