CFC · California Fire Code

When is a fire safety and evacuation plan required for an occupancy?

If your building’s occupancy or conditions match the triggers in Section 403 (for example most Group A occupancies, Group M/B/F over 500 occupants or >100 above/below the lowest exit level, Group H/I, high‑rise, malls >50,000 ft², high‑piled storage, or certain battery operations), the California Fire Code requires an approved fire safety and evacuation plan. That plan must meet the content, maintenance, availability and distribution rules in Section 404 and must be used to support drills and employee training.

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Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

What the code requires — 2-4 sentences

A written fire safety and evacuation plan must be prepared and maintained where required by the Emergency Preparedness requirements in § 403.1 and by the occupancy‑specific triggers in § 403.2 (and the other sections referenced therein). Where a plan is required, it must meet the format and content rules in § 404.1 and the content sections that follow (§ 404.2–404.4). The code also links required plans to required drills (Section 405) and employee training (Section 406) when those plans are required by Section 403.1.

The single most important rule: if Section 403 or any specific occupancy section says “an approved fire safety and evacuation plan shall be prepared and maintained,” you must have a plan prepared in accordance with Section 404. (See § 403.1 and § 404.1.)

Requirements in detail

The controlling rule (plain)

  • § 403.1 (General): occupancies, uses and outdoor locations must comply with Sections 403.2–403.10.6; where a fire safety and evacuation plan is required by those sections, evacuation drills follow § 405 and employee training follows § 406.
  • § 404.1 (General): where a plan is required by Section 403 (or other code sections), the plan must comply with Sections 404.2 through 404.4.1 (contents, maintenance, availability and distribution).

Decision table — which occupancies / conditions require a plan

Decision dimension Trigger / value that requires a plan Code reference
Group A (assembly) Any Group A occupancy (except religious worship occupancies with occupant load < 2,000) requires a plan § 403.2
Group B (business) Group B where occupant load ≥ 500 OR > 100 persons above or below lowest level of exit discharge; ambulatory care facilities also require plans § 403.3
Group E (educational/schools) All Group E occupancies (schools) require a plan § 403.4
Group F (factory) Group F where occupant load ≥ 500 OR >100 persons above/below lowest exit discharge; specific pallet manufacturing/recycling facilities per § 2810 § 403.5
Group H (high hazard) All Group H occupancies require a plan § 403.6
Group I (institutional) All Group I occupancies require a plan (with additional, specific plan content and staffing rules) § 403.7
Group M (mercantile/retail) Group M where occupant load ≥ 500 OR >100 persons above/below lowest exit discharge; or where an atrium is present § 403.8
Group R (residential) Selected Group R subgroups (e.g., R‑1, R‑2 college buildings, R‑4) have plan requirements or related emergency guides/diagrams § 403.9
Covered/open malls Malls exceeding 50,000 sq ft aggregate area require a plan § 403.10.1.1
High‑rise / underground buildings All high‑rise and underground buildings must have approved plans § 403.10.2, § 403.10.3
High‑piled storage High‑piled areas above specified square footage (e.g., 500,000 ft² for Class I–IV or 300,000 ft² for high‑hazard commodities) require a plan § 403.10.5
Lithium batteries & related activities Occupancies involved in R&D, manufacturing, handling, storage, repair or servicing of lithium‑ion/metal batteries require a plan (with mitigation measures) — limited exceptions for small retail quantities and personal use § 403.10.6

(Each “Code reference” above points to the specific CFC section that sets the trigger; once triggered the plan content must meet § 404.2–404.4.1.)

What must be in the plan (high level)

Section 404.2 defines required content. Key required elements include: primary and secondary egress/escape routes and whether evacuation is full, staged, or a defend‑in‑place; procedures for employees who must remain to operate critical equipment; assisted rescue procedures; accounting for evacuees; how occupants will be notified and how the fire department will be notified; assignments of personnel for rescue/medical aid; and, where provided, emergency voice/alarm system descriptions. (See § 404.2.1 and § 404.2.2.)

Maintenance and distribution

Plans must be reviewed or updated at least annually or when staff, occupancy, or physical arrangements change, and plans must be available in the workplace and furnished to the fire code official on request. Owners must distribute plans to tenants and building service employees; tenants must give their employees applicable plan parts. (See § 404.3, § 404.4, § 404.4.1.)

