The Board of Appeals has authority to interpret the fire code and typically comprises how many members?

• A. Has authority to interpret the fire code and consists of 3-7 members who have experience in fire prevention or building construction.
• B. Has authority to issue building permits and consists of 2-4 members with legal background.
• C. Has authority to approve budgets and consists of 8-12 members with finance background.
• D. Has authority to revoke licenses and consists of 1-2 members with engineering background.

Answer: (A)

Interpreting the fire code is the job of a specialized appellate body that reviews enforcement decisions and clarifies ambiguous language. A board of appeals is typically a small panel made up of professionals who have practical experience in fire prevention or building construction. This mix of expertise helps ensure interpretations of the code are technically sound and align with real-world applications. The other options describe boards with duties like issuing permits, approving budgets, or revoking licenses, which aren’t the roles of a board that interprets the code.