A. 
The Town of Bedford hereby adopts the following National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes for the purpose of fire safety, firefighting and fire prevention:
Code
Edition
NFPA 1 Uniform Fire Code
(see Bedford Fire Code Handbook)
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
(see Bedford Fire Code Handbook)
B. 
The Bedford Fire Codes shall be equivalent to or offer a greater degree of life safety than the codes required by the New Hampshire State Fire Code-Saf-C 6000.
A. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AHJ (AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION)
The Bedford Fire Chief or his/her designee.
CUMULATIVE RENOVATIONS
Refers to any internal modifications made to an existing structure that are structural or nonstructural. For the purpose of this definition, the floor area affected by each renovation shall be cumulative, with subsequent and prior renovations used to determine the total percentage of the structure being renovated.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm signal eliciting a response by fire personnel when a situation requiring a response does not in fact exist, but does not include an alarm caused by violent conditions of nature or other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to control by the alarm business operator or alarm user.
FLOOR AREA
Floor area shall be determined by outside finished wall/foundation surface to outside finished wall/foundation surface measurements.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Refers to any construction of a new structure, expansion of an existing structure, or where cumulative renovations are equal to or greater than 50% of the floor area of an existing structure. Also, for the purpose of this chapter, whenever there is a change in the occupancy use group of an existing premises, the structure shall be considered new construction for the purpose of code and ordinance requirements.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
A water supply which has been granted a franchise to operate in the Town of Bedford by the State of New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission.
STRUCTURE
That which is built or constructed having a contiguous footprint on or imposed upon the ground.
B. 
Where terms are not specifically defined in this chapter, their meanings shall be derived from adopted codes. Where the terms are not defined under any adopted code, their meanings shall be their ordinarily accepted meanings within the context in which they are used.
A. 
All new or replacement life safety system designs must be reviewed and approved prior to the start of installation. The plan submissions must include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) 
Equipment cut sheets.
(2) 
Hydraulic calculations (where applicable).
(3) 
Battery calculations (where applicable).
(4) 
Plans depicting equipment layout.
(5) 
Two sets of stamped plans or an electronic set by an appropriate design professional.
(6) 
Design professional's qualifications.
(7) 
Completed application for plan examination form.
B. 
When in the opinion of the AHJ the submitted plans do not readily verify code or local ordinance compliance, the Bedford Fire Department reserves the right to require the plans to be reviewed and certified by a New Hampshire-licensed fire protection engineer.
A. 
The AHJ is authorized to inspect, at all reasonable times, any building or premises for the purpose of:
(1) 
Verifying code and ordinance compliance.
(2) 
Place of assembly inspections.
(3) 
Complaint investigations.
(4) 
Fire prevention inspections.
B. 
All nonresidential occupancies shall, at the time of a change of ownership or tenancy, notify the Fire Department of said change and arrange for a life safety inspection.
The Bedford Fire Chief or his designee shall create and maintain a document known as the "Town of Bedford Fire Code Handbook." This document shall contain and outline the Fire Department policies and procedures for permits, inspections, fees, code editions being used and other items as needed to provide adequate information for design and operational requirements for fire prevention. The Town Council authorizes the Town Manager to approve editorial changes to the Fire Code Handbook.