Chapter 4 — EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS
Section 401
California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
401.1 Scope. Reporting of emergencies, coordination with¶
emergency response forces, emergency plans and procedures for managing or responding to emergencies shall comply with the provisions of this section.
Exception: Firms that have approved on-premises firefighting organizations and that are in compliance with approved procedures for fire reporting.
401.2 Approval. Where required by this code, fire safety¶
plans, emergency procedures and employee training programs shall be approved by the fire code official.
401.3 Emergency responder notification. Notification of¶
emergency responders shall be in accordance with Sections 401.3.1 through 401.3.3.
401.3.1 Fire events. In the event an unwanted fire occurs on a property, the owner or occupant shall immediately report such condition to the fire department.
401.3.2 Alarm activations. Upon activation of a fire alarm signal, employees or staff shall immediately notify the fire department.
401.3.3 Delayed notification. A person shall not, by verbal or written directive, require any delay in the reporting of a fire to the fire department.
401.3.4 Group E fire alarm initiation. Every person and public officer managing, controlling or in charge of any public, private or parochial school shall cause the fire alarm signal to be sounded upon the discovery of fire.
401.4 Required plan implementation. In the event an¶
unwanted fire is detected in a building or a fire alarm activates, the emergency plan shall be implemented.
401.5 Making false report. A person shall not give, signal or¶
transmit a false alarm.
401.6 Emergency evacuation drills. The sounding of a fire¶
alarm signal and the carrying out of an emergency evacuation drill in accordance with the provisions of Section 405 shall be allowed.
401.7 Unplanned evacuation. Evacuations made necessary¶
by the unplanned activation of a fire alarm system or by any
other emergency shall not be substituted for a required evacuation drill.
401.8 Interference with fire department operations. It¶
shall be unlawful to interfere with, attempt to interfere with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or restrict the mobility of or block the path of travel of a fire department emergency vehicle in any way, or to interfere with, attempt to interfere with, conspire to interfere with, obstruct or hamper any fire department operation.
401.9 Evacuation of buildings. Upon notification of fire,¶
conduct of any fire drill, upon activation of the fire alarm, or upon orders of the fire authority having jurisdiction, build- ings or structures within the scope of these regulations shall be immediately evacuated or occupants shall be relocated in accordance with established plans.
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