Council adopts ordinance tying firefighter air-replenishment trigger to high-rise definition in building and fire code

The Coeur d'Alene City Council on Dec. 16 adopted an ordinance amending municipal code 15.05.0.01 to change when firefighter air-replenishment (FAR) systems are required.

Craig (staff) told council the original trigger required FAR systems in four-story buildings, but installers and developers found that threshold could be cost-prohibitive for mid-rise projects. After reviewing neighboring Idaho cities’ triggers, the city proposed tying the FAR requirement to the fire-code definition of a 'high rise' building. Craig said the current code definition of a high rise in Coeur d'Alene is 75 feet above the established fire-department level of exit egress; that definition will serve as the trigger so future code-definition changes will automatically apply without needing a new ordinance change.

Craig explained FAR systems are an in-building fill capability to top off firefighters' SCBA bottles via a pressurized stairwell connection, reducing the need to carry multiple spare bottles up stairs or use elevators during a fire response. Councilors praised the change as aligning the city's approach with other Idaho jurisdictions and as likely to reduce cost burdens on mid-rise developers while maintaining firefighter safety in true high-rise scenarios.

Council moved to dispense with the rule, read the bill by title once, and then voted to adopt the ordinance by roll call; the ordinance provides for repeal of conflicting ordinances, severability, publication of a summary, and an effective date to be set in the ordinance text.