MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2115

OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS IN CASE OF FIFE. WITHOUT ADEQUATE
PROTECTION, RESIDENTS OF SUCH STRUCTURES ARE DEPENDENT
UPON DESCENDING MULTIPLE FLIGHTS OF STEPS OR JUMPING FROM
WINDOWS WHEN A FIRE OCCURS. FOR MANY WHO LIVE IN
HIGH-RISE APARTMENTS, WHO ARE ELDERLY, THIS IS PHYSICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE. MOST FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE OPERATIONS ARE
ALSO CONDUCTED INSIDE THE STRUCTURE PRESENTING GREATER
OBSTACLES IN RESCUING OCCUPANTS AND CONTROLLING AND
EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. MANY TRAGEDIES COULD BE AVOIDED
BY INSTALLATION OF AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING EQUIPMENT
IN THESE SITUATIONS, USUALLY AT NO GREAT ADDITIONAL COST
TO THE BUILDER.

49.

AS USED IN THIS SUBTITLE, UNLESS THE CONTEXT
OTHERWISE REQUIRES, THE TERM:

(A) "HIGH-RISE BUILDING" MEANS ANY BUILDING FOR
HUMAN OCCUPANCY WHICH IS FOUR OR MORE STORIES ABOVE GRADE
LEVEL OR OVER 4 5 FEET IN HEIGHT. HOWEVER, ANY BUILDING
WHICH IS LESS THAN 75 FEET IN HEIGHT ABOVE GRADE SHALL
NOT BE CONSIDERED A HIGH-RISE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS
SUBTITLE WHEN COMPLYING WITH ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1)    ACCESSIBILITY IS PROVIDED ON TWO SIDES
OF THE PERIMETER OF SUCH BUILDING BY VIRTUE OF A
PUBLICWAY.

(2)    HEIGHT ABOVE GRADE SHALL BE DETERMINED
BY USING THE LOWEST ELEVATION OF THE PUBLICWAY OR
PUBLICWAYS AS A REFERENCE DATUM.

(3)    THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT MUST HAVE AT
LEAST ONE APPROVED FIRST LINE PIECE OF AERIAL EQUIPMENT,
CAPABLE OF REACHING THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING.

STRUCTURES OR BUILDINGS USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR
OPEN AIR PARKING WHEREVER LOCATED,, AND BUILDINGS USED
EXCLUSIVELY FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES SHALL NOT BE
CLASSIFIED AS A HIGH-RISE BUILDING FOR THE PURPOSE OF
THIS SUBTITLE.

(B)    "PUBLICWAY" MEANS A PAVED THOROUGHFARE OVER 21
FEET IN WIDTH WHICH IS LOCATED ON PRIVATELY OWNED,
PRIVATELY MAINTAINED PROPERTY BUT IS DESIGNATED FOP
PUBLIC USE, OR WHICH IS PUBLICLY OWNED AND MAINTAINED,
AND WHICH MUST BE KEPT ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES TO THE
LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS PUBLICWAY SHALL NOT BE
FARTHER FROM THE BUILDING THAN WILL ALLOW THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AERIAL EQUIPMENT TO REACH 75 FEET IN HEIGHT.

(C)    "LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT" MEANS ANY FULL-TIME OR
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.