A. 
Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall govern the minimum conditions and standards for firesafety relating to structures and exterior premises, including firesafety facilities and equipment to be provided.
B. 
Responsibility. The owner of the premises shall provide and maintain such firesafety facilities and equipment in compliance with these requirements. A person shall not occupy as owner-occupant or permit another person to occupy any premises that does not comply with the requirements of this chapter.
A. 
General. A safe, continuous and unobstructed path of travel shall be provided from any point in a building or structure to the public way. Means of egress shall comply with NFPA 1 Fire Code.
B. 
Aisles. The required width of aisles in accordance with the NFPA 1 Fire Code shall be unobstructed.
C. 
Locked doors. All means of egress doors shall be readily operable from the side from which egress is to be made without the need for keys, special knowledge or effort, except where the door hardware conforms to that permitted by the NFPA 1 Fire Code.
D. 
Emergency escape openings. Required emergency escape openings shall be maintained in accordance with the NFPA 1 Fire Code in effect at the time of construction, except as follows: required emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys or tools. Bars, grilles, grates or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with the NFPA 1 Fire Code that was in effect at the time of construction and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.
A. 
Fire-resistance-rated assemblies. The required fire-resistance rating of fire-resistance-rated walls, fire stops, shaft enclosures, partitions and floors shall be maintained.
B. 
Opening protectives. Required opening protectives shall be maintained in an operative condition. All fire and smoke-stop doors shall be maintained in operable condition. Fire doors and smoke-barrier doors shall not be blocked or obstructed or otherwise made inoperable.
A. 
General. All systems, devices and equipment to detect a fire, actuate an alarm, or suppress or control a fire, or any combination thereof, shall be maintained in an operable condition at all times in accordance with the NFPA 1 Fire Code.
B. 
Automatic sprinkler systems. Inspection, testing and maintenance of automatic sprinkler systems shall be in accordance with NFPA 25.
C. 
Smoke alarms. Single- or multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed and maintained in Groups R-2, R-3 and R-4 and in dwelling units not regulated in Group R occupancies of the NFPA 1 Fire Code, regardless of occupant load, at all of the following locations:
(1) 
On the ceiling or wall outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms.
(2) 
In each room used for sleeping purposes.
(3) 
In each story within a dwelling unit, including basements and cellars but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level, provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.
(4) 
Single- or multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed in other groups in accordance with the NFPA 1 Fire Code.
D. 
Power source.
(1) 
In Group R occupancies and in dwelling units not regulated as Group R occupancies under the NFPA 1 Fire Code, single-station smoke alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring, provided that such wiring is served from a commercial source, and shall be equipped with a battery backup. Smoke alarms shall emit a signal when the batteries are low. Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than as required for over-current protection.
(2) 
Exception. Smoke alarms are permitted to be solely battery-operated in buildings where no construction is taking place, buildings that are not served from a commercial power source and in existing areas of buildings undergoing alterations or repairs that do not result in the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space or basement available which could provide access for building wiring without the removal of interior finishes.
E. 
Interconnection.
(1) 
Where more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling unit in Group R-2, R-3 and R-4 and in dwellings not regulated as Group R occupancies under the NFPA 1 Fire Code, the smoke alarms shall be interconnected in such a manner that the activation of one alarm will activate all of the alarms in the individual unit. The alarm shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with all intervening doors closed.
(2) 
Exceptions:
(a) 
Interconnection is not required in buildings which are not undergoing alterations, repairs or construction of any kind.
(b) 
Smoke alarms in existing areas are not required to be interconnected where alterations or repairs do not result in the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space or basement available which could provide access for interconnection without the removal of interior finishes.
This section lists the standards that are referenced in various sections of this document. The standards are listed herein by the promulgating agency of the standard, the standard identification, the effective date and title and the section or sections of this document that reference the standard. The application of the referenced standards shall be as specified in § 424-2G.
A. 
International Code Council, 500 New Jersey Avenue, NW 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001.
Standard Reference Number
Title
Referenced in Code Section Number
IBC-09
International Building Code®
424-2C, 424-13C, 424-23C, 424-37E(1)
IEBC-09
International Existing Building Code®
424-17A(1) and N, 424-18A(1), 424-19A(1)
IFGC-09
International Fuel Gas Code®
424-2C
IMC-09
International Mechanical Code®
424-2C, 424-13C
B. 
National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269.
Standard Reference Number
Title
Referenced in Code Section Number
NFPA 1-09
Fire Code
424-13C, 424-42A, B, C and D, 424-44A, C, D and E
NFPA 25-08
Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems
424-44B
NFPA 70-08
National Electrical Code
424-2C, 424-13C, 424-37B and D(1)