§ 8:5. Fire hydrants.

(a)

Definition. For purposes of this section, the term "fire official" shall mean the chief of the Baton Rouge City Fire Department or his designee. Except that in Central Fire Protection District, District 6 Fire Protection District, East Side Fire Protection District and St. George Fire Protection District, the term shall mean the chief of each respective district or his designee.

(b)

Water supply. Approved fire hydrants shall be provided for buildings to meet the necessary fire flow requirements as determined by the fire official. Where public water supply is inadequate or not available, an approved alternative water source meeting the fire flow requirements shall be provided.

(c)

Location. The location and number of hydrants shall be designated by the fire official, but in no case shall the distance between installed fire hydrants exceed one thousand (1,000) feet. Maximum distance from the nearest hydrant to the most remote exterior point of any building shall be five hundred (500) feet. The distance shall be measured on a roadway surface meeting the fire department access requirements of section 602.6 of the Standard Fire Prevention Code and all amendments and/or modifications thereto.

(d)

Plans and specifications. Plans, specifications and hydraulic calculations for installation, modification, or alterations of any fire service main or fire hydrant shall be submitted to the fire official for review and approval prior to installation.

(e)

Preliminary approval. No building permit shall be issued without preliminary approval of the fire official under this section. Additionally, the building official shall not issue a certificate of occupancy or a temporary certificate of occupancy within the boundaries of the St. George Fire Protection District without proof that the place of occupancy has been inspected and accepted by the fire prevention bureau of the St. George Fire Department.

(f)

Fire flow tests shall be witnessed by the fire official prior to final approval.

(g)

Before final approval and acceptance of fire suppression, alarm, detection or any fire protection device including standby power facilities and fire ventilating systems, in any building or structure, the installation shall be subjected to an acceptance test. These tests shall be adequate to determine that the system or fire protection device has been properly installed and will function as intended. It shall be unlawful to occupy within portions of a structure until the required fire protection systems within that portion of the structure have been tested and approved.

(h)

No person shall install, make alterations or additions to a fire protective signaling, detection or fire suppression system before securing a permit from the fire official.

(i)

The fire official may waive the provisions of the section and/or issue temporary or provisional approvals.

(j)

The provisions of this section do not apply to one- and two-family dwellings or their detached accessory structures.

(Ord. No. 13362, § 1, 8-24-05; Ord. No. 13863, § 1, 1-10-07; Ord. No. 14496, § 1, 9-24-08; Ord. No. 15238, § 1, 1-11-12)