Pasadena Municipal Code Ch. 14.26 Fire and Emergency Planning Requirements for High-Rise Buildings

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

A. "High-rise building" shall be any building or structure having any space which is used for human occupancy located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

B. "Owner" shall be any person, inn, corporation or owner's cooperative association of any high-rise building.

C. "Tenant" shall be any person, firm or corporation which is a tenant in a high-rise building, any individual condominium owner or stock cooperative owner or their tenants.

D. "Occupant" shall be employees of tenants of high-rise buildings, high-rise building staff employees and all residents of high-use buildings.

E. "Hotel" shall be any building which rents rooms on a day-to-day or night-to-night basis.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)

Every high-rise building owner, manager, operator, administrator, and tenant, in cooperation with the Pasadena fire department, shall establish, implement, and maintain an emergency prefire evacuation plan, referred to in this chapter as "evacuation plan," for the building which shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

A. Assignment of a responsible person as fire safety director who shall work with the fire department in the establishment, implementation and maintenance of the emergency prefire plan; and

B. The annual instruction of all high-rise building occupants on the procedures to be followed in the event of fire, earthquake or other emergency, including evacuation procedures; documentation of occupant instruction shall be maintained by the fire safety director and shall be available for Pasadena fire department inspection upon request. Such instruction of all new occupants shall occur within 14 days of their assuming occupancy in the building; and

C. The appointment of a responsible person on each floor, with alternates, who, in cooperation with the fire safety director, shall oversee evacuation team and occupant instruction and shall ensure safe and complete evacuation or relocation of occupants during a fire or other emergency, or fire drill; and

D. The preparation and posting of emergency exit plans and evacuation procedures, which are to be approved by the Pasadena fire department in advance, in prominent locations in each quadrant of each floor, in every elevator lobby above the first floor, and in each dwelling unit, hotel guest room and office area.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)

All emergency prefire evacuation plans and procedures must be submitted to the Pasadena fire department for inspection and approval prior to implementation. Any and all evacuation plans, procedures or training programs formulated by, or purchased from any person other than the Pasadena fire department are included in this requirement.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)

A minimum of one fire drill annually on each of the high-rise building floors is mandatory. Total building evacuation is not required. Documentation of all fire drills on Pasadena fire department approved forms shall be maintained by the fire safety director.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)

Buildings that require stairwell doors to remain locked for security reasons, shall include in the evacuation plan required under this chapter, provisions that will allow safe horizontal egress from the stairwell during a drill or emergency evacuation.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)

The fire safety director shall, at all times, maintain a current list of handicapped persons located within the building who would require assistance during an emergency evacuation or relocation. Methods for safe evacuation or relocation of handicapped persons shall be included in the evacuation plan.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)

Hotels are exempt from the requirements set forth in Sections 14.26.020(2) and 14.26.040 of this chapter, except that building staff or employees shall participate in all fire drills as specified in Section 14.26.020(2) under this chapter. Exemptions to the requirements of Section 14.26.020(3) of this chapter may be granted upon written application to the Pasadena fire department. The grant or denial of any application for any exemption shall be at the sole discretion of the Pasadena fire department.

(Ord. 5508 § 2 (part), 1981)