DEPARTMENT: SAFD
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Charles N. Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Recommendation from the San Antonio Fire Department for City Council to adopt an ordinance amending the existing fire code to require all non-sprinklered high-rise buildings to have fire sprinklers installed within 12 years.
SUMMARY:
The San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) presented a recommendation to the Council Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Services Committee to establish an ordinance requiring all non-sprinklered high-rise buildings to have fire sprinklers installed within twelve years (12). The SAFD presented the Committee with the results of the stakeholder group studying the feasibility of this retro-active ordinance on October 7, 2015. The Committee recommended taking the proposed ordinance to the full City Council for consideration in November.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In February 2015, SAFD requested approval of the Public Safety Committee to establish a stakeholder group to study the feasibility of a retroactive fire sprinkler requirement for high-rise buildings following the tragic events at the Wedgewood Apartments in Castle Hills. With the committee's approval, the group was established and met a total of five times with the kick-off meeting held on April 15, 2015. The stakeholder group consisted of multiple entities including, but not limited to; the San Antonio Housing Authority, the San Antonio Apartment Association, representatives from the Building Owner and Manager's Association, insurance industry representatives, sprinkler contractor representatives, various fire protection engineers, condominium owner's groups, and others.
The SAFD surveyed a list of high-rise buildings to determine how many did not have fire sprinkler systems installed. Approximately 36 buildings were ultimately identified as those that were classified as high-rise buildings, yet did not have sprinkler systems installed. Twelve ...
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