Exceptions & special cases

  • Religious worship buildings used exclusively for that purpose are exempt from the Group A plan requirement only if the occupant load is less than 2,000. (See § 403.2.)
  • Lithium‑battery operations have narrow retail/personal‑use exceptions (e.g., new/packaged batteries under specified watt‑hours/grams in original retail packaging) — but most R&D, manufacturing, large storage or repair activities still require a plan and additional mitigation measures. (See § 403.10.6 and its listed exceptions.)
  • Certain Group I and Group R institutional occupancies require additional plan items (for example: locations of incapacitated occupants, special locking arrangements, staged evacuation or defend‑in‑place procedures) and more frequent staff training/drills. Those requirements are additive to § 404 content. (See § 403.7 and related subsections.)

If you do not see the exact special‑case language you expected in the retrieved excerpts, it means the precise text was not available in the provided file previews — consult the full CFC text for the exact exception wording and any local amendments.

Common mistakes

  • Treating an evacuation diagram (a posted floor plan) as a substitute for a full fire safety and evacuation plan. The code requires both content (procedures, assignments, notification methods) and maps/diagrams where a plan is triggered (see § 404.2).
  • Missing the occupant load thresholds: many groups use 500 occupants or >100 occupants above/below the lowest exit discharge as triggers — don’t guess; count and document occupant loads and floor distribution. (See § 403.3, § 403.5, § 403.8.)
  • Not updating the plan annually or after physical/operational changes. § 404.3 requires review/update annually or as changes occur.
  • Forgetting distribution and availability obligations: owners must give plans to tenants and building service employees; tenants must provide relevant plan parts to their staff. (See § 404.4 and § 404.4.1.)

Worked example — concrete scenario with numbers

Scenario: A two‑story retail store (Group M) has 450 occupants on the first floor and 200 occupants on the second floor. Does it need a fire safety and evacuation plan?

  • The Group M triggers in § 403.8 require a plan if the Group M occupancy has an occupant load of 500 or more OR more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
  • Total occupant load = 450 + 200 = 650 (which is ≥ 500), and the second floor has 200 persons (which is > 100 above the lowest exit discharge). Either condition independently triggers the plan requirement.
  • Conclusion: The store must prepare and maintain an approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with § 404 and must implement drills and training per § 405 and § 406 as required by § 403.1.

Related provisions

  • § 403.1 — General emergency preparedness requirements (drills & training linkage).
  • § 403.2 — Group A (assembly) plan trigger and special seating/announcement rules.
  • § 403.3 — Group B plan triggers and ambulatory care requirements.
  • § 403.4 — Group E (schools) plan triggers and drill requirements.
  • § 403.5 – § 403.11 — Occupancy‑specific and special‑use plan triggers (F, H, I, M, R, high‑rise, underground, malls, high‑piled storage, batteries, etc.).
  • § 404.1 – § 404.4.1 — Plan contents, maintenance, availability and distribution.
  • § 405 — Emergency evacuation drills (when plans are required).
  • § 406 — Employee training (required when plans are required).

Code references

Grounded in the retrieved California Fire Code — click a citation to read the verbatim passage:

  • CFC § 403.4.2 High relevance — show source text

    They should include the following:_ 1. Posting of the telephone number of the fire department in the office and/or at the main switchboard. 2. Assignment of a responsible person to call the fire department upon notification of any fire or activation of the alarm system for any reason other than fire drills. 3. Posting in a conspicuous place in each classroom or assembly area a plan showing paths of travel to evacuate the room in case of emergency and including an alternate route. 4. Posting in each classroom instructions to be followed by the teacher. These should include: 4.1. Maintaining of order during evacuation. 4.2. Removal of roll call book and calling of roll when designated evacuation area is reached.

    403.4.2 First emergency evacuation drill. The first emergency evacuation drill of each school year shall be conducted within 10 days of the beginning of classes.

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    EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

    403.4.3 Time of day. Emergency evacuation drills shall be conducted at different hours of the day or evening, during the changing of classes, when the school is at assembly, during the recess or gymnastic periods, or during other times to avoid distinction between drills and actual fires.

    403.4.4 Assembly points. Outdoor assembly areas shall be designated and shall be located a safe distance from the building being evacuated so as to avoid interference with fire department operations. The assembly areas shall be arranged to keep each class separate to provide accountability of all individuals.

    403.5 Group F occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for buildings containing a Group F occupancy where any of the following conditions apply:

    1. The Group F occupancy has an occupant load of 500 or more persons.
    2. The Group F occupancy has an occupant load of more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
    3. Group F pallet manufacturing and recycling facilities as required by Section 2810.

    403.6 Group H occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group H occupancies.

    403.6.1 Group H-5 occupancies. Group H-5 occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.6.1.1 through 403.6.1.4.

