As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on January 24, 2017 before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, pursuant to RI General Laws Section 23-28.3-5.
	In attendance at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Vice-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Filippi, Pearson, Sylvester, Thornton and Davison.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Deputy State Fire Marshal Hannah Burnes of the State Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Donna Amaral and Andrew Piro.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq.

TRAVEL OF THE CASE

1.	This is an Application for Variance filed under R.I.G.L. 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 Donna Amaral (authorized representative) of 198 Waterman Avenue dba Eastgate NRC, 198 Waterman Avenue, East Providence, RI dated October 4, 2016.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  160155 was opened on November 3, 2016.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on January 24, 2017 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
5.	After all evidence was presented at the hearing, a motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Sylvester to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 6 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  160155 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  160155 dated October 4, 2016 and filed on November 3, 2016.
2.	State Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report  7804 dated September 7, 2016.
3.	Letter of authorization for Donna Amaral and Andrew Piro from Kevin Ryan dated October 27, 2016.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the January 24, 2017 hearing as exhibits:

1.	Applicants plan of action dated January 24, 2017.

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 Finding of Fact:

1.	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of the September 7, 2016 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 January 24, 2017 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 7, 2016 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 facility is comprised of an existing 2-story health care & 3-story business occupancy consisting of approximately twenty-eight thousand four hundred twenty-one (28,421) square feet and originally built in 1925.
3.	The buildings are of Type V (111) construction and have a compliant fire alarm system and are provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	The facility has been licensed at sixty-eight (68) beds by the RIDOH.
5.	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

1.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 19.3.4 and 9.6.2.11 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
2.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 19.3.4 and 9.6.2.2.1 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
3.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 19.3.4 and 9.6.1.3 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
4.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 39.3.4 and 9.6.2.11 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
5.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 39.3.4 and 9.6.3.5 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
6.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 39.3.4 and 9.6.2.11 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
7.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time of sixty (60) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 19.3.4 and 9.6.1.8.1 by upgrading the existing fire alarm system, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
8.	This deficiency has been corrected.
9.	This deficiency has been corrected.
10.	This deficiency has been corrected.
11.	This deficiency has been corrected.
12.	This deficiency has been corrected.
13.	This deficiency has been corrected.
14.	This deficiency has been corrected.
15.	This deficiency has been corrected.
16.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of sixty (60) days to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 19.2.1 and 7.1.10.1 by upgrading the existing gate in the southwest egress corridor with the addition of approved panic hardware and exit marking signage, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
17.	This deficiency has been corrected.
18.	This deficiency has been corrected.
19.	This deficiency has been corrected.
20.	This deficiency has been corrected.

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 R.I.G.L. 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, section 6-2-22).
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: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-23.)  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: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-24).
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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 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:  Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-25).
4.	In accordance with R.I.G.L 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: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-18).  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [R.I.G.L. 42-35-15(c)].