[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Edgewater 6-11-2018 by Ord.
No. 2018-007.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 204.
[1]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch.
322, Public Safety Radio Coverage, adopted 10-15-2007 by Ord. No.
1375-2007 (Ch. 198 of the 1975 Code).
A.
Existing buildings that do not have approved radio coverage for emergency
responders within the building, based upon the existing coverage levels
of the public safety communication systems of the jurisdiction at
the exterior of the building, shall be equipped with such coverage
according to one of the following:
(1)
Where an existing wired communication system cannot be repaired or
is being replaced, or where not approved by the Fire Code Official.
(2)
Where minimum signal strength measurements in 95% of all areas on each floor of the building do not meet the signal strength requirements in Subsection A(2)(a) and (b) below.
(a)
Minimum signal strength into the building. A minimum signal
strength of -95 dBm shall be receivable within the building.
(b)
Minimum signal strength out of the building. A minimum signal
strength of -95 dBm shall be received by the agency's radio system
when transmitted from within the building.
B.
Exception: where it is determined by the Fire Code Official that
the radio coverage system is not needed.
A.
A construction permit for the installation of or modification to
emergency responder radio coverage systems and related equipment,
for both newly constructed and existing buildings, is required as
specified in IFC Section 105.7.5.
B.
Maintenance performed in accordance with this code is not considered
a modification and does not require a permit.
Systems, components and equipment required to provide the emergency
responder radio coverage system shall comply with the following:
A.
Radio signal strength. The building shall be considered to have an acceptable emergency responder radio coverage when signal strength measurements in 95% of all areas on each floor of the building meet the signal strength requirements in Subsection A(1) and (2) below.
(1)
Minimum signal strength into the building. A minimum signal strength
of -95 dBm shall be receivable within the building.
(2)
Minimum signal strength out of the building. A minimum signal strength
of -95 dBm shall be received by the agency's radio system when
transmitted from within the building.
B.
System design. The emergency responder radio coverage system shall
be designed in accordance with the below sections:
(1)
Amplification systems allowed. Buildings and structures that cannot
support the required level of radio coverage shall be equipped with
a radiating cable system, a distributed antenna system with Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) certified signal boosters, or other
system approved by the Fire Code Official in order to achieve the
required adequate radio coverage.
(2)
Technical criteria. The Fire Code Official shall maintain a document
providing the specific technical information and requirements for
the emergency responder radio coverage system. This document shall
contain, but not be limited to, the various frequencies required,
the location of radio sites, effective radiated power of radio sites,
and other supporting technical information.
(3)
Standby power. The standby power supply shall be capable of operating
the emergency responder radio coverage system for a duration of not
less than 24 hours.
(4)
Signal booster requirements. If used, signal boosters shall meet
the following requirements:
(a)
All signal booster components shall be contained in a National
Electrical Manufacturer's Association (NEMA) 4 type waterproof
cabinet.
(b)
Battery systems used for the emergency power source shall be
contained in a NEMA 4 type waterproof cabinet.
(c)
The signal booster system and battery system shall be electrically
supervised and monitored by a supervisory service or, when approved
by the Fire Code Official, shall sound an audible signal at a constantly
attended location.
(d)
Equipment shall have FCC certification prior to installation.
(5)
Additional frequencies and change of frequencies. The emergency responder
radio coverage system shall be capable of modification or expansion
in the event frequency changes are required by the FCC or additional
frequencies are made available by the FCC.
The installation of the public safety radio coverage system
shall be in accordance with the following:
A.
Approval prior to installation. Amplification systems capable of
operating on frequencies licensed to any public safety agency by the
FCC shall not be installed without prior coordination and approval
of the Fire Code Official.
B.
Minimum qualifications of personnel.
C.
Acceptance test procedure. Where an emergency responder radio coverage
system is required, and upon completion of installation, the building
owner shall have the radio system tested to verify that two-way coverage
on each floor of the building is not less than 90%. The test procedure
shall be conducted as follows:
(1)
Each floor of the building shall be divided into a grid of 20 approximately
equal test areas.
(2)
The test shall be conducted using a calibrated portable radio of
the latest brand and model used by the agency talking through the
agency's radio communications system.
(3)
Failure of not more than two nonadjacent test areas shall not result
in failure of the test.
(4)
In the event that three of the test areas fail the test, in order
to be more statistically accurate, the floor shall be permitted to
be divided into 40 equal test areas. Failure of not more than four
nonadjacent test areas shall not result in failure of the test. If
the system fails the forty-area test, the system shall be altered
to meet the 90% coverage requirement.
(5)
A test location approximately in the center of each test area shall
be selected for the test, with radio enabled to verify two-way communications
to and from the outside of the building through the public agency's
radio communications system. Once the test location has been selected,
that location shall represent the entire test area. Failure in the
selected test location shall be considered failure of that test area.
Additional test locations shall not be permitted.
(6)
The gain values of all amplifiers shall be measured, and the test
measurement results shall be kept on file with the building owner
so that the measurements can be verified during annual tests. In the
event that the measurement results become lost, the building owner
shall be required to rerun the acceptance test to reestablish the
gain values.
(7)
As part of the installation, a spectrum analyzer or other suitable
test equipment shall be utilized to ensure spurious oscillations are
not being generated by the subject signal booster. This test shall
be conducted at the time of installation and subsequent annual inspections.
D.
FCC compliance. The emergency responder radio coverage system installation
and components shall also comply with all applicable federal regulations,
including, but not limited to, FCC 47 CFR Part 90.219.
The emergency responder radio coverage system shall be maintained
operational at all times in accordance with the following:
A.
Testing and proof of compliance. The emergency responder radio coverage
system shall be inspected and tested annually or where structural
changes occur, including additions or remodels that could materially
change the original field performance tests. Testing shall consist
of the following:
(2)
The signal booster shall be tested to verify that the gain is the
same as it was upon initial installation and acceptance.
(3)
Backup batteries and power supplies shall be tested under load of
a period of one hour to verify that they will properly operate during
an actual power outage. If, within the one-hour test period, the battery
exhibits symptoms of failure, the test shall be extended for additional
one-hour periods until the integrity of the battery can be determined.
(4)
Other active components shall be checked to verify operation within
the manufacturer's specifications.
(5)
At the conclusion of the testing, a report, which shall verify compliance
with this subsection, shall be submitted to the Fire Code Official.
B.
Additional frequencies. The building owner shall modify or expand
the emergency responder radio coverage system at his or her expense
in the event frequency changes are required by the FCC or additional
frequencies are made available by the FCC. Prior approval of a public
safety radio coverage system on previous frequencies does not exempt
this section.
C.
Field testing. Agency personnel shall have the right to enter onto
the property at any reasonable time to conduct field testing to verify
the required level of radio coverage.
Any persons or entities found to be in violation of these requirements
of this chapter shall, upon certification of said violation by the
Borough of Edgewater Fire Official, be subject to a penalty. Such
penalties shall not exceed a rate of $1,000 per day for failure to
abate the violation. If the violation is not remedied within three
months, the certificate of occupancy for the building in violation
may be revoked.
The applicant for a permit under this chapter shall be responsible
for all fees for review and inspection of the radio amplification
system incurred by the Borough's public safety radio engineer
and shall be charged the hourly rate approved by the Borough.
If any provision or portion of this chapter is held to be unconstitutional,
preempted by federal or state law, or otherwise invalid by any court
of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of the chapter
shall not be invalidated and shall remain in full force and effect.
