Chapter 5 — FIRE SERVICE FEATURES
Section 508
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.
508.1 General. Where required by other sections of this code¶
and in all buildings classified as high-rise buildings by the California Building Code and Group I-2 occupancies having occupied floors located more than 75 feet (23 m) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access and in all F-1 and S-1 occupancies with a building footprint greater than 500,000 square feet (46 451 m 2 ), a fire command center for fire department operations shall be provided and shall comply with Sections 508.1.1 through 508.1.7.
508.1.1 Location and access. The location and access to the fire command center shall be approved by the fire code official.
508.1.2 Separation. The fire command center shall be separated from the remainder of the building by not less than a 2-hour fire barrier constructed in accordance with Section 707 of the California Building Code or horizontal assembly constructed in accordance with Section 711 of the California Building Code, or both.
508.1.3 Size. The fire command center shall be not less than 0.015 percent of the total building area of the facility served or 200 square feet (19 m 2 ) in area, whichever is greater, with a minimum dimension of 0.7 times the square root of the room area or 10 feet (3048 mm), whichever is greater.
Where a fire command center is required for Group F-1 and S-1 occupancies with a building footprint greater than 500,000 square feet (46 452 m 2 ), the fire command center shall have a minimum size of 96 square feet (9 m 2 ) with a minimum dimension of 8 feet (2438 mm) where approved by the fire code official.
508.1.4 Layout approval. A layout of the fire command center and all features required by this section to be contained therein shall be submitted for approval prior to installation.
508.1.5 Storage. Storage unrelated to operation of the fire command center shall be prohibited. Fire command centers shall not be used for the housing of any boiler, heating unit, generator, combustible storage or similar hazardous equipment or storage.
FIRE SERVICE FEATURES
508.1.6 Required features. The fire command center shall comply with NFPA 72 and shall contain the following features:
The emergency voice/alarm communication system control unit.
The fire department communications system.
Fire alarm system zoning annunciator panel required by Section 907.6.4.3.
Annunciator unit visually indicating the location of the elevators and whether they are operational.
Status indicators and controls for air distribution systems.
The fire fighter’s control panel required by Section 909.16 for smoke control systems installed in the building.
Controls for unlocking interior exit stairway doors simultaneously.
Sprinkler valve and water-flow detector display panels.
Emergency and standby power status indicators.
A telephone for fire department use with controlled access to the public telephone system.
Fire pump status indicators.
Schematic building plans indicating the typical floor plan and detailing the building core, means of egress, fire protection systems, fire-fighter airreplenishment systems, fire-fighting equipment and fire department access, and the location of fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, smoke barriers and smoke partitions.
An approved Building Information Card that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following information:
13.1. General building information that includes: property name, address, the number of floors in the building above and below grade, use and occupancy classification (for mixed uses, identify the different types of occupancies on each floor) and the estimated building population during the day, night and weekend.
13.2. Building emergency contact information that includes: a list of the building’s emergency contacts including but not limited to building manager, building engineer and their respective work phone number, cell phone number and email address.
13.3. Building construction information that includes: the type of building construction including but not limited to floors, walls, columns and roof assembly.
13.4. Exit access stairway and exit stairway information that includes: number of exit
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