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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Greendale 3-16-2004 by Ord. No. 807 (Ch. 14 of the Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
General provisions.
Intent. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide the Village of Greendale with rules and regulations to improve public safety by promoting the control of fire hazards and life safety; regulating the installation, use and maintenance of equipment; regulating the use of structures, occupancies and open areas; providing for the removal of fire hazards; and establishing the responsibilities and procedures for code enforcement and to set the minimum standards for compliance and achievement of these objectives. It is also the purpose of this chapter to safeguard, to a reasonable degree, the life and property of the citizens of the Village of Greendale from the hazards of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances and materials and use or occupancy of buildings or premises within the Village. The National Fire Protection Association standards or any other nationally recognized standards shall be deemed to be the standard of compliance with this intent.
Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all buildings and properties within the Village where the public has access to such as dwellings, recreational facilities and/or places of employment.
Applications. The provisions of this chapter shall apply equally to public and private property; they shall also apply to all structures, whether existing or new or remodeled, and they shall apply to the owner of the property as well as the occupant.
Bureau of Fire Prevention.
Creation. The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be operated under the supervision of the Chief of the Fire Department and shall consist of all members of the Greendale Fire Department. The Chief of the Fire Department may detail personnel of the Fire Department as inspectors as necessary.
Duties. The Bureau of Fire Prevention shall enforce all laws and ordinances covering the following:
The prevention of fires.
The storing and use of explosives and flammables.
The installation and maintenance of automatic and other private fire alarm systems and fire-extinguishing equipment.
Maintenance of exitways.
The investigation of the cause, origin and circumstances of fires.
Such other duties as are set forth in this chapter and as may be conferred and imposed from time to time by law.
Annual reports. The annual report of the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be made on or before February 1 and transmitted to the Chief of the Greendale Fire Department. It shall contain all proceedings under this chapter with such statistics as the Chief may wish to have included. The Chief shall also recommend any amendments to this chapter which in his/her judgment shall be desirable.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall enforce all provisions of this chapter and all other state and Village provisions relating to fire prevention within the Village as designated in § 101.14, Wis. Stats., pertaining to the prevention of fires and public safety and approving equipment installation, or procedures as outlined in NFPA standards, and shall make such inspections, perform such tests and issue such orders as may be necessary for such enforcement.
Right of entry.
In the discharge of his duties, the Chief of the Fire Department or his/her authorized agent may enter any building, upon presentation of the proper credentials, during reasonable hours for the purpose of inspection and may require the production of any permit or license required hereunder. No person shall interfere with the inspector or his/her authorized agent while in the performance of his/her duties, and any person so interfering shall be in violation of this chapter and subject to a penalty as provided by § 14.23.
If consent to entry to personal or real properties which are not public buildings, or to portions of public buildings which are not open to the public, for inspection purposes has been denied, the Chief of the Fire Department shall obtain a special inspection warrant under §§ 66.0119, Wis. Stats.
Frequency. The Chief of the Fire Department shall inspect or cause to be inspected by the Bureau of Fire Prevention or the Fire Department officers and personnel as often as may be necessary, but not less than once a year in the area designated as "Out of Fire Limits" and twice a year in the area designated as "In the Fire Limits," all buildings and premises, except the interior of private dwellings, for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fire or any violation of the provisions or intent of any ordinance of the Village affecting fire hazards.
The Fire Chief of the Village of Greendale shall enforce the Greendale Fire Prevention Code.
Whenever an inspection shall reveal in any building or upon any premises dangerous or hazardous conditions combustible waste material or explosive matter which is so situated as to endanger property or obstructions to or on escapes, stairs, passageways, doors or windows liable to interfere with the operations of the Fire Department or egress of occupants in case of fire, the inspector shall order that same to be removed or remedied.
Whenever an inspection by the Greendale Fire Department reveals a fire hazard, the Fire Department may serve a notice, in writing, upon the owner or occupant of the property giving said owner or occupant sufficient time in which to correct or remove said hazard.
Conditions that are highly hazardous to life or safety of the occupants shall be corrected within the time frame deemed appropriate by the Fire Inspector. All other violations and defects shall be corrected within 10 days or such other time as the Greendale Fire Department allows.
