(1) There is adopted by the City Council of the City, pursuant to the provisions of RCW 35.21.289 and Chapter 19.27 RCW, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion, that certain code and standards known as the International Fire Code, including Appendix Chapters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and references, being in particular the most current state-adopted editions thereof and the whole thereof, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council and published as Chapters 51-34 and 51-35 WAC, save and except such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended, and the same are adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein and from the date on which the ordinance codified in this chapter shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the corporate limits of the City.

(2) It is the specific intent of the fire code of the City as herein adopted, modified and amended, to place the obligation of complying with its requirements upon the owners and occupiers of the buildings and premises within the scope, and no provision of nor any term used in this fire code is intended to impose any duty whatsoever upon the City or any of its officers or employees, for whom the implementation and enforcement of this fire code shall be discretionary and not mandatory.

(3) Nothing contained in this fire code is intended to be nor shall be construed to create or form the basis for any injury or damage resulting from the failure of a building or any premises to comply with provisions of this fire code, or by reason or in consequence of any inspection, notice, order, certificate, permission or approval authorized or issued or done in connection with the implementation or enforcement of this fire code, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of the City, related in any manner to the enforcement of this fire code by its officers, employees or agents.

(4) It is expressly the purpose of this fire code to provide for and promote the health, safety and welfare of the general public, and not to create or otherwise establish or designate any particular class or group of persons who will or should be especially protected or benefited by the provisions of this fire code. [Ord. 4515 § 2, 2021; Ord. 4296, 2016; Ord. 4108, 2013; Ord. 3964, 2010; Ord. 3670 § 12, 2004; Ord. 3316 § 14, 1998; Code 1970 § 16.40.010.]