Impairment Notification

Pursuant to the Oregon Fire Code as Amended by the cities of Eugene and Springfield where a required fire protection system is out of service, the fire department and the fire code official shall be notified immediately and, where required by the fire code official, the building shall be either evacuated or an approved fire watch shall be provided for all occupants left unprotected by the shutdown until the fire protection system has been returned to service.

Impairment Coordinator 

The building owner shall assign an impairment coordinator to comply with the requirements of this process. In the absence of a specific designee, the owner shall be considered to be the impairment coordinator.


Preplanned Impairments

The Fire Marshal's Office must be notified a minimum of five (5) business days in advance, of any planned impairments. Preplanned impairments shall be authorized by an impairment coordinator. Before authorization is given by the fire code official, a designated individual shall be responsible for verifying that all of the following procedures have been implemented:

  1. The extent and expected duration of the impairment have been determined.
  2. The areas or buildings involved have been inspected and the increased risks determined.
  3. Recommendations have been submitted to management or the building owner/manager.
  4. The fire code official has been notified.
  5. The insurance carrier, the alarm company, the building owner/manager and other authorities having jurisdiction have been notified.
  6. The occupants in the areas to be affected have been notified.
  7. A tag shall be used to indicate to the occupants that a system, or portion thereof, has been removed from service. 
  8. The tag shall be posted at each fire department connection, system control valve, fire alarm control unit, fire alarm annunciator and fire command center, indicating which system, or part thereof, has been removed from service. The fire code official may specify where the tag is to be placed.
  9.  Necessary tools and materials have been assembled on the impairment site.

Unplanned (Emergency) Impairments

Where unplanned (emergency) impairments occur, appropriate emergency action shall be taken to minimize potential injury and damage. The impairment coordinator shall implement the actions in the preplanned impairment steps outlined above. 


The Fire Marshal's Office must be notified immediately regarding any impairment. The notification process has two mandatory steps:

  1. Complete the form below which will be sent to the Eugene Springfield Fire Marshal's Office for verification and distribution, ESFimpairments@eugene-or.gov.
  2. Contact the Eugene Springfield Fire Marshal's Office, 541-682-5411 to verify receipt of the impairment notification form.
Impairment Notification Form  

Restoring Impaired Systems

When impaired equipment is restored to normal working order, the impairment coordinator shall verify that all of the following procedures have been implemented:

  • Necessary inspections and tests have been conducted to verify that affected systems are operational.
  • Occupants have been advised that protection is restored.
  • The impairment coordinator is required to immediately notify the Fire Marshal's Office by sending an e-mail to ESFimpairments@eugene-or.gov when impaired systems have been restored. 
  • The building owner/manager, insurance carrier, alarm company and other involved parties have been advised that protection is restored.
  • The impairment tags has been removed.
  • Service providers are required to submit records of all system inspections, test, and maintenance to The Compliance Engine within 30 days of completion.