Order to install appliance. The Fire Chief shall inspect or cause to be inspected or have plans reviewed of all mercantile and manufacturing establishments, each school, each place of assembly, each hospital or place of detention and each apartment house or tenement building and designate and order suitable fire appliances to be installed in or near boiler rooms, kitchens or restaurants, clubs and similar establishments, storage rooms involving combustible material, rooms in which hazardous manufacturing processes are involved, a garage section and other places of a generally hazardous nature. Such appliance shall meet the current standards and be appropriate for the type of establishment.
Compliance with orders. Failure to comply with lawful orders to install or provide the equipment ordered by the Chief of the Fire Department and to maintain it in operative condition at all times shall be deemed a violation of this chapter.
Service of fire inspection report. The service of a fire inspection report may be made upon the owner, occupant or other person responsible for the conditions, whether by delivering a copy of it personally or by delivering the same to and leaving it with any person in charge of the premises. Whenever it may be necessary to serve a fire inspection report upon the owner of the premises, such a report may be served either by delivering to and leaving with the person a copy of the report or, if such owner is absent from the jurisdiction of the fire inspector/officer making the order, by mailing such copy to the owner's last known post office address by certified mail.
Appeal. Any such order shall forthwith be complied with by the owner and the occupant of such premises or building. If such order is made by one of the inspectors, such owner or occupant may, within 24 hours, appeal to the Chief of the Fire Department, who shall review such order and file his decision thereon. Unless by his authority the order is revoked or modified, it shall remain in full force and shall be complied with within the time fixed in the order or decision of the Chief of the Fire Department. The Chief's decision shall be reviewable under § 1.44 of this Code.
Occupancy or agent change.
Whenever there is a change in occupancy or the agent(s) (manager, shift supervisor, key holder, etc.) of that occupancy, the owner or his/her duly authorized agent shall submit the changes, in writing, to the Greendale Fire Department within five working days. The information will consist of the following:
Whenever a change in the service company for the alarm system and/or the sprinkler system has occurred within the occupancy, the owner or authorized agent shall submit the changes, in writing, to the Greendale Fire Department within five working days. The information will consist of the following:
Investigation of suspicious fires. The Village Attorney and the Police Department, upon request of the Chief of the Fire Department, shall assist in the investigation of any fire which in his opinion is of suspicious origin.
The Village of Greendale hereby adopts the following sections of the Department of Commerce regulations. These regulations are adopted by reference and incorporated into the Village of Greendale Fire Prevention Code with the same force and effect as if fully set forth herein.
Comm 7, Explosive Materials.
Comm 10, Flammable and Combustible Liquids.
Comm 14, Fire Prevention.
Comm 16, Electrical.
Comm 18, Elevators.
Comm 18, Appendix.
Comm 20 to 25, Uniform Dwelling.
Comm 28, Smoke Detectors.
Comm 34, Amusement Rides.
Comm 40, Gas Systems.
Comm 61 to 65, Commercial Building Code.
Comm 70, Historic Buildings.
Comm 75 to 79, Existing Buildings.
Comm 82 to 87, Plumbing.
Any violation of these provisions constitutes a violation of this chapter.
Any future updates to the State Building Codes are also adopted prospectively by reference.
Storage, handling and use of flammable or explosive substances and the use or occupancy of building or premises shall be in conformity with nationally recognized safe practice for the safeguarding to a reasonable degree of life and property from the hazards of fire or explosion. When such conformity is not defined in the chapter, compliance with the provisions of the most current edition of the NFPA Fire Prevention Codes shall be deemed to be prima facie practice; however, unlighted Christmas trees shall be permitted only in churches. The Chief of the Fire Department is hereby empowered to enforce such compliance.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all buildings except:
Private residences and accessory buildings in connection therewith; however, § 14.08 shall apply to private residences.
A building used as the residence of two families only, provided that not more than two persons are accommodated who are not members of the family.
Temporary buildings or sheds used for construction purposes only, provided that if any building or structure, whether above exempted or not, is especially liable to fire and is so situated as to endanger other buildings or property or contains any combustible or explosive material dangerous to the safety of any building or premises or to the occupants thereof or endangering or hindering fire personnel in case of fires, then such building or structure shall be subject to these orders so far as may be necessary to protect adjoining or other buildings and other occupants and fire personnel.
Obstructions of exit.
No person shall place an encumbrance of any kind before or upon any fire escape.
No person shall place, store, keep or permit to be placed, stored or kept on or under or at the bottom of any exit stairway, inside or outside, exit hallway, fire escape, elevator or other means of egress any materials, the presence or the burning of which would obstruct or render hazardous egress of persons from the building.
