Plan Review

Avon Fire Department reviews fire and life safety features of proposed construction, alterations, and fire protection system work. Contact us early when a project affects fire department access, water supply, egress, hazardous materials, or fire protection systems. The Building Department remains the point of contact for the building permit and coordinates review of construction documents; most fire protection system plans are permitted through the Building Department. Separate Fire Department permits may also apply to particular activities, equipment, or materials.

First Steps
Apply for a permit with the Building Department for all new fire protection systems, modifications or additions to existing systems. If an existing system has to be impaired as part of the work, an impairment permit is required. Alterations to existing sprinkler systems affecting up to 6 sprinklers do not require a building permit, just an impairment permit. Call Fire Prevention at (774) 480-1692 or email fireprevention@avon-ma.gov to confirm the review path and any Fire Department permit, inspection, or witnessed test. Building-permit and system-plan submissions generally go through the Building Department; use Fire Department Permits for separate fire-permit applications.

Site and Building Plans

For new construction, additions, changes of use, or substantial alterations, provide enough information for the Fire Department to evaluate the features affected by the work. Depending on the project, useful plans and narratives include:

  • Site access: Fire apparatus access routes, widths, turning areas, grades, gates, fire lanes, building address, and access during construction.
  • Water supply: Hydrant locations, available fire flow or water-supply information, and fire department connection (FDC) locations.
  • Building and occupancy: Use and occupancy, construction scope, floor plans, egress, fire-resistance features, and locations of hazardous operations or storage.
  • Fire protection approach: A coordinated fire protection narrative, where applicable, describing required systems and how alarms, sprinklers, smoke control, elevators, doors, and other features interact.

These are examples, not a substitute for the construction documents required by the Building Department. Identify the code edition used for the design and clearly distinguish existing features from new work.

Fire Protection System Plans

Submit system drawings and supporting documents through the applicable building-permit process. The Fire Department reviews the fire protection portions and coordinates tests that it needs to witness. For each system, show the scope of work, device or equipment locations, design basis, sequence of operation, interfaces with other systems, and the proposed method of testing. The design professional and installing contractor should coordinate revisions so the approved documents match the installed work.

How to upload system plans
Upload the submission to the Building Department permitting system as three consolidated PDFs: one PDF with every sheet of the plan set, one PDF with all required calculations, and one PDF with all equipment cut sheets. Keep each category together in a single file; uploading multiple PDFs for plans, calculations, or cut sheets may cause the submission to be returned to the applicant for consolidation.

Fire Alarm and Detection

For a new system or an addition or alteration, provide a coordinated fire alarm package. The applicable edition of NFPA 72 and approved building plans govern the complete submission.

Submission checklist: NFPA 72 installation documentation requirements (PDF).

  • Project and design basis: Protected premises and street address; owner, designer, and installer contact information; a written description of the work and intended system operation.
  • Scaled plans and riser: A plan of each affected floor with north arrow, scale, room uses, walls and doors, device legend, device and control-equipment locations, primary power disconnect, circuit information, and system riser coordinated with the floor plans.
  • Equipment and interfaces: Control-unit and power-supply diagrams, typical wiring details, product data, notification appliance candela and mounting heights, and all connections to monitoring, sprinkler signals, elevators, doors, HVAC, releasing systems, and other building equipment that apply.
  • Operation and calculations: An input/output matrix or narrative sequence; battery capacity and safety margin; notification-circuit voltage drop; and other calculations needed to show the proposed notification and circuit performance.
  • At completion: Provide record drawings, operation and maintenance information, the record of completion, and inspection and test documentation. Coordinate access to site-specific programming with Fire Prevention without placing passwords on public drawings.

Rough inspection: Call Fire Prevention to arrange a fire alarm rough inspection before wiring, device boxes, and other work that needs to be seen are concealed. Have the approved plans and installing contractor available, and identify any changes from the approved layout.

Acceptance testing: Call Fire Prevention again to schedule the acceptance test after the contractor has completed and documented its pretest. Avon Fire Department expects 100% of installed fire alarm devices to be tested and demonstrated in accordance with the applicable NFPA 72 requirements and approved sequence of operation. Test smoke detectors with smoke or manufacturer-approved aerosol and restorable heat detectors with heat or an approved heat-detector tester; actuate manual stations and test other devices by the appropriate method for their type. Demonstrate audible and visual notification, alarm, supervisory and trouble indications, transmission to the receiving point, backup power, and all required interfaces. Use the applicable NFPA 72 and manufacturer methods for devices that cannot be heat- or smoke-tested in the ordinary way.

The Automatic Fire Alarm Association resources page includes an acceptance-test checklist that can help the contractor prepare for the witnessed test. It is a guide and does not replace the required NFPA 72 Record of Completion, approved plans, or test documentation.

