Plan Review and Construction

Overview

The Prevention Services Division is tasked with the responsibility of reviewing plans for new construction and renovation projects within the jurisdiction of the Pike Township Fire Department in order to determine compliance with currently adopted fire and building safety codes. The Pike Township Fire Department is the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) and local fire official (LFO) for such projects. The  Prevention Services Division also inspects construction projects to ensure that they conform to the reviewed and released plans.

You can check to see the boundaries of our jurisdiction by visiting this link. Once on the map page, click on the layers icon located on the top left of the screen. Click the ‘Operational Layers’ arrow to expand the layer options. Select ‘Fire Marshal Districts’ and navigate back to the map screen. The large gold box on the top left of the map shows the jurisdiction of the Pike Township Fire Department. Our boundaries are generally, W 96th St. to the north, Township Line Rd. to the east, W 38th St. to the south, and Raceway Rd. to the west.

Plan Review and Construction Process

• Review all code requirements for construction projects located in Pike Township, the City of Indianapolis, and the State of Indiana
  • Pike Township and City/County Ordinances can be found here.
    • Important LFO requirements: Sec. 591-406 – Fire Hydrants, Sec. 591-407 – Marking of Fire Protection Equipment, Fire Hydrants, and Access Roads
  • State of Indiana adopted building codes can be found here. 
• Submit an application for a building permit and construction design release to the City of Indianapolis and the State of Indiana. (more information can be found here)
• The Pike Township Fire Department will be notified of your application automatically and the LFO plan review process will commence (all fees are paid to the City of Indianapolis).  
• The architect and owner will receive a plan review notice via email with comments and construction requirements within 30 days of application submittal.
• Review LFO comments and submit changes or addendum’s directly to the Pike Township Fire Department via email, postal, or dropoff to Pike Township Fire Department Headquarters Attn: Prevention Services Division located at 4881 W 71st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46268.
  • Revised plans or addendums must be submitted prior to the start of construction and must be retained on-site during the entire project.
  • The Prevention Services Division will not inspect projects without released plans on-site and available for review by the LFO inspector.
• Plans will be stamped and returned via email or postal mail to the architect of record.
• A registered construction project placard will be provided and must be displayed along with any required permits in a conspicuous location on-site.

Inspections

Upon receipt of released plans and all applicable permits, construction may begin. The Pike Township Fire Department inspects construction projects independently of any other city, state, or federal required inspections. However, inspections are often conducted concurrently with other inspections whenever possible. The Prevention Services division performs the following inspections:

• Rough-In Above Ceiling
• Pre-final (80% complete)
• Kitchen Hood Test
• Fire Alarm Acceptance Test
• Undergound/Above Ground Fire Protection
• Fire Sprinkler Acceptance Test
• Final Walk Through (100% complete)

When scheduling an inspection, the project manager or their designee should contact the City of Indianapolis to request an inspection first if possible. After scheduling a city inspection, the project manager should then request a LFO inspection here or by calling 317-347-5860 ext. 2105 not less than 24 hours prior to the requested inspection date. If the project manager is unable to schedule a city inspection, the city inspector is unavailable, or a city inspection has already been conducted or is not applicable to the project, an inspection request can be placed directly with the Prevention Services Division.

Special Considerations

The Pike Township Fire Department requires building owners and design professionals to consult directly with the Prevention Services Division on certain fire safety and fire protection design features. If applicable to the scope of the project, the following items must be discussed with the Prevention Services Division during the design phase:

• Location of fire department connection (FDC)
  • FDC’s must be located remotely from the building. Wall-mounted FDC’s are not permissible without a variance being granted prior to construction.
• FDC Specifications
  • FDC’s shall have a 5″ Storz connection with a locking KNOX FDC cap (more information available here).
• An FDC sign shall be provided when the FDC is not readily visible from the front of the building (more information available here).
• Fire hydrants shall be located within 40 ft. of the FDC. 
• Fire protection and fire alarm system acceptance testing documentation shall be provided to the Pike Township Fire Department at the final inspection.
• Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided and dead-end roads greater than 150 ft. shall be provided with a turnaround. 
  • See Appendix D (IFC) – Fire Apparatus Access Roads for more information or contact the Prevention Services Division.
• A KNOX fire department access key box shall be provided for any building equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler or fire alarm system. KNOX access is required by means of a KNOX box or switch located at any vehicle gates on the property. KNOX products can be ordered here. Please be Pike Twp Fire Dept – Indianapolis, IN is selected as the servicing fire department. 
• A dedicated branch circuit shall be provided for fire alarm systems. The circuit shall be identified as the “Fire Alarm Circuit Control” and must be red in color (see example here).

Variances

The Pike Township Fire Department and the State of Indiana both recognize that the currently adopted codes may impose a financial or another hardship on the building owner. An owner wishing to apply for a variance must complete and submit an application with any supporting documents to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Additional information about variances can be found here. Please ensure that you select the proper local fire official (LFO) and local building official (LBO) when completing your application. A list of the LFO and LBO for each department can be found on the variance information page. The Prevention Services Division will receive a copy of your variance application and submit acknowledgment of its receipt to the State of Indiana. Building owners are encouraged to consult with the Prevention Services Division prior to submittal of a variance application. The Pike Township Fire Department will provide written comments to the State of Indiana in support or opposition to the variance.