Sec. 12-161. - Scope; objectives.

(a)

The fire drill and evacuation rules for educational, industrial occupancies and high-rise office buildings set out in this subdivision shall apply to buildings occupied or arranged to be occupied for an occupant load of more than 100 persons above or below the street level or more than a total of 500 persons in the entire building and any existing office building with an occupant load as provided in this subsection.

(b)

The objective of this subdivision is to provide proper education as a part of continuing employee indoctrination and, through a continuing written program for all occupants, to assure the prompt reporting of fire, the response to fire alarms as designated, and the immediate initiation of fire safety procedures to safeguard life and contain fire until the arrival of the fire department.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)a.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-162. - Rule 1, responsibilities—Owners.

The owner or other person having charge of the building shall:

(1)

Be responsible for providing for fire safety and the conduct of the fire drills therein in accordance with these rules.

(2)

Be responsible for development of written fire safety plan providing for fire drill and evacuation procedures in accordance with these rules.

(3)

Designate an employee as the fire safety director.

(4)

Designate one or more employees to perform duties specified in section 12-163 and to act as deputy fire safety director.

(5)

Insure that at all times when the building is occupied by more than 100 persons above or below the street level or more than a total of 500 persons in the entire building, there shall be at least one person on duty as fire safety director. The director shall be qualified to conduct fire drills, evacuations and related activities such as organizing, training and supervising a fire safety team. During fire emergencies, the primary responsibility of the fire safety director shall be the supervision and manning of a fire command station and the direction and execution of the evacuation as provided in the fire safety plan. Such activities shall be subject to fire department control.

(6)

Insure that at all times when building is occupied by 100 or less persons above or below the street level or a total of 500 or less persons in the entire building, and there is no fire safety director on duty, there shall be at least one person on duty as building evacuation supervisor. The supervisor shall be capable of directing the evacuation of the occupants as provided for in the fire safety plan. During fire emergencies, the primary responsibility of the building evacuation supervisor shall be the manning of a fire command station and the direction and execution of the evacuation as provided in the fire safety plan. The supervisor's training and related activities shall be under the direction of the fire safety director in accordance with the requirements of these rules and the fire safety plan. Such activities shall be subject to fire department control.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)a.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-163. - Same—Fire safety director.

The fire safety director shall:

(1)

Be familiar with the written fire safety plan providing for fire drill and evacuation procedure in accordance with these rules.

(2)

Select qualified building service employees for a fire safety team and organize, train and supervise such fire safety team.

(3)

Be responsible for the availability and state of readiness of the fire safety team.

(4)

Conduct fire and evacuation drills.

(5)

Be responsible for the designation of a fire warden for each floor and sufficient deputy fire wardens for each tenancy in accordance with these rules.

(6)

Be responsible for a daily check for the availability of the fire warden and deputy fire wardens.

(7)

Notify the owner or other person having charge of the building where any designated individual is neglecting his responsibilities contained in the fire safety plan. The owner or other person in charge of the building shall bring the matter to the attention of the firm employing the individual. If the firm fails to correct the condition, the fire department shall be notified by the owner or person in charge of the building.

(8)

In the event of a fire, report to the fire command station to supervise, provide for and coordinate the following:

a.

Manning of the fire command station.

b.

Direction of evacuation procedures as provided in the safety plan.

c.

Reports of conditions on fire floor for information of fire department on their arrival.

d.

Advise the fire department chief-in-charge in the operation of the fire command station.

e.

Ensure that the fire department has been notified of any fire or fire alarm.

(9)

Be responsible for the training and activities of the building evacuation supervisor.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)b.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-164. - Same—Fire wardens and deputy fire wardens.

(a)

The tenant or tenants of each floor shall, upon request of the owner or person in charge of the building, make responsible and dependable employees available for designation by the fire safety director as fire warden and deputy fire wardens.

(b)

Each floor of the building shall be under the direction of a designated fire warden for the evacuation of occupants in the event of fire. He shall be assisted in his duties by deputy fire wardens. A deputy fire warden shall be provided for each tenancy. When the floor area of a tenancy exceeds 7,500 square feet of occupiable space, a deputy warden shall be assigned for each such 7,500 square feet or part thereof.

(c)

Each fire warden and deputy fire warden shall be familiar with the fire safety plan, the location of exits and the location and operation of any available fire alarm system.

(d)

In the event of fire or fire alarm, the fire warden shall:

(1)

Ascertain the location of the fire.

(2)

Direct the evacuation of the floor in accordance with directions received and the following guidelines:

a.

If the elevators serving his floor also serve the fire floor, they shall not be used. However, elevators may be used if there is more than one bank of elevators, and he is informed from the fire command station that one bank is unaffected by the fire.

b.

If elevators do not service the fire floor and their shafts have no openings on the fire floor, they may be used, unless otherwise directed.

c.

Elevators manned by trained building personnel or firefighters may also be used.

d.