    403.6.1.1 Plans and diagrams. In addition to the requirements of Section 404 and Section 407.6, plans and diagrams shall be maintained in approved locations indicating the approximate plan for each area; the amount and type of HPM stored, handled and used; locations of shutoff valves for HPM supply piping; emergency telephone locations and locations of exits.

    403.6.1.2 Plan updating. The plans and diagrams required by Sections 404, 403.6.1.1 and 407.6 shall be maintained up-todate and the fire code official and fire department shall be informed of major changes.

    403.6.1.3 Emergency response team. Responsible persons shall be designated as an on-site emergency response team and trained to be liaison personnel for the fire department. These persons shall aid the fire department in preplanning emergency responses, identifying locations where HPM is stored, handled and used, and be familiar with the chemical nature of such material. An adequate number of personnel for each work shift shall be designated.

  • CFC § 408.4 High relevance — show source text

    Exception: A staff person shall not be required to be within three floors or 300 feet (91 440 mm) horizontal distance of the access door of each resident housing area in areas in which all locks are unlocked remotely and automatically in accordance with Section 408.4 of the California Building Code .

    403.7.3.5 Notification. Provisions shall be made for residents in Group I-3 Conditions 3, 4 and 5, as defined in Chapter 2, to readily notify staff of an emergency.

    403.7.3.6 Keys. Keys necessary for unlocking doors installed in a means of egress shall be individually identifiable by both touch and sight.

    403.8 Group M occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for buildings containing a Group M occupancy where the Group M occupancy has an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge and for buildings containing both a Group M occupancy and an atrium.

    403.9 Group R occupancies. Group R occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.9.1 through 403.9.3.4.

    403.9.1 Group R-1 occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group R-1 occupancies. Group R-1 occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.9.1.1 through 403.9.1.3.

    403.9.1.1 Evacuation diagrams. A diagram depicting two evacuation routes shall be posted on or immediately adjacent to every required egress door from each hotel or motel dwelling unit or sleeping unit.

    403.9.1.2 Emergency duties. Upon discovery of a fire or suspected fire, hotel and motel employees shall perform the following duties:

    1. Activate the fire alarm system, where provided.
    2. Notify the public fire department.
    3. Take other action as previously instructed.

    403.9.1.3 Fire safety and evacuation instructions. Information shall be provided in the fire safety and evacuation plan required by Section 404 to allow guests to decide whether to evacuate to the outside, evacuate to an area of refuge, remain in place, or any combination of the three.

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    EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

    403.9.2 Group R-2 occupancies. Group R-2 occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.9.2.1 through 403.9.2.3.

    403.9.2.1 College and university buildings. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group R-2 college and university buildings. Group R-2 college and university buildings shall comply with Sections 403.9.2.1.1 through 403.9.2.1.3.

    403.9.2.1.1 College and University Pre-Fire Planning. The Chancellor, President, or his designated representative, shall, in _cooperation with the enforcing agency, propose procedures to be followed in case of fire or other emergency.

  • CFC § 403.2.1 High relevance — show source text

    EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

    403.2.1 Seating plan. In addition to the requirements of Section 404.2, the fire safety and evacuation plans for assembly occupancies shall include a detailed seating plan, occupant load and occupant load limit. Deviations from the approved plans shall be allowed provided that the occupant load limit for the occupancy is not exceeded and the aisles and exit accessways remain unobstructed.

    403.2.2 Announcements. In theaters, motion picture theaters, auditoriums and similar assembly occupancies in Group A used for noncontinuous programs, an audible announcement shall be made not more than 10 minutes prior to the start of each program to notify the occupants of the location of the exits to be used in the event of a fire or other emergency.

    Exception: In motion picture theaters, the announcement is allowed to be projected on the screen in a manner approved by the fire code official.

    403.2.3 Fire watch personnel. Fire watch personnel shall be provided where required by Section 403.11.1.

    403.2.4 Crowd managers. Crowd managers shall be provided where required by Section 403.11.3.

    403.3 Group B occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for buildings containing a Group B occupancy where the Group B occupancy has an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge and for buildings having an ambulatory care facility.

    403.3.1 Ambulatory care facilities. Ambulatory care facilities shall comply with the requirements of Sections 401, 403.3.1.1 through 403.3.1.2 and 404 through 406.

    403.3.1.1 Fire safety and evacuation plan. The fire safety and evacuation plan required by Section 404 shall include a description of special staff actions. This shall include procedures for stabilizing care recipients in a defend-in-place response, staged evacuation, or full evacuation in conjunction with the entire building if part of a multitenant facility.

