3.9.3.4 — Provisions for Firefighting

(1) Every building shall face a street located in conformance with the requirements of Articles 3.2.5.4 and 3.2.5.5 for access routes. (2) For the purposes of Subsections 3.2.2. and 3.2.5. an access route conforming to Subsection 3.2.5. is permitted to be considered as a street. (3) A building within the scope of Article 3.2.2.43A. or 3.2.2.50A. is considered to face one street, where, (a) not less than 25% of the building perimeter is located within 15 m of a street or streets, or (b) not less than 10% of the building perimeter is located within 15 m of a street or streets, provided the exterior cladding conforms to Sentence 3.1.4.8. (2). (4) A building is considered to face two streets provided not less than 50% of the building perimeter is located within 15 m of a street or streets. (5) A building is considered to face three streets provided not less than 75% of the building perimeter is located within 15 m of a street or streets. (6) Enclosed spaces, tunnels, bridges and similar structures, even though used for vehicular or pedestrian traffic, are not considered as streets for the purpose of this Part.

(1) Except for storeys below the first storey, direct access for firefighting shall be provided from the outdoors to every storey that is not sprinklered and whose floor level is less than 25 m above grade, by at least one unobstructed window or access panel for each 15 m of wall in each wall required to face a street by Subsection 3.2.2. (2) An opening for access required by Sentence (1) shall, (a) have a sill no higher than 1 070 mm above the inside floor, and (b) be not less than 1 100 mm high by not less than, (i) 550 mm wide for a building not designed for the storage or use of dangerous goods, or (ii) 750 mm wide for a building designed for the storage or use of dangerous goods. (3) Access panels above the first storey shall be readily openable from both inside and outside, or the opening shall be glazed with plain glass.

(1) Direct access from at least one street shall be provided from the outdoors to each basement, (a) that is not sprinklered, and (b) that has horizontal dimension more than 25 m. (2) The access required by Sentence (1) is permitted to be provided by, (a) doors, windows or other means that provide an opening not less than 1 100 mm high and 550 mm wide, with a sill no higher than 900 mm above the inside floor, or (b) an interior stairway immediately accessible from the outdoors.

(1) On a building more than 3 storeys in building height where the slope of the roof is less than 1 in 4, all main roof areas shall be provided with direct access from the floor areas immediately below, either by, (a) a stairway, or (b) a hatch not less than 550 mm by 900 mm with a fixed ladder. (2) Clearance and access around roof signs or other obstructions shall provide, (a) a passage not less than 900 mm wide by 1 800 mm high, clear of all obstructions except for necessary horizontal supports not more than 600 mm above the roof surface, (i) around every roof sign, and (ii) through every roof sign at locations not more than 15 m apart, and (b) a clearance of not less than 1 200 mm between any portion of a roof sign and any opening in the exterior wall face or roof of the building in which it is erected.

(1) A building that is more than 3 storeys in building height or more than 600 m2 in building area shall be provided with access routes for fire department vehicles, (a) to the building face having a principal entrance, and (b) to each building face having access openings for firefighting as required by Articles 3.2.5.1. and 3.2.5.2.

(1) Access routes required by Article 3.2.5.4. shall be located so that the principal entrance and every access opening required by Articles 3.2.5.1. and 3.2.5.2. are located not less than 3 m and not more than 15 m from the closest portion of the access route required for fire department use, measured horizontally from the face of the building. (2) Access routes shall be provided to a building so that, (a) for a building provided with a fire department connection, a fire department pumper vehicle can be located adjacent to the hydrants referred to in Article 3.2.5.16., (b) for a building not provided with a fire department connection, a fire department pumper vehicle can be located so that the length of the access route from a hydrant to the vehicle plus the unobstructed path of travel for the firefighter from the vehicle to the building is not more than 90 m, and (c) the unobstructed path of travel for the firefighter from the vehicle to the building is not more than 45 m. (3) The unobstructed path of travel for the firefighter required by Sentence (2) from the vehicle to the building shall be measured from the vehicle to the fire department connection provided for the building, except that if no fire department connection is provided, the path of travel shall be measured to the principal entrance of the building. (4) If a portion of a building is completely cut off from the remainder of the building so that there is no access to the remainder of the building, the access routes required by Sentence (2) shall be located so that the unobstructed path of travel from the vehicle to one entrance of each portion of the building is not more than 45 m.

(1) A portion of a roadway or yard provided as a required access route for fire department use shall, (a) have a clear width not less than 6 m, unless it can be shown that lesser widths are satisfactory, (b) have a centreline radius not less than 12 m, (c) have an overhead clearance not less than 5 m, (d) have a change of gradient not more than 1 in 12.5 over a minimum distance of 15 m, (e) be designed to support the expected loads imposed by firefighting equipment and be surfaced with concrete, asphalt or other material designed to permit accessibility under all climatic conditions, (f) have turnaround facilities for any dead-end portion of the access route more than 90 m long, and (g) be connected with a public thoroughfare. (2) A building within the scope of Article 3.2.2.43A. or 3.2.2.50A. shall have no portion of the required access route more than 20 m below the floor level of the uppermost storey or mezzanine that is not a rooftop enclosure provided for elevator machinery, a stairway or a service room used for no purpose other than for service to the building.

(1) An adequate water supply for firefighting shall be provided for every building. (2) Hydrants shall be located within 90 m horizontally of any portion of a building perimeter that is required to face a street in Subsection 3.2.2.

(1) The requirements in Subsection 3.2.3. need not be provided between individual portable classrooms where the distance between the classrooms is 6 m or more. (2) The requirements in Subsection 3.2.3. need not be provided between individual portable classrooms within a group where, (a) the portable classrooms are in groups where, (i) the distance between the classrooms is less than 6 m, (ii) the number of classrooms in a group is not more than six, and (iii) the distance between groups of classrooms is 12 m or more, or (b) the portable classrooms are in groups where, (i) the means of egress for each classroom within a group is by a common corridor or passageway, (ii) the number of portable classrooms in a group is not more than six, and (iii) the distance between groups of portable classrooms is 12 m or more.