Fire Service Access Elevators - Explained

Kyle Schuler, SET

Account Executive at HCI Systems, Inc.
Published Sep 7, 2017

What are Fire Service Access Elevators (FSAE)

Fire Service Access Elevators or F.S.A.E. for short, are designed with strict and
rigorous standards to allow firemen and first responders to utilize the elevator for the
purpose of quickly accessing floors as well as evacuating occupants in the event of an
emergency. This is a huge step for first responders as time is extremely crucial when
addressing buildings of this size.

Another special condition for elevators is known as Occupant Evacuation

Elevators. These are self-evacuation elevators with special requirements much like
FSAEs.
What Code Requires the Use of Fire Service Access Elevators?

The requirement to provide fire service access elevators can be found in the IBC
or International Building Code 2015 section 403.6.1

"In buildings with an occupied floor more than 120 feet above the lowest level of fire
department vehicle access, no fewer than two fire service access elevators, or all
elevators, whichever is less, shall be provided in accordance with section 3007. Each fire
service access elevator shall have a capacity not less than 3500 pounds."

The requirements on how a fire service access elevator is to be installed can be

found in the IBC or International Building Code 2015 section 3007.

Other references include:

 ASME A17.1
 CSA B44
 NFPA 72 2013 section 21.5

Requirements of Fire Service Access Elevators

When a fire service access elevator is required by the IBC section 403.6.1, every
floor within the building shall be served and comply with sections 3007.1 through 3007.9

Automatic Sprinkler Requirements:

The building with FSAE shall be protected throughout with an approved automatic
sprinkler system in accordance with section 903.3.1.1. The automatic sprinkler system
shall be provided with a supervised tamper switch and alarm initiating water flow switch
on every floor of the building. Note, the following areas are prohibited from having
automatic fire sprinkler protection:

 Elevator Machine Rooms

 Elevator Machinery Spaces
 Elevator Control Rooms
 Elevator Control Spaces
 Elevator Hoistways of the Fire Service Access Elevator
How are Fire Service Access Elevators Designated or Noticed?

IBC section 3007.6.5 gives us the following information. A pictorial symbol of a

STANDARDIZED design shall be placed on each side of the hoistway door frame on the
portion of the frame at right angles to the fire service access elevator lobby. To clear that
up, the symbol shall be installed on the frame where it is noticeable immediately upon
entry to the FSAE lobby.

Here is a picture of the symbol depicted in the IBC figure 3007.6.5

Fire Service Access Elevator Symbol

The following are guidelines for the design of the symbol:

 The FSAE symbol shall not be less than 3 inches in height

 The helmet shall contrast the background. It states you can use a
dark helmet on light background or light helmet on dark
background.
 The symbol shall be located on center line of the symbol and
FSAE door frame at a height of not less 78 inches or more than 84
inches.

FSAE Monitoring

The fire service access elevators shall be continuously monitored at the FCC by
a standard emergency service interface system meeting requirements found in NFPA 72
the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
Fire Service Access Elevator Car Dimensions

FSAE Lobby Requirements

Egress through the fire service access elevator lobby is permitted in accordance
with IBC section 1016.2 "Egress Through Intervening Spaces" item #1. The exception to
this rule is if the FSAE lobby has two entrances onto the floor, the second entrance shall
be permitted to open into an elevator lobby in accordance with IBC section 3006.3
"Hoistway Opening Protection".

The fire service access elevator lobby shall have direct access to to an enclosed interior
exit stairway or ramp. The interior exit stairway or ramp can be in a protected pathway
that has a level of protection not less than the FSAE lobby. The path of travel and FSAE
lobby shall be separated via an opening protected by a smoke and draft control assembly
in accordance with IBC section 716.5.3 "Door Assemblies in Corridors and Smoke
Barriers".

