WaSMAR2810_07.xml Guide to the Seattle Fire Department Building Code Revision Records 1977-1983 Seattle Fire Department Building Code Revision Records Finding aid prepared by Linnet Blumenthal Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Seattle Municipal Archives © 2010
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
Finding aid encoded by Julie Kerssen 2010 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
2810-07 Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept. Seattle Fire Department Building Code Revision Records 1977-1983 1.2 cubic feet 3 boxes Records from the Fire Marshal's Office related to the update and revision of Seattle’s high rise building codes. Collection materials are in English Historical Note

A Fire Department was established by City Charter in 1883. It provided for equipment purchases, but not for hiring of firefighters. Following the Great Fire of 1889, a professional fire department was created with five district fire stations and purchase of a fire boat. The first Fire Chief of the professional department was Gardner Kellogg who served 1890-1892 and 1895-1901. A Board of Fire Commissioners was established by the 1890 City Charter to prescribe rules and regulations for the Department. The Board's responsibilities included enforcing rules violations, and appointing the Fire Chief and all subordinate officers. The Board was abolished with passage of a new City Charter in 1896. The position of Fire Marshal was established in 1901 with responsibility for inspecting buildings to insure they were in compliance the ordinances related to building construction and fire protection. The Fire Marshal also inspects all fires and reports on the causes. The Department's mission is to curtail loss of life and property by fire through inspection and certification of building safety systems, public education, regulation of hazardous material storage, and fire suppression.

Records from the office of the Fire Marshal related to the update and revision of Seattle’s high rise building codes in the early 1980s. On November 21, 1980, the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, was destroyed by a fire that resulted in the deaths of 85 people. Due to a lack of sprinkler systems throughout most of the casino and other factors pertaining to the local building code exemptions, the fire spread within the hotel in anywhere from one to ten minutes, according to the initial report given by SFD Chief B. L. Hansen in his memorandum to SFD Chief R. L. Swartout. As a result of this fire, the City of Seattle together with the Fire Department drafted and passed Ordinance 110299 adding Article 93 to the Uniform Fire Code, to the Seattle Fire Code in order to facilitate improved safety conditions to building occupants. Included in the collection are drafts of the Ordinance and Article 93, reports, research notes and memoranda. Also in the collection are letters from business owners and citizens concerning the effect the new codes would have on low-income residents, as well as reports and other details concerning the financial impact on low-income housing. Records related to the changes made to the State Building Code are also included, as is information about the MGM Grand Hotel fire.

Records are open to the public.

[Item and date], Seattle Fire Department Building Code Revision Records, Record Series 2810-07. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept. Seattle (Wash.). Fire Marshal Seattle (Wash.). Fire prevention--Washington (State)--Seattle Building laws--Washington (State)--Seattle City Planning Seattle

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

2810-07 Seattle Fire Department Building Code Revision Records 1977-1983 1/1 Article 93 - Common Ground Reports on Low-Income Housing and High Rise Building Codes 1981-1982 1/2 Article 93 - High Rise Minimums Drafts 1980-1981 1/3 Article 93 - High Rise Minimums Drafts 1981 1/4 Article 93 - Notes on Draft Sent to City Council October 20, 1982 1982 1/5 Article 93 - Building Code Advisory Board - Research and Notes 1981-1982 1/6 Article 93 - Building Code Advisory Board - Research and Notes 1981-1982 1/7 Article 93 - Building Code Recommended Changes 1980 1/8 Article 93 - Building Code Recommended Changes 1980 1/9 Article 93 - Building and Fire Prevention Code Advisory Board - Minutes and Notes 1981 1/10 Article 93 - Building and Fire Code Proposed Revisions - City Council Briefing 1980 2/1 City Council Meeting - October 20 and 25 - Captain Fletcher's Notes 1982 2/2 Correspondence - Building Owners and Managers Association re: Article 93 1982-1983 2/3 Correspondence - Effect of Article 93 on Low-Income Housing 1982 2/4 Definition and Fire Loss History 1977-1980 2/5 Article 93 - Draft of Uniform Fire Code - October 28, 1981 1981 2/6 Article 93 - Draft of Uniform Fire Code - October 12, 1982 1982 2/7 Article 93 - Draft of Uniform Fire Code - November 2, 1982 1982 2/8 Article 93 - Fire Prevention Code Advisory Board - Minutes 1982 2/9 High Rise Fire Alarm Systems 1980 2/10 International Conference of Building Officials - Notes 1981 2/11 Article 93 - Low-Income Housing Committee Meeting - Minutes 1982 2/12 Article 93 - Low-Income Housing Committee Meeting - Minutes and Notes 1982 2/13 Article 93 - Low-Income Housing Committee Meeting - Minutes and Notes 1982 2/14 Memorandum - Article 93 Report - Chief Swartout to Mayor Royer 1982 2/15 Memorandum - Meeting Minutes SFD/DCD - Low-Income Housing and Article 93 1983 2/16 M. G. M. Grand Hotel Fire - Press Release Notes 1980 2/17 New York Process for High Rise Buildings Equal to 1807 1981 2/18 New York Equivalency for Alternatives - Local Law 5 1980 2/19 Press Release - Funds for Updating Fire Codes in Low-Income High Rise Buildings 1983 2/20 Report and Materials Related to M. G. M. Grand Hotel Fire - Building and Fire Code Revisions 1980 2/21 Report and Materials Related to M. G. M. Grand Hotel Fire - Building and Fire Code Revisions 1980 3/1 Article 93 - Seattle High Rise - Minimums and Equivalency Survey Wrap Up 1981 3/2 Article 93 - Seattle High Rise - Minimums and Equivalency Citizens Recommendations 1980 3/3 Article 93 - Seattle High Rise - Minimums and Equivalency Informatinon on Exisiting Codes 1981 3/4 Article 93 - Seattle High Rise - Minimums and Equivalency Hotel/Lodging Association Correspondence 1981 3/5 Article 93 - Seattle High Rise - Minimums and Equivalency Input from Owners and Industry 1980-1981 3/6 Article 93 - Seattle High Rise - Minimums and Equivalency Input from Owners and Industry 1980-1981 3/7 State Building Code Changes 1980-1981 3/8 State Code Advisory Committee - Chief Fletcher's Notes 1981 3/9 State Code Advisory Committee - Minutes and Notes 1981 3/10 State Code Advisory Committee - Revisions and Notes 1980 3/11 State Fire Chief Committee Hours - Captain Fletcher 1981 3/12 Washington Administrative Code and Article 93 Comparisons 1981 3/12 Submitted Building Code Change 1981