No exit or exit accesses, passageway or stairway in any store shall be obstructed with tables, showcases or other obstructions.
Marking exitways.
Every exit doorway from any floor other than a principal entrance on the first floor shall be indicated by an approved illuminated sign over the door bearing the word "Exit" in plain letters not less than five inches in height. Exit lights shall be on while the building is occupied.
Where exit doorways are not visible from all locations in public corridors, illuminated directional signs as required by the Bureau of Fire Prevention shall be placed on walls or otherwise displayed in conspicuous locations to direct occupants to exit doorways.
Lighting exitways. Required stairways, hallways and other means of egress, including exterior open spaces to or through which an exitway leads, shall be kept adequately lighted while the building served thereby is occupied.
Stairway doors to be kept closed. No person shall block any open stairway enclosure door which leads to or from a floor of the building and which by law is required to be self-closing.
Clear pathways. The owner, agent or occupant of any business building or manufacturing building used for any purpose of storage, exempting elevators used for the purpose of storage of grain, shall maintain one pathway on each floor, including the basement floor, at least three feet wide and running from the front to the rear of such building clear of all obstructions and encumbrances, from floor to ceiling. Such person shall also provide pathways three feet wide outside along the front and rear of such buildings as the Chief of the Fire Department may deem necessary with not less than one two-foot-wide pathway connecting such pathways with the fire escape exits or other exits and stairways.
Kiosks and similar structures (temporary or permanent) shall meet the following requirements:
Kiosks or similar structures located within the mall shall be provided with approved fire suppression and detection devices.
The minimum horizontal separation between kiosks and other structures within the mall shall be 10 feet (3,048 millimeters).
Each kiosk or similar structure shall have a maximum area of 150 square feet (14 square meters).
There shall be a minimum of 10 feet (3,048 millimeters) clear exit width to a height of eight feet (2,438 millimeters) between any projection of a tenant space bordering the mall and the nearest kiosk, vending machine, bench, temporary vendor's booth or display, food court or other obstruction.
When electrical cords are use at a kiosk, there will be a person attending to the kiosk at all times.
All electrical extension cords must be unplugged when the kiosk is unattended or not in use.
Provision shall be made to prevent accidental ignition or spontaneous combustion of refuse, trade wastes, coal storage piles or any stored combustible materials. Equipment shall be available to extinguish such fires as may occur.
The Greendale Fire Department may prohibit open fires when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous or objectionable due to smoke or odor.
Permitted open burning. The following shall be permitted:
Fires for preparing or cooking food in outdoor grills and fireplaces.
Fires in torches used in patios, gardens, plazas or similar locations for aesthetic purposes or to repel insects, provided that such fires burn fuel approved by the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
Fires for heating construction areas or warming construction or other outdoor workers when such fires take place in devices providing good combustion and using fuels approved by the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
Small open flames or fires for welding, acetylene torches, safety flares, heating tars or similar applications.
Small open flames or fires, but not including trench fires used in making street repairs, installation or repair of sewer, water, electric, or telephone mains and services and similar activities.
A permit may be issued by the Greendale Fire Department for the open air burning of leaves subject to the following conditions:
The Greendale Fire Department may issue a permit for one year at a time.
Open burning of leaves shall only be permitted from September 15 to November 30 on private property.
Fires shall be kindled or ignited and kept burning only between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Any such fire shall be extinguished by 6:00 p.m.
Open burning shall be limited to leaves only. Specifically prohibited from burning are wet combustible rubbish, garbage, and oily substances, asphalt and plastic or rubber products.
A fire shall not be kindled or ignited at any point which is nearer than 50 feet to any building or structure and shall be contained within a three-foot area.
Fires shall be under the constant supervision of a person 16 years of age or older who shall be physically present at all times.
There shall be no burning if wind velocity exceeds 10 miles per hour. Determination of wind velocity shall be the responsibility of the person supervising such burning.
Greendale Fire Department to approve. The following open burning is allowed upon written approval of the Fire Chief:
Fires for ceremonial, religious and commemorative purposes using fuels approved by the Fire Department.
Where a fire hazard to life or property is declared by the Fire Department and such fire hazard cannot be abated by any other means.
