401.4 Comprehensive Fire Safety/Emergency Action Plan (Level 1)

Level 1 plans and staffing shall be in accordance with FC 401.4.1 through 401.4.5, the provision of the FC 404 through 415, as applicable, and the rules.

401.4.1 General

The commissioner shall promulgate rules establishing standards, procedures and requirements for a written comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan that addresses the safety of occupants of premises in the event of a fire, explosion, biological, chemical or nuclear incident or release, natural disaster, or other emergency, or the threat thereof, or a declaration of emergency by a lawful authority, and for the coordination of the emergency response to a medical emergency at the premises.

401.4.2 Form

The rules shall specify the form of the comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan and supporting documentation.

401.4.3 Content

The rules shall specify the information to be contained in the comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan, which shall include the following information and documentation, and/or such other information and documentation as the commissioner may prescribe:

  1. The designation of an FLS director and other FLS staff, and their respective duties and responsibilities, including FLS staff responsible for the operation of building elevators, fire protection systems, mechanical ventilation systems, building utilities, and other building service equipment.
  2. The procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency to the department, including the primary and alternative means of such reporting.
  3. The procedures for coordinating with firefighting, emergency medical service and other emergency response personnel, including notifying such personnel upon arrival of the location of the emergency and the response thereto.
  4. The means provided for receiving and monitoring public emergency notification systems in accordance with FC401.9.
  5. The procedures for notifying building occupants of a fire or other emergency, including the primary and alternative means of such notification, the alarm or tone sounded to alert building occupants, and the information communicated to building occupants.
  6. The actions to be taken in response to a fire and each type of non-fire emergency, and whether the response will require the sheltering in place, in-building relocation, partial or full evacuation of building occupants, or combination thereof, and the procedures for each such response.
  7. The procedures for accounting for building occupants after such occupants have been in-building relocated, or partially or fully evacuated to a safe area.
  8. The procedures for identifying any persons on the premises who are qualified and willing to provide cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or other emergency medical care to building occupants upon notification by the FLS director.
  9. Site plans indicating the following:
    1. Surrounding buildings and streets, including cross streets, and fire apparatus access roads.
    2. The location of building occupant assembly areas.
    1. Access to and egress from the building, including entrances and exits.
    2. Corridors and exit passageways providing access to exit stairwells or exit discharges.
    3. Stairwells with letter designation.
    4. Access and convenience stairs.
    5. Elevators, with bank letter and car number designations.
    6. Fire command center.
    7. Floor warden and firefighter telephones.
    8. Manual fire alarm boxes.
    9. Firedepartment connections, and sprinkler and standpipe system control valves.
    10. Areas of the building not protected by a sprinkler system.
    11. Emergency power generators and associated fuel storage.
    12. Evacuation and in-building relocation routes.
    13. Areas of refuge and in-building relocation areas.
    14. Any evacuation assistance devices.
    15. Automatic external defibrillators required by law to be maintained for public use.
    1. Water supply.
    2. Firedepartment connections.
    3. Gravity and pressure tanks.
    4. Fire pumps.
    5. Water supply control valves.
    6. Piping, except branch sprinkler piping.
    401.4.4 Submission and Acceptance

    Every comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan shall be submitted to the department for acceptance in the manner prescribed by the department. Acceptance of such plans shall be obtained prior to occupancy of the building or occupancy.

    401.4.5 Fire and Life Safety Staff

    The owner of any premises required by this chapter to have a comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan shall designate competent persons to act as FLS staff, including a person designated to serve as FLS director. The owner shall employ or otherwise retain sufficient FLS staff to implement such plan during regular business hours and to otherwise comply with the requirements of this chapter and the rules. The persons designated as FLS staff shall possess such qualifications and/or hold such certificates of fitness as are required by this chapter or the rules.

    401.4.5.1 Fire and Life Safety Director
    1. The FLS director shall be present in the building at all times during regular business hours. When the FLS director is absent during regular business hours, a deputy FLS director shall be present in the building and shall perform the duties of the FLS director. When a building other than a Group R-1 transient residential building or occupancy is occupied, but the number of building occupants falls below the level requiring the presence of an FLS director, the FLS building evacuation supervisor may perform the duties of the FLS director. The FLS director shall endeavor to ensure that adequate FLS staff is present during regular business hours, and, in the absence of designated staff, shall designate interim FLS staff.
    2. In the event of a fire, a medical emergency or other non-fire emergency in the building, the FLS director shall report to the fire command center or designated alternative location; implement such fire safety and/or non-fire emergency actions as are warranted by the circumstances, in accordance with the provisions of the comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan, this code and the rules; notify arriving emergency response personnel of the nature of the emergency and the response thereto; and comply with the directions of the emergency response personnel and/or other lawful authority.
    3. The FLS director designated shall be fully familiar with the provisions of the comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan and shall conduct the FLS staff training and fire and non-fire emergency drills required by FC 401.4.5.2 and 401.7.
    401.4.5.2 Training

    FLS staff shall be trained in the performance of their duties in accordance with the comprehensive fire safety and emergency action plan.

    401.4.5.2.1 Initial Training
    1. their duties in the event that it is necessary to implement fire safety or non-fire emergency actions in accordance with such plan; and
    2. appropriate fire prevention measures for the occupancy.
    401.4.5.2.2 Refresher Training

    With the exception of the FLS director, FLS staff shall receive, and participate in, periodic refresher training to maintain their state of readiness.

    401.4.5.2.3 Duration and Frequency of Training

    The duration and frequency of initial and refresher training of FLS staff shall be in accordance with FC Table 401.4.5.2.3.

    FC TABLE 401.4.5.2.3
    FLS STAFF TRAINING
    FLS STAFF MEMBER INITIAL TRAINING DURATION REFRESHER TRAINING DURATION AND FREQUENCY
    FIRE SAFETY NON-FIRE EMERGENCY FIRE SAFETY NON-FIRE EMERGENCY
    Deputy FLS directors (all occupancies) Not applicable Not applicable 1 hour annually 1 hour semiannually
    FLS building evacuation supervisors 2 hours 3 hours 1 hour annually 1 hour semiannually
    All other FLS staff 1 hour 2 hours 1 hour annually 1 hour annually
    401.4.5.2.4 Training Methods

    FLS staff training sessions shall be provided in the form of live instruction and, if desired, computerized training. At least one-half ( 1 /2) of the FLS staff training sessions required each year shall be in the form of live instruction, which may incorporate video presentations and/or review of other educational materials. The balance of the required training sessions may be conducted in the form of approved computerized training, without live instruction, provided that such computerized training is interactive, and includes an evaluation of the FLS staff members' understanding of the training materials.

    401.4.5.2.5 Recordkeeping

    A written record of FLS staff training shall be maintained in the log book required by FC401.8. An entry shall be made in such log book for each training session conducted.