FIRE CHIEF
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CITY OF HOPKINS
INTER-OFFICE
MEMO
TO C1 tv Counc11 DATE
FROM Huqh Strawn, Fire Chief
SUBJECT Minnesota Uniform Building Code, Appendix E
March 13
/9 85
I am attaching a copy of Appendix E for consideration by the City Council.
This local option amendment was developed by a mult1-d1scipline committee
under the umbrella of the Governorls Council on Fire Prevention and Control,
which 1S chaired by myself.
Appendix E was wr1tten following more than a year of meetings and negotiations
involving people from the Building Code Division, architects, fire service,
contractors and building owners. It is truly a consensus document.
This local option appendix is wr1tten to provide individual communities in
Minnesota with a tool to help them more effectively manage their fire pro-
tection responsibilities. The appendix will require automatic sprinkler
protection in new construction, additions to existing buildings and in struc-
tures where the occupancy changes. Please remember, occupancy is defined as
use of the building...not tenant. Thus, if a building changes tenants, but
the occupancy or use does not change, this append1x would not apply.
The attached Appendix E document refers to Uniform Building Code definitions
such as Group A-I, which can be confusing to people not used to working with
the Code. 1111 translate that for you, so it will have more meaning. Group
A occupancies are assembly areas, such as theatres, d1splay halls, exhibition
centers, etc. Group B occupancies are commercial and industrial buildings of
various uses. Group E bU11d1ngs are school bU11dings. Group H occupancies
are builaings that are 1nvolved in hazardous uses, such as highly flammable
or explosive materials. Group R occupancies are hotels and apartment buildings.
Many of these occupancies already require installation of automatic spr1nkler
systems as per the Minnesota Uniform Building Code. The State of Minnesota
has provided the local communities with a very useful tool in Appendix E by
reducing the gross square footage requ1rement threshold that applies when
automatic sprinkler protection is required.
I strongly feel Append1x E would be of great benefit to the City of Hopkins.
We have had good exper1ence in our commercial and industrial buildings during
the past several years, primarily because of automatic sprinkler systems.
Through creative enforcement of the Uniform Fire Code our deparmtnet has
achieved a very high rate of automatic fire protection in new construction
and occupancy changes south and east of the railroad tracks.
MEMO
Append1x E
Page 2
The new buildings which have automatic sprinklers require far less city
manpower resources in a flre emergency than the building would with out
a sprinkler system. Please remember that Knox Lumber was or1ginally pro-
posed w1thout a sprinkler system. Can you 1magine the amount of city man-
power resources that would be needed to fight a f1re in an unsprinklered
lumber yard? '
Adoption of Append1x E will allow our community to maintain its volunteer
fire department in a strong position to effectively control and contain
fires within this C1ty. The automatic sprinkler system obviously begins
the extinguishing process...and usually completes it...before the fire de-
partment ever arrives at the address. When the department does arrive it
can deal with the emergency utilizing far less manpower, water and fuel.
The 3-alarm fire in Hopk1ns which destroyed Select Sales Inc. would have
had a far different outcome if the building had been equipped with an auto-
matic sprinkler system. Since there was no such system the fire burned for
many hours before being detected by a police officer. Extinguishment in-
volved three fire departments. Interior structural collapse occured and
narrowly missed injuring or killing a three-man hose crew working in the
build1ng's lunch room. We feel that with a sprinkler system we would have
been faced with a small fire in the lunch room that would not have threatened
the lives of our volunteers.
Our average response t1me is over 5-minutes. Itls often longer during the
business day...sometimes 8 to 10 minutes. Automatic sprinklers buy every-
one precious time while mitigating the damage to the building and its oc-
cupants.
In reviewing this request, please keep in mind that we are talking about new
construction, an addit10n to an existing building or change 1n occupancy.
Also keep in mind that building in automatic sprinkler protection will serve
the general commun1ty very well many years in the future by keeping our fires
relatively small, reducing losses and controlling d1rect city suppression
costs.
.
AppendlX E - Uniform Buildlng COdQ
.
