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| Lt. Rick Smith, fire prevention officer Office located at 55 Central Street Rt.1A at Manning Street Telephone: 978 356 6631 Fax: 978-356-6633 email: fireprev@ipswichfire.org Business hours: M-F 8-4 The fire prevention office is concerned with helping the public to prevent fires and the injury they cause by identifying and eliminating conditions that may cause fire or Fire Preventionaccomplished through fire safety inspections, code enforcement, plan review, and public fire safety education. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Inspection Fee: 1 Units $25 2 Units $50 3-6 Units $75 7+ Units $100 If you are selling or transferring any building containing residential units, subject to MGL Chapter 148, Section 26F & 26F 1/2, you must first obtain a certificate from the Fire Department showing that the building is equipped with approved smoke detectors. You will need to call the fire prevention office for an inspection appointment. Types and Locations of Smoke Detectors - Single Family Homes: One detector on each floor of living space up to 1,200 sq.ft.. Additional detectors are required over 1,200 sq.ft.. Detectors are installed on the ceiling, near each stairway leading to the floor above, and at the top floor. A detector must be present outside each sleeping area. Detectors may be battery-powered in homes built before 1/1/75. Detectors in homes built in 1975 or later must be electric and interconnected. Smoke detectors within 20 feet of a kitchen, bath, or shower must be photo-electric type only. Effective April 5, 2010 all other detectors must use photo-electric and ionization, or one of each type may be used. Detectors will not be approved if they are over ten years old.
Homes constructed between March 1, 1998 and December 31, 2007: One detector (interconnected-electric) on each floor of living space. Floors over 1,200 sq.ft. require additional detector(s) A detector must be present outside each sleeping area. One detector must be installed within each bedroom. Detectors located within 20 feet of a kitchen, bath or shower must be only photo-electric type. Detectors must have a battery as a secondary source of power. Additional requirements can be obtained from the Fire Department.
Effective January 1, 2008: Single family and two family homes Smoke detectors may be photoelectric type, combination photoelectric and ionization, or combination photoelectric smoke and carbon monoxide, depending on where they are located. Smoke alarms must be interconnected AC powered with battery backup, or part of a fire alarm system (low voltage or wireless). A combination detector must use both voice and tone alarms. The AC power source must be either an unswitched portion of a circuit used for power and lighting of a habitable space, or a dedicated locked circuit. Smoke detectors shall be installed in the following locations within each dwelling unit: In each story, including basements For each 1,200 sq ft per floor In each bedroom Outside and in the immediate vicinity of all bedrooms Near the base of each stairway Two-family buildings must have a circuit with smoke detectors in all common basements, hallways and stairways. They shall be interconnected with a sounding heat detector within each level of each dwelling unit. Where system smoke detectors are used, there must be a sounding device on each level of each unit. A smoke detector located within 20’ of a kitchen or bathroom must be photo-electric only. Photo-electric detectors shall be allowed closer than 3’ from a kitchen or bathroom door when room size restricts placement. Smoke detectors shall be mounted on a ceiling at least 4” from a wall, or on a wall, with the top being no less tan 4” or more that 12” below the ceiling. A single heat detector listed for that environment, and connected to the household fire warning system shall be installed in the center of the ceiling of an attached garage, including a garage added to an existing house. In the latter case, if the house contains a fire detection system compatible with the heat detector, the heat detector shall be connected to the existing system. If it is not compatible, a sounding device shall be installed in the house, within 20’ of the door to the garage. No audible alarm is required in the garage. Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors must be installed. They shall be either interconnected AC, low voltage combination system, or wireless system, with a backup battery. Carbon monoxide detectors shall be installed on each level of a dwelling unit, including basements, and with 10’ outside of any bedroom door. Existing homes: When a sleeping room is added, or the dwelling undergoes complete reconstruction, the entire dwelling unit shall be made to meet this code. Carbon Monoxide Alarms in existing Residential Buildings Every residential unit with any fuel-burning appliance, or parking garage requires a CO alarm on each floor with living space.CO Detectors can be battery powered, plug-in with battery backup, AC powered with battery backup, low voltage, wireless, and/or approved combination smoke/CO alarms.On floors with bedrooms a CO detector must be within 10 feet of each bedroom door.No CO alarm may be installed; within 15 feet from a fuel-burning heater, within 5 feet of a fuel burning cooking appliance, or within 10 feet of a bath or shower.Combination Smoke & CO detectors must have separate voice CO and tone smoke alarms. Where within 20 feet of a kitchen, bath or shower should include photoelectric smoke detector.Owners or large apartment buildings with no CO sources within the units and limited CO sources in the building may use an alternate compliance method approved by the department.Owners are responsible for testing and maintaining alarms, and replacing batteries at the beginning of each rental period or once each year.Transient Residential and Institutional Buildings Transient Residential Buildings such as Hotels, Motels, Inns, and Bead & Breakfasts with six or more units, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and Licensed Day Care Facilities (I-1, I-2 and I-3 Use) with a potential source of carbon monoxide. This includes fossil