Cohousing-L Mailing List: fire truck access

[Lynn Nadeau / Maraiah (welcome]

> Our drivable emergency access was required to be 20 feet wide. Salt  
> Lake's
> fire trucks are mostly modestly sized, but it would still be a tight  
> fit...
>
> Keep in mind you need room not merely for a truck to squeeze  
> through, but
> for the firefighters to offload equipment from its sides.

Fire-equipment access is firmly codified in what is called the UFC. I  
think that's for Unified Fire Code.
Like there's a building code. This spells out very specifically what  
sort of access you need to have.
How far a truck can go before you need a legitimate "turn  
around" (various sorts, from circles to hammerhead-Ts); how close to  
the farthest corner of each structure they have to be able to drive to.

Even though we did a Planned Unit Development process, which redraws  
City plats, we still had to meet the UFC. Our local fire station had  
the book and helped us follow the requirements.

Maraiah Lynn Nadeau
RoseWind Cohousing, Port Townsend WA
daffodils, crocus, first fruit tree blossoms
www.rosewind.org