SHOW LOW – At this regular meeting of the Fire Board on March 22nd, the Timber Mesa Fire & Medical District (TMFMD) changed the passed Fire and Life Safety Code to the International Fire Code (IFC) of 2018.
The change was made for a number of reasons, including to meet Insurance Services Organization (ISO) requirements and to keep an up-to-date code to receive full credit as per the ISO fire service rating. The ISO rates fire departments and then assigns a protection class rating that is helpful in determining insurance rates for homeowners and businesses within the fire protection district. TMFMD has an ISO rating of three, which is among the top ratings in rural Arizona.
TMFMD also has agreements with other government agencies in the region. The city of Show Low and TMFMD have an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that requires the two to work together to maintain similar codes for the convenience of local contractors.
The city of Show Low adopted the International Building Code (IBC) of 2018 last year. “IFC and IBC work hand in hand to ensure that buildings are safely constructed and that the fire district has the two things it needs to put out fires if they occur. Water and structure access are the two things the Fire District needs to keep our community safe, ”said Brian Russell, Fireman at TMFMD.
Changing the code was a long process that began with meeting local construction officials from Show Low Town, Pinetop-Lakeside Town, and Navajo County last year.
The building officials and TMFMD officials reviewed the code and any proposed changes. A public meeting was then held to receive input from local contractors. A contractor, Brandon Garvin, suggested adding early detection and notification to the changes along with relevant sections of National Fire Protection Association Standard 1.142, the Wildland Urban Interface Code, as an additional exception for residential sprinklers when water supply was not possible reached.
The Fire Board included this post in their code changes. Finally, the fire department tentatively approved the change in February of this year, released the Code and changes for public review, held a public hearing, and then voted to approve the Code change in March.
Chief Bryan Savage stated that the fire district code change would have “very little or no impact on construction or construction costs,” as the 2018 code is very similar to the previously adopted 2015 code.
He continued, “This code change gives homeowners and builders more options, ensures the quality of life and safety of our residents and visitors, and includes an optional development standard for the community to create fire-adapted neighborhoods in the White Mountains.” Justen Tregaskes, director of the show City Show’s Low Planning and Zoning Commission stated, “The city and the Fire District work well together. We support the code change and encourage the Fire District to pursue a similar business process with the other jurisdictions in the area. “
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