(A) Egress. A safe, continuous and unobstructed path of travel shall be provided from any point in a residential building or structure to a safe and open space at ground level providing that it does not require passage through the garage, other dwelling, or rooming unit. Every bedroom shall have one openable window or door in compliance with the applicable building code at the time of construction or alteration.
(B) Doors and emergency escape openings. All emergency escape and rescue openings in residential occupancies shall be readily openable from the side from which egress is to be made without the need for keys, tools, special knowledge or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.
(C) Fire-resistance-rated assemblies. The required fire-resistance rating of fire-resistance-rated walls, doors, fire stops, shaft enclosures, partitions and floors in residential occupancies shall be maintained. Fire doors and smoke barrier doors shall be maintained in an operative condition and shall not be blocked or obstructed or otherwise made inoperable.
(D) Fire or smoke alarms. All dwelling units shall be equipped with approved fire/smoke alarms. Approved, listed alarms shall be installed in accordance with the manufacture's instructions and in accordance with the building code edition in place at the time of construction or alteration. At least one alarm shall be installed in an appropriate place on each level of a dwelling, including the basement. On levels where sleeping rooms are present, the alarm shall be installed in the immediate vicinity.
(1) Buildings constructed after April 2, 1991, require smoke alarms to be hardwired together, and when actuated shall be audible in all sleeping rooms.
(2) Buildings constructed after December 9, 1998 require smoke alarms to also be installed in each sleeping room.
(3) The tenant shall be responsible for battery replacement of smoke detectors in the tenant's particular dwelling unit.
(4) No person shall remove a smoke detector or render it inoperative except for periodic maintenance.
(5) No hard-wired smoke detector shall be replaced with a battery-powered smoke detector unless it is approved for such use by the building code.
(Ord. 11-015, passed 5-4-11)