2 MCAR 6 1 10020 Optional pro~lSlOns for lIlStaJlatlon of on-premIses fire suppressIOn S}stems
A Purpose This rule authonzes optional provIsions for the installation of on'preml~e~ fire suppression sy~tems In ne'o'
con~tructlOn It IS Intended to alleviate increasing demands for addlllonal fire ~uppreHlOn re~ources b~ allowing a mUnlClpahl}
to adopt the opllonal prOVISlon~ of thIs rule based on liS local fire suppression capablhlles
B MUnicipal opllon The spnnkler system requirements In C ma} be adopted without change b} a mUnlclpaht} If lhe} are
adopted the requirements are applicable throughout the mumclpaht} for nelol. bUlldlng~. addlllons to bUlldlng~. and bUildings for
which the occupancy classification IS changed
C ReqUirements Automallc spnnlder system~ mu~t be In~talled and maintained In operable condition In buildings In the
occupancy classifications listed In I -12 ThiS requirement IS In addlllon to other minimum requlremenls set In the stale building
code The height and area Increases provlaed for In seCllon~ 506 and 501 of the Umform BUIlding Code. as adopted In the ~tale
building code ma} be apphed
I Group A-I occupancle~
2 Group A-2 occupancle~ with an occupant load of 300 or more
3 Group A-2 I occupancies
4 Group B-1 service stallon~ wIth 3.000 or more gros~ ~q ft of area. not meludmg canople~
5 Group B.I parkmg garages loI.llh 5.000 or more gross sq ft of arc,,"
6 Group B-2 offices and po~l-secondary e1a~srooms Wllh 8 500 or more gros~ sq ft of area or three or more slone~ m
height
1 Group B-2 retad. warehou~e. or manufactunn& areas with 2.000 or mo~ gross sq ft of area or three or more stones rn
heIght
8. Group E-I and E.2 occupancies with 8.500 or more gross sq ft In area or two or more stone~ m height. except for
nunor addlllon~ Ihat do flot Jncrui~ the occupant load or i1imficantly Increase the fire load
9 Group E.) occupancies WIth an occupant load of 30 or more
10 Group H-04 occupancies WIth 3.000 or more Voss sq ft of area
II Group R-t apartment houses with 8.500 or more gro~s sq ft of area or wIth dlol.ellrng umts on three or more floors.
except that when they arc not reqUIred by Umform BUilding Code. secllon~ 1807 or 1907. or other prOVI~lOn~ of the stale
bUilding code automatic ~pnnkler systems within dwelling unlt~ In apanment occupanCle~ arc conSidered complete 101. hen
protection I~ prOVided In all habllable room~ BUilding offiCials. In concurrence with their fire chiefs. ma} accept ~ystems no!
full} compl\lng loI.lth Standard 38-1 of the Umform Building Code
12 Group R-I hotels and motels wllh 8.500 or more g.ro~s ~q ft of area or loI.lth guest rooms on three or more floors
.
As adopted. effectlve Aprll 25, 1983
Minnesota cities that have adopted Appendix E
L ittl e Canada
Moundsview
Richfield
Falcon Heights
Maplewood
Spring Lake Park
Orono
Sti llwater
Coon Rapids
St. Peter
Lauderdale
Bayport
Eden Prairie
Cities considering Appendix E
Edina
Burnsville
FIRE DEPARlMENT
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V \ 1 ...
:()SITION TITLE: Fire Marshal ,,~~J(}{',".(fj (f'F"-
.~ Yl~< v' )
rNIIDDUCrIrn: (~~~~:i'l~ City Manager & Fire Chief. Responsilile for adrruI1lstrat~on
. e, fire education programs.
mIES & RE~SIBILITIES:
1. Administration of Fire Code
a. Coordination of inspections with other City, State, an::1
Federal agencies.
b. Special hazard permits
c. Mtmicipal an::1 private water supply flare testing & analys~s.
d. Lesignation and enforcerre.nt of fire lanes
e. Plan review and inspection of fire protection, suppression
and detection systems.
f. Plan review, new and rem:xleling building construction for
fire protection features.
2. Administration of public fire education programs.
a. Leveloprent of schcx>l prOjrams
b. Levelq:rrent of public infonnational act.1vities
c. Analysis arrl consultation for industrial and institutional
fire safety activities.
3. Administration of Fire Investigation and Loss Records Program
a. FirejPolice Arson Squad
b. Fire investigations and investigation records
c. Analys~s and interpretation of flre loss records
d. M3.intenance of frre loss records
e. Training, file investigation.
4. Administration of Fire Inspection Program
a. Basic inspection program
b. Fo11CM-up inspections
5. Errergency response
a. Daytirre weekday fires
b. dayt.J..ne weekday rcedical errergenc~es
c. Fire investigations - 24 hours da..1ly - 7 days per week.
Establ1shed February 82
Rev~ewed NovEmber 83