Section 510 — EMERGENCY RESPONDER COMMUNICATIONS ENHANCEMENT SYSTEMS

Approved in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system (ERCES) for emergency responders shall be provided in all new buildings. In-building ERCES within the building shall be based on the existing coverage levels of the public safety communications systems utilized by the jurisdiction, measured at the exterior of the building. The ERCES, where required, shall be of a type determined by the fire code official and the frequency license holder(s). This section shall not require improvement of the existing public safety communications systems.

Exceptions:

1. Where approved by the building official and the fire code official, a wired communications system in accordance with Section 907.2.13.2 shall be permitted to be installed or maintained instead of an approved communications coverage system.
2. Where it is determined by the fire code official that the communications coverage system is not needed.
3. In facilities where emergency responder communications coverage is required and such systems, components or equipment required could have a negative impact on the normal operations of that facility, the fire code official shall have the authority to accept an automatically activated emergency responder communications coverage system.
4. One-story buildings not exceeding 12,000 square feet (1115 m [2] ) with no below-ground area(s).

Existing buildings shall be provided with approved in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system for emergency responders as required in Chapter 11.

Permits for in-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems shall be in accordance with Sections 510.3.1 and 510.3.2.

510.3.1 Permit required. A construction permit for the installation of or modification to in-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems and related equipment is required as specified in Section 105.6.5. Maintenance performed in accordance with this code is not considered a modification and does not require a permit.

510.3.2 Operational permit. Where required by the fire code official, an operational permit shall be issued for the operation of an in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system.

Equipment required to provide in-building emergency responder communications enhancement shall be listed in accordance with UL 2524. Systems, components and equipment required to provide the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall comply with Sections 510.4.1 through 510.4.2.8.

510.4.1 Emergency responder communications enhancement system signal strength. The building shall be considered to have an acceptable in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system where signal strength measure

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ments in 95 percent of all areas and 99 percent of areas designated as critical areas by the fire code official on each floor of the building meet the signal strength requirements in Sections 510.4.1.1 through 510.4.1.3.

510.4.1.1 Minimum signal strength into the building. The minimum downlink signal strength shall be sufficient to provide usable voice communications throughout the coverage area as specified by the fire code official. The downlink signal level shall be sufficient to provide not less than a Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) of 3.0 throughout the coverage area using either narrowband analog, digital or wideband LTE signals or an equivalent bit error rate (BER), or signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) applicable to the technology for either analog or digital signals.

510.4.1.2 Minimum signal strength out of the building. The minimum uplink signal strength shall be sufficient to provide usable voice communications throughout the coverage area as specified by the fire code official. The uplink signal level shall be sufficient to provide not less than a delivered audio quality (DAQ) of 3.0 using either narrowband analog, digital or wideband LTE digital signals or an equivalent bit error rate (BER), or an equivalent SINR applicable to the technology for either analog or digital signals.

510.4.1.3 System performance. Signal strength shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of the applications being utilized by public safety for emergency operations through the coverage area as specified by the fire code official in Section 510.4.2.2.

510.4.2 System design. The in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be designed in accordance with Sections 510.4.2.1 through 510.4.2.8 and NFPA 1225.

510.4.2.1 Amplification systems and components. Buildings and structures that cannot support the required level of inbuilding emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be equipped with systems and components to enhance the radio signals and achieve the required level of in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system specified in Sections 510.4.1 through 510.4.1.3. In-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems utilizing radio-frequency-emitting devices and cabling shall be approved by the fire code official. Prior to installation, all RF-emitting devices shall have the certification of the radio licensing authority and be suitable for public safety use.

510.4.2.2 Technical criteria. The fire code official shall maintain a document providing the specific technical information and requirements for the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system. This document shall contain, but not be limited to, the various frequencies required, the location of radio sites, the effective radiated power of radio sites, the maximum propagation delay in microseconds, the applications being used and other supporting technical information necessary for system design.

510.4.2.3 Standby power. In-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems shall be provided with dedicated standby batteries or provided with 2-hour standby batteries and connected to the facility generator power system in accordance with Section 1203. The standby power supply shall be capable of operating the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system at 100-percent system capacity for a duration of not less than 12 hours.

510.4.2.4 Signal booster requirements. If used, signal boosters shall meet the following requirements:

1. All signal booster components shall be contained in a NEMA Type 4 cabinet.

2. Battery systems used for the emergency power source shall be contained in a NEMA 3R or higher-rated cabinet.

3. Equipment shall have FCC or other radio licensing authority certification and be suitable for public safety use prior to installation.

