The Florida Senate

721.24  Firesafety.--

(1)  Any:

(a)  Facility or accommodation of a timeshare plan, as defined in this chapter, chapter 718, or chapter 719, which is of three stories or more and for which the construction contract has been let after September 30, 1983, with interior corridors which do not have direct access from the timeshare unit to exterior means of egress, or

(b)  Building over 75 feet in height that has direct access from the timeshare unit to exterior means of egress and for which the construction contract has been let after September 30, 1983,

shall be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system installed in compliance with the provisions prescribed in the National Fire Protection Association publication NFPA No. 13 (1985), "Standards for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems." The sprinkler installation may be omitted in closets which are not over 24 square feet in area and in bathrooms which are not over 55 square feet in area, which closets and bathrooms are located in timeshare units. Each timeshare unit shall be equipped with an approved listed single-station smoke detector meeting the minimum requirements of NFPA-74 (1984), "Standards for the Installation, Maintenance and Use of Household Fire Warning Equipment," powered from the building electrical service, notwithstanding the number of stories in the structure, if the contract for construction is let after September 30, 1983. Single-station smoke detection is not required when a timeshare unit's smoke detectors are connected to a central alarm system which also alarms locally.

(2)  Any timeshare unit of a timeshare plan, as defined in this chapter, chapter 718, or chapter 719 which is of three stories or more and for which the construction contract was let before October 1, 1983, shall be equipped with:

(a)  A system which complies with subsection (1); or

(b)  An approved sprinkler system for all interior corridors, public areas, storage rooms, closets, kitchen areas, and laundry rooms, less individual timeshare units, if the following conditions are met:

1.  There is a minimum 1-hour separation between each timeshare unit and between each timeshare unit and a corridor.

2.  The building is constructed of noncombustible materials.

3.  The egress conditions meet the requirements of s. 5-3 of the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101 (1985).

4.  The building has a complete automatic fire detection system which meets the requirements of NFPA-72A (1987) and NFPA-72E (1984), including smoke detectors in each timeshare unit individually annunciating to a panel at a supervised location.

(3)  The Division of State Fire Marshal of the Department of Financial Services may prescribe uniform standards for firesafety equipment for timeshare units of timeshare plans for which the construction contracts were let before October 1, 1983. An entire building shall be equipped as outlined, except that the approved sprinkler system may be delayed by the Division of State Fire Marshal until October 1, 1991, on a schedule for complete compliance in accordance with rules adopted by the Division of State Fire Marshal, which schedule shall include a provision for a 1-year extension which may be granted not more than three times for any individual requesting an extension. The entire system must be installed and operational by October 1, 1994. The Division of State Fire Marshal shall not grant an extension for the approved sprinkler system unless a written request for the extension and a construction work schedule is submitted. The Division of State Fire Marshal may grant an extension upon demonstration that compliance with this section by the date required would impose an extreme hardship and a disproportionate financial impact. Any establishment that has been granted an extension by the Division of State Fire Marshal shall post, in a conspicuous place on the premises, a public notice stating that the establishment has not yet installed the approved sprinkler system required by law.

(4)  The provisions for installation of single-station smoke detectors required in subsection (1) and subparagraph (2)(b)4. shall be waived by the Division of State Fire Marshal for any establishment for which the construction contract was let before October 1, 1983, and which is under three stories in height, if each individual timeshare unit is equipped with a smoke detector approved by the Division of State Fire Marshal.

(5)  The Division of State Fire Marshal shall adopt, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 120, any rules necessary for the implementation and enforcement of this section. The Division of State Fire Marshal shall enforce this section in accordance with the provisions of chapter 633.

(6)  Accommodations and facilities of personal property timeshare plans shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.

History.--s. 55, ch. 90-339; s. 30, ch. 2000-302; s. 1893, ch. 2003-261; s. 20, ch. 2004-279.