David Woodside, President of Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association (Petitioner); The Notice of Petition for Declaratory Statement was published October 16, 2015 in Vol. 42, No. 59 of the Florida Administrative Register. The Petition ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

Division of State Fire Marshal

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Department of Financial Services, Division of State Fire Marshal (Department), has issued an order disposing of the petition for declaratory statement filed by David Woodside, President of Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association (Petitioner) on March 17, 2016. The following is a summary of the agency’s disposition of the petition:

The Notice of Petition for Declaratory Statement was published October 16, 2015 in Vol. 42, No. 59 of the Florida Administrative Register. The Petition asks whether FFPC/NFPA 1:13.3.2.26.4, exempts an existing high-rise apartment occupancy building that is not protected by approved automatic fire sprinkler system from providing an Engineered Life Safety System as required by FFPC/NFPA 101:31.3.5.11.3, and whether 101:31.3.5.11.3, require a Engineered Life Safety System for existing high-rise apartment occupancy buildings if the building does not have an approved automatic fire sprinkler system. The Order responds apartment occupancy, specifically a condominium and cooperative, are exempt from installing an approved automatic fire sprinkler system if every dwelling in the occupancy has FFPC compliant exterior exit access, or if the occupancy has an engineered life safety system that is approved by the AHJ. The building is required to be protected by an approved automatic fire sprinkler system by December 31, 2019, or it must comply with the requirements of FFPC 101:31.

A copy of the Order Disposing of the Petition for Declaratory Statement may be obtained by contacting: Melissa E. Dembicer, Assistant General Counsel, Division of Legal Services, 612 Larson Building, 200 E. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0333, [phone], email: [e-mail].

Please refer all comments to: Melissa E. Dembicer.