    403.3.1.1.1 Fire safety plan. A copy of the fire safety plan shall be maintained at the facility at all times. The plan shall include all of the following in addition to the requirements of Section 404:

    1. Locations of care recipients who are rendered incapable of self-preservation.
    2. Maximum number of care recipients rendered incapable of self-preservation.
    3. Area and extent of each ambulatory care facility.
    4. Location of any special locking arrangements.

    403.3.1.2 Staff training. Staff shall be periodically instructed and kept informed of their duties and responsibilities under the plan. Records of instruction shall be maintained. Such instruction shall be reviewed by the staff at intervals not exceeding three months. Training of new staff shall be provided promptly on entrance to duty.

    Staff shall be instructed in the proper use of portable fire extinguishers and other manual fire suppression equipment.

    403.4 Group E occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group E occupancies and for buildings containing both a Group E occupancy and an atrium. Group E occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.4.1 through 403.4.4 .

    [California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.13(a)(1)] Fire Drills. (Group E Occupancies)

    (a) Group E Occupancies.

  • CFC § 403.10.4 High relevance — show source text

    403.10.4 Buildings using occupant evacuation elevators. In buildings using occupant evacuation elevators in accordance with Section 3008 of the California Building Code, the fire safety and evacuation plan and the training required by Sections 404 and 406, respectively, shall incorporate specific procedures for the occupants using such elevators.

    403.10.5 Buildings with high-piled storage. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared for buildings with high-piled combustible storage in any of the following situations:

    1. The high-piled storage area exceeds 500,000 square feet (46 450 m [2] ) for Class I-IV commodities.
    2. The high-piled storage area exceeds 300,000 square feet (27 870 m [2] ) for high-hazard commodities.
    3. The high-piled storage is located in a Group H occupancy.
    4. The high-piled storage is located in a Group F occupancy with an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
    5. The high-piled storage is located in a Group M occupancy with an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
    6. Where required by the fire code official for other high-piled storage areas.

    403.10.6 Lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for occupancies that involve activities for the research and development, testing, manufacturing, handling or storage of lithium-ion batteries or lithium metal batteries, or the repair or servicing of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries or lithium metal batteries.

    Exceptions: A fire safety and evacuation plan is not required for the storage or merchandizing of any of the following:

    1. New or refurbished batteries installed for use in the equipment or vehicles they are designed to power.

    2. New or refurbished batteries packed for use with the equipment or vehicles they are designed to power for merchandizing purposes.

    3. New or refurbished lithium-ion batteries rated at not more than 300 watt-hours and lithium metal batteries containing not more than 25 grams of lithium metal in their original retail packaging.

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    1. The storage, repair and charging activities in detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, provided that such devices are for personal use.
    2. The storage, repair and charging activities associated with personal use in sleeping units and dwelling units of Group R-1 and R-2 occupancies.

    403.10.6.1 Mitigation planning. The approved fire safety and evacuation plan shall include thermal runaway event mitigation measures. These measures shall include activities undertaken to prevent thermal runaway, early detection of a thermal runaway event and mitigation measures to be undertaken to limit the size and impact of the event on occupants and the facility.

    403.11 Special requirements for public safety. Special requirements for public safety shall be in accordance with Sections 403.11.1 through 403.11.3.3.

  • CFC § 401.9 High relevance — show source text

    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, buildings or structures within the scope of these regulations shall be immediately evacuated or occu- pants shall be relocated in accordance with established plans.

    SECTION 402—DEFINITIONS

    402.1 Definitions. The following terms are defined in Chapter 2:

    EMERGENCY EVACUATION DRILL .

    LOCKDOWN .

    SECTION 403 —EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS

    403.1 General. In addition to the requirements of Section 401, occupancies, uses and outdoor locations shall comply with the emergency preparedness requirements set forth in Sections 403.2 through 403.10.6 . Where a fire safety and evacuation plan is required by Sections 403.2 through 403.10.6, evacuation drills shall be in accordance with Section 405 and employee training shall be in accordance with Section 406.

    403.2 Group A occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group A occupancies, other than those occupancies used exclusively for purposes of religious worship with an occupant load less than 2,000, and for buildings containing both a Group A occupancy and an atrium. Group A occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.2.1 through 403.2.4.

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    403.2.1 Seating plan. In addition to the requirements of Section 404.2, the fire safety and evacuation plans for assembly occupancies shall include a detailed seating plan, occupant load and occupant load limit. Deviations from the approved plans shall be allowed provided that the occupant load limit for the occupancy is not exceeded and the aisles and exit accessways remain unobstructed.

