International Building Code Section 913.2 is hereby amended to read as follows:

[F] 913.2 Protection against interruption of service. The fire pump, driver and controller shall be protected in accordance with NFPA 20 against possible interruption of service through damage caused by explosion, fire, flood, earthquake, rodents, insects, windstorm, freezing, vandalism and other adverse conditions.

[F] 913.2.1 Protection of fire pump rooms and access. In high-rise buildings, fire pumps shall be located in rooms that are separated from all other areas of the building by 2-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or 2-hour horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both. In other than high-rise buildings, separation shall consist of 1-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or 1-hour horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both.

Fire pump rooms not directly accessible from the outside shall be accessible through an enclosed passageway from an interior exit stairway or exterior exit. The enclosed passageway shall have a fire-resistance rating not less than the fire-resistance rating of the fire pump room.

Exception:

Where a fire pump is installed in a parking garage separated from the rest of the building by fire-rated construction equivalent to the pump room, and the portion of the building containing the fire pump is protected by a sprinkler system that does not rely on the fire pump, the protected access to the pump room shall not be required.

Rooms containing fire pumps shall be free from storage, equipment, and penetrations not essential to the operation of the pump and related components.

Exception: Equipment related to domestic water distribution shall be permitted to be located within the same room as the fire pump equipment.

Point of Information

These provisions originate in NFPA 20 (2019) and are intended to facilitate fire department access to the fire pump room. Ideally fire pump rooms are located on the perimeter of the building affording direct access. Where that is not possible, a protected passageway is required. This passageway is not synonymous with an exit passageway and therefore not subject to the significant limitations of allowable penetrations. Fire pump rooms are not permitted to open directly into an exit passageway or interior exit stairway; rather the fire pump room must open into a vestibule before access to an exit passageway or an interior exit stairway.