PRESENTER: Presenter
Matthew Bushnell, Assistant Fire Chief
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SUBJECT: Title
Presentation and possible direction to bring forward for consideration the Compliance Engine, a web-based service to track and drive inspection, testing and maintenance of fire protection systems.
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DEPARTMENT: Fire Department
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All districts
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
§ Fire protection systems are required on a majority of new commercial construction and the requirements are based on many factors including size, use and occupant load.
§ There are currently over 5,000 different types of fire protection systems in the city. The most common are:
‒ Automatic Sprinkler Systems-Multiple Types
‒ Fixed Pipe Systems-Restaurants and Spray Booths
‒ Automatic Fire Alarm Systems
‒ Manual Fire Alarm Systems
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§ The current adopted Fire Code for the City of New Braunfels requires that fire protection systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be replaced or repaired when defective.
§ The length of times between inspections is determined by the type of system based on National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), with annual inspections being the most common.
§ The adopted Fire Code, Section 108.3 Recordkeeping authorizes the Fire Code Official to prescribe the form and format of recordkeeping.
ISSUE:
Deficiencies and impairments are reported to the Fire Marshal’s office through the smart-sheets application. The Fire Marshal’s office, often times, cannot follow-up on impairment notices in a timely manner. Many of these impairments are due to lack of maintenance on the systems and often generate false alarms.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City of New Braunfels. There is a $15.00 annual fee that is charged by the Compliance Engine per system. This fee is either absorbed by the third-party contractor that services the system or is passed on to the occupants.
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RECOMMENDATION: