Chapter 5 — FIRE SERVICE FEATURES

(Matrix Adoption Tables are nonregulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user.

See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

This state agency does not adopt sections identified with the following symbol:
- 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.

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

5-2 2022 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

Part III—Building and Equipment Design Features

CHAPTER 5

FIRE SERVICE FEATURES

User note:

About this chapter: Chapter 5 provides requirements that apply to all buildings and occupancies and pertain to access roads, access to building openings and roofs, premises identification, key boxes, fire protection water supplies, fire command centers, fire department access to equipment and emergency responder radio coverage in buildings. Although many safety features are part of the building design, features such as proper fire department access roads and radio coverage are necessary in case of emergency and are important tools for emergency responders for public safety and their own safety.

identified in an approved manner. Rooms containing controls for air-conditioning systems or fire protection systems shall be identified for the use of the fire department. Approved signs required to identify fire protection system equipment and equipment location shall be constructed of durable materials, permanently installed and readily visible.

509.1.1 Utility identification. Where required by the fire code official, gas shutoff valves, electric meters, service switches and other utility equipment shall be clearly and legibly marked to identify the unit or space that it serves. Identification shall be made in an approved manner, readily visible and shall be maintained.

and maintained for all fire protection system equipment to permit immediate safe operation and maintenance of such equipment. Storage, trash and other materials or objects shall not be placed or kept in such a manner that would prevent such equipment from being readily accessible.

A construction permit for the installation of or modification to in-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage systems and related equipment is required as specified in Section 105.6.4. Maintenance performed in accordance with this code is not considered a modification and does not require a permit.

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

510.4.1 Emergency responder communication cover- age system signal strength. The building shall be considered to have acceptable in-building, two-way emergency responder communication system coverage where signal strength measurements 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 build- ing. The minimum inbound signal strength shall be sufficient to provide usable voice communications throughout the coverage area as specified by the fire code official. The inbound signal level shall be a minimun of -95dBm throughout the coverage area and sufficient to provide not less than a Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) of 3.0 or an equivalent 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 build- ing. The minimum outbound signal strength shall be sufficient to provide usable voice communications throughout the coverage area as specified by the fire code official. The outbound signal level shall be sufficient to provide not less than a DAQ of 3.0 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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage system shall be designed in accordance with Sections 510.4.2.1 through 510.4.2.8 and NFPA 1221.

510.4.2.1 Amplification systems and components. Buildings and structures that cannot support the required level of in-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage shall be equipped with systems and components to enhance the radio signals and achieve the required level of in-building, two-way emergency responder communication cover age specified in Sections 510.4.1 through 510.4.1.3. Inbuilding, two-way emergency responder communication 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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage 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, two-way emergency responder communication radio coverage 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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage 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 National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association (NEMA) 4-type waterproof 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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage systems shall have built-in oscillation detection and control circuitry.

6. The installation of amplification systems or systems that operate on or provide the means to cause interference on any in-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage network shall be coordinated and approved by the fire code official.

510.4.2.5 System monitoring. The in-building, twoway emergency responder communication coverage system shall be monitored by a listed fire alarm control

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

FIRE SERVICE FEATURES

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. Malfunction of the donor antenna(s).

4. Failure of active RF-emitting device(s).

5. Low-battery capacity at 70-percent reduction of operating capacity.

6. Failure of critical system components.

7. The communications link between the fire alarm system and the in-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage system.

8. Oscillation of active RF-emitting device(s).

510.4.2.6 Additional frequencies and change of frequencies. The in-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage system shall be capable of modification or expansion 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.

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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage systems. The documents shall be in a format acceptable to the fire code official.

510.4.2.8 Radio communication antenna density. Systems shall be engineered to minimize the near-far effect. In-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage system designs shall include sufficient antenna density to address reduced gain conditions.

Exception: Systems where all portable devices within the same band use active power control features.

The installation of the inbuilding, two-way emergency responder communication coverage system shall be in accordance with NFPA 1221 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. Amplification systems capable of operating on frequencies licensed to any public safety agency by the FCC or other radio licensing authority shall not be installed without prior coordination and approval of the fire code official.

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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage 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:

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.

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

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Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

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.

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

responder communication coverage 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 inbuilding, two-way emergency responder communication coverage 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.

FIRE SERVICE FEATURES

510.6.2 Additional frequencies. The building owner shall modify or expand the in-building, two-way emergency responder communication coverage system at his or her 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, twoway emergency responder communication coverage 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, two-way emergency responder communication coverage 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.

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

5-12 2022 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE