Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 060064
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 1464 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland
APPLICANT: Town of Cumberland Dept. of Public Works 45 Broad Street Cumberland, RI 02864
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-04-07
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on February 7, 2006 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Blackburn, Preiss, Burlingame, Pearson, Filippi, OConnell and Newbrook were present.  The fire service was represented by Chief of Inspections William Howe of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Newbrook and seconded by Commissioner Preiss 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 January 25, 2006 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 February 7, 2006 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the January 25, 2006 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 Authority Having Jurisdiction (State Fire Marshal, his or her designated Deputy State Fire Marshals and/or Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals).

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS
	1.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 13.8.10.5.12 in order to allow the Applicant not to provide the fire alarm system of this facility with an approved fire drill switch.  In granting this variance, the Board directs the Applicant to work with the Cumberland and State Fire Marshal's offices in the development and implementation of an approved plan of action for the rapid evacuation of this facility.  In granting this variance, the Board notes that the Cumberland Fire Chief, by letter dated February 6, 2006, has advised it that the Cumberland Fire Department will conduct the required drills by manual activation and resetting of the fire alarm system within this facility.  Accordingly, the Cumberland Fire District was in support of the Applicants request.
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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