CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION PACKET

Transcription

1 CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION PACKET 1

2 PLANNING EVENTS If you are holding an outdoor event such as a run, walk, festival or parade, your event must be reviewed by the Fire Marshal for fire safety, crowd capacity and access issues. Copies of the application will also be forwarded and reviewed by all affected city departments and/or public agencies. This review process is required for all special events including those held on public or private property. You must submit a signed Event Permit application to the Events Coordinator; 204 Ash Street Fernandina Beach, Florida This application can be hand delivered or faxed to (904) As part of the application, you will be required to submit a complete copy of your site plan. Your site plan should be submitted in a clear and legible manner. Your event site plan should include: An outline of the entire venue. The names of all streets or areas that are part of the venue and the surrounding area. The provision of minimum 20 foot (20 ) emergency access lanes throughout the event venue. The location of all stages, tents, portable toilets, booths, cooking areas and other temporary structures. VENDORS AND YOUR EVENT To assist you in working with food vendors at your event, the Fire Marshal has developed a pamphlet entitled Regulations for Portable Exterior Cooking at Special Events. Copies of this pamphlet are available at the Fire Marshal s office and should be distributed to all vendors that intend to cook on site. As an event organizer it is important that you coordinate load-in and load-out. A detail or close-up of the food booth and cooking area configuration including identification of all vendors cooking with flammable gases or grills. Exit locations for outdoor events that are fenced. In addition to the information depicted on your site plans, you will be required to submit written statements indicating: The estimated crowd. A complete list of all vendors who will be cooking at the event including the location of each booth and the method of cooking. Load-in and load-out times & procedures. To ensure public safety, the Fire Marshal will inspect your venue for access and cooking compliance either before or during your event. Your vendors should be prepared to make any changes necessary while the Fire Marshal is on site at your event. OTHER ACTIVITIES A building that has not been classified for public assembly is used as an assembly area for fifty (50) or more people. A tent 200 square feet or more or a canopy over 400 square feet is erected. A special event or concert is held at a building or facility that has not been classified for that primary purpose. 2

3 CROWD CAPACITY As part of the permit process, the Fire Marshal will evaluate your event site plan and written description to determine maximum crowd capacity within your venue. As an event organizer you are responsible for establishing and managing event procedures and strategies to comply with this requirement. Many events use security, music type, entertainment schedules and venue design to help manage the anticipated attendance at any given time during the event. A trade Show or promotional Display is constructed. Fireworks or special effect displays are conducted. Open flame devices are used during a public assembly. Temporary fuel storage and usage is an event component. STAND-BY FIRE PERSONNEL Your event may require on-site review or supervision by stand-by fire personnel. Standby personnel are required to ensure that fire safety, crowd capacity and access issues are maintained for the duration of the event. Should Stand-by personnel be required at your event, fees may apply. SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES The purpose of these guidelines is to familiarize event promoters, sponsors and vendors with information about special event procedures and general fire safety regulations that are enforced by the Fire Prevention Bureau. This department is committed to promoting public safety and assisting all parties involved to provide a level of service that will ensure a safe and successful event. I. Circumstances Requiring a Permit A permit is required in the following circumstances: A floor in a high-rise office building is used as a public assembly. A building not classified as a public assembly is used as an assembly (50 or more people). A building or room is issued for a Casino Night setup. A concert or special event is held inside the auditorium. A tent 200 square feet or more or a canopy over 400 square feet is erected within the City. A fireworks display or special effects are conducted anywhere within the City. A model rocket is fired. Fireworks are used. 3

