Collier County Fire Prevention and Protection Code POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

ARTICLE NUMBER:  SHZ99-01

EFFECTIVE DATE:  March 8, 1999

SUBJECT:  Fire Protection For Certain Golf Course Structures

OBJECTIVE:  Clarify and Establish Fire Protection Requirements For Golf

Course Maintenance Equipment and Cart Charging Structures.

BACKGROUND:

Fire incident experience in Collier County has highlighted the extreme problem we have with fires in golf course maintenance equipment and golf cart charging and storage structures.  Dictating from memory a few of these types of fires which occurred during the 1980’s and 1990’s:

• Golden Gate Country Club Golf Cart Barn, Golden Gate Parkway – Total Loss

• Lely Golf Course Maintenance Facility, Warren Street , East Naples – Partial Loss

• Bear’s Paw Golf Course Maintenance, Airport Rd, East Naples – Total Loss

• Bonita Springs Golf Cart Barn – Total Loss on Two Separate Occasions!

• 1998 - Naples National Golf Course Maintenance – Total Loss

The proliferation of golf courses and these types of structures within Collier County is common knowledge. The Fire Districts of Collier County, through the Collier County Fire Marshals Association and this office, have declared these type occupancies to be Severe High Hazards. We have mandated fire sprinkler protection in these structures as a proactive measure to preempt further large-scale loss.

POLICY/PROCEDURE:

All golf course maintenance equipment and all golf course cart charging and storage structures submitted for permit after the effective date above shall be protected throughout by an automatic fire sprinkler system.

APPLICABLE CODES

In addition to the powers granted fire control districts in the Florida Statutes, the following sections from the Florida Building Code, Fire Prevention Code NFPA 1 and Life Safety Code NFPA 101 apply:

FBC 307.1.4 Portions of Group F occupancy involving highly combustible, flammable or explosive products or materials shall be properly ventilated, protected and separated from the remainder of the building in accordance with the appropriate NFPA Standard or the entire building will be classified as Hazardous occupancy.  See 308.

FBC 312.2.3 Portions of Group S occupancy involving highly combustible, flammable or explosive products or materials shall be properly ventilated, protected and separated from the remainder of the building in accordance with the appropriate NFPA Standard or the entire building will be classified as Group H occupancy.

NFPA 1, Fire Prevention Code, Subsection 1-4.5

Where conditions exist, and are deemed hazardous to life and property by the authority having jurisdiction, the authority having jurisdiction shall have the authority to summarily abate such hazardous conditions that are in violation of this Code.

Definition:

Summarily Abate: To immediately judge a condition to be a fire hazard to life or property and to order immediate correction of such condition.

NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, SECTION 8.4 SPECIAL HAZARD PROTECTION

8.4.1 General.

8.4.1.1* Protection from any area having a degree of hazard greater than that normal to the general occupancy of the building or structure shall be provided as follows:

(a) Enclose the area with a fire barrier having a 1-hr fire resistance rating in accordance with Section 8-2, without windows; or

(b) Protect the area with automatic extinguishing systems in accordance with Section 9-7; or

(c) Apply both (a) and (b) above where the hazard is severe or where otherwise specified by Chapters 12 through 42.

101:40.3.2* Protection from Hazards.

Every high hazard industrial occupancy, operation, or process shall have approved, supervised automatic extinguishing systems in accordance with Section 9.7 or other protection appropriate to the particular hazard, such as explosion venting or suppression. Protection shall be provided for any area subject to an explosion hazard to minimize danger to occupants in case of fire or other emergency before they have time to use exits to escape. Activation of the fire extinguishing or suppression system shall initiate the required building fire alarm system in accordance with 40-3.4.3.4. Hazardous areas in industrial occupancies protected by approved automatic extinguishing systems in accordance with Section 9.7 shall be exempt from the smoke-resisting enclosure requirement of 8.4.1.2.

ATTACHMENTS:

None.

DISTRIBUTION: Big Corkscrew Island Fire District; East Naples Fire District; Golden Gate Fire District; Immokalee Fire District; Isle of Capri Fire District; North Naples Fire District; Ochopee Fire District; City of Marco Island Fire Department; Building Director, Collier County Community Development; Chief Inspectors, Collier County Community Development; Collier County Community Development Records; Collier Building Industry Association (CBIA); Subscribers

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