Fire chiefs take over Southern Standard Fire Code
By mid-month, control of the Southern Standard Fire Code should pass from building officials to fire chiefs. The code has been adopted by seven Southeastern states, plus Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and a scattering of cities elsewhere.
Members of the Southern Building Code Congress International who attended that group’s annual conference in October gave nearly unanimous approval to the switch. Routine, final approval is by mail ballots that must be returned by January 15.
The Southern Chiefs—a division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs—initiated the transfer of code maintenance. It means that, in the future, fire chiefs rather than building officials will be voting on any changes to the fire code. The building officials’ organization will continue to hold the copyright.