    403.2.2 Announcements. In theaters, motion picture theaters, auditoriums and similar assembly occupancies in Group A used for noncontinuous programs, an audible announcement shall be made not more than 10 minutes prior to the start of each program to notify the occupants of the location of the exits to be used in the event of a fire or other emergency.

    Exception: In motion picture theaters, the announcement is allowed to be projected on the screen in a manner approved by the fire code official.

    403.2.3 Fire watch personnel. Fire watch personnel shall be provided where required by Section 403.11.1.

    403.2.4 Crowd managers. Crowd managers shall be provided where required by Section 403.11.3.

    403.3 Group B occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for buildings containing a Group B occupancy where the Group B occupancy has an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge and for buildings having an ambulatory care facility.

    403.3.1 Ambulatory care facilities. Ambulatory care facilities shall comply with the requirements of Sections 401, 403.3.1.1 through 403.3.1.2 and 404 through 406.

  • CFC § 4-11 High relevance — show source text

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    EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

    1. Training procedures and frequency of lockdown plan drills.

    404.2.3.2 Drills. Lockdown plan drills shall be conducted in accordance with the approved plan. Such drills shall not be substituted for fire and evacuation drills required by Section 405.3.

    404.3 Maintenance. Fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall be reviewed or updated annually or as necessitated by changes in staff assignments, occupancy or the physical arrangement of the building.

    404.4 Availability. Fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall be available in the workplace for reference and review by employees, and copies shall be furnished to the fire code official for review on request.

    404.4.1 Distribution. The fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall be distributed to the tenants and building service employees by the owner or owner’s agent. Tenants shall distribute to their employees applicable parts of the fire safety plan and lockdown plan affecting the employees’ actions in the event of a fire or other emergency.

    404.5 College and university pre-fire planning. The Chancellor, President, or his designated representative, shall, in cooperation with the enforcing agency, propose procedures to be followed in case of fire or other emergency in accordance with the provisions of Section 403.9.2.1.1.

    404.6 Office buildings. All office buildings two or more stories in height, except high-rise buildings as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 13210, shall comply with this section.

    404.6.1 Owner(s) or operator(s) shall employ either one of the following methods of providing emergency procedures and informa- tion to the building occupants: 1. Emergency procedures information published in the form of a leaflet, brochure or pamphlet shall be available to all persons entering the building. Emergency procedures information shall be located immediately inside all entrances to the building, as determined by the authority having jurisdiction. Locations shall be clearly marked. 2. A floor plan providing emergency procedures information shall be posted at every stairway landing, at every elevator land- ing and immediately inside all public entrances to the building. The information shall be posted so that it describes the represented floor level and can be easily seen immediately upon entering the floor level of the building. Emergency proce- dures information shall be printed with a minimum of [3] / 16 -inch high nondecorative lettering providing a sharp contrast to the background.

    404.6.1.2 Emergency procedures information shall provide all ambulatory, nonambulatory and the physically disabled instruc- tions to be followed in the event of an emergency. Emergency procedures information shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

    1. Location of exits.

    2. Location of fire alarm initiating stations, if required. 3. What the fire alarm, if required, sounds and looks like (audible and visual warning devices). 4. Fire department emergency telephone number 911. 5. The prohibition of elevator use during emergencies, if any.

    _**404.6.2 Hotels, motels and lodging houses.

  • CFC § 404.1 High relevance — show source text

    404.1 General. Where required by Section 403 or other sections of this code, fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall comply with Sections 404.2 through 404.4.1.

    [California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.10] 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 jurisdic- tion, buildings or structures within the scope of California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 regulations shall be immediately evacuated or occupants shall be relocated in accordance with established plans.

    404.2 Contents. Fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plan contents shall be in accordance with Sections 404.2.1 through 404.2.3.2.

    404.2.1 Fire evacuation plans. Fire evacuation plans shall include the following:

    1. Emergency egress or escape routes and whether evacuation of the building is to be complete by selected floors or areas only or with a defend-in-place response.
    2. Procedures for employees who must remain to operate critical equipment before evacuating.
    3. Procedures for the use of elevators to evacuate the building where occupant evacuation elevators complying with Section 3008 of the California Building Code are provided.
    4. Procedures for assisted rescue for persons unable to use the general means of egress unassisted.
    5. Procedures for accounting for employees and occupants after evacuation has been completed.
    6. Identification and assignment of personnel responsible for rescue or emergency medical aid.
    7. The preferred and any alternative means of notifying occupants of a fire or emergency.
    8. The preferred and any alternative means of reporting fires and other emergencies to the fire department or designated emergency response organization.
    9. Identification and assignment of personnel who can be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the plan.
    10. A description of the emergency voice/alarm communication system alert tone and preprogrammed voice messages, where provided.

