The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About03/27/2012 00 Misc Distributed at the Meeting March 27, 2012 INTEROFFICE MEMO TO: Honorable Mayor & City Council FROM: Joe Caruso, Code Administration Manager/ Fire Marshal SUBJECT: Council Study Session - Discontinued Annual Fire Inspection Program • At the March 6, 2012 city council meeting, public testimony was presented about dis- continuing the annual fire inspection program. A report on "options" was requested from staff. This report outlines the minimum requirements for fire inspections and presents three options for council. Fire safety inspections are conducted to promote fire safety and reduce the level of needless destruction caused by fire. The continued existence of fire hazards may result in a fire that could cause the loss of life and property. A trend analysis reveals that the frequency of fires remains steady and constant. The means by which the fire frequency, fire loses, and fire fatalities can be diminished in the future is by conducting annual fire code inspections. Fire inspections are critical to the overall safety of the firefighters and citizens. Cities that do not conduct annual inspections have 33% to 50% more fire occurrences than cities that do conduct fire inspections. The City of Yakima has grown to a large city which promotes tourism and economic growth. Safety to visitors, convention attendants, sporting events, vacationers, residents and employers is an obligation of the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), which is the City of Yakima. Compliance is intended to provide a certain minimum level of safety. These minimum safety requirements are enforced through the 2009 International Codes and mandated by the State of Washington. Many of these codes have been adopted because incidents that have occurred, jeopardized and resulted in the loss of life and property. Fire and Life Safety in Yakima including nursing homes, day cares, schools, churches, places of assembly, sporting events, restaurants, bars, commercial businesses, hospitals, Yakima airport and hotels are all enforced under the 2009 International Fire Code for new construction, renovations and every day in the operations at these locations. Annual fire inspections consist of: • Utility Clearances: Clearance of not less than 30 inches shall be provided between all electrical service equipment and storage materials • General Housekeeping: Storage shall be kept to a minimum so as to not create a fire hazard or obstruct means of egress and /or building exits • Clearance: A minimum of 18 inches of clear space shall be maintained below all sprinkler heads. Non - sprinkled areas or buildings shall maintain a minimum of 24 inches of clear space below the ceiling • Fire Extinguisher: Fire extinguishers should be of the proper type /size and must be serviced once each year • Exit Lights: All "Exit" signs shall be maintained in a clean and legible condition and shall be clearly illuminated at all times the building is occupied • Exit Aisles: Aisle space width shall be 36 inches when serving up to 50 persons and 44 inches when serving 50 persons or more , • Exit Corridors: Space width shall be 44 inches • Exit Doors: Exit doors shall be maintained in operable condition at all times. It shall be unlawful to block open any interior egress or fire door which is required to be self - closing. • Means of Egress and Emergency Lighting: means of egress and emergency lighting shall be provided and maintained in operable condition • Occupancy certificate: Meeting rooms and other places of assembly shall post and occupancy limit sign approved by the Fire Marshal • Extension Cords: Extension cords shall not be used as a substitute for permanent electrical wiring. The use of a multi -plug adaptor, such as power strip that has a fused circuit, un -fused plug strips or other similar devices shall be prohibited. All of these components above that consist of an annual one time fire inspection conducted have had incidents in fires and emergencies that have had loss of life and property and were placed in the fire code to be enforced to protect the public. Also, the fire inspector responded to complaints and other additional inspections throughout the year. The annual fire inspection program obligated, under the 2009 International Fire Code, the commercial business owners who had sprinklers, fire alarm systems, hood suppression systems and extinguishers to have a certified contractor conduct these annual inspections and repairs. A copy of that report was supplied to the City of Yakima for the inspector to follow -up with the businesses to have the necessary repairs completed within a minimum time. 2009 International Fire Code Chapter 9 Fire Protection Systems - Sprinklers 901 5 Installation acceptance testing Fire detection and alarm systems, fire extinguishing systems, fire hydrant systems, fire standpipe systems, fire pump systems, private service mains and all other fire protection systems and appurtenances thereto shall be subject to acceptance tests as contained in the installation standards as approved by the fire code official 903 5 Testing and Maintenance Sprinkler systems shall be tested and maintained in accordance with section 901- Fire Protection Systems City of Yakima Actions regarding New Construction- Not affected Any new system due to new construction or improvements will be reviewed by a Plans Examiner to insure that all fire and life safety requirements are met. An inspection and final test will be conducted by the City of Yakima building inspector to approve occupancy. 