The FSAE lobby enclosure shall have smoke barrier having a fire-resistance rating of not
less than 1 hour. The FSAE lobby doors shall be 3/4 hour fire door assemblies in
accordance with IBC section 716.5 "Fire Door and Shutter Assemblies". This rule does
NOT apply to the hoistway doors, elevator control room doors or elevator control space
doors. FSAE lobbies are not required to be enclosed at the levels of exit discharge.

Keep in mind the elevator lobbies for fire service access elevators shall be no smaller
than 150 square feet in area with a dimension not less than 8 feet. This rule applies no
matter how many FSAE cabs are served by the same lobby. Example 8 feet x 19 feet
would give you 152 square feet of lobby area.
How are Fire Service Access Elevators Designated or Noticed?

IBC section 3007.6.5 gives us the following information. A pictorial symbol of a

STANDARDIZED design shall be placed on each side of the hoistway door frame on the
portion of the frame at right angles to the fire service access elevator lobby. To clear that
up, the symbol shall be installed on the frame where it is noticeable immediately upon
entry to the FSAE lobby.

Here is a picture of the symbol depicted in the IBC figure 3007.6.5

Fire Service Access Elevator Symbol

The following are guidelines for the design of the symbol:

 The FSAE symbol shall not be less than 3 inches in height

 The helmet shall contrast the background. It states you can use a
dark helmet on light background or light helmet on dark
background.
 The symbol shall be located on center line of the symbol and
FSAE door frame at a height of not less 78 inches or more than 84
inches.

FSAE Monitoring

The fire service access elevators shall be continuously monitored at the FCC by
a standard emergency service interface system meeting requirements found in NFPA 72
the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
FSAE Electrical Power

The following that serve each fire service access elevator shall be provided with both
normal power as well as Type 60/Class 2/Level 1 standby power:

1. Elevator equipment
2. Elevator hoistway lighting
3. Ventilation for elevator machine rooms, elevator control rooms,
machine and control spaces.
4. Elevator cab lighting

He is the big one to watch out for.

Protection of Wiring and Cables for Fire Service Access Elevators

Wires and cables located OUTSIDE of the fire service access elevator lobby and machine
room that are provided for the fire-detection system shall be protected by construction
having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours, shall be circuit integrity (CI) cable
with a rating of not less than 2 hours or shall be protected by a listed electrical protective
system having a rating of not less than 2 hours.

Phase 1 Recall for Fire Service Access Elevators

This is currently taken from our home state of California out of the California Building
Code 2013 of CBC section 3007.2. Activation of ANY initiating device within the building
shall active the phase 1 recall of all fire service access elevators. All standard elevators
shall remain in the normal operation unless they are manually taken over via key or the
activation of their associated fire alarm initiating devices.

San Francisco Takes it a Step Further with Heat Monitoring

San Francisco's Administrative Bulletin AB #5.08 requires an approved means for

firefighters to monitor heat conditions in the FSAE lobbies and associated
machine/control rooms. This is intended to provide firefighters with more information
to determine whether the FSAE lobby protection has been compromised. This means
shall include a dedicated FSAE Status Panel located at the FCC. (Reference NFPA 72-2016
Section 21.5 indicated in item 4.g below). For Notifier we use the addressable FMM-4-20
module along with a Veris Industries TW or TE wall mounted temperature sensor. We
then provide a custom LED status panel by Space Age Electronics with each
elevator lobby broken down into 5 temperature levels. See image below of a Fire Service
Access Elevator Status Panel for San Francisco, CA.

Read this article to see how Notifier is accomplishing the monitoring of individual
temperature ranges within each fire service access elevator lobby. "Temperature
Sensors for Fire Service Access Elevators"

Fire Service Access Elevator Status Panel

In closing fire service access elevators are a fairly new setup allowing fire
fighters and first responders to access the elevators in the event of a fire. Since these lifts
are established as Fire Service Access Elevators, they must meet some very
strict rules to ensure they are safe and will function in the extreme conditions of a
structure fire.

All code references for this article are found in the 2015 Edition of the International
Building Code.