    404.2.2 Fire safety plans. Fire safety plans shall include the following:

    1. The procedure for reporting a fire or other emergency.
    2. The life safety strategy including the following: 2.1. Procedures for notifying occupants, including areas with a private mode alarm system. 2.2. Procedures for occupants under a defend-in-place response. 2.3. Procedures for evacuating occupants, including those who need evacuation assistance.
    3. Site plans indicating the following: 3.1. The occupancy assembly point. 3.2. The locations of fire hydrants. 3.3. The normal routes of fire department vehicle access.
    4. Floor plans identifying the locations of the following:

    4.1. Exits.

    4.2. Primary evacuation routes. 4.3. Secondary evacuation routes.

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    EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

    4.4. Accessible egress routes. 4.4.1. Areas of refuge.

    4.4.2. Exterior areas for assisted rescue.

    4.5. Refuge areas associated with smoke barriers and horizontal exits.

    4.6. Manual fire alarm boxes.

    4.7. Portable fire extinguishers. 4.8. Occupant-use hose stations.

    4.9. Fire alarm annunciators and controls.

  • CFC § 403.12.1 High relevance — show source text

    403.12.1 Staff training and evacuation plan. Every organized camp shall institute fire training programs for all employees in the use of all fire extinguishing equipment and methods of evacuation, and shall establish procedures which shall, as far as possible, be followed in the event of fire or any other emergency. If located in a forest area a plan shall be prepared for the evacuation of the camp in case of an approaching forest fire or other emergency.

    403.12.2 Resident training. Within 24 hours after arrival, every group of persons attending an organized camp shall be made famil- iar with the method by which the fire alarm may be activated and with the procedures to be followed upon notification of fire.

    403.12.3 Fire drills. At least 1 fire drill shall be held within 24 hours of the commencement of each camping session. Additional drills shall be conducted at least once each week thereafter. When sessions exceed a 7-day period, at least 1 drill shall be held during night- time sleeping hours.

    [California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.13(c)(1)] Fire Drills. (Organized Camps)

    (c) Organized Camps. (1) Every organized camp shall institute fire training programs for all employees in the use of all fire extinguishing equip- ment and methods of evacuation, and shall establish procedures which shall, as far as possible, be followed in the event of fire or any other emergency. If located in a forest area a plan shall be prepared for the evacuation of the camp in case of an approaching forest fire or other emergency.

    SECTION 404—FIRE SAFETY, EVACUATION AND LOCKDOWN PLANS

    404.1 General. Where required by Section 403 or other sections of this code, fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall comply with Sections 404.2 through 404.4.1.

    [California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.10] 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 jurisdic- tion, buildings or structures within the scope of California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 regulations shall be immediately evacuated or occupants shall be relocated in accordance with established plans.

    404.2 Contents. Fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plan contents shall be in accordance with Sections 404.2.1 through 404.2.3.2.

    404.2.1 Fire evacuation plans. Fire evacuation plans shall include the following:

    1. Emergency egress or escape routes and whether evacuation of the building is to be complete by selected floors or areas only or with a defend-in-place response.
    2. Procedures for employees who must remain to operate critical equipment before evacuating.
    3. Procedures for the use of elevators to evacuate the building where occupant evacuation elevators complying with Section 3008 of the California Building Code are provided.
    4. Procedures for assisted rescue for persons unable to use the general means of egress unassisted.
    5. Procedures for accounting for employees and occupants after evacuation has been completed.
    6. Identification and assignment of personnel responsible for rescue or emergency medical aid.
    7. The preferred and any alternative means of notifying occupants of a fire or emergency.
    8. The preferred and any alternative means of reporting fires and other emergencies to the fire department or designated emergency response organization.
  • CFC § 401.3.1 High relevance — show source text

    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, buildings or structures within the scope of these regulations shall be immediately evacuated or occu- pants shall be relocated in accordance with established plans.

    SECTION 402—DEFINITIONS

    402.1 Definitions. The following terms are defined in Chapter 2:

    EMERGENCY EVACUATION DRILL .

    LOCKDOWN .

    SECTION 403 —EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS

    403.1 General. In addition to the requirements of Section 401, occupancies, uses and outdoor locations shall comply with the emergency preparedness requirements set forth in Sections 403.2 through 403.10.6 . Where a fire safety and evacuation plan is required by Sections 403.2 through 403.10.6, evacuation drills shall be in accordance with Section 405 and employee training shall be in accordance with Section 406.

    403.2 Group A occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group A occupancies, other than those occupancies used exclusively for purposes of religious worship with an occupant load less than 2,000, and for buildings containing both a Group A occupancy and an atrium. Group A occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.2.1 through 403.2.4.

