Bylaw 2120 – Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw — full text

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Page 1 of 7 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS GRAND FORKS FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY BYLAW NO. 2120 A bylaw to establish and regulate the Grand Forks Fire Department and to provide for fire prevention, fire suppression, life safety services, inspections, enforcement, and related matters. The Municipal Council for the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks, in open meeting lawfully assembled, ENACTS as follows: Citation 1. This bylaw may be cited as the "Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120" Definitions 2. In this bylaw, unless the context otherwise requires: 2.1. "Alarm System Owner" means the person responsible for the operation and maintenance of a fire alarm system; 2.2. "BC Fire Code" means the fire code as defined under the Fire Safety Act, as amended from time to time; 2.3. "Campfire" means an Outdoor Fire no larger than 0.5 metres in length, width, and height, contained inside a ring of concrete, rock, steel, or on the ground surrounded by mineral soil, burning clean, dry, untreated wood, and conducted under the terms of an active fire permit approved by the Fire Chief; 2.4. "City" means the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks; 2.5. "Council" means the Municipal Council of the City of Grand Forks; 2.6. "Chief Administrative Officer" means the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Grand Forks; 2.7. "False Alarm" means activation of a fire alarm system resulting in Fire Department response where no fire or emergency condition exists; 2.8. "Fire Chief" means the person appointed by Council as head of the Grand Forks Fire Department and includes their designate; 2.9. "Fire Department" means the Grand Forks Fire Department; 2.10. "Fire Hazard" means any condition that endangers life or property due to fire, including combustible materials, hazardous substances, unsafe storage, or structural deficiencies; Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 Page 2 of 7 2.11. "Fire Inspector" means a person designated by the Local Authority under the Fire Safety Act to conduct fire safety inspections; 2.12. "Fire Safety Act" means the Fire Safety Act, SBC 2016, c. 19, as amended from time to time; 2.13. "Fire Safety Plan" means a documented plan outlining fire safety measures, procedures and equipment as required in accordance with the BC Fire Code and the BC Building Code; 2.14. "Local Authority" means the Council of the City of Grand Forks; 2.15. "Occupier" means a person who has care, control, or management of Premises; 2.16. "Outdoor Fire" means the burning of material which results in the products of the combustion being emitted directly to the air and which is not contained within a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning appliance and not carried out within a building; 2.17. "Owner" has the meaning prescribed in the Community Charter, SBC 2003, c. 26, as amended or replaced; 2.18. "Person(s)" includes any company, corporation, Owner, partnership, firm, association, society, or party; 2.19. "Premises" means land, buildings, structures, vehicles, or property located within the City. Establishment and Authority of Fire Department 3. The Fire Department, as established under the City of Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1965, is hereby continued. 4. The Fire Department is responsible for fire suppression, rescue, emergency response, inspections, investigations, fire prevention, public education, and life safety services within the City, and any authorized response area served under agreement. 5. The Fire Chief has general supervision and control over the Fire Department's operations and personnel. 6. The Fire Chief may designate officers or members to act on their behalf. 7. The Fire Chief is authorized to: 7.1. enforce this bylaw, the BC Fire Code, and the Fire Safety Act; 7.2. commit the Fire Department to mutual aid or assistance responses within or outside the City, provided that such response does not unduly compromise local service; 7.3. nominate and deploy personnel and equipment to wildfire or provincial emergency responses; 7.4. approve the use of Fire Department apparatus and equipment for parades, ceremonial events, training exercises, or community engagement activities; Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 Page 3 of 7 7.5. issue orders necessary to eliminate fire hazards or protect life and property. Inspection Authority 8. The Fire Chief or Fire Inspector may enter premises at any reasonable time to conduct inspections in accordance with the Fire Safety Act. 9. Entry into private dwellings requires consent of the occupier or a warrant, except in emergency circumstances. Orders 10. A Person shall comply with any written order from the Fire Chief specifying corrective action and a compliance period where non-compliance of this bylaw, the Fire Safety Act, or a fire hazard exists. 11. A Person shall comply with any evacuation or other corrective or responsive action ordered by the Fire Chief as deemed necessary to protect life or property in an emergency situation. General Fire Safety 12. Owners and Occupiers must ensure Premises comply with this bylaw, the Fire Safety Act, and the BC Fire Code. Fire Safety Plans 13. A Person shall prepare and maintain a Fire Safety Plan where required by the BC Fire Code, a Fire Safety Plan shall be prepared, maintained, reviewed annually, and kept accessible on site. 14. A Person shall ensure that any Fire Safety Plan required by the BC Fire Code is reviewed annually and updated as required. 