Florida Building
Commission
Building (Fire) Technical Advisory Committee
Concurrent with
The FLORIDA FIRE
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Meeting Minutes
Meeting Location: Teleconference Meeting from Tallahassee,
Florida
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TAC/POC Members
and Objectives |
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TAC Members Present Via
Teleconference: Hamid Bahadori, Chairman; Joe Belcher, Pete Schwab, Brad
Schiffer, Tony Apfelbeck, Dale Greiner, Charles Frank TAC Members not Present: Jeffery Gross, Jon Hamrick, Joe Holland, , Jim Schock Staff Present: Mo
Madani, April Hammonds, Jim Richmond, Kenneth Cureton Facilitator: Kenneth
Cureton |
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Objectives: The purpose of this meeting was to
discuss a possible conflict between the Florida Building Code and Florida
Fire Prevention Code with regard to the fire flow requirements for one- and
two- family dwellings as depicted in NFPA1 Section 18.4.5.1 of the 2010
Florida Fire Prevention Code. The Meeting was conducted concurrent with the
Florida Fire Advisory Council members and staff. |
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Meeting
Minutes |
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Objective |
Discussion of
objectives included the following: |
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1) |
9:00 AM Welcome and Opening, Roll Call. A
quorum was present. Mr. Ken Cureton, facilitator for the
Florida Building Commission, provided a brief overview of teleconferencing
etiquette to alleviate some of the phone issues experienced in the past. Mr.
Julius Halas with the State Fire Marshal office acted as facilitator for the Florida
Fire Advisory Council. The
agendas for both the FBC Fire TAC and the Florida Fire Advisory
Council were approved
unanimously by the respective committee members. |
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2) |
Mr. Halas introduced the Florida Fire Advisory Council agenda in
accordance with F.S. 633.0125, and opened the discussion of a possible
conflict between the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code
with regard to the fire flow requirements for one- and two- family dwellings
as depicted in Section 18.4.5.1 of the 2010 Florida Fire Prevention Code, as
well as potential future changes to the Triennial Update of the 2013 Florida
Fire Prevention Code (2013 edition). Mr. Halas presented the background of
the subject matter under review and discussed Statutory Citations and
specific case examples that relate to the fire flow requirement issues. |
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3) |
Fire TAC / Florida Fire Advisory Council Member
Comments – After
discussion of the issues and relevant statutes, it was agreed that the
characterization of the subject of this meeting as a “conflict” in the codes
is incorrect. It was also agreed that for any rulemaking to be opened on this
subject, it should be in pursuant to the criteria set forth in F.S. 633.0215(5(c).
Mr. Halas indicated that rulemaking would be carried out as
workshops conducted by the Florida Fire Advisory Council. |
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4) |
Public Comment – The
majority of public comments were made by representatives of the City of
Naples, in which they indicated their concern on how the current fire flow code
requirements impacts infill projects of existing developments, and the
related expenses of infrastructure upgrades. Members of the TAC commented
that the fire sprinkler requirement indicated in the Code is an alternative
to providing adequate fire flow. |
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5) |
TAC Action – After a
motion by the Fire TAC, members of both the Fire TAC and the Florida
Fire Advisory Council agreed unanimously to recommend that the State Fire
Marshal move forward with the issue by
acknowledging that a “conflict” relating to this issue between the Florida
Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code does not exist. On a
separate motion by the Florida Fire Advisory Council, it was agree that the
SFM should investigate the potential of proceeding with rulemaking pursuant to the
requirements of F.S.
633.0215(5(c). |
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6) |
Motion
to adjourn by Hamid Bahadori Adjourn: 10:30 AM |
Staff
Contacts: Kenneth H.
Cureton, Planning Analyst ken.cureton@dbpr.state.fl.us (850) 921-2282 or Mo Madani, Manager mo.madani@dbpr.state.fl.us