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  • CFC § 403.7 High relevance — show source text

    403.7 Group I occupancies. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for Group I occupancies. Group I occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.7.1 through 403.7.3.6.

    403.7.1 Group R-2.1 occupancies. Group R-2.1 occupancies shall comply with Sections 403.7.1.1 through 403.7.1.4.

    403.7.1.1 Fire safety and evacuation plan. The fire safety and evacuation plan required by Section 404 shall include a description of special staff actions. Plans shall include all of the following in addition to the requirements of Section 404:

    1. Procedures for full evacuation of care recipients.
    2. In Group R-2.1, Condition 2, procedures for staged evacuation of care recipients through a refuge area in an adjacent smoke compartment and then to an exterior assembly point.
    3. Shall be amended or revised upon admission of any resident care recipient with unusual needs.

    403.7.1.1.1 Fire safety plan. A copy of the fire safety plan shall be maintained at the facility at all times. The plan shall include the following in addition to the requirements of Section 404.2.2:

    1. Location and number of care recipient sleeping rooms.
    2. Location of special locking arrangements.

    403.7.1.2 Staff training. Staff shall be periodically instructed and kept informed of their duties and responsibilities under the plan. Records of instruction shall be maintained. Such instruction shall be reviewed by staff at intervals not exceeding three months. Training of new staff shall be provided promptly upon entrance to duty.

    Staff shall be instructed in the proper use of portable fire extinguishers and other manual fire suppression equipment.

    403.7.1.3 Resident training. Residents capable of assisting in their own evacuation shall be trained in the proper actions to take in the event of a fire. In Group R-2.1, Condition 2 occupancies, training shall include evacuation through an adjacent smoke compartment and then to an exterior assembly point. The training shall include actions to take if the primary escape route is blocked. Residents shall be trained to assist each other in case of fire to the extent their physical and mental abilities permit them to do so without additional personal risk.

    403.7.1.4 Drill frequency. In addition to the evacuation drills required in Section 405.3, staff shall participate in drills an additional two times a year on each shift. Twelve drills with all occupants shall be conducted in the first year of operation.

    403.7.2 Group I-2 occupancies. Group I-2 occupancies shall comply with 403.7.2.1 through 403.7.2.5.

    403.7.2.1 Fire safety and evacuation plan. The fire safety and evacuation plans required by Section 404 shall include a description of special staff actions. Plans shall include all of the following in addition to the requirements of Section 404:

    1. Procedures for evacuation for care recipients with needs for containment or restraint and post-evacuation containment, where present.
    2. A written plan for maintenance of the means of egress.
    3. Procedure for a defend-in-place strategy.

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  • CFC § 3.2. High relevance — show source text

    3.2. Fire command center.

    3.3. Smoke management system controls. 3.4. Elevators, elevator machine rooms and controls.

    3.5. Hose valve outlets.

    3.6. Sprinkler and standpipe control valves. 3.7. Areas protected with automatic sprinkler systems and automatic fire-extinguishing systems.

    3.8. Automatic fire detector zones.

    3.9. Fire barriers.

    403.10.1.3 Lease plan approval. The lease plan shall be submitted to the fire code official for approval, and shall be maintained on-site for immediate reference by responding fire service personnel.

    403.10.1.4 Lease plan revisions. The lease plans shall be revised annually or as often as necessary to keep them current. Modifications or changes in tenants or occupancies shall not be made without prior approval of the fire code official and building official.

    403.10.1.5 Tenant identification. Tenant identification shall be provided for secondary exits from occupied tenant spaces that lead to an exit corridor or directly to the exterior of the building. Tenant identification shall be posted on the exterior side of the exit or exit access door and shall identify the business name and address using plainly legible letters and numbers that contrast with their background.

    Exception: Tenant identification is not required for anchor stores.

    403.10.1.6 Unoccupied tenant spaces. The fire safety and evacuation plan shall provide for compliance with the requirements for unoccupied tenant spaces in Section 311.

    403.10.2 High-rise buildings. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for high-rise buildings.

    403.10.3 Underground buildings. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for underground buildings.

    403.10.4 Buildings using occupant evacuation elevators. In buildings using occupant evacuation elevators in accordance with Section 3008 of the California Building Code, the fire safety and evacuation plan and the training required by Sections 404 and 406, respectively, shall incorporate specific procedures for the occupants using such elevators.

