Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
(401) 889-5551 phone
(401) 889-5279 fax
711 TTY
FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
560 Jefferson Boulevard
Suite 202
Warwick, RI 02886
DECISION
FILE NO.: 060910
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 50 Park Place, Pawtucket, RI
APPLICANT: St. Paul's Emergency Shelter c/o rev. William Locke 50 Park Place Pawtucket, RI 02860
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Shelter
DATE OF DECISION: 2007-03-07
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on November 28, 2006 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Burlingame and Commissioners Richard, Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Pearson and Filippi were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal John McConaghy of the Pawtucket 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 December 9, 2005 inspection report compiled by the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office during the November 28, 2006 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the December 9, 2005 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, shall be understood to mean in accordance with the specific provisions related to the particular subject as are contained in the State Fire Code, or as approved in particular by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (the State Fire Marshal, his or her designated Deputy State Fire Marshals and/or Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals).

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS
1.	During the November 28, 2006 hearing on this matter, the parties provided the Board with the attached plan of action consisting of the following components, Sleeping Room Description, Emergency Fire Plan, Procedure, and Staffing Description.  The Applicant has agreed to comply with this plan of action and to further have one of his staff members enroll in the State Fire Marshals Crowd Management Class.
The Board further notes that, after the new fire code was signed into law, the Governors Office and the Council of Churches had, on behalf of the existing Emergency Shelters, requested a three year time extension to allow all such Emergency Shelter Facilities to come into compliance.  In light of the important work being performed, the Board granted the requested time extension until July 1, 2006.  (See:  Blanket Variance 04-02(1)).  The Applicant is now before the Board requesting an additional extension of time to bring his facility into compliance.
Since the only outstanding deficiency listed on the Pawtucket Fire Marshals report is the rating and wall finish of the vertical openings (stairways) in this facility, the Board hereby grants the Applicant an additional time extension, in order to allow the Applicant to correct the above deficiency prior to re-occupancy as an Emergency Shelter for the 2007-2008 winter season.
2.	 It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 by providing all of the decorative and acoustical material with the proper rating at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket 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)].
rhode island coat of arms A Rhode Island Government Web site