4. Where a donor antenna exists, isolation shall be maintained between the donor antenna and all inside antennas to not less than 20dB greater than the system gain under all operating conditions.

5. Active RF-emitting devices used for in-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems shall have built-in oscillation detection and control circuitry to reduce gain and maintain operation. When a signal booster detects oscillation, a supervisory signal shall be transmitted. In the event of uncorrectable oscillation, the system shall be permitted to shut down.

6. The installation of amplification systems or systems that operate on or provide the means to cause interference on any in-building emergency responder communications enhancement network shall be coordinated and approved by the fire code official and the frequency license holder(s).

ignal shall be transmitted. In the event of uncorrectable oscillation, the system shall be permitted to shut down. 6. The installation of amplification systems or systems that operate on or provide the means to cause interference on any in-building emergency responder communications enhancement network shall be coordinated and approved by the fire code official and the frequency license holder(s).

510.4.2.5 System monitoring. The in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be monitored by a listed fire alarm control unit, or where approved by the fire code official, shall sound an audible signal at a constantly attended on-site location. Automatic supervisory signals shall include the following:

1. Loss of normal AC power supply.
2. System battery charger(s) failure.
3. Signal source malfunction.
4. Failure of active RF-emitting device(s).
5. Low-battery capacity at 70 percent of the 12-hour operating capacity has been depleted.
6. Failure of critical system components.
7. The communications link between the fire alarm system and the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system.
8. Oscillation of active RF-emitting device(s).

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510.4.2.5.1 Single supervisory input. Where approved, a single supervisory input to the fire alarm system to monitor all system supervisory signals shall be permitted.

510.4.2.6 Additional frequencies and change of frequencies. The in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be capable of modification or expansion in the event frequency changes are required by the FCC or other frequency licensing authorities, or additional frequencies are made available by the FCC or other frequency licensing authorities.

510.4.2.7 Design documents. The fire code official shall have the authority to require “as-built” design documents and specifications for in-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems. The documents shall be in a format acceptable to the fire code official.

510.4.2.8 Near-far effect. Where a signal booster is required by the RF system designer, the dynamic range of the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be designed to minimize the effects of strong signal automatic gain control on weak signal uplink performance.

510.4.2.9 Noise interference. Where a signal booster is used, signal booster type(s) and the uplink signal and noise levels shall be coordinated with and approved by all frequency license holder(s) that may be adversely impacted by any transmitted noise resulting from the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system. Systems shall be in compliance with all frequency licensing authority requirements.

The installation of the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be in accordance with NFPA 1225 and Sections 510.5.2 through 510.5.5.

510.5.1 Mounting of the donor antenna(s). To maintain proper alignment with the system designed donor site, donor antennas shall be permanently affixed on the building or where approved, mounted on a movable sled with a clearly visible sign stating “MOVEMENT OR REPOSITIONING OF THIS ANTENNA IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM THE FIRE CODE OFFICIAL .” The antenna installation shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements in the California Building Code for weather protection of the building envelope.

510.5.2 Approval prior to installation. Communications enhancement systems capable of operating on frequencies licensed to any public safety agency by the FCC or other frequency licensing authority shall not be installed without prior coordination and approval of the fire code official and frequency license holder.

510.5.2.1 Active RF-emitting devices. Active RF-emitting devices shall meet the following requirements in addition to any other requirements determined by the fire code official or the frequency license holder(s):

1. Active RF-emitting devices that have a transmitted power output sufficient to require certification of the frequency licensing authority shall have the certification of the radio frequency licensing authority prior to installation.
2. All active RF-emitting devices shall be simultaneously compatible for their intended use, as required by the frequency licensing authority, the frequency license holder(s) and the fire code official, at the time of installation.
3. Written authorization shall be obtained from the frequency license holder(s) prior to the initial activation of any RFemitting devices required to be certified by the frequency licensing authority.

510.5.3 Minimum qualifications of personnel. The minimum qualifications of the system designer and lead installation personnel shall include both of the following:

1. A valid FCC-issued general radio operators license.
2. Certification of in-building system training issued by an approved organization or approved school, or a certificate issued by the manufacturer of the equipment being installed.

These qualifications shall not be required where demonstration of adequate skills and experience satisfactory to the fire code official is provided.