    403.10.5 Buildings with high-piled storage. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared for buildings with high-piled combustible storage in any of the following situations:

    1. The high-piled storage area exceeds 500,000 square feet (46 450 m [2] ) for Class I-IV commodities.
    2. The high-piled storage area exceeds 300,000 square feet (27 870 m [2] ) for high-hazard commodities.
    3. The high-piled storage is located in a Group H occupancy.
    4. The high-piled storage is located in a Group F occupancy with an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
    5. The high-piled storage is located in a Group M occupancy with an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
    6. Where required by the fire code official for other high-piled storage areas.

    403.10.6 Lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries. An approved fire safety and evacuation plan in accordance with Section 404 shall be prepared and maintained for occupancies that involve activities for the research and development, testing, manufacturing, handling or storage of lithium-ion batteries or lithium metal batteries, or the repair or servicing of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries or lithium metal batteries.

  • CFC § 404.2.3 High relevance — show source text

    404.2.3 Lockdown plans. Lockdown plans shall only be permitted where such plans are approved by the fire code official and are in compliance with Sections 404.2.3.1 and 404.2.3.2.

    404.2.3.1 Lockdown plan contents. Lockdown plans shall include the following:

    1. Identification of individuals authorized to issue a lockdown order.

    2. Security measures used during normal operations, when the building is occupied, that could adversely affect egress or fire department operations.

    3. A description of identified emergency and security threats addressed by the plan, including specific lockdown procedures to be implemented for each threat condition.

    4. Means and methods of initiating a lockdown plan for each threat, including: 4.1. The means of notifying occupants of a lockdown event, which shall be distinct from the fire alarm signal. 4.2. Identification of each door or other access point that will be secured. 4.3. A description of the means or methods used to secure doors and other access points. 4.4. A description of how locking means and methods are in compliance with the requirements of this code for egress and accessibility.

    5. Procedures for reporting to the fire department any lockdown condition affecting egress or fire department operations.

    6. Procedures for determining and reporting the presence or absence of occupants to emergency response agencies during a lockdown.

    7. Means for providing two-way communication between a central location and each area subject to being secured during a lockdown.

    8. Identification of the prearranged signal for terminating the lockdown.

    9. Identification of individuals authorized to issue a lockdown termination order.

    10. Procedures for unlocking doors and verifying that the means of egress has been returned to normal operations upon termination of the lockdown.

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    1. Training procedures and frequency of lockdown plan drills.

    404.2.3.2 Drills. Lockdown plan drills shall be conducted in accordance with the approved plan. Such drills shall not be substituted for fire and evacuation drills required by Section 405.3.

    404.3 Maintenance. Fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall be reviewed or updated annually or as necessitated by changes in staff assignments, occupancy or the physical arrangement of the building.

    404.4 Availability. Fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall be available in the workplace for reference and review by employees, and copies shall be furnished to the fire code official for review on request.

    404.4.1 Distribution. The fire safety, evacuation and lockdown plans shall be distributed to the tenants and building service employees by the owner or owner’s agent. Tenants shall distribute to their employees applicable parts of the fire safety plan and lockdown plan affecting the employees’ actions in the event of a fire or other emergency.

    404.5 College and university pre-fire planning. The Chancellor, President, or his designated representative, shall, in cooperation with the enforcing agency, propose procedures to be followed in case of fire or other emergency in accordance with the provisions of Section 403.9.2.1.1.

    404.6 Office buildings. All office buildings two or more stories in height, except high-rise buildings as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 13210, shall comply with this section.

Frequently asked questions

When does a small assembly (e.g., a neighborhood church) need a plan?

If the church is a Group A occupancy used exclusively for religious worship and its occupant load is less than 2,000, the Group A plan requirement’s exception applies; otherwise Group A generally requires a plan. (See § 403.2.)

If my building has a plan for safety under another regulation, can I skip § 404 plan requirements?

No. Where the CFC (Section 403 or specific occupancy sections) requires an approved fire safety and evacuation plan, that plan must comply with § 404.2–404.4.1. If another plan exists, it should be cross‑checked and supplemented to meet § 404 content and maintenance/distribution rules.

Who must receive copies of the plan?

Owners (or owner’s agent) must distribute plans to tenants and building service employees; tenants must give applicable parts to their employees. Copies must be available in the workplace and furnished to the fire code official on request. (See § 404.4 and § 404.4.1.)

Are evacuation drills required whenever a plan is required?

Yes. Where a fire safety and evacuation plan is required by Section 403 (or related sections), evacuation drills must be conducted in accordance with § 405; employee training is required per § 406. (See § 403.1.)

How often must the plan be updated?

Plans must be reviewed or updated annually or as needed when staff assignments, occupancy, or the physical arrangement of the building change. (See § 404.3.)

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