4 A trade show/display is conducted in the City. A concert or any other staged performance is held at a building other than a public assembly building classified for that purpose. (e.g. Atlantic auditorium, MLK auditorium, FBMS auditorium). There is use of an open flame device that is not already permitted. Floats are being constructed. A laser display is used. A vehicle or any other automobile is put on display in a public Assembly. An outdoor special event is planned that requires the area to be fenced. There is a change in the existing use of a street, park, or area for the purpose of a public gathering (e.g. street fairs, block parties, etc.). Outdoor cooking is conducted in an area not intended for that use. II. Standby Fire Personnel A. When it is deemed appropriate for the safeguarding of life and property from fire, explosion, panic, or other hazardous conditions which may arise in the temporary use of occupancy and/or premises, one or more standby fire personnel may be required to be present before and during the activity. A fee may be required for these services. B. Certain special events require that standby fire personnel be present. These include: public assemblies in buildings not classified by the building or fire codes as public assemblies, concerts inside any auditorium, all fireworks displays and/or special effects, concerts held inside buildings other than those classified for public assembly use, use of open flames not already permitted, fenced outdoor events and any other special event when it is deemed necessary. C. The need for standby personnel and the number necessary for the event will be determined by the Fire Marshal or his/her designee. Items considered in making this decision are: o Location of the event. o Type of event, such as a concert or large festival. o Number of persons attending the event, such as festivals, car shows, etc. o When special hazards are present, such as firework displays and other pyrotechnics and/or special effects. o Past experience with different event coordinators or promoters. o If it is necessary, in the opinion of the Chief, to have a fire watch for the safety of the public and/or public property. 4

5 SPECIAL OUTDOOR EVENTS The purpose of these guidelines is to familiarize event promoters, sponsors and vendors with information about outdoor festivals/special events and general safety regulations. The City of Fernandina Beach is committed to promoting public safety and assisting all parties involved to provide a level of service that will ensure a safe and successful event. A copy of a site plan shall be submitted with the permit application. The site plan shall include: The name of all streets or areas that are part of the outdoor Special Events. The locations of the fire department emergency access lanes (20 foot minimum width). The location of stages, non-food booths, food booths and cooking areas. A detail or close-up of the food booth and cooking area configuration. Booth identification signs or numbers of all vendors cooking with flammable gases or grills. The location of tents. A. The event sponsor shall supply each vendor with any information required for loading in and loading out of the special event. B. The event sponsor shall distribute to each vendor who is cooking, a copy of Portable Exterior Cooking. C. The event sponsor shall seek clarification of any of these responsibilities I from the Fire Marshal. Special Events Personnel s Responsibility A. Special Events personnel will contact the applicant if there are any additional questions or concerns and will schedule an inspection time. B. A copy of Portable Exterior Cooking will be provided to the event sponsors for distribution to the vendors. C. When it is deemed necessary for the safeguarding of life and property from fire, explosion, panic, or other hazardous conditions which may arise at the special event, standby fire personnel may be required to be present before and during the event. II Vendor s Responsibilities A. Vendors shall coordinate with the event sponsor, rules for loading in and loading out of the event. B. The fire lanes shall be kept clear at all times after the allotted time given. C. Food vendors shall familiarize themselves with the regulations contained in Portable Exterior Cooking. D. Vendors shall comply with a all fire safety requirements at all times.. E. Vendors shall be ready for a fire inspection on the morning of the event or at any time throughout the day. 5

6 TRADE SHOWS AND EXHIBITS The purpose of these guidelines is to familiarize event promoters, sponsors, and vendors with information about special event procedures and general fire safety regulations that are enforced by the Fire Prevention Bureau. The Department is committed to promoting public safety and assisting all parties to provide a level of service that will ensure a safe and successful event. The license shall have a valid permit from the Fire Marshal for each trade show and/or exhibition. No exhibition or trade show shall occupy any exhibit hall without the approval of the Fire Marshal. I. Exits and Aisles o Booths which require 50 feet or more of travel distance to reach the exit o Access aisles shall be provided with a minimum of two exits remote from each other. o Aisles shall be a minimum of (10) ten feet in assembly and exhibition halls. o Exits and aisles shall be clear of all obstructions. This includes charts, easels, trailer tongues, etc. o Exit signs shall be visible from any location in the room. If they are not visible, additional signs shall be posted to show the direction of travel to the exit. o Loading doors shall be closed before opening the show and/or exhibition and shall remain closed while the show is open to the public. II. III. Lobby Areas A. A lobby area may be utilized for registration provided: o Storage of combustibles necessary for registration (i.e. paper, boxes, etc.) shall be limited to one day s use. o Registration booths and lounge areas shall be set up only in the o designated areas as shown on approved plans and shall not impede o required egress. Fire Protection Equipment A. Exhibit booths that are multilevel, consist of multiple rooms with ceilings, or are over 225 sq feet with ceilings, shall be protected with smoke alarms. B. Vehicles, boats, tents and similar exhibited products having over 100 square feet of roofed area shall be provided with smoke alarms. C. See section IX for cooking and warming device requirements D. Clear access shall be maintained to fire protection equipment (i.e. extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations etc.) E. A three (3) foot clearance shall be provided around fire protection equipment. 6