In an emergency situation requiring the removal of dangerous or hazardous materials to protect the public health, provided that there is no other practical or lawful method of disposal.
To remove hydrocarbons spilled or lost in accidents involving the transportation of such materials, provided that the material cannot be practically recovered or otherwise lawfully disposed of in some other manner.
Fires set for practice and instruction or testing of fire-fighting equipment.
Trench fires when set to thaw ground for construction or repairs using fuel approved by the Fire Department.
Recreational fires (wood-burning appliance).
Defined. "Recreational fire" is defined as a fire to be used for cooking or an aesthetic benefit similar to that of a campfire. The fire shall be confined to a commercially designed outdoor wood-burning appliance.
Requirements on size and location of recreational fires and general requirements.
Fires shall be in an approved outdoor appliance less than or equal to three feet in diameter and less than or equal to three feet in height. These dimensions are for the burn chamber and do not include the chimney of the appliance nor a stand designed for the appliance.
It is recommended that only fireplace units having the fire area protected by a screen or wire mesh be used so as to hold down any flying embers.
Fires shall contain only wood or charcoal; any other building materials are prohibited.
The wind velocity may not exceed 10 miles per hour.
Fires shall not be started or accelerated using flammable liquids, such as gasoline.
The fire must be a minimum of 10 feet from all structures, roadways, and lot lines.
The outdoor appliance shall not be used on any deck or wooden surface.
If smoke travels in such a manner that it obscures roadways, if the Fire Department receives complaints from the area, or if it is deemed to be a hazard, the fire official reserves the right to require that the fire be extinguished.
Campfires/bonfires. The Greendale Fire Department may issue a permit as a special use for campfires/bonfires subject to the following conditions:
This permit will not be issued for any private residence.
The Fire Department will issue a permit for a period of time as determined by the Fire Department.
Fires shall be kindled or ignited and kept burning only between hours indicated on the permit.
Fires shall not be started or accelerated using flammable liquids, such as gasoline.
Fires shall be attended at all times by a competent person, at least 18 years old, who has obtained the permission of the property owner.
The fire area shall be protected by a fire ring or some other fashion acceptable to the fire official to prevent fire spread or fire hazard.
The fire ring or firebreak shall not be in excess of five feet in diameter and burning material not to exceed three feet in height.
The fire must be at least 50 feet from all structures, roadway and lot lines.
Fire shall contain wood only; other building materials are prohibited.
This permit is for campfires/bonfires (recreational burning) only. Persons burning outside the scope of this permit may be subject to a fine and the permit denied.
Some type of water extinguisher must be in the area of the fire for emergencies.
There shall be no burning if wind velocity exceeds 10 miles per hour, and determination of wind velocity shall be the responsibility of the person supervising such burning.
All fires will be completely extinguished before being left unattended.
The fire official reserves the right to reinspect the site at any time to ensure public safety.
If smoke travels in such a manner that it obscures roadways or if the Fire Department receives complaints from the area, the fire official reserves the right to require that the fire be extinguished.
Grilling on balconies. The use of grills on the balconies of any apartment building is prohibited. At ground level, grills shall not be used within 10 feet of any structure and shall be at least 36 inches away from any combustibles when operated. Liquid propane grills are not allowed above the ground floor and LP cylinders are never to be stored or transported through the building. They cannot be lifted to the balcony on the exterior of the building.
Open lights and open flame candles.
No open flame candles or other open flame fixtures shall be used in any building or structure, except within a church, lodge building or structure when used as part of actual religious or fraternal rituals or exercises. Unattended open flame candles or other open flame fixtures shall not be used in seated areas of public assembly rooms of buildings.
No open flame candles or open flame fixtures, unless well guarded on the top and sides and approved be the Greendale Fire Department, shall be used for lighting or decorative purposes in any buildings or structures used for public amusement, recreation or dining purposes.
No person shall use any light with an open flame in stables, clothes closets, lockers or where highly flammable materials, gasoline or any other volatile liquids are used or handled.
Welding or cutting equipment.
Definition. "Welding or cutting" shall include gas, electric arc or flammable liquid welding or cutting or any combination thereof.
Permission required. Every person desiring to use welding or cutting equipment for welding or cutting any metal on any premises and in any building shall first make application for permission to do so to the Chief of the Fire Department. The application for such permission shall set forth the location of the premises where the work is to be done. Before such welding or cutting equipment is used, proper protection of surroundings shall be made by providing at least one approved minimum 2-A water-type fire extinguisher or minimum 4-A dry chemical fire extinguisher or minimum one-half-inch diameter water hose connected to the water supply at the site where the welding or cutting is done. Such other precautions shall be taken as may be ordered by the Chief of the Fire Department.
