AUGUST 2004

MONTHLY REPORT
PRESENTED TO THE

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
FIRE PREVENTION OFFICERS' MEETING  

Dear Fire Prevention Officers,

I am pleased to have been appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as the new State Fire Marshal. I began working in the Sacramento Office of the State Fire Marshal on August 16, 2004. I look forward to working with and for you on important matters that will be before us in the months and years ahead.

I have spent my first week in briefing sessions and meeting State Fire Marshal and Department of Forestry management team members. During my next few weeks, I will begin meeting with various state agencies, fire service organizations, labor leaders, and other SFM stakeholders. I will be visiting as many SFM offices, worksites and other facilities as time allows, reviewing programs, policies, developing strategies, and subsequently implementing changes in critical programs. In order to do this successfully I will need your help and input.

We will be preparing a survey to help us gather information, both internally and externally. After we collect the information, we will begin holding meetings to discuss the findings with interested groups.

With all of your help, we will continue to complete the mission of the Office of the State Fire Marshal with pride and professionalism. I am extremely proud to be a member of the Office of the State Fire Marshal. I hope to earn your confidence and trust. 

Ruben Grijalva

State Fire Marshal

CODE ENFORCEMENT

Contact: Steve Cobb at (714) 573-6103 for schedule and location information

Contact: Bob Rodriguez at (559) 804-4762 for schedule and location information

Contact: Rick Rodewald at (831) 646-3900 for schedule and location information

Plan Review

The SFM now has two Senior Deputy State Fire Marshals assigned to conduct plan reviews for state owned buildings and state occupied. They are Ingrid Icasiano and Dan Najera. 

CODE DEVELOPMENT & ANALYSIS 

Division Chief Gini Krippner has recently announced her retirement from state service to become effective August 31, 2004. Chief Krippner has been the driving force behind the successes of the Code Development & Analysis Division (CDAD).

Chief Krippner has been teaching college level fire science classes for over 15 years. She has been undoubtedly inspiration to many of her students.

Her sense of humor, smile and laughter are always contagious and her generosity immense. Chief Krippner will be greatly missed. We wish her well! 

California Code of Regulations - Title 24

The SFM has submitted its proposed amendments for the 2004 Annual Code Adoption Cycle to the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) as shown below.

Status of submittal: The SFM is waiting for a letter of acceptance from the CBSC on all Parts submitted as shown below.

Proposed Adoptions and Amendments to the 2004 Annual Code Adoption Cycle

  1. Adopt by reference:
2003 Uniform Mechanical Code with the amendments of the 2001 California Mechanical Code. 2003 Uniform Plumbing Code with the amendments of the 2001 California Plumbing Code. Building requirements for buildings and/or structures used for adult day programs and adult day health care centers for non-ambulatory persons or adults. Additionally, should these programs elect to voluntarily install and use delayed egress devices and secured perimeter fencing. These facilities are required to follow the provisions of the 2001 CBC and 2001 CFC. Public school campus definition and fire-resistive substitution for new campus as shown in the 2001 CBC. The repeal of Appendix Chapter 3A, Use or Occupancy for placement into the 2001 CBC, Chapter 3, Use or Occupancy as shown in the 2001 CBC. The placement of Group R-6 Occupancies into Table 3-A, Description of Occupancies By Group and Division as shown in the 2001 CBC. The allowable building height and area for facilities such as halfway houses, community correctional centers, community treatment centers, etc. as shown in Table 5B Allowable Building Heights and Basic Allowable Floor Area For Buildings One Story in Height as shown in the 2001 CBC. Appendix Chapter 3A, Use or Occupancy, Division II – Detention and Correctional Facilities, Section 323A – Definitions as shown in the 2001 CBC. The repeal of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) referenced standards shown in Chapter 9, section 904.1.2 with the addition of a note directing the code user to Chapter 35 of the 2001 CBC and Article 91 of the 2001 CFC. Corridors in Group I Occupancies, shown in section 1007.5.4, except that in hospitals and nursing homes classified as Group I, Divisions 1.2, 2 & 3 Occupancies, nurses’ stations shall have a minimum of two interconnected smoke detectors. An external reference to the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 19 will be made in the 2001 CBC for additional requirements. The proposed amendments to Chapter 11A, Housing Accessibility, Chapter 1118A Egress and Areas for Evacuation Assistance. The update of the referenced national standards as shown in Chapter 35 of the 2001 CBC. These updates include such items as current edition dates, new number assignments made by the national organization, etc.

