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9.A. - Page 7 <br /> 2. In the opinion of the California State Fire Marshal(CSFM) and the City's Fire Marshal, <br /> the best form of protection against multi-unit residential fires is a combination of smoke <br /> alarms and Automatic Sprinkler Systems. <br /> a. Smoke alarms alert occupants to the presence of danger but do not extinguish <br /> a fire. Smoke alarms are required in all residential structures regardless if they <br /> are single or multi-family occupancy. Smoke alarms became law in California <br /> under the 1985 adoption of the State Building Code. <br /> b. Automatic Sprinkler Systems respond quickly to reduce heat, flames, and <br /> smoke from a fire giving occupants valuable time to get out safely. Effective <br /> July 1, 1989, the State of California required Automatic Sprinkler Systems for <br /> new multi-unit residential buildings. Effective January 1, 2011, the State <br /> required Automatic Sprinkler Systems for new single-family homes. <br /> c. Currently, state law does not require multi-unit residential buildings permitted <br /> before July 1, 1989, to be retrofitted with Automatic Sprinkler Systems, and <br /> instead the determination has been left to local jurisdictions to decide what is <br /> appropriate for their communities. <br /> 3. The risk of fires similar to those on Woodside Road, as well as greater harm due to a <br /> fire spreading beyond a single structure, is exacerbated by the City's local climatic, <br /> geological, and topographical conditions as articulated in Resolution Number <br /> a. As more specifically detailed in Resolution No. , local Redwood City climatic <br /> conditions include low precipitation and gusty westerly winds especially during <br /> the dry period, which creates potentially hazardous fire conditions. <br /> b. As more specifically detailed in Resolution No. , local Redwood City <br /> geological conditions include the City's location in a seismically-active area <br /> adjacent to several major earthquake faults, including the San Andreas Fault. <br /> The City also includes many hilly neighborhoods and open spaces in which steep, <br /> narrow, and older streets are common. Such steep, narrow and older streets, <br /> which are a function of local geological conditions, make firefighting more difficult <br /> because they limit and slow emergency vehicle access. In addition, local soil <br /> conditions (bay mud) increase the risk of building damage and fires resulting from <br /> seismic activity. <br /> c. As more specifically detailed in Resolution No. , local Redwood City <br /> topographical conditions include multiple elevation changes resulting in <br /> meandering streets and over-crowded thoroughfares creating barriers to <br /> firefighting and potentially increasing response times to fires. <br /> d. In Redwood City, there are approximately five hundred and sixty (560) <br /> residential buildings with four units or more lacking Automatic Sprinkler System <br /> protection. Many of these buildings are located in areas particularly affected by <br /> ATTY/ORD.410/FIRE SPRINKLER <br /> REV:05-12-15 PT <br /> Page 2 of 9 <br />