Exception. This Subsection (8) shall not apply to business or manufacturing establishments when such welding or cutting equipment is used in connection with regular business or manufacturing operations. They shall use the same precautions to prevent fires as required of persons to obtain a permit.
Attendance. A fire watch shall be maintained in effect for at least 1/2 hour after each use of torches, plasma cutters or flame-producing devices under Subsection (1).
Storage. Storage of fuel gases, oxygen and calcium carbide for gas welding and cutting, inert gases for electric welding and plasma cutters shall satisfy the following requirements:
All gas cylinders shall be secured to prevent falling.
Cylinders stored outside shall be protected from accumulations of ice and snow.
Cylinders stored inside of buildings shall be segregated from highly combustible materials and operations likely to cause an excessive rise in temperature or mechanical damage.
Inside storage of fuel gases and oxygen shall be separated by a minimum of 20 feet or a one-half-hour fire-resistive partition.
Hand trucks. Hand trucks for portable gas welding and cutting equipment shall be provided with chains or steadying devices to prevent cylinders from being knocked over while being moved or while in use.
No owner, agent or occupant of any building in the Village shall allow any wastepaper, rags or other material of combustible nature to remain in any building or any premises more that 24 hours, unless kept in a fireproof vault or covered fire-resistive, metal-lined bin. This section shall not apply to dealers in wastepaper, rags or other waste material while conducting their business, but such dealers shall comply with other requirements of this section and the Village and state codes. The Fire Department shall order the immediate removal of such combustible waste material from any building or premises where, in the inspector's opinion, such storage would create a fire hazard. Ashes, when kept in basements in buildings under this section, shall be placed in fireproof bins, area or containers.
All cracked, broken or otherwise defective stoves, furnaces, boilers, vents and smoke pipes shall immediately be repaired and made safe or shall be replaced with new ones.
Hoods and ducts. Hoods and ducts used in connection with kitchen equipment or other devices where greasy fumes are exhausted shall be constructed of not less than 20 gauge galvanized iron or equal and shall be protected with an automatic fire-extinguishing system of a type approved by the Greendale Fire Department and shall be kept clean at all times to minimize the hazard of fire.
Inspection and servicing. An inspection and servicing of the fire extinguishing system by properly trained and qualified persons shall be made at least once every six months. Certification of inspections and maintenance performed shall be tagged on the extinguishing system and should be there for fire inspection.
Any chimney or smokestack in an apartment building, business building, manufacturing building or any public building, which equipment uses in whole or in part any fuel that causes the emission of sparks or burning embers from such chimneys or smokestacks, shall be provided with a spark arrestor or any other device to prevent the emission of sparks or embers by the owner, agent or occupant of such building. This shall not apply to buildings used exclusively for private residence.
Any vehicle that is parked within a fire lane designated and marked may be removed at the vehicle owner's expense.
Vehicles shall be towed away under the following circumstances:
When a vehicle owner repeatedly violates Village fire lane ordinances by habitually parking in a fire lane.
When a vehicle blocks the ingress/egress of a business.
When the vehicle's presence threatens the life safety of the public by impeding the ability of fire apparatus and/or emergency medical equipment to respond to an emergency.
Removal of a vehicle under such circumstances may be authorized by the person in lawful possession of the property or by the Fire Chief or his/her representative. The Police Department may order the towing of a vehicle at any time that the above conditions exists.
An inspection report with a warning notice shall be issued to the property owner, occupant or responsible party requiring that if the obstruction is not removed within the specified time period, the Department may cause the removal of the obstruction with the cost of removal billed to the person(s) responsible for the obstruction.
No person shall willfully damage in any manner any hose, hydrant or fire apparatus belonging to the Village, and no vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of the Fire Department when laid down on any street, private driveway or other place, to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, training, hazardous material event, etc., without the consent of the officer in charge of the scene.
It shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle or leave any object within 15 feet of any fire hydrant at any time.
It shall be unlawful for any person, in case of fire, to drive or park any vehicle within one block from the location of the fire without the consent and authority of the Fire Chief or any police officer.