11.1 Amendments addressing: The update of the referenced national standards as shown in Article 91 of the 2001 CFC. These updates include such items as current edition dates, new number assignments made by the national organization, etc.

Miscellaneous topics in various sections of the building and fire code.

For more information on the SFM’s proposed rulemaking visit the SFM’s web site at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

Leslie R. Haberek at (916) 327-4998 or leslie.haberek@fire.ca.gov or

Rodney Slaughter at (916) 445-8454 or rodney.slaughter@fire.ca.gov 

2004 CBSC’s Code Advisory Committees

The 2001 California Building Standards Administrative Code, Article 1-9 outlines the purpose of the Code Advisory Committees (CAC) as a technical, advisory committee that shall make recommendations on each code change submittal.

Based upon subject matter expertise, CAC applicants are selected in an open forum by the CBSC.

Each code submittal shown above will be assigned to the appropriate CAC for their review and comment. These committees make their recommendations to the CBSC based on the "Nine-Point" criteria found in Health and Safety Code section 18930. The CAC’s recommendations are required to be one of the following actions:

  1. Approve as submitted
  2. Approve as amended (by either the CAC or agency or both in agreement)
  3. Disapprove as submitted
  4. Further Study

The public will have an opportunity to participate with the committee’s technical review of all proposed rulemaking on the following dates:

The CAC meetings will be held at:

CBSC

2525 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 130

Sacramento, Ca 95833

For more information about the CAC, visit CBSC’s web site at www.bsc.ca.gov 

Title 24 - Emergency Regulations

Emergency Regulations Addressing the Urban Wildland Interface Building Standards (UWIBS) 

The SFM’s proposed regulations relating to building standards for structures located in Urban Wildland Interface (UWI) areas is being developed for submission to the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC). However, in order for the SFM to respond in a timely manner to the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Fire Commission’s findings and recommendations, the SFM has determined that these regulations will be submitted to CBSC as emergency regulations on or about October 2004 instead of being included in the 2004 Annual Code Adoption Cycle.

The UWI workgroup has provided and continues to provide valuable assistance and technical expertise to the SFM in the development of these regulations. The SFM greatly appreciates the workgroup’s commitment and support in this code effort.

The SFM’s intent is to place these regulations in the 2001 California Building Code and the 2001 California Fire Code with complementary provisions in Title 19 that will correlate back to those of the CBC and CFC. 

Status of these emergency regulations: These proposed regulations have gone through an in depth review by the following:

Upon approval by State Fire Marshal Ruben Grijalva these regulations will be presented to the SFM’s Fire, Life and Safety Building Standards Advisory Board (FLSBSAB) for their review and recommendation. The SFM will consider their recommendations prior to submitting the emergency regulations to the CBSC on October 15, 2004. The date for the FLSAB meeting has not been established.

The CBSC’s last meeting for 2004 will be held on November 18, 2004 at which time the SFM expects to present these regulations as an emergency and seek CBSC’s approval on the finding of emergency.

The proposed emergency regulations include "Building Test Standards." These standards address the following issues:

These specific standards, not the regulations are available on the SFM’s Main Page at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

Rodney Slaughter at (916) 445-8454 or Rodney.slaughter@fire.ca.gov  or

Leslie R. Haberek at (916) 327-4998 or leslie.haberek@fire.ca.gov

Additional Information Regarding the UWIBS: The SFM is seeking an additional $1 million dollars of grant money from FEMA-OES to support the SFM’s continued commitment in maintaining California’s building and fire codes by integrating new technologies and tactical approaches that are designed to protect California’s natural resources in an ever-expanding UWI.

Should there be any questions regarding the status of the grant please contact:

Rodney Slaughter at (916) 445-8454 or rodney.slaughter@fire.ca.gov 

____________________________________________________

Emergency Regulations addressing the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Standard 300- Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishing Systems for the Protection of Restaurant Cooking Areas

On July 22, 2004 the SFM’s Fire, Life and Safety Building Standard Advisory Board (FLSBSAB) met to review the proposed amendments for the 2004 Annual Code Adoption Cycle. Included in the proposed amendment package for the California Fire Code (CFC) was the matter of adopting by reference the UL 300 Standard.