7 IV. Combustible Materials A. Materials required to be Flame Resistant o All decorations, drapes, signs, banners, acoustical materials, o straw, moss, split bamboo, plastic cloth and similar decorative o materials shall be flame resistant to the satisfaction of the Fire o Marshal. This may require a field flame test to verify a o Satisfactory flame-retardant treatment. o Field Flame Test: Materials shall not ignite and allow flame to o spread over the surface when exposed to an open match flame. o When a flame is held to the material for twelve (12) seconds and o continues to burn when the flame is removed, it is not flameo retardant. o Table coverings must be flame retardant treated unless they lie o flat with an overhang of no greater than six (6) inches. o Combustible materials which are 3/8 inch or more in thickness, o glass or asbestos cloth may be used without flame-retardant o treatment. o Certain materials cannot be made flame-resistant and their use is o therefore prohibited. These include oilcloth, tar paper, sisal paper, nylon, orlon and some other plastic materials. B. Other Combustible Materials o Combustible materials shall be limited to a one day supply and o shall be maintained in an orderly fashion. o Combustible materials (i.e. crates and boxes) shall be stored o outside the building in an approved area or in a storeroom having o a fire resistance rating of at least two (2) hours which is protected o by an automatic fire extinguishing system. V. Electrical Wiring A. All electrical wiring shall: o Be heavy duty SJ or better. o Be a minimum of 16 guage-3 wire. o Carry no more than 1200 watts maximum load on any cord. o Not be spliced. B. Power taps must be listed and provide with over current protection. C. Cube adapters and other devices which increase outlets must meet the same requirements as power taps. VI. Flammable and Hazardous Materials A. Materials prohibited inside a building are: o Compressed flammable gasses (i.e. acetylene, propane, butane etc.) 7

8 o Flammable/combustible liquids (i.e. gasoline, kerosene, cleaning solvents and other petroleum based materials; and any other product labeled flammable ). Any exceptions must be approved by the Fire Marshal. o Hazardous chemicals (i.e. pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, poisons, etc.), although it is permissible to have empty product containers for display purposes. o Explosives and blasting agents. B. Non-flammable gases which are allowed inside the building must be secured in an upright position. C. Ammunition may be allowed under certain conditions. The stipulation shall be written for each trade show and/or exhibition. VII. Open Flame A. Open flame devices are prohibited. However, candles may be used when approved by the Fire Marshal. Candles must be securely fastened on a substantial non-combustible base so located as to avoid danger of ignition of combustible materials. B. See IX (A) (1) below for sterno use. C. Welding or soldering is prohibited. VIII. Cooking and /or warming devices as well as heated products A. These devices may be used under the following circumstances: o The devices shall be electric and shall be approved by a recognized testing laboratory (i.e. UL, FM). Sterno may be used for warming trays. o The devices shall be separated from the public by either placing the device a minimum of four (4) feet back from the front of the booth, or by providing a Plexiglas shield between the cooking and/or warming device and the public. o Individual devices shall not exceed the 288 square inches of surface area (i.e. 12 inches X 24 inches). o The table surface holding the device shall be of non-combustible material. o A minimum of two (2) feet shall be kept between cooking devices. o Combustible materials shall be kept a minimum of two (2) feet away from any device. o A 20 BC fire extinguisher shall be provided. In addition, either a tight fitting lid for each device shall be provided or an approved automatic extinguishing system shall be provided with the booth. Note: A warming device shall only require a 2A10BC extinguisher. 8

