Memorandum

Lawrence-Douglas County

Fire Medical Department

TO:	Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager Mark Bradford, Fire Chief
FROM:	James King, Division Chief
DATE:	December 22, 2014
SUBJECT:	Fire Protection of Animal Housing Facilities

In light of the fire of November 29, 2014 at Christal K-9 I have completed a review of the locally adopted 2012 International Fire Code (IFC) and NFPA 150 Standard on Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities.

This review was completed for the purpose of determining fire and life safety requirements within local animal housing and to make a recommendation on meeting those requirements.

Animal housing facilities are defined as an area of a building or structure, including interior and adjacent exterior spaces, where animals are fed, rested, worked, exercised, treated, exhibited, or used for production. These facilities include but are not limited to animal hospitals, kennels, pounds, and mercantile or business occupancies with animals.

2012 International Fire Code Summary

Under the International Fire Code, animal housing facilities fall under the Business (B) Occupancy Classification. Business occupancies are historically the safest of all occupancy types and, with the exception of ambulatory care facilities, have the least stringent fire code requirements. While the IFC frequently references NFPA standards to support fire and life safety requirements, beyond classification type, the IFC does not make specific reference to animal housing facilities or NFPA 150.

NFPA 150 Summary

NFPA 150 is, as are all NFPA standards except those adopted by reference through the IFC, a voluntary standard that provides the minimum requirements for the design, construction, fire protection, and classification of animal housing facilities.

Under NFPA the type of animals housing facility may be sub-classified as Class 1 – with no general public access; Class 2 – with restricted general public access; or, Class 3 – regular general public access. In addition, animals may be categorized as Category A – with potential health/safety risk to rescuers; cannot be removed without potential risk to the animals health/welfare; animals that are impossible/impractical to move; animals not mobile or not mobile in an enclosure. Category B pertains to any animal not in Category A.

All facilities with Category A animals are to be protected throughout by an automatic fire sprinkler system and incorporate a smoke control system.

Requirements for smoke detection and fire alarm notification are based upon the facility sub classification:

• Class 1:         3,000 sq. ft. to 20,000 sq. ft. – smoke detection and local alarm

                             >20,000 sq. ft. – smoke detection and monitored alarm

• Class 2:         3,000 sq. ft. to 10,000 sq. ft. – smoke detection and local alarm

                   >10,000 sq. ft. – smoke detection and monitored alarm

• Class 3:         smoke detection and monitored alarm

All animal housing facilities require fire extinguishers and extinguisher training for staff, CO detection when fuel fire appliances are present, and disaster or emergency management programs and drills.

Recommendation

The following recommendation has been developed to bring a higher level of protection to animal facilities within the City of Lawrence. These recommendations may be implemented through local amendment of adopted fire code.

• Retroactive requirement that all animal housing facilities provide smoke detection with integration into a monitored fire alarm system.
• All new facilities or facilities subject to renovation:

a. <3,000 sq. ft. smoke detection and monitored fire alarm;

b. >3,000 sq. ft. smoke detection, monitored fire alarm, automatic fire sprinklers installed to NFPA 13.

• All facilities provide:

a. Fire extinguishers and extinguisher training for staff;

b. Provide CO detection where fuel fired appliances are in use;

c. Develop and provide disaster/emergency management plans and provide drills for staff.