The FLSBSAB recommended that these amendments to the 2001 CFC be removed from the 2004 cycle and be submitted as emergency regulations to the CBSC as soon as possible. The FLSBSAB’s vote on this matter was unanimous and predicated on the SFM’s Informational Bulletin "UL 300- Commercial Kitchen Hood Systems" issued on 06-16-04 and revised 06-23-04. In that Bulletin the SFM stated that," If the existing system was not designed to extinguish a vegetable oil fire, that system will be deemed a fire hazard."

Status of the Emergency Regulations: A submittal date to the CBSC is forthcoming.

 

California Code of Regulations - Title 19

Many of the proposed changes to Title 19 also correlate with proposed amendments to Title 24. The proposed regulations for Title 19 are posted to the SFM’s website.

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

Rodney Slaughter at (916) 445-8454 or rodney.slaughter@fire.ca.gov  

Tire Fire Curriculum and Regulations 

The SFM is scheduling tire fire classes this fall at the locations shown below. Dates and specific locations and the registration forms are posted on the SFM web site under the "Code Development & Analysis Division."

 

San Bernardino: 09/28/04

Richard Sewell Training Center

(Old Norton AFB)

2824 East W. Street, Bldg. 302

San Bernardino, California 92408

El Cajon: 09/30/04

Heartland Training Facility

1301 North Marshal Ave

El Cajon, 92020

Modesto: 10/11/04

Modesto Fire Academy

1220 Fire Science Lane

Modesto, California 95351

Petaluma: 10/19/04

Petaluma Community Center

Conference Room 2

320 North McDowell

Luchessi Park, Petaluma, CA

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

Rodney Slaughter at (916) 445-8454 or rodney.slaughter@fire.ca.gov  

National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)

Formally the California All Incident reporting System (CAIRS)

As of January 1, 2003 the SFM has been collecting fire data as reported by the Fire Service in the NFIRS format. For more information on this subject visit the SFM’s web page under CAIRS/NFIRS Incident Reporting at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov.

Penny Nichols recently accepted the position of Staff Services Analyst

Penny is new to this position and is looking forward to serving the fire service in this important program. Please be patient while this program undergoes changes in staff.

Penny may be reached at penny.nichols@fire.ca.gov

FIRE ENGINEERING

Automatic Extinguishing Systems Program

UL 300

The proposed emergency regulations will amend the 2001 California Fire Code (CFC) by requiring existing and new extinguishing systems that are designed for the protection of commercial cooking equipment shall comply with these regulations and further requiring that a noncompliant system shall be removed and replaced accordingly.

Status of the UL 300 Regulations: See the emergency regulations report above.

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

James Parsegian at (916) 445-6787 or james.parsegian@fire.ca.gov 

Now available on the website are the application forms shown below. These forms are used by the SFM when reviewing and evaluating an application for a new listing, renewal or revision of an existing listing. Additional information is also available for this program on the SFM’s web page at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov under Fire Engineering.

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

Patty McKinnon at pattty.mckinnon@fire.ca.gov 

Debbie Vehrs at debie.vehrs@fire.ca.gov 

All fire alarm listings have been renewed for the 2004/05 fiscal year and posted on the website. Fire Prevention Officers may access copies of all of the BML listings to assist them in the plan review of fire alarm systems and equipment. In addition, the website has a "search" feature to help with finding a specific product model. The website may be accessed at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov under Fire engineering.

Should there be any questions regarding this subject please contact:

Diane Arend at diane.arend@fire.ca.gov

Darcell Hermann at darcell.hermann@fire.ca.gov

Pipeline Safety

Division Chief Glenn Tong retired on August 15, 2004. Chief Tong was greatly commended for his leadership to The State Fire Marshal’s Office. Chief Tong served with distinction in every position he held in the fire service. Chief Tong will be greatly missed.

Bob Gorham will be serving as the acting-Division Chief for Pipeline Safety. Chief Gorham has posted a regulations update from the 2003 Pipeline Safety Conference that is very useful in understanding the laws relating to Pipeline Safety.

For more information regarding this division visit the SFM’s web page at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov under Pipeline Safety.