In the absence of a serviceable elevator, the fire warden shall select the safest stairway to use for evacuation on the basis of the location of the fire and any information received from the fire command station. The fire warden shall check the environment in the stair prior to entry for evacuation. If it is affected by smoke, an alternate stairway shall be selected, and the fire command station notified.

e.

The fire warden shall keep the fire command station informed of the means being employed for evacuation by the occupants of his floor.

f.

The most critical areas for immediate evacuation are the fire floor and the floors immediately above. Evacuation from the other floors shall be instituted when instruction from the fire command station or conditions indicate such action. Evacuation should be via uncontaminated stairs. He shall try to avoid stairs being used by the fire department. If this is not possible, he shall try to attract the attention of the fire department personnel before such personnel open the door to the fire floor.

g.

Fire wardens and their deputies shall see that all occupants are notified of the fire, and that they proceed immediately to execute the fire safety plan.

h.

The fire warden on the fire floor shall, as soon as practicable, notify the fire command station of the particulars.

i.

Fire wardens on floor above the fire shall, after executing the fire safety plan, notify the fire command station of the means being used for evacuation and any other particulars.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)c.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-165. - Same—Fire safety team.

On the receipt of an alarm for fire, the fire safety team shall:

(1)

Report to the floor below the fire to assist in evacuation and provide information to the fire command station.

(2)

After evacuation of the fire floor, endeavor to control spread of the fire by closing doors, etc.

(3)

Leave one member on the floor below the fire to direct the fire department to the fire location and to inform them of conditions.

(4)

On arrival of the fire department, the fire safety team shall report to the fire command station for additional instructions.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)d.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-166. - Rule 2, alarms.

Any person discovering fire, heat, or smoke shall immediately report such condition to the fire department. No person shall make, issue, post or maintain any regulation or order, written or verbal that would require any person to take any necessary delaying action prior to reporting such condition to the fire department.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)d.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-167. - Rule 3, drills.

(a)

Fire drills shall be conducted, in accordance with the fire safety plan, at least once every three months for all existing buildings except as otherwise authorized by the chief of fire for specific occupancies.

(b)

All occupants of the building shall participate in the fire drill. However, occupants of the building, other than building service employees, are not required to leave the floor or use the exits during the drill.

(c)

A written record of such drills shall be kept on the premises for a three-year period and shall be readily available for fire department inspection.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)d.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-168. - Rule 4, fire safety plan.

(a)

The fire safety plan shall include, but not be limited to, the requirements of these rules.

(b)

Within 90 days after the adoption and publication of these rules (January 1, 1993) the owner or other person having charge of an existing office building or an existing building in occupancy and designed to be occupied by more than 500 people or by more than 100 people above or below street level, shall submit a fire safety plan to the fire department for approval.

(c)

The owner or other person having charge of a hereafter erected building designed to be occupied by more than 500 people or by more than 100 people above or below street level shall submit their fire safety plan to the fire department not later than six months from the date of issuance of temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy.

(d)

The applicable parts of the approved fire safety plan shall be distributed to all tenants of the building by the building management when the fire safety plan has been approved by the fire marshal.

(e)

The applicable parts of the approved fire safety plan shall then be distributed by the tenants to all their employees and by the building management to all their building employees.

(f)

Where the owner of the building is also an occupant of the building, he shall be responsible for the observance of these rules and the fire safety plan in the same manner as a tenant.

(g)

All occupants of the building shall participate and cooperate in carrying out the provisions of the fire safety plan.

(h)

If there are changes from conditions existing at the time the fire safety plan for the building was approved, and the changes are such so as to require amending the fire safety plan, within 30 days after such changes, an amended fire safety plan shall be submitted to the fire department for approval.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)d.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-169. - Rule 5, fire command station.

A fire command station shall be established in the lobby of the building on the entrance floor. Such command station shall be adequately illuminated. Keys for every portion of the building shall be kept at the command station or in an approved fire department lock box.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)d.), 12-7-92)

Sec. 12-170. - Rule 6, communications and fire alarm.

(a)

Generally.

(1)

A means of communication and fire alarm for use during fire emergencies shall be provided and maintained by the owner or person in charge of the building.

(2)

Telephones used by firefighters shall be of the fixed type. No jack fixture shall be approved.

(3)

A location on the ground floor shall provide a means of communication to the mechanical equipment room, elevator control room and each floor of the building.

(b)

Communication and alarm systems.

(1)

Telephone, walkie talkies or other means of communication which will allow tenants to report a fire directly, notify other occupants of the alarm and will allow the fire safety director to direct the evacuation and receive status reports of the fire shall be provided.

(2)

Building owners should not install any communication and alarm system or fire command station equipment without consulting the fire department. This is designed to avoid the unnecessary expense involved with installing equipment that may not be acceptable under the proposed legislation.

(Ord. No. 92-074(sub 1), § 2(31-4(b)(4)d.), 12-7-92)

Secs. 12-171—12-179. - Reserved.