• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

occupancy classification for fire stations and police stations

sdr

Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
7
What would you consider the occupancy classification for a police station? What would you consider the occupancy classification for a fire station? Thanks.
 
Police station would depend on the number of people under restraint. Could be B for a small station. Or I-3 if 5 or more under restraint.

Fire station.. how many s.f.? How many people? Separate building or part of a larger municipal building?
 
Police Station: Possibly a B. If jail cells, could be an I3 depending on occupant load

Fire Station: Maybe mixed use; S2 (Parking Garage). Possibly on R1 (transient dwelling) if occupants sleep in the building
 
We classified our fire station remodel as a S2 for the truck bay and a R-2 for the sleeping and eating areas and B for the admin area

We used R-2 in lieu of R-1 because we believe the Fire station is more a live/work type use than a transient occupant use
 
Older editions of the I-Codes caused confusion here, because they listed police and fire stations under the laundry list for "B" occupancies. The commentary explained that these were often mixed use facilities, and the "B" referred to administrative areas only. They have since been removed from the laundry list under "B" occupancies.

They are mixed, depending on their design and how the respective department is going to use them.
 
How many of the occupants in the Fire Station are under restraint?

Are they capable of self rescue?

Sorry, but I can't help poking fun and my peers.

Honestly, though are fire trucks considered commercial vehicles?
 
Building or Fire are Civic Administration B-Business

Sleeping portion of Fire would be r-2 Dormitory for that space as either accessory by size 10% or less

oe use by size > 10% seperate or non seperated buy overall area. ( I really like I-4 Day care comments)

Detention areas of police (5+ in IBC 3+ in NFPA 101) are most likely I-3 Condition 3 and most often should be designed as seperated use. Masonry everything with concrete plank roof makes the most sense but that would be up to the DP's and even I know how that goes.

Fire trucks in building S-2 - Parking Garage open or enclosed and possibly Special 406
 
Occupancy of a Fire Station

2009 IBC. How are you guys looking at fire stations where fire fighters are sleeping in them? The '97 UBC put them in a "B" occupancy (specifically), but the I-Codes don't specifically deal with them. Chapter 3 occupancy classifications for "R" includes "...or a portion thereof, for sleeping purposes". Would you look at them as a dormatory? The occupants are not transient, nor are they "dwelling units".

Do you guys require egress windows, sprinklers, etc? Thanks in advance.
 
Builder Bob said:
Some Fire houses may have a minor H occupancy, usually after chilli night on Fridays...... ;)
And sometimes an "I" depending on the mood/ mental state of some
 
Top