The records of all the fire prevention inspections that are conducted in the Village of Greendale are open public records. If records are to be viewed, twenty-four-hour notice must be given to the Greendale Fire Department. Original reports, forms, and records may not be obtained; only copies of the original will be given to the public. Examples: insurance companies, law enforcement, and tenants.
A complete written record of all tests and inspections is required to be maintained on the premises by the owner or occupant in charge of the premises, and all such records shall be submitted to the Greendale Fire Chief or his/her representative when requested for inspection and evaluation.
Automatic fire sprinkler systems shall be tested, inspected and maintained as specified in NFPA 25. Inspections, testing and maintenance must be done by a certified sprinkler person and records must be kept on the system near valves for easy accessibility.
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated:
- The maximum horizontal projected area on the main floor(s) of the building or structure within the exterior walls or between approved fire walls.
- All buildings or parts of buildings, other than theaters, which accommodate more than 100 persons for entertainment, recreation, worship or dining purposes.
- A system of piping connected to an adequate water supply and provided with approved automatic fire sprinklers or devices so arranged and located as to discharge water automatically to the seat of the fire. Installation shall comply with National Fire Protection Association No. 13, "Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems."
- As per § Comm 20.07(8), Wis. Adm. Code.
- As per § Comm 14.02.
- Construction in which the structural members, including all walls, partitions, piers, columns, floors, ceilings, roof and stairs, are built of incombustible material and if all metallic structural members are protected by an incombustible fire-resistive covering, except as provided in Ch. Comm 75, Wis. Adm. Code.[1]
- A wall which has a fire-resistance rating of not less than four hours and which divides a building or separates buildings to restrict the spread of fire. A three-foot parapet wall shall be a required part of a fire wall in all non-fire-resistive buildings.
- As per § Comm 20.07(36m), Wis. Adm. Code.
- A building or portion thereof containing three or more dwelling units having a common entrance, such as tenements, apartments or rooming houses. Row houses with minimum one-hour fire-resistive walls extending from the basement to the underside of the roof separating each living unit are exempt.
- That part of a building between a floor and the floor or roof above.
- Any level below basement.
- All buildings or parts of buildings containing an assembly hall, having a stage which may be equipped with curtains or movable scenery or which is otherwise adaptable to the showing of plays, operas, motion pictures or similar forms of entertainment.
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Code Adoption Ordinance).
Installation required. Approved automatic fire sprinkler equipment shall be installed and maintained as follows:
Buildings. Buildings used for the manufacture, storage or sale of combustible goods or merchandise as follows:
Fire-resistive buildings 10,000 square feet or more in area on any floor or exceeding four stories, unless open sided.
Non-fire-resistive buildings 6,000 square feet or more in area on any floor or exceeding four stories.
Basement and subbasement garages containing spaces in excess of three passenger vehicles above or below other occupancies.
Garages used as passenger terminals.
Basements. Basements having an area of 2,500 square feet or more when used for the sale or storage of combustible materials not including garage area.
Office buildings, motels and hotels.
Nursing, convalescent, old age and institutional buildings. Throughout all buildings.
Schools, colleges and universities.
Hazardous properties. Throughout every building which by reason of its construction or highly combustible occupancy involves a severe life hazard to its occupants or in the judgment of the authority having jurisdiction constitutes a fire menace. Sample occupancies which are considered highly combustible:
Aircraft hangers.
Chemical works.
Explosive or pyrotechnic manufacturing.
Linseed oil mills.
Linoleum and oil cloth manufacturing.
Oil refineries.
Paint shops.
Pyroxylin plastic manufacturing or processing.
Shade cloth manufacturing.
Solvent extracting.
Varnish or paint manufacturing.
Any occupancy involving processing, mixing, storage and/or dispensing volatile liquids.
Other properties requiring protection.
Bowling alleys. Throughout building of 8,000 square feet or more floor area.
All subbasements, required throughout.
All buildings 60 feet in height above outside grade at any point, required throughout.
Maintenance or equipment.
Required. Sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, fire alarm system and other fire protection or extinguishing systems or appliances which have been installed in compliance with permit or order or because of any law or ordinance shall be maintained in operative condition at all times. No owner or occupant shall reduce the effectiveness of the protection so required, except that this subsection shall not prohibit the owner or occupant from temporarily reducing or discontinuing the protection where necessary to make tests, repairs, alterations or additions. The Chief of the Fire Department shall be notified when the system has been restored to service.
