Stands, Booths, Vending Carts
All vending booths, stands, carts, or other structures or equipment shall be erected and ready for inspection by the Office of the Fire Marshal a minimum of two hours prior to the event’s opening to the general public. Stages, booths, stands, or vending carts for these events should be restricted from major access streets. Temporary structures should be erected in parking lots, on fields, or park land when possible.
All stands shall be constructed in a manner that will allow vending to the street side or front only. There shall be no vending from the rear or sides of the stands without prior approval. No stage, booth, stand, or vending cart shall be placed within 5 feet of a cross or connecting street or alley; nor shall they impede or obstruct the egress from any building. Concession stands utilized for cooking shall have a minimum 10 ft clearance on two sides and shall not be located within 10 ft of an amusement ride.
All vendors/concession stands are required to have fire extinguishers of sufficient size and type for the hazard involved. The extinguishers shall be at least a 2-A: 10-BC rating or a type suitable for the hazard involved. A larger extinguisher (20-BC rating) may be required for liquid petroleum (LP) gas cooking and/or deep fryer cooking. Class K fire extinguishers shall be provided where there is a potential for fires involving combustible cooking media such as vegetable or animal oils and fats. The Class K fire extinguisher shall be at least 1.6 gallons. Extinguishers shall be conspicuously located where they will be readily accessible and immediately available in the event of a fire. Fire extinguishers shall be maintained in a fully charged and operable condition and shall be kept in their designated places at all times when not in use. The fire extinguishers shall be displayed in a manner as required by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
All electrical devices, wiring, generators, electrical hookups for all pre-manufactured carts/trailers, booths, stands, stages, and other structures shall be permitted, inspected and approved by a Howard County Electrical Inspector prior to use.
Tents
Any tent over 120 ft² requires a permit from Howard County Department of Inspection, License and Permits. Tents and canopies used for food service require a permit from the Howard County Health Department. All electrical devices, wiring, and generators shall be permitted, inspected and approved by a Howard County Electrical Inspector prior to use. Tents shall be permitted on a temporary basis only.
All canopy and tent material shall comply with the flame resistance requirements set by the Office of the Fire Marshal. The tent or canopy shall have a label affixed or an on-site certification stating that the tent complies with NFPA 701, California State Fire Marshal, or other testing standard approved by the Office of the Fire Marshal. The on- site certification must identify the make and model of the tent along with the certifying testing agency.
All tents shall be located a minimum of 10 ft from any structure. The location and placement of a tent shall not block any exit from a structure. The placement shall not create a situation where the building occupants will exit through the tent to get to a safe area. A 10ft separation is required after every 100 ft of tents. In addition, 2 rows of tents are allowed to be set up back to back then a 10ft separation is required before another row of tents may be set up. Tents and/or canopies shall not be set up inside a building unless approved by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
Canopies or tents used for cooking shall not be occupied by the public. All cooking operations shall take place under a separate canopy. Food serving lines shall not obstruct exits.
Open Flame and Pyrotechnic Devices
No open flame devices or pyrotechnic devices shall be used in any assembly occupancy unless permitted by the Office of the Fire Marshal. HCDFRS has the authority to prohibit any and all open fires and open flame devices in any structure; i.e.: open fires and open flame devices in tents, barns, etc. HCDFRS recommends that only electric devices be utilized for food warming.
All devices in connection with the preparation of food shall be installed and operated to avoid hazard to the safety of occupants. They shall be of the approved type and shall be installed in an approved manor. Cooking equipment that is installed in fixed, mobile or temporary concessions, such as trucks, buses, trailers, pavilions, tents or any form of roof enclosures, shall comply with the requirements set forth by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
Open flame chafing dishes used for warming food must be designed for this purpose. The chafing dish container must be in place. Only devices (such as sterno cans) designed for use with chafing dishes shall be used. A snuffing device designed for use with the chafing dish container shall be kept in close proximity to the serving area. Combustible materials or decorations shall not be used near the serving dishes. Extra fuel containers shall be kept at a location remote from the serving area. A responsible person shall be identified to ensure the devices are completely extinguished at the end of the event prior to disposal. Devices shall not be disposed of until cool to touch.
Outdoor cooking, heating and other similar devices, barbeque grills, hibachis, gas fired grills, charcoal grills, smokers, chimineas, illuminariums, or other similar device used for cooking, heating, or other purposes are permitted provided they are not used or kindled on any balcony or under any overhanging portion or within 15 feet of any structure, except electric grills that do not use an alternative fuel may be used if approved by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
Compressed Gas Cylinder Requirements
Propane shall be limited to one 20-pound cylinder per appliance for residential type cooking devices, 60 pounds for appliances rated at 80,000 BTU/hr, and 120lbs. for appliances rated above 80,000 BTU/hr. Cylinders/tanks shall be in good physical condition and shall have hydrostatic date stamp. Cylinders/tanks shall be secured in the upright position by an acceptable method that prevents the tank from tipping over. Cylinders/tanks shall be protected from vehicle traffic. Cylinders/tanks shall be located at least 5 feet from any cooking or heating equipment, open flame device, or doorway or opening; 10 feet from doorway or openings if structure has only one means of egress.
Cylinders/tanks in storage shall be located to minimize exposure to excessive temperature, physical damage, or tampering. Flammable gas cylinders (attached to a device or unattached) shall not be stored in a structure or on a porch, deck, or balcony. The Office of the Fire Marshal will approve the location for spare cylinder storage