The purpose of this rule chapter is to comply with Florida Statutes § 393.067(7), which states that the Agency for Persons with Disabilities shall adopt rules relating to minimum standards for facilities including “”uniform firesafety standards established by the State Fire Marshal which are appropriate to the size of the facility or of the component centers or units of the program.”” This rule chapter establishes those uniform firesafety standards and specifies measures to provide a reasonable degree of public safety from fire in residential facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities. For purposes of brevity, these facilities will be referred to throughout these rules as “”developmental disabilities facilities.”” These rules try to avoid requirements which might result in unreasonable hardships, or unnecessary inconvenience, or interference with the normal use and occupancy of a building, but at the same time insist upon compliance with a uniform standard for life safety necessary in the public interest, even though a financial hardship may result in some individual cases.
Rulemaking Authority 633.104 FS. Law Implemented 633.104, 633.206 FS. History-New 10-30-90, Formerly 4A-38.019, Amended 7-30-07.