NFPA 13 Sprinkler Systems, Standpipes, and Fire Pumps

Working plans should be scaled, use uniform sheets, and show each affected floor. The applicable NFPA 13 working-plan items and system-specific standards determine the full package.

Submission checklists: NFPA 13 working-plan submittal requirements (PDF) and NFPA 13 calculation submittal requirements (PDF).

  • Building and hazard: Owner, occupant, site address, contractor, design edition, floor and cross-section information, ceiling construction and heights, partitions, fire walls, occupancy or hazard in each area, concealed spaces, and any areas proposed without sprinklers. For storage, identify commodity, storage height, and rack arrangement.
  • Sprinklers and piping: Sprinkler make, model, identification number, K-factor and temperature rating; coverage and count by system; pipe sizes and materials; risers, fittings, hangers and bracing; valves, drains, test connections, alarms, and any ties to existing systems.
  • Water supply and connections: Water-supply test data and test locations/elevations, hydrants, private fire service mains, backflow assembly and forward-flow test arrangement, FDC size and location, and standpipe or fire-pump details where included.
  • Hydraulic design: Provide the design criteria and a complete calculation package: summary, detailed worksheets or computer report, water-supply analysis, reference points matching the plans, and a graph comparing supply and demand with applicable hose and in-rack allowances. Show total flow and pressure required at a common point.

Sprinkler inspections and witnessed tests: Call Fire Prevention to schedule a rough inspection before piping is concealed and a final inspection when the system is complete. Avon Fire Department will witness hydrostatic tests of both underground and aboveground sprinkler piping and the flushing of underground piping. Coordinate other required alarm and supervisory, waterflow, main-drain or flow, standpipe, fire-pump, and integrated tests that apply to the installed work. Provide signed copies of the NFPA 13 Contractor’s Material and Test Certificates for Underground Piping and Aboveground Piping.

NFPA 13R Residential Sprinkler Systems

Where the approved design uses NFPA 13R, submit a scaled plan of each floor (typical floors where appropriate) and enough detail to show how all dwelling and common areas are protected.

Submission checklist: NFPA 13R submittal requirements (PDF).

  • Building information: Owner and occupant, address, contractor, floor plans, north arrow, ceiling construction, partitions and fire walls, room use, concealed spaces, attics, closets, bathrooms, and proposed omissions.
  • System information: Sprinkler manufacturer, model, response and temperature rating, identification and orifice/K-factor; pipe sizes and materials, nonmetallic-pipe protection, risers, fittings, hangers, control and check valves, drains, test connections, and alarm devices.
  • Supply and design: Water-main and test information, underground service details, system connections, sprinkler counts by riser and floor, and hydraulic design information where the system is hydraulically calculated.

Witnessed test: Coordinate the installation and acceptance tests applicable to the approved NFPA 13R design, including water supply, piping, alarm/waterflow, and system operation as appropriate. Ask Fire Prevention which portions require a witness before concealing piping.

The supplied submission checklists are excerpts from NFPA 13 (2019), NFPA 13R (2013), and NFPA 72 (2019). They help applicants organize a package; they do not determine the edition or replace the complete requirements applicable to a particular project.

Special Hazard and Suppression Systems

  • Plan information: For commercial cooking, clean agent, foam, or other special systems, show the protected hazard, equipment and agent or piping arrangement, manual actuation, detection, discharge or release sequence, alarms, and required fuel, power, ventilation, or other interlocks.
  • Testing: Pretest the system and be ready to demonstrate actuation, alarms, shutdowns, and other required interfaces without an unintended discharge. The applicable standard and approved plan determine the acceptance procedure and any Fire Department witnessing.

Scheduling a Witnessed Test

  1. Obtain the required permits and approved plans before installation and coordinate changes for review.
  2. Have the installing contractor complete and document its pretest, correct deficiencies, and confirm all trades and monitoring parties are ready.
  3. Call Fire Prevention at least 72 hours before any witnessed test to schedule it. Provide the project address, permit information, system type, scope, proposed dates, and a contact person. Identify any shutdown or impairment needed for the test.
  4. Have the approved plans, test forms, equipment access, and personnel needed to operate and reset the system available at the site. Provide final reports and resolve any outstanding items before requesting final sign-off.

A scheduled visit is not a substitute for a complete contractor pretest. Do not conceal work that requires inspection before the required inspection occurs. If an existing system will be taken out of service, follow the Fire Protection Systems impairment and reporting guidance.

Codes and Related Pages

Plan and test requirements depend on the project, the applicable Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR), the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code (527 CMR 1.00), and referenced standards. See the state building code and state fire code. For applications and inspection coordination, see Fire Department Permits and Inspections.

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Questions

Avon Fire Department – Fire Prevention
150 Main Street, Avon, MA 02322
Phone: (774) 480-1692
Email: fireprevention@avon-ma.gov

For an emergency, call 911.