# No fire detection / alarms needed?



## Yikes (Apr 16, 2018)

I have two new buildings in a city park.  One is an A-3 rec room with less than 150 occupants, sprinklered, one story, no corridors.  It has a small "warming kitchen", restrooms and a couple of small offices.  HVAC system is rooftop package units with some ductwork.

The other building is a small concession stand next to the ballfield.  No cooking, just selling canned sodas and chips.

I'm so used to seeing fire alarms on all my other projects that I assumed this one would have it too, but when I look through the California Building and Fire codes, I don't see anywhere it says that it's required for a small assembly space.  I assume the sprinklers get a flow alarm (local bell), but is there any other code requirement I'm missing?

The mechanical plans show a duct smoke detector, but I'm wondering if that was put in out of habit rather than via code analysis.


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## Builder Bob (Apr 16, 2018)

The monitoring of valves and other things get a bit tough..... at basic level - fire alarm bell, tamper switches, flow switch, duct detector if required, kitchen hood, & at least one pull station - That is typical of what we see in small assemblies - Insurance company or town policy may require more than code.


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## Rick18071 (Apr 17, 2018)

I don't know CA codes but the IBC only requires alarms in A-3  when you have an occupant load of 300 or more..


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## Francis Vineyard (Apr 17, 2018)

http://media.iccsafe.org/news/eNews/2013v10n9/2009_ifc_qandaseries_p43.pdf

2018 modification;


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## Rick18071 (Apr 17, 2018)

Sorry but we are almost 10 years behind in codes in PA


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## jpsconsultingengineers (Apr 23, 2018)

Thanks for this informative content.


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