ASU organizations hoping to reach students by tabling on the Downtown campus might encounter complications due to new enforcement of existing fire codes.
The new rules, which were imposed based on the 2003 International Fire Code, state that tables on the campus walkway, Taylor Mall, must have at least 20 feet of surrounding unobstructed space at all times. This is in order for emergency vehicles to fit in the case of a fire, officials said.
While organizations are still able to host events on Taylor Mall, they must now obtain a permit from the fire marshal in order to do so. By having a permit on file, officials will now know what to expect and can be prepared to help in case of an emergency.
“It’s not that they can’t do certain things, it’s just that we’ve got to make sure that we meet the compliance, and that if something does happen, the fire department can do their jobs without having anything obstructing their operation,” said James Gibbs, university and state fire marshal.
However, few students are made aware of this regulation.
“We’re not really sure what the rules are, and there is no official handbook for it or anything,” said Kat Hofland, Undergraduate Student Government Downtown Vice President of Services.
Located in between the Cronkite School and ASU’s University Center, Taylor Mall is the Downtown campus’s central plaza, which often bustles with students.
Many student organizations set up tables and tents on the mall to publicize events or services to students. In order to abide by fire code, organizations can set up on either side of Taylor Mall between the planters and benches, Gibbs said.
“The fire lane has to be at least 20 feet wide. Clear space,” Gibbs said. “People are okay because they can move out quick, but when you have to move tables, and underneath the tables and the canopies, that’s an issue.”
USGD Vice President of Policy Ryan Boyd has not seen these rules enforced during his three years on campus. He and other USGD members, who recall attending events during which Taylor Mall was packed with tables, learned about the rules this semester when the fire marshal visited an event.
“The problem is that it was not communicated very well to either the student organizations or the administrators, as both of us were caught off guard by this development,” Boyd said.
According to John Mertens, fire protection engineer for the Phoenix Fire Department, ASU has taken responsibility for enforcing the fire code at city-owned university buildings. This is in accordance with citywide adopted changes to the 2012 International Fire Code.
“By contract with them, we are saying we are going to be responsible for everything,” Gibbs said. “We’re trying to support the university but meet all the code compliances.”
Contact the reporter at mallory.prater@asu.edu