Inspections. Periodic inspection shall be performed in accordance with requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.
Application to existing buildings.
Where the fire official finds that an existing building constitutes a severe fire hazard to its occupants or to adjoining property, he may order compliance with the provisions of this section. Installation of an automatic sprinkler system shall be started within one year from the service of such order and completed within 180 days after construction is started.
When a building is to be renovated or remodeled which, if it were being built as new construction, would require sprinklers under this chapter, the following requirements shall be used:
Less the 25% of total square footage is being renovated or remodeled: no sprinkler shall be required.
More than 25% but less than 50% of total square footage is being renovated or remodeled: sprinklers shall be required in those areas being renovated only as required by this chapter.
More than 50% of total square footage is being renovated or remodeled: sprinklers shall be required as set forth in this chapter.
Severe fire hazard. Severe fire hazard shall be determined by one or more of the following:
Any building which by reason of its construction or highly combustible occupancy involves severe life hazard to its occupants or in the judgment of the Fire Chief constitutes a fire menace, e.g. paint shops and other occupancies involving processing, mixing, storage and dispensing of volatile liquids.
Non-fire-resistive characteristics of the structure.
Accumulation of flammable or combustible materials.
Accessibility to the premises for fire-fighting equipment.
Number of invitees on the premises.
Traffic patterns for pedestrian ingress and egress.
Ventilation system.
Internal communication system.
Number, characteristics and movement of employees.
Type of system and approval of plans.
Automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed and connected to an adequate water supply. Sprinkler heads, valves and auxiliary equipment of standard types suitable for the individual building shall be determined by the authority having jurisdiction in effect at the date of installation.
No automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed or altered in a building until plans have been submitted to and approved by the Greendale Fire Department. Two copies of the plans and specifications shall be submitted for review. Approved plans shall be stamped "Approved by Greendale Fire Department" along with the date of approval. One copy shall be returned to owner and one copy kept on file in the Greendale Fire Department.
Exemption and substitution.
Exemption. The following shall be exempt:
Safe deposit or other vaults.
Rooms or buildings devoted to the manufacture or storage of aluminum powder, calcium carbide, calcium phosphide, metallic sodium or potassium, quick lime, magnesium powder, sodium peroxide or like material where the application of water may cause or increase combustion.
Any other locations where the installation of sprinklers may increase the occupation hazard as determined by the authority having jurisdiction.
Substitution. When approved by the Greendale Fire Department, other automatic protective equipment may be substituted for automatic sprinkler systems.
Fire Department standpipes. Standpipes shall be installed in all buildings as specified in the Wisconsin Administrative Code in addition to these automatic sprinkler requirements and as per NFPA No. 14 standard for the installation of hose and standpipe.
Permits, certificates, approvals, inspections and review.
A building permit shall be issued only for those buildings which conform to the provisions of this section.
Two copies of the plans and specifications detailing standpipe, hydrant, sprinkler or substitute systems designed by a licensed designer of fire protection systems, professional engineers or architects shall be submitted for approval. Approved plans shall be stamped "Approved by Greendale Fire Department" and the date of approval. One copy shall be returned to owner and one copy kept on file in the Greendale Fire Department. Inspection of systems and determination of compliance with this section and the approved plans shall be made by the Greendale Fire Department.
The Chief of the Fire Department may request from the Department of Inspection Services the revocation of any permit issued in accordance with this section in any case where he finds that any of the conditions for issuance have not been maintained or where there has been any false statement or misrepresentation of any material fact in the application or plan on which the issuance was based. The Chief of the Fire Department shall promptly notify the permit holder of the request for revocation, and if so requested by the permit holder the effective date of the revocation shall be deferred pending a hearing before the Chief.
The Greendale Fire Department shall have the authority to require a lock box to be installed (in buildings affected as in § 14.05) in an accessible location where access to or within a structure or area is difficult because of security. The lock box shall be the type approved by the Greendale Fire Department and shall contain keys or other devices necessary to gain access as required by the Greendale Fire Department. The operator of the premises shall immediately notify the Greendale Fire Department and provide the new keys or other devices any time a lock is changed or rekeyed and a key or other device to that lock is contained in the lock box.
Except as provided elsewhere in this chapter, any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 25.04 of this Code.