15. A Person shall designate and train supervisory staff responsible for implementing a Fire Safety Plan. Construction and Access 16. Owners of premises under construction shall ensure emergency access routes and fire protection water supplies are available as required by the BC Fire Code. 17. A Person shall notify the Fire Department of fire hydrant installations or system conditions affecting fire protection. Fire Hydrants 18. Owners of private hydrants shall maintain such hydrants in operable condition, including annual inspection and testing. 19. A Person shall keep the ground surface clear of shrubs, trees, structures, debris and any obstructions of any kind within a radius of 1.5 metres (five feet) around the fire hydrant. Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 Page 4 of 7 Fire Department Lock Boxes 20. Owners or Occupiers shall install a Fire Department lock box approved by the Fire Chief where a building is equipped with a fire alarm system, sprinkler system, or secured multi- tenant access. 21. The Owner or Occupier shall ensure the lock box: 21.1. is installed in a location approved by the Fire Chief; 21.2. contains current keys, access cards, or codes; 21.3. is maintained in operable condition. 22. An Owner or Occupier shall update the contents of a lock box immediately when locks are changed. Mixed Occupancy Buildings 23. An Owner or Occupier shall maintain fire separations in mixed occupancy buildings to have a fire-resistance rating not less than that required by the BC Building Code or one hour, whichever is greater. 24. An Owner or Occupier shall ensure that smoke alarms in mixed occupancy buildings are interconnected, and that smoke alarms are maintained and tested annually. Open Burning 25. A Person shall not ignite an Outdoor Fire unless authorized by permit issued by the Fire Chief and conducted in compliance with the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation, BC Reg. 145/93 as may be amended or replaced from time to time. 26. A Person conducting an Outdoor Fire shall ensure that only clean, dry, natural vegetation is burned. 27. A Person shall not burn an Outdoor Fire during provincial or local fire bans. Campfires 28. A Person shall not burn a Campfires exceeding 0.5 metres in height or diameter. 29. A Person shall ensure that Campfires are supervised at all times and are fully extinguished before being left unattended. 30. A Person shall renew Campfire permits annually using the process determined by the Fire Chief. Fireworks 31. A Person shall not possess, sell, or discharge fireworks unless authorized by a display permit issued by the Fire Chief. Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 Page 5 of 7 False Alarms 32. The Owner or Occupier of a Premises must take reasonable action to maintain Fire Alarm Systems to prevent False Alarms and must pay the applicable fee prescribed in the Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw on the occurrence of a second False Alarm, and for each subsequent False Alarm, respecting the Premises occurring in a calendar year. Cost Recovery 33. Where the City undertakes remedial action due to non-compliance, costs may be recovered in accordance with the Community Charter. Offences 34. A person who contravenes this bylaw commits an offence, and each day a violation continues constitutes a separate offence. 35. Offences may be enforced by Municipal Ticket Information, Administrative Penalty, or by prosecution. 36. A Person shall not: 36.1. impede in any way any member in the execution of their duties, including but not limited to: 36.1.1. providing an incident response; 36.1.2. investigating a fire scene; 36.1.3. investigating a building to determine the cause of activation of a fire alarm system, sprinkler system or other fire or life safety system; 36.1.4. investigation of a complaint of a fire hazard; or 36.1.5. conducting a fire safety inspection as required by the Fire Safety Act or this Bylaw. 36.2. enter an incident area without the permission of the Fire Chief except for those duty authorized by the Fire Chief or any member in charge at an incident; 36.3. drive a vehicle over any fire hose. General 37. Any enactment referred to herein is a reference to an enactment of British Columbia and regulations thereto, as amended, revised, consolidated or replaced from time to time. 38. If any section, paragraph or phrase of this bylaw is for any reason held to be invalid by a decision of a Court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this bylaw. Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 Page 6 of 7 Read a first, second, and third time by the Municipal Council this 23rd day of March, 2026. Adopted this 13 day of April, 2026. ______________________ ____________________________ Mayor - Everett Baker Corporate Officer - Kevin McKinnon Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 Page 7 of 7 CERTIFICATE I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and correct copy of Bylaw No. 2120, cited as the "Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120", as passed by the Municipal Council on the 13th day of April, 2026. ____________________________________ Corporate Officer of the Municipal Council of the City of Grand Forks