City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/22/2015
TITLE:
Title
Second Reading - Residential Smoke Alarm Ordinance Amendment
End
FROM:
Paul S. Wilson, Fire Chief
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council conduct a second reading and approve an amendment to City Ordinance 8.12 and the California Fire Code 2013 Edition Article 9 - 907.2.10.5.4. subsequent to the first reading on June 22, 2015.
Body
BACKGROUND:
Since July 2007 the Cathedral City Municipal Ordinance 8.12 has required residential smoke detectors to be "dual sensor" (photoelectric and ionization). The requirement was based on recommendations from the International Association of Fire Chiefs and California Fire Chiefs Association to provide optimal detection of fast-flaming fires versus smoldering fires.
The California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) has determined removal of smoke detector batteries by residential occupants as one of the more serious hazards to life safety.
As of July 1, 2014 in order to be listed by the California OSFM new smoke alarms that are solely battery powered must have a non-replaceable, non-removable battery that is capable of powering the smoke alarm for at least ten years.
Beginning July 1, 2015 all California OSFM listed and approved smoke alarms shall display;
(a) The date of manufacture on the device
(b) Provide a place on the device where the installation date can be written
(c) Incorporate a hush feature.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
"Upon sale of any residential dwelling and factory-built housing, the seller shall have installed therein, permanently wired smoke detectors (alarms), or ten-year tamper-proof battery powered approved dual Photoelectric and Ionization type detectors of products of combustion, other than heat only, as required by the fire code commonly known as Dual Sensor Smoke Alarms. The smoke alarms are required to be State Fire Marshal approved and listed. The seller must ...
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