Fire Commission adopts revised administrative bulletins to align with current code

The San Francisco Fire Commission voted to adopt an updated set of fire department administrative bulletins Wednesday, approving revisions the department said were posted for public review since Nov. 14, 2016.

Assistant Fire Marshal Richard Brown, standing in for the fire marshal, told the commission the package includes roughly 40 bulletins and that draft versions were available on the department website for 30 days to solicit public comment. "Administrative bulletins provide clarification, interpretation, and other information regarding the San Francisco Fire Department enforcement policies and procedures," Brown said, noting staff received about 20 public comments on the set.

Chief of Department Joanne Hayes White said the update replaces guidance last revised in 2010 and reflects changes to code and practice over the intervening years. Brown identified several substantive updates in the packet, including an expanded section on fire alarm plans (2.01), new submittal guidelines for emergency evacuation signs (2.11), and reinstatement or updating of several fire alarm-related bulletins (3.02, 3.04, 3.05). He highlighted a new bulletin on fire service access elevators (5.08) for newly designed high-rise buildings.

Commissioners asked for details about the changes and how the bulletins interface with other city departments. Brown said the bulletins are intended to promote consistency across the "city family," noting that electrical, plumbing and building departments may reference the guidance even when those departments ultimately enforce different provisions.

Commissioner Francie Covington asked whether the department had revised the section on air replenishment systems; Brown said the department retained the provision but updated references to the current code cycle and applicable standards. Chief Hayes White added that some existing buildings include such systems, but she was not aware they had recently been used operationally by the department.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to adopt the bulletins; another commissioner seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote with ayes and no recorded opposition.

The commission did not record roll-call votes for individual items in the packet during the meeting. Commissioners also noted a nationwide statistic about smoke alarms during post-vote remarks and praised the department's outreach work to distribute detectors. The commission moved on to the chief's report after adopting the bulletins.

What happens next: The adopted bulletins will replace the department's 2010 versions and guide plan reviewers and inspectors on code interpretation and consistent enforcement. The department said the materials were posted for the public prior to the vote and had been subject to public comment.