13-196-209 High-rise buildings – Stairways – Doors – Frames.

   No later than January 1, 2015, doors and frames in stairways in all existing residential buildings and buildings of mixed residential occupancy exceeding 80 feet in height above grade shall have a fire resistance rating of at least one hour.

(Added Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 39962, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 12-14-11, p. 18115, § 1)

13-196-210 High rise fire systems – Hotels.

   Any existing or preordinance building exceeding 80 feet in height designed or used in whole or in part as a hotel shall be equipped with a high rise fire system as required in this section.

   (a)   In buildings equipped with an approved system of automatic sprinklers, an approved fire alarm system including all water flow alarm devices shall be required. Sprinklers may be omitted in guest room closets not over 24 square feet in area. Other areas not sprinkled, because of unreasonable hardship or as permitted by Section 15-16-350 of this Code, shall be protected by approved smoke detectors or other fire detection measures approved by the fire commissioner. Detectors shall not be required in guest room bathrooms. No automatic smoke detector shall be required in guest room corridors nor elevator lobbies of existing buildings having automatic sprinkler systems installed prior to the passage of this ordinance on guest room floors except that sprinklers may be omitted in guest room bathrooms over 55 square feet in area with noncombustible plumbing fixtures and with walls and ceilings surfaced with noncombustible materials.

   (b)   In buildings not equipped with an approved system of automatic sprinklers an approved fire alarm system, including smoke detectors, heat detectors and water flow alarm devices, shall be required. System devices shall be installed as follows:

      (1)   As required by Section 13-196-240 of this Code;

      (2)   Heat detectors shall be installed in restaurants, meeting rooms and lounges.

   (c)   The fire alarm system shall be zoned horizontally based on the system design, but in no case shall there be less than one zone per floor.

   (d)   The fire alarm system shall be a Proprietary Protective Signaling System installed in accordance with NFPA 72D-1986 or shall be monitored by an Underwriters Laboratories Inc. listed Central Station service.

   (e)   There shall be two voice communication systems as follows:

      (1)   A two-way fire department communications system providing emergency two-way stations in each required stairwell at not less than every fifth floor and at the fire panel. The system shall be zoned not less than one zone per stairwell. Systems installed prior to the passage of this ordinance using phone jacks zoned by stairwell shall be accepted in lieu of two-way stations.

      (2)   A selecting one-way communication system with speakers in passenger elevators, in elevator lobbies, in stairwells at not less than every fifth floor, and in corridors at intervals not exceeding 75 feet. Use of the one-way voice communication system in a fire emergency by other than department of fire personnel shall be prohibited. Zoning of speakers shall be as follows: passenger elevators zoned by elevator lobby; elevator lobbies and corridors zoned horizontally based on the system design, but in no case less than one zone per floor; stairwells zoned vertically by stairwell. Approved elevator speaker intercom systems installed prior to the passage of the ordinance shall be accepted for communication to elevators as long as the systems are maintained in good working order.

   The two-way fire department communication system may be combined with the one-way system.

   (f)   A fire panel consisting of fire alarm controls, annunciator panel, and one- and two-way voice communications system controls shall be provided in a location approved by the fire commissioner. Fire panels and controls installed prior to the passage of this ordinance located on grade level in a readily accessible location shall be accepted.

   (g)   Plans for systems to be installed shall be submitted to the fire commissioner for approval and systems used shall meet the approval of the fire commissioner.

   (h)   In buildings of Type II, III or IV construction, an automatic central alarm shall be installed and be audible throughout the corridors of the building and shall be activated by the sprinkler flow alarm and smoke detectors.

(Prior code § 78-19.1; Added Coun. J. 9-8-86, p. 33588; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 52; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. VII, § 16)

13-196-220 Class II standard fire alarm systems.

   A Class II standard fire alarm system may be installed in lieu of a Class I standard fire alarm system in any building when, in the opinion of the fire commissioner, the number of people involved and the physical construction of such building makes a Class II standard fire alarm system acceptable. Class II standard fire alarm system shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 15-16.

(Prior code § 78-20; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 53)

13-196-230 Floor area and height.

   In every building described in Section 13-196-200, as requiring a standard fire alarm system, the area of such building shall be the total area of the building and the height shall be the total height of such building including the space used for occupancies other than for institutional, school, hotel, or single-room occupancies.

(Prior code § 78-21; Amend Coun. J. 5-4-94, p. 49750)

13-196-240 Automatic fire detectors – Where required.

   In every fire alarm system required in this Code, automatic fire detectors shall be installed as an integral part of a fire alarm system in rooms or portions of the building as follows:

   (a)   In all rooms where a flammable compressed gas or flammable liquid as described in Chapters 15-24 and 15-26, other than fuel oil for heating, is stored or used; also in shops and storerooms where combustible material is stored or handled.

   (b)   In every building used in part as an institutional building, school, hotel, or single-room occupancy, an automatic fire detector shall be installed in such portion or portions of the building used for purposes other than institutional, school, hotel, or single-room occupancy purposes, unless such institutional building, school, hotel, or single-room occupancy is separated from all other occupancies by a separation with a fire resistive value as specified in Section 13-56-280. Such automatic fire detectors shall be installed, spaced and located in accordance with the recommendations, based upon actual tests, prescribed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory acceptable to the fire prevention bureau.

   (c)   In every storeroom, maintenance shop, fan room, mechanical equipment room, laundry, linen room, janitor closet, kitchen and storage area.

   (d)   Fire alarm systems serving Type III schools, day care centers Class II, and those Type I schools operating as or containing a day care center Class I as defined in Section 13-4-010 shall include automatic detectors as follows:

      1.   Smoke detectors shall be installed at each floor level, including basements, of each interior stairwell up to and including one level above the level of the school or day care center, except in unoccupied attics.

      2.   Smoke detectors shall be installed in front of doors to stairwells from the school or day care center and at intervals of no less than 30 feet in all corridors within or serving the school or day care center.

      3.   Smoke detectors shall be located in all lounges, recreation areas and sleeping rooms.

      4.   Heat detectors shall be installed in boiler rooms, kitchens and combustible storage areas except where a sprinkler system with a flow alarm connected to the fire alarm system is installed in such rooms.

   (e)   In all two-story buildings occupied as open plan schools, (a story located below grade level shall be counted, if used for other than building service purposes), approved automatic fire detectors shall be installed throughout the building and be interconnected to the school fire alarm system.

   (f)   In hotel buildings over four stories, electrical equipment rooms, guest room corridors and elevator lobbies shall be equipped with automatic smoke detectors installed in accordance with NFPA 72-2013.

   (g)   In single-room occupancy buildings, automatic heat detectors shall be installed in each single- room occupancy unit, in public corridors, and at each floor level in every interior stairwell. In single-room occupancy buildings, smoke alarms required by Section 13-196-100 need not be connected to the fire alarm system, but shall be permanently wired to the electrical wiring system of the building.

(Prior code § 78-22; Amend Coun. J. 9-8-86, p. 33588; Amend Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17613; Amend Coun. J. 5-4-94, 49750; Amend Coun. J. 5-9-12, p. 27485, § 180; Amend Coun. J. 11-9-16, p. 36266, § 26; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. VI, § 31)