As documented in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review [hereinafter the Board], pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws [RIGL] sections 23-28.3-5 and 42-46-3.

	Participating at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Pearson, Booth, Thornton, ODonnell, Muto and Spaziani.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Deputy State Fire Marshals Robert Couture and David Pastore of the State Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Daniel Luti, Jr.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq.
TRAVEL OF THE CASE

1.	This is an Application for Variance filed under RIGL chapter 23-28.3, entitled Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, and the Administrative Regulations promulgated thereunder.
2.	The Application was filed by Daniel Luti, Jr. (authorized representative) of Harmony Hill School, 63 Harmony Hill Road, Chepachet, RI dated November 14, 2022.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  2022118-2022121 was opened on November 14, 2022.
4.	The property was previously before the Board on September 28, 2021 at which time Decisions  2021062 & 2021083-2021086 were issued dated October 22, 2021.
5.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on December 6, 2022 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
6.	After consideration of the application, the testimony of the witnesses and of the entire record presented to the Board, and after carefully reviewing such information, a motion was made by Commissioner Booth and seconded by Commissioner ODonnell to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 7 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  2022118-2022121 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  2022118-2022121 dated November 14, 2022 and filed on November 14, 2022.
a.	Letter of authorization for Daniel Luti from Eric James dated May 17, 2022.
2.	State Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated September 19, 2022.
3.	Decisions  2021062 & 2021083-2021086 dated October 22, 2021.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the December 6, 2022 hearing as exhibits:

1.	None.





FINDINGS OF FACT

	Based on the testimony and evidence introduced at the hearing and a review of the administrative file, the Board makes the following Findings of Fact:

1.	The Decision below corresponds with the September 19, 2022 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 December 6, 2022 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 19, 2022 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.
2.	The building is an existing dormitory which is a component of the Applicants residential board and care campus.
3.	The Board finds that over the recent past months, there have been numerous malicious false fire alarms activated by the actions of the facilitys client population.
4.	The Board finds that the Applicant has taken reasonable steps to attempt mitigation of this problem including the installation of protective covers and security boxes  all without success.
5.	The Board however finds that the objection by the State Fire Marshal's Office to the requested relief should be sustained as the removal of the manual fire alarm boxes located throughout the premises would create an unsafe condition for staff and occupants alike.
6.	There is no objection by the State Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

References to NFPA shall mean the National Fire Protection Association; references to the Rhode Island Fire Code [RIFC] shall mean NFPA 1, (2018 edition) as incorporated by reference and amended by 450-RICR-00-00-7; and, references to the Rhode Island Life Safety Code [RILSC] shall mean NFPA 101, (2018 edition) as incorporated by reference and amended by 450-RICR-00-00-8.

1.	FIRE ALARM SYSTEM: The Board hereby DENIES the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC sections 33.2.3.4.1 and 9.6.2.3 and directs that all existing manual fire alarm boxes remain in their current location.  In recognizing the adverse consequences of numerous malicious false alarms, the Board directs the Applicant to coordinate with the State Fire Marshal's Office and the local fire department to implement alternate strategies including, but not limited to the replacement of the existing devices with key-operated institutional devices and flush-mounted installations.

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).

STATUS OF DECISION AND APPEAL RIGHTS

1.	This Decision constitutes a final order of the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review as set forth in RIGL section 42-35-12 and 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: Fire Safety Code [FSC] section 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(W)].
2.	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: FSC section 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(Y)].  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 FSC or a revision of the above-cited classification.  [See: FSC section 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(Z)].
3.	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 RIGL section 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:  FSC section 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(AA)].
4.	In accordance with RIGL section 23-28.3-5(e), any person who violates a final order of the Board may be subject to prosecution in the District Court with possible imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or fined not more than one thousand dollars (1000) for each offense.
5.	In accordance with RIGL section 42-35-12, 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.  [See: RIGL section 23-28.3-6 and FSC section 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(S)].  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [See: RIGL section 42-35-15(c)].