901.6 Inspection, testing and maintenance Fire detection, alarm and extinguishing systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times, and shall be repaired or replaced where defective. Non - required fire protection systems and equipment shall be tested and maintained or removed. 901.6.2 Records Records of all inspections, tests and maintenance required by the referenced standards shall be maintained on the premises for a minimum of three years and shall be copied to the fire code official upon request. 904 6.1 System Test Alternative Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems shall be inspected and tested for proper operation at 6 month intervals 107.2 Testing and Operation Equipment requiring periodic testing or operation to ensure maintenance shall be tested and operated as specified in this code 107.2.1 Test and Inspection Records Required tests and inspection records shall be available to the fire code official at all times or such records as the designates shall be filed with the fire code official 107.2.2 Re- inspection and Testing Where any work or installation does not pass an initial test or inspection, the necessary corrections shall be made so as to achieve compliance with this code. The work or installation shall then be resubmitted to the fire code official for inspection and testing City of Yakima Actions Reaardina Deficiencies without Annual Inspections If the City of Yakima receives a report of a deficiency from a contractor's inspection, the Fire Marshal will initiate the following process: o contact the business by telephone and notify them to have the deficiency corrected as stated in the fire code, o a City of Yakima Notice will be sent to the business operator by certified mail at the location which states the deficiency and required correction, o the notice will allow ten business days to have the deficiency corrected. • If the deficiency was corrected by the ten day notice timeline, a report from a contractor will be submitted to the city stating that the correction has been made and the system is back in service. • If the city does not receive a notice from the contractor that the deficiency was corrected within the ten day notice, the business will receive telephone contact from the Fire Marshal that the correction still needs to be completed. If the violation still has not been corrected, the Fire Marshal has several legal options for compliance. 1. A Stop Work Order through the Fire Code can be issued closing the business until there is compliance. 2. Fire Watch. In examples of deficiencies or out of service units on sprinkler systems, alarm systems and hood suppression systems, the Fire Marshal through the fire code mandates a physical fire watch until the necessary system is repaired and back in service and notification is made to the Fire Marshal. 3. Temporarily rescinding the Business License. This has a citation fine of $250 a day with each day serving as a new violation if the business still operates. 4. Going to court to attain an order from a judge to close the business. Cities /Counties that assess a fire inspection fee: Kittitas County based on SF ($50.00 - $570.00) Redmond based on SF ($100.00 — $1,000.00) Richland annual fee starts at $88 Spokane based on valuation ($60.00 - $625.00) Union Gap based on SF ($30.00 - $300.00) plus an operational permit fee ($17.00 - $1,000.00) Yakima County based on SF ($49.00 - $1,200.00) OPTIONS FOR FIRE INSPECTIONS: OPTION # 1 Continue current status, no annual inspection program. Follow procedures outlined above. OPTION # 2 Implement an annual $25.00 fee to fund the fire inspection program. This could be done as part of the 2013 business license renewal process but would not be easily accomplished in 2012. With 3,638 commercial locations that have had annual fire inspections, an assessed annual fire inspection fee of $25 00 would generate approximately $90,000 to support 100% of the fire inspector's salary /benefits along with fuel and vehicle maintenance. Budgeted 6 small, & ∎ � 2012 Preliminary Dept 012 Dept 021 Dept 022 Dept 041 Dept 051 Dept 123 Dept 125 Dept 473 Dept 474 Gen Fund Bene 4 .. (� Asst. City Manager 80 20% 80% I!J _ 137,469 34,367 137,469 ' $ 171,836 Executive Assistant 100% 100% 84,387 84,387 $ 84,387 Economic Development Manager 33% 26% 17% 12% 12% 100 %; 88% s 45,970 36,218 23,682 16,716 16,716 122,586 $ 139,302 $ 221,856 $ 45,970 $ 36,218 $ 23,682 $ 16,716 $ 16,716 $ 34,367 , $ 344,441 $ 395,524 Budgeted ___Sala & 2012 Adopted Dept 012 Dept 021 Dept 022 Dept 041 Dept 051 Dept 123 Dept 125 Dept 473 Dept 474 Gen Fund Bene CS Director CED 18% 15% 9% 8 %; 20% 10% 10% 10% 100% 50% 28,451 23,709 14,226 12,645 31,612 15,806 15,805 15,806 79,031 $ 158,061 CED Admin Asst 24% 15% 12% 12% 37% 100 %, 63 %; 20,253 12,658 10,124 10,127 31,223 53,161 $ 84,384 Planning Manager 100% 100% 100% 137,528 137,528.. $ 137,528 Senior Planner 100% 100 %; 100% 101,843 1 101,843 $ 101,843 $ 288,075 $ 36,367 $ 24,349 $ 22,771 $ 62,835 $ 15,806 $ 15,805 $ 15,806 ; $ 371,563 $ 481,816 - -- -- - -- - - - - - - • - - - - - - - Salary & 2012 Proposed r Dept 012 Dept b21 Dept 022 Dept 041 Dept 051 Dept 123 Dept 125 Dept 473 Dept 474 Gen Fund Bene Community Development Director 33% 26% 17% 12% 12% 100 %; 88 %; 52,160 41,096 26,870 18,967 18,967 139,094 $ 158,061 Economic Development Manager 100% 100% 100% Vacant (Planning Mgr Salary) 137,528 137,528 $ 137,528 Supervising Planner 100% 100 %', 100% 116,338 116,338 $ 116,338 Asst. City Manager 40% 20% 20% 20% 100 % 40% 68,734 34,367 34,367 34,367 , 68,734 $ 171,836 $ 68,734 40 $ 306,027 $ 41,095 86 $ 26,870.37 $ 18,967 32 $ 18,967 32 $ 34,367 $ 34,367 $ 34,367 $ 461,695 $ 583,763 $ 90,132 $ 101,948