9 IX. Vehicles A. Vehicles may be allowed in the building for display purposes provided they meet the following requirements: o All fuel tank openings shall be locked or securely taped in order to prevent the escape of flammable vapors. o Both battery cables shall be disconnected from the terminals during the time the vehicle is in the building. Loose cable ends shall be taped to cover all exposed metal. o Fueling or removing fuel from the tank inside the building is prohibited. o Fuel tanks shall not be over ¼ tank full or contain more than five (5) gallons of fuel, whichever is less. o Vehicles shall not be moved during show hours. X. Inspections A. A spot inspection may be conducted at any time during the course of the trade show and/or exhibition. B. Pre-opening inspection shall be conducted. C. Building management shall be responsible for the correction of all fire code violations found. All violations are required to be corrected within the time determined by the Fire Marshal. D. The trade show and/or exhibition shall not be permitted to open without the approval of the Fire Marshal. SPECIAL EVENT COOKING In order to increase fire safety for both operators and the general public, the following requirements shall be met when open flame cooking devices are used during an outdoor special event. I. Booth Construction and Location A. Booths shall be located a minimum of 20 feet from any permanent structure. (Note: If conditions warrant it, the distance may be reduced when approved by the Fire Marshal.) B. Cooking booths shall be separated from non-cooking booths by ten (10) feet. C. All fabric or pliable canopy covers, side/back drops and decorative material shall either be: o Inherently fire-resistive and labeled as such. o Treated by a State Fire Marshal licensed applicator. o If the booth is owner-occupied, the material may be treated by the owner with a State Fire Marshal approved fire retardant chemical. * A flame test may be required. 9

10 D. Exit openings shall be a minimum of three (3) feet wide and six (6) feet, eight (8) inches in height. E. Vehicles shall be parked a minimum of 20 feet from the booth. II. Cooking Equipment A. All cooking equipment shall be of an approved type. 1. Coleman stoves or equivalent shall conform to the following requirements: o No gasoline or kerosene may be used. o No fueling of a stove may be done in the booth. o There shall be no storage of fuel in the booth. A minimum of 5 feet clearance must be maintained between the public and all cooking devices. 2. Butane or Propane equipment shall conform to the following requirements: o The maximum size of LPG tanks that can be used inside of a booth is 1.5 gallons or less. LPG tanks with more than 1.5 gallons shall be stored outside of the booth. o Tanks shall have a shut-off valve. o The stove shall have an on/off valve. o Hoses shall be of an approved type for use with the equipment. o The tank shall be protected from damage and secured in the upright position. o Tanks located outside of booths shall have a pressure regulator if in excess of 5 gallon capacity. o There may be no storage of butane or propane tanks in the booth. o The tank shall be turned off when not in use. o Prior to use, all connections must be tested may be done with a soap and water solution. o A minimum of 18 inches shall be provided between the booths backdrop material and cooking appliance. (Note: Clearance may be reduced as approved by the Fire Marshal.) o A minimum of 16 inches shall be provided between deep fat frying appliances/woks and open flame stoves. An alternative to the 16 inch separation requirement would be to provide a 16 inch high, full width splash guard. 10

11 3. Charcoal Cooking shall conform to the following requirements: o Charcoal cooking is prohibited inside of booths. o Charcoal cooking shall be performed only in areas away from public access and shall be located a minimum of five (5) feet from any booth with a minimum of ten (10) feet from any permanent structure. o Only commercially sold lighter fluid or electric starters shall be used (no gasoline, kerosene, etc.). o No storage of starter fuel inside the booth is permitted. o Coals shall be disposed of only in metal containers that have been designated for such use and are approved by the Fire Marshal. Dumping of coals in trash containers is prohibited. 1. Deep fat Frying/Flambé Cooking shall conform to the following requirements: o Deep fat frying or flambé cooking operations shall be located in a separate enclosure where only cooking operations are performed. Such enclosures shall conform to booth construction requirements as previously outlined, but the top of the enclosure shall be open or, where required by the Health Department, shall be provided with metal/flame retardant screening with a minimum height of seven (7) feet. III. Fire Extinguishers A. Each booth shall provide a minimum 2A10BC rated portable fire extinguisher. Deep fat or flambé cooking operations also require a 40BC extinguisher. B. Fire extinguishers shall conform to the following: o The extinguisher shall be mounted and secured so that it will not fall over. o The extinguisher must be visible and accessible, and located away from the cooking area. o The extinguisher shall have been serviced within the last year and have a service tag attached. 11

12 IV. Housekeeping A. The Fire Marshal encourages the use of non-combustible materials in the cooking areas and away from heat sources. B. Trash containers should be emptied regularly. C. Clean all cooking surfaces regularly to prevent the build-up of grease. V. Additional Fire Safety Tips A. Know where the fire extinguisher is located and how to use it. B. Don t leave food cooking unattended. C. Don t wear loose fitting clothes when cooking. D. In case of emergency, call 911. For any additional information, contact the Special Events Coordinator; Susan Hurley at x222 or Fire Prevention Bureau at (904)