Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 110222
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 6 Payne Road
APPLICANT: Mr. James M. Stover Block Island Medical Center P.O. Box 919 Block Island, RI 02807
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Business
DATE OF DECISION: 2012-01-26
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on November 22, 2011 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Richard, Blackburn, Burlingame, Jackson, Pearson and Dias were present.  The fire service was represented by Chief of Inspections Scott Caron and Deputy State Fire Marshal Paul Manning of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Richard and seconded by Commissioner Jackson to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed over the opposition votes of Commissioners Burlingame and Dias.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond in sequence with those of a September 9, 2011 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the State Fire Marshals Office during the November 22, 2011 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 9, 2001 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.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until September 1, 2012 in which to correct deficiency 1 by upgrading the cited municipally connected fire alarm control panel, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.  The Board notes that the State Fire Marshals Office may extend the above deadline for good faith efforts being shown by the Applicant.
	2.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 2 by providing the accessible attic space with approved heat detection at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.
	3-6.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 3, 4, 5 and 6 as they appear sequentially on the September 9, 2011 inspection report.
	7.  During the November 22, 2011 hearing on this matter, there arose a question as to whether the municipally connected fire alarm system had been installed in accordance with the approved wiring methods.  Accordingly, the Board hereby directs the Applicant to secure final approval of the fire alarm system by the State Fire Marshals Office within the time frame outlined in item 1 above.  In the event the State Fire Marshals Office determines that the system components or wiring needs to be upgraded, the Applicant shall make the corrections at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.

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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