Business Fire Prevention 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF A FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM

To improve life safety conditions within the business community of Benbrook by:

Requiring proper maintenance of all fire escapes and exits

Keeping all aisles, hallways, stairways, and exits unobstructed to allow occupants safe and speedy egress in case of a fire

To prevent fires from starting by: Eliminating and or controlling fire hazards.

Utilizing a comprehensive fire prevention program including annual fire inspections by the fire department personnel of all commercial, mercantile, educational, institutional, assembly, and residential multi-family dwellings.

To check maintenance of fire protection equipment:

By securing proper maintenance of private fire extinguishing equipment such as automatic sprinklers, halon-extinguishing systems, dry chemical hood systems, and portable fire extinguishers.

Securing proper maintenance of devices designed to limit the spread of fire such as fire doors, and fire partitions.

To assemble facts concerning buildings and their contents - PRE-FIRE PLANNING

Assemble all facts useful in fighting fires within individual occupancies, and incorporate those facts into a computer system. Information such as hydrant locations, building size and layout, hazardous material information, utility locations and shut-offs, fire protection systems, and other important information that could be relayed or provided to responding apparatus responding to a fire.

Gather information useful in a fire investigation after a fire occurs.

To instruct owner or occupant in fire prevention and life safety measures.

By informing the owner or occupant of existing hazardous conditions and help improve or eliminate such hazards through advice and suggestions.

Encourage a year round fire prevention and safety programs to reduce the occurrence of fire, and instruct occupants in safe procedures to follow should fire occur.

ADDENDUM TO UNIFORM FIRE CODE

The Uniform Fire Code is amended and changed to the following:

Addition of Section 105.9, which will read as follows:

Sec. 105.9 Permit fees. A permit fee shall be charged, not more than once a year, for permit required by Fire Prevention Bureau of any activity, operation or practice or function set forth in Sec. 105.8 Uniform Fire Code, latest edition. The fee for such permits shall be thirty (30) dollars and shall be payable at the time application for such permit is submitted.

SECTION 1. FIRE INSPECTIONS; WHERE REQUIRED

A). The owner of every structure used for the purpose of commercial, industrial, mercantile, educational, institutional, assembly, hotel, motel, and multi-family dwellings (excluding one and two family dwellings), shall be required to have a valid Certificate of Inspection. A Certificate of Inspection shall be valid until a subsequent inspection takes place or until revoked; provided, however, the possession of a Certificate of Inspection shall not exempt the building from re-inspection or citations during the period of time between inspections.

B). Any change in the use of the occupancy of a major portion of the building or it=s operation shall require a new Certificate of Inspection.

SECTION 2. PROCEDURES OF FIRE INSPECTIONS

A). Inspections shall be performed by the Fire Chief, or any member of the Fire Department authorized by the Fire Chief. If no hazardous conditions or violations of the Uniform Fire Code are detected at the time of the inspection, the owner of the inspected building, or the owner of the inspected business shall be issued a Certificate of Inspection.

B). IF, at the time of the inspection, the building is found not to be in compliance with the Uniform Fire Code, a Certificate of Inspection will not be issued. After notification of the violations which were detected, the owner or occupant shall be required to remedy the conditions of the violations, and a citation may be issued if conditions warrant. A date of re-inspection shall be indicated on the original inspection form.

SECTION 3. CONDITIONS OF CERTIFICATES OF INSPECTION

A). The issuance or granting of a Certificate of Inspection shall not be deemed or construed to be a permit for, or approval of any violation of any provisions of the Uniform Fire Code. No certificate shall be presumed to give the authority to violate or cancel the provisions of the Uniform Fire Code. No certificate shall be presumed to give the authority to violate or cancel the provisions of the Uniform Fire Code shall be valid.

B). A fire inspection fee will be charged not more than once per year for a fire inspection of any occupancy or building. Any permits required by the Uniform Fire Code may require a separate inspection, and a fee for such permits shall be in addition to the Certificate of Inspection fee, provided, however, that this section shall not prohibit inspections from occurring more than once a year.

C). The inspection fee shall be charged in accordance with the following fee schedule chart:

NUMBER OF SQUARE FEET TOTAL FLOOR AREA	GROUP	BASE FEE
0,000 - 5,000	A	$35.00
5,000 - 9,999	B	$40.00
10,000 - 15,000	C	$45.00
15,000 - 20,000	D	$50.00
20,000 - 25,000	E	$55.00
25,000 - 50,000	F	$75.00
SPECIAL OCCUPANCY	SO	$100.00

1). Greater than 50,000 square feet shall be charged the base rate of $75.00 plus $1.00 for each additional 1000 square feet of floor area, or portion thereof.

2). Shopping malls, and Multi-use/Multi-occupancies shall be assessed and inspection fee based on the total floor area of the public areas within the structure. The individual tenant spaces will be assessed on the basis of the square footage of the individual space.

3). Special Occupancy fee will be assessed, in addition to normal inspection fees, for occupancies requiring extended inspections due to hazardous materials; sprinkler systems; excessive combustible storage; multiple occupancies on the same property; Hi-rise; institutions such as schools, nursing homes, retirement facilities; and marina’s.

SECTION 5. RETENTION OF CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION

A). Certificates of Inspection shall at all times be kept on the premises designated therein and shall be posted in a conspicuous location and be subject to inspection by the Fire Chief or any member of the Fire Department authorized by the Fire Chief.

SECTION 6. REVOCATION OF CERTIFICATES OF INSPECTION

A). Any Certificate of Inspection issued under this code may be suspended or revoked when it is determined after a hearing by the Fire Chief that:

1). It is used by a person other than the person to whom the Certificate of Inspection was issued; or

2). It is used in a location other than that for which it was issued; or

3). Any of the conditions or limitations set forth in the Certificate of Inspection have been violated; or

4). The possessor of the Certificate of Inspection fails, refuses, or neglects to comply with any order or notice served upon him under the provisions of this code within the time period provided therein; or

5). There has been any false statement or misrepresentation as to the material fact of the plans, specifications or documentation on which the certificate issuance was based; or

6). Whenever a change in the use or occupancy of the building occurs, the existing Certificate of Inspection shall be automatically revoked and a new Certificate of Inspection shall be required.

SECTION 7. FAILURE TO PAY INSPECTION FEE

A). Any person or business owner failing to pay the fees resulting from a fire inspection within forty-five (45) day period from the date the statement is issued shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be issued a citation as prescribed by the Uniform Fire Code. Each day the charges are delinquent beyond the forty-five (45) day period shall constitute a separate offense.

SECTION 8. OPTIONAL BILLING

A). Any owner or manager of a building that is occupied by multiple tenants may elect to have all the Certificates of Inspection required within his building billed directly to the manager or owner of the building. The owner or manager must make a written request to the Fire Department that they are to be billed directly and that the owner or manager will be responsible for the charges. Charges will be the same as if each tenant was billed separately.