3003.3 Elevator in readiness.

Requirements for elevator in readiness shall be as defined in Sections 3003.3.1 through 3003.3.2.

3003.3.1 Elevator in readiness for Fire Department emergency access.

Except as provided in Section 3003.3.2, in buildings five stories in height or more, underground buildings as described in Section 405.1, and high-rise buildings, at least one elevator shall be kept available for immediate use by the Fire Department during all hours of the night and day, including holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. The elevator in readiness shall serve all floors of the building. For buildings where a Fire Service Access Elevator (FSAE) is provided, the FSAE shall serve all floors of the building. There shall be available at all times a person competent to operate the elevator. However, an attendant shall not be required for buildings with occupied floors of 150 feet (45 720 mm) or less above the lowest level of the Fire Department vehicle access that have elevators with automatic or continuous pressure operation with keyed switches meeting the requirements of ASME A17.1/CSA B44 as modified by Appendix K so as to permit sole use of the elevators by the Fire Department.

3003.3.2 Number of Elevators.

A number of elevators shall be kept available at every floor for the sole use of the Fire Department as required by Section 3003.3.2.1 and Section 3003.3.2.2. This requirement shall apply to the following types of buildings:

   1.   High-rise buildings with occupancies classified in Groups A, B, E, I, F, H, M and S;

   2.   Buildings with Group B occupancies with a gross area of 200, 000 square feet (18 581 m 2 ); and

   3.   Buildings with a main use or dominant occupancy in Group R-1 or R-2.

   Exception: In buildings that are five stories or more in height but are not one of the types of buildings described in Item 1 through 3 in Section 3003.3.2, at least one elevator car in such buildings shall be kept available for sole use by the Fire Department.

3003.3.2.1 Three or fewer elevators.

Where a floor is serviced by three or fewer elevator cars, every car shall be kept available for sole use by the Fire Department.

3003.3.2.2 More than three elevators.

Where a floor is serviced by more than three elevator cars, at least three elevator cars with a total rated load capacity of not less than 6,000 pounds (2722 kg) shall be kept available for sole use by the Fire Department. Such cars shall include not more than two cars that service all floors and at least one other car in another bank servicing that floor. If the total load capacity of all cars servicing the floor is less than 6,000 pounds (2722 kg), all such cars shall be kept available for sole use by the Fire Department.