One state, one law, varying interpretations. Though it was developed to maintain uniform building code standards nationwide, the recently-adopted International Fire Code has been a common cause of confusion across the Commonwealth.
Among other things, the new code regulates the amount of flame-resistant and flame-retardant material that can be attached to a wall or ceiling and prohibits the use of combustible materials as wall decorations in multi-unit dwellings, including apartment buildings and student dormitories, said Jim Tidwell, the national director of fire service activities for the International Code Council.
"The idea is to limit the potential for flash fires, which travel at a speed faster than people will normally exit a building," Tidwell said. "A lot of times, what [the regulations] will attempt to do is be reasonable without endangering the general public."
The International Fire Code is developed and maintained by the International Code Council, which was established in 1994 by national building and code associations to create unified national guidelines that would supplement existing regional regulations.
Since its initial publication in 2000, the International Fire Code has been adopted by localities in more than two-thirds of the states -- nearly half of which have enacted the regulations statewide.
Since the code went into effect in Virginia last October, the state Fire Marshall's office has worked with colleges and universities across the Commonwealth to develop policies to ensure compliance in state-owned property.
Although regulations are subject to interpretation by local fire officials, the state fire marshall is not responsible for liability resulting from improper implementation or interpretation of state law and fire prevention policy, said an official with the State Fire Marshall's Office who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Policy Patchwork
According to the terms and conditions of the University housing contract for 2004-2005, "no more than 10 percent of a residence hall room's wall surface area may be covered by potentially flammable objects. This includes but is not limited to posters, framed pictures, photos, flags, tapestries or any other decorative objects that are mounted on the wall."
At the same time, however, the University's official Fire Safety Policy prohibits hanging "any combustible materials from the walls, doors, closet doors, lofts, ceilings etc. of your room... This includes typical decorative items such as posters, flags, banners, pictures, calendars, tapestries, paper lanterns, etc."
This interpretation is more consistent with the Commonwealth's official fire policy, which is codified under the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, the state official said.
Still, discrepancies remain. The Virginia code, for example, limits fire-resistant and fire-retardant wall decorations to 10 percent of the aggregate ceiling area in a room, meaning that the these materials could potentially be concentrated on just one of those surfaces. Non-combustible materials, such as metal or glass, are not restricted.
The University's policy, however, restricts fire-resistant, fire-retardant, and non-combustible wall decorations on a per-surface basis. Because ceiling coverings are not allowed, this interpretation significantly reduces the amount of coverable area in a room.
University Fire Marshall Gerald Drumheller declined to comment for this article by deadline. University Chief Housing Officer Mark Doherty, however, said he believed the University's policy was consistent with state policy.
"My understanding is that we're following the state fire regulations," Doherty said.
Fire Prevention
While no material is truly nonflammable, flame-resistant or flame-retardant material includes chemicals that increase its temperature of combustion, the state official said. This helps to reduce the spread of fire along the material, as is the case naturally with objects that are classified as nonflammable.
Though most fires are not started by wall decorations, these materials can contribute to the spread of flames, according to Tidwell.
In a typical residential fire, however, potentially combustible material is significantly preheated from surrounding flames, so even if a material is flame-resistant or flame-retardant, it is still able to spread a flash fire, Tidwell said.
"There's a saying in the industry that the only difference between a treated material and a non-treated material in a fire is the color of the flame," he said.
Because the regulation primarily is in place to prevent the spread of flash fires, Charlottesville Fire Marshall Ben Powell said he sees no reason why flame-resistant or flame-retardant materials should be limited any more than other so-called non-combustible materials, which are still susceptible to fire.
"Wall covering is a fuel load -- it can ignite and spread very quickly," Powell said. "If [materials are] flame-resistant, there shouldn't be a larger problem as a result of that."
The Smoking Gun
As any experienced firefighter would affirm, not all fires are created equal.
According to the Virginia Fire Incident Reporting System, which is maintained by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, in 2002, cigarettes were the cause of 1,177 fires, accounting for 6.65 percent of all fires statewide. By comparison, the largest source of residential fires is the kitchen, which accounted for nearly half of all fires that same year.
Still, according to the National Fire Protection Association, an international non-profit fire awareness organization, the leading cause of accidental fire death in America is the use of smoking materials.
Currently, however, smoking-materials are not covered by the International Fire Code, and similarly, the University does not prohibit the use of smoking materials, such as lighters, matches, cigars and cigarettes, in its dormitory housing. Like many University housing regulations, however, this may be slated for change.
Following three years of research into the issue, Doherty said he is leaning toward a policy that would prohibit smoking in underclass housing, though the decision would be based on health considerations and not necessarily fire safety.
It would not be an unprecedented move. Virginia Tech does not allow smoking in its dormitories, while William & Mary offers specific smoke-free and substance-free housing opportunities.
Both institutions, however, are less stringent when it comes to wall decorations, only restricting combustible wall coverings to less than 10 percent of wall and ceiling space, according to their Web sites.
In the end, however, the attitude of many people affected by the new regulations may mirror the sentiments of the city's chief fire inspector.
"I don't like the code," Powell said. "I just enforce it."
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