Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 080109
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 200 Central Street
APPLICANT: Vice President Ann F. Rogan Gateway Healthcare, Inc. 249 Roosevelt Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Boarding Homes
DATE OF DECISION: 2011-02-09
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on October 19, 2010 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Preiss, Richard, Jasparro, Pearson, Dias and Filippi were present.  Commissioner Walker recused himself from consideration of this case.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert Couture of the State Fire Marshals Office along with Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Michael Andrews of the Central Falls Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Preiss and seconded by Commissioner Jasparro to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of a July 22, 2010 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant, the Central Falls Fire Marshals Office and the State Fire Marshals Office during the October 19, 2010 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the July 22, 2010 inspection report as its initial findings of fact.  Any modification of the Boards findings, such as correction of a deficiency by the Applicant, shall be noted herein. 

Any deficiency understood by the Board to have been corrected, which is not so corrected, shall be immediately corrected by the Applicant.  The term approved, as used herein, is understood to mean in accordance with the specific provisions related to the particular subject as are contained in this Code, or as approved in particular by the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1.  (10-1789-VN).  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 1 by addressing the numerous open junction boxes in the basement area of this facility.
	2.  (10-1777-VN).  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 by cleaning the sprinkler heads of this facility to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.
	3.  (10-1784-VN)  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing cited winders within the stairway of this facility.  This variance is granted on the basis of structural hardship.
	4.  (10-1778-VN).  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 4 by repairing the cited emergency lighting.
	5.  (10-1787-VN).  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 5 by securing the cited heat detector.
	6.  (10-1763-VN).  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 6 by securing the cited heat detector.
	7.  (10-1780-VN).  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the cited headroom of seventy-seven inches (77) on the main stair at the third floor level.  However, the Board hereby directs the Applicant to review the cited sixty-six inch (66) headroom on the basement stairs of this facility with the State Fire Marshals Office and to repair this headroom issue at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office if it is deemed necessary by that Office.  Specifically, the State Fire Marshals Office may allow the existing condition or may approve a plan of action for the correction of that condition.  As long as the State Fire Marshals Office is in agreement with the Applicants plan of action, then the Board shall consider that plan of action to be approved by the Board as well.
	8.  (10-1782-VN).  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing cited width of the main stairway and basement stairway of this facility.  

STATUS OF DECISION AND APPEAL RIGHTS
	This Decision represents a comprehensive, integrated plan of fire safety for the above-captioned facility under the above-cited use or occupancy.  Accordingly, every variance granted is conditioned upon the Applicants timely and continued compliance with all of the directives of the Board. Every variance granted is further conditioned upon the continued use or occupancy of this facility under the above-cited classification reviewed by the Board.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-17).
	Failure of the Applicant to initially comply with the full Decision of the Board, within the stated time frame, shall void all variances granted herein.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-18.)  In the event of complete, timely and continued compliance with the full Decision of the Board, the above cited variances shall be deemed to have vested in the above-captioned facility.  As long as this facility is in continued compliance with the full Decision of the Board, the above-cited variances shall remain with this facility in the absence of any change in use or occupancy mandating review under a separate classification of the Fire Code or a revision of the above-cited classification.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-19).  
Such changes in use or occupancy of this facility, or failure to continually comply with the Boards Decision shall void all variances granted under the above-cited use or occupancy.  If such change creates a new use or occupancy as outlined in R.I.G.L. 23-28.1-6, all variances granted under the original use or occupancy are void and this facility shall be reviewed under the newly created use or occupancy.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-20).
	The Applicant may appeal the Boards Decision, within thirty (30) days of the mailing date of this Decision, by commencing an action against the State Fire Marshal in the Sixth division of the District Court.  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [R.I.G.L. 42-35-15(c)].
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