510.5.4 Acceptance test procedure. Where an in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system is required, and upon completion of installation, the building owner shall have the radio system tested to verify that two-way coverage on each floor of the building is not less than 95 percent. The test procedure shall be conducted as follows or by a method approved by the fire code official:

1. Each floor of the building shall be divided into a grid of 20 approximately equal test areas.

2. The test shall be conducted using a calibrated portable radio of the latest brand and model used by the agency talking through the agency’s radio communications system or equipment approved by the fire code official.

3. Failure of more than one test area shall result in failure of the test.

4. In the event that two of the test areas fail the test, in order to be more statistically accurate, the floor shall be permitted to be divided into 40 equal test areas. Failure of not more than two nonadjacent test areas shall not result in failure of the test. If the system fails the 40-area test, the system shall be altered to meet the 95-percent coverage requirement.

5. A test location approximately in the center of each test area shall be selected for the test, with the radio enabled to verify two-way communications to and from the outside of the building through the public agency’s radio communications system. Once the test location has been selected, that location shall represent the entire test area. Failure in the selected test location shall be considered to be a failure of that test area. Additional test locations shall not be permitted.

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6. The gain values of all amplifiers shall be measured and the test measurement results shall be kept on file with the building owner so that the measurements can be verified during annual tests. In the event that the measurement results become lost, the building owner shall be required to rerun the acceptance test to reestablish the gain values.
7. As part of the installation, a spectrum analyzer or other suitable test equipment shall be utilized to ensure spurious oscillations are not being generated by the subject signal booster. This test shall be conducted at the time of installation and at subsequent annual inspections.
8. Systems shall be tested using two portable radios simultaneously conducting subjective voice quality checks. One portable radio shall be positioned not greater than 10 feet (3048 mm) from the indoor antenna. The second portable radio shall be positioned at a distance that represents the farthest distance from any indoor antenna. With both portable radios simultaneously keyed up on different frequencies within the same band, subjective audio testing shall be conducted and comply with DAQ levels as specified in Sections 510.4.1.1 and 510.4.1.2.

not greater than 10 feet (3048 mm) from the indoor antenna. The second portable radio shall be positioned at a distance that represents the farthest distance from any indoor antenna. With both portable radios simultaneously keyed up on different frequencies within the same band, subjective audio testing shall be conducted and comply with DAQ levels as specified in Sections 510.4.1.1 and 510.4.1.2.

510.5.5 FCC compliance. The in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system installation and components shall comply with all applicable federal regulations including, but not limited to, FCC 47 CFR Part 90.219.

The in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system shall be maintained operational at all times in accordance with Sections 510.6.1 through 510.6.4.

510.6.1 Testing and proof of compliance. The owner of the building or owner ’s authorized agent shall have the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system inspected and tested annually or where structural changes occur, including additions or remodels that could materially change the original field performance tests. Testing shall consist of the following:

1. In-building coverage test as described in Section 510.5.4.
2. Signal boosters shall be tested to verify that the gain is the same as it was upon initial installation and acceptance or set to optimize the performance of the system.
3. Backup batteries and power supplies shall be tested under load of a period of 1 hour to verify that they will properly operate during an actual power outage. If within the 1-hour test period the battery exhibits symptoms of failure, the test shall be extended for additional 1-hour periods until the integrity of the battery can be determined.
4. All active components shall be checked to verify operation within the manufacturer’s specifications.

At the conclusion of the testing, a report, which shall verify compliance with Section 510.5.4, shall be submitted to the fire code official.

510.6.2 Additional frequencies. The building owner shall modify or expand the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system at their expense in the event frequency changes are required by the FCC or other radio licensing authority, or additional frequencies are made available by the FCC or other radio licensing authority. Prior approval of an in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system on previous frequencies does not exempt this section.

510.6.3 Nonpublic safety system. Where other nonpublic safety amplification systems installed in buildings reduce the performance or cause interference with the in-building emergency responder communications enhancement system, the nonpublic safety amplification system shall be corrected or removed.

510.6.4 Field testing. Agency personnel shall have the right to enter onto the property at any reasonable time to conduct field testing to verify the required level of radio coverage.

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CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE

CHAPTER 6 – BUILDING SERVICES AND SYSTEMS

(Matrix Adoption Tables are nonregulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user. See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

• The California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 19, Division 1 provisions that are found in the California Fire Code are a reprint from the current CCR, Title 19, Division 1 text for the code user’s convenience only. The scope, applicability and appeals procedures of CCR, Title 19, Division I remain the same. The state agency does not adopt sections identified by the following symbol: The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.

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