fuel burning appliances and parking garages.These newly regulated more “transient” types of residential occupancies must either install wired or wireless carbon monoxide alarm systems with battery back-up in every room and on every level, or adopt one of the six technical options for protection. The technical options allow owners to target the CO alarm protection only in those areas (i.e., rooms that contain boilers, hot water heaters, central laundry areas, and enclosed parking areas) that could be potential sources of CO. Most of these technical options include low-voltage wiring, monitoring (i.e., by an alarm company) and certain signal transmission requirements (notification to the fire department.) The hard-wired or technical options for CO protection must be installed on January 1, 2008 for those buildings affected by these newly promulgated regulations. Any building owner or manager who wishes to take advantage of these technical options must obtain a permit from the fire department beginning December 1, 2006. Additionally, the building owner or operator is responsible for the care and maintenance of the system. They must submit annually to the head of the fire department documentation of the inspection, maintenance and testing. Building & Occupancy Permits Before applying to the Building Department for a building permit, bring three (3) sets of plans to the Fire Department for approval. The fire prevention officer will review plans for fire protection features that may be required for your particular building. These may include smoke detection and fire alarms systems, fire department access, fire suppression systems, water supply, fire extinguishers, and smoke control. Architects should include these items on their plans. One set of approved plans will remain with the department and two will be returned to you for submission to the Building Inspector with the application. Plans generally require fire department review when they are for new buildings, or additions/alterations where the buildings use will be changed, or a bedroom or new floor will be added. Once the building is completed, call the fire prevention office to arrange a final inspection. We will inspect for the required safety features and sign the building permit so that you may apply for an occupancy permit. Oil Burners Fee: $25 Prior to any installation or alteration of oil burning equipment oil burner technicians must come to the fire station at 55 Central St. to file a permit and pay the fee. Under emergency conditions, the permit may be filed up to 24 hours after the installation. An electrical permit is also required before any new wiring may be installed. The technician must notify the department that the installation is completed within 72 hours after testing the burner. During the day on Monday through Friday, it is preferred that the technician notify the department while still on site, so that an inspection may be made at that time. If you have hired a company to install or alter an oil burning heater or oil tank, please make sure they obtain the proper permits, and that the work is inspected by the department within 30 days. The use of an oil burner and/or storage of oil may not be authorized until approved by the department. Removal of Fuel Storage Tanks Flammable, Combustible & Hazardous Substances 527 CMR 9 requires that underground tanks used to store flammable, combustible or hazardous substances be removed within six months of it's last use. According to 310 CMR 30 the purpose of removing tanks is to eliminate or minimize the escape of hazardous substances into ground water, surface water, soil or the atmosphere, to prevent any threat to public health, safety, or welfare, or to the environment. The person removing the tank needs to obtain a permit from the fire department prior to removing the tank. UST Removal Permit Fee: Up to 1,100 gallons $50 Over 1,100 gallons $200 The tank must be cleaned and removed under the supervision of the fire department. The person removing the tank will measure for contamination. If any is found it shall be reported to the Fire Department and the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection. Open Burning Fee: $10 paid by exact cash or check Residents may obtain a burning permit by coming to the fire station at 55 Central Street between January 15th and May 1st, between 8-12 am and 1-6 pm. You are allowed to burn brush, driftwood and forestry debris. Hay, leaves and stumps may not be burned. The burning may be conducted: with permission from the department on that day only between 10 am and 4 pm more than 75' from any house on land proximate to its origin with constant attendance until extinguished Residents with permits must call the department after 9:30 am to obtain permission to burn on that day. Burning will not be allowed when winds will be 15 mph or more, during steady rain, or on days determined by the Mass. Forestry Department to be hazardous, due to dryness, low humidity, and/or wind, which can contribute to the spread of a fire. Agricultural operations are subject to other regulations. Farm operators may contact the department for additional information. Any person found violating open burning laws is subject to a fine of $50. The burning of demolition debris and rubbish is prohibited, except under specific conditions where permission is given by the Fire Department. Posting of Street Numbers State law requires that every building have a number posted. The Town of Ipswich has adopted a by-law regulating the posting of numbers. The purpose of requiring numbers is to assist emergency vehicles in quickly finding addresses during emergency responses. The posting of numbers is the responsibility of the buildings owner or occupant. Numbers must be: Affixed to the front door or as close as possible Minimum 3" in height Contrasting color Visible from both directions of travel
Where more than one building is located on a drive, numbers must also be posted at the entrance to the drive, and wherever the drive splits to individual buildings. The consequence for failure to properly post numbers is a $50 fine for each 30 day period of non-compliance. |
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