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Although both auditors and fraud specialists added non-standard procedures to the audit program, auditors cut the budgets for some standard procedures, making room in the overall audit budget for non-standard additional procedures. In contrast, fraud specialists added standard procedures, but they were not more effective than those selected by auditors, and also provided less budget room for those procedures. The involvement of fraud specialists in planning an audit engagement where fraud risk is present is likely to lead to additional audit effort and cost, possibly without commensurate benefit. However, considering the potential consequences to the auditor of undiscovered fraud, it may be cost-effective to include additional non-standard procedures in an audit program if they improve the probability of discovering a fraud.
Boritz, J. E., Kochetova-Kozloski, N., & Robinson, L. 2015. Are Fraud Specialists Relatively More Effective than Auditors at Modifying Audit Programs in the Presence of Fraud Risk? Accounting Review 90 (3): 881-915.
This study contributes to the literature in a number of important ways. First, the authors present evidence that managers still tacitly encourage underreporting by their engagement team, even in a setting without explicit mention of time budgets as a performance metric. Thus, while explicit incentives may have reduced, it appears likely that implicit manager incentives to underreport persist. Second, the results suggest that managers' tacit encouragement of underreporting is contrary to what the "principals" of the firm appear to want. Further, the authors find a positive association between partners' beliefs about how likely it is the senior reported all hours worked and their preference for the senior. Third, the agency framework perspective on the phenomenon of underreporting suggests that agency theory can assist researchers, regulators, and practitioners wishing to understand and curb the behavior.
Agoglia, C. P., R. C. Hatfield, and T. A. Lambert. 2015. Audit team time reporting: An agency theory perspective. Accounting, Organizations & Society 44: 1-14.
The distribution of fiscal year-end companies in an auditor's client portfolio can place significant strains on the resources of a CPA firm. Auditors are cautioned about the damaging effects of workload compression on the auditor-client relationship. Policymakers should consider auditors' workloads when enacting new rules and regulations.
López, D. M., and G. F. Peters. 2011. Auditor Workload Compression and Busy Season Auditor Switching. Accounting Horizons 25 (2):357-380
The results of this study suggest that public accounting firms that highlight the need for auditors to get creative and think outside the box, and presumably provide incentives for the auditors to do so may be enabling themselves with the potential to provide superior performance in the face of impending time constraints. Given the many forms of time constraints that exist in the auditing profession, thinking outside the box to create a strategic and efficient allocation of time could greatly improve the work of auditors today.
For more information on this study, please contact Kin-Yew Low.
Low, K., and Tan, H. 2011. Does time constraint lead to poorer audit performance? Effects of forewarning of impending time constraints and instructions. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 30 (4): 173-190.
This study provides further support for the importance of office-specific characteristics on audit and financial reporting outcomes and provides evidence of the benefit of office-specific industry expertise. The study should be of interest to financial reporters and audit firms interested in reducing audit report lag times and to regulators and investors interested in increasing the timeliness of financial reporting information.
Whitworth, J. D., and T. A. Lambert. 2014. Office-Level Characteristics of the Big 4 and Audit Report Timeliness. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory 33 (3): 129-152.
This paper provides a more complete analysis on the concessionary behaviors and planned negotiation tactics of both the auditors and the client management in the same negotiation context. The findings can improve auditor practitioners' self-awareness in the audit adjustment negotiation process and help them better consider the effect of deadline pressure on negotiations. The result that auditors react differently than the clients under the deadline pressure is particularly useful for auditor practitioners to predict the behavior of their clients and to design effective negotiation trainings.
Bennett, G. B., R. C. Hatfield, and C. Stefaniak. 2015. The Effect of Deadline Pressure on Pre‐Negotiation Positions: A Comparison of Auditors and Client Management. Contemporary Accounting Research 32 (4): 1507–1528.
It is important for auditors to understand that extending an audit not only creates the opportunity to collect additional evidence but also increased the time pressure on auditors. Audit firms should consider how to mitigate the time pressure associated with long audit. Further, audit committees should understand the trade-off involved in pressuring the auditors to meet filing deadlines and the effect on audit quality. Finally, regulators should be attentive to the consequences future regulation can have with time pressures on auditors and reduced filing times
For more information on this study, please contact Dr. David Hurtt.
Alan I. Blankley, David N. Hurtt, and Jason E. MacGregor. 2014. The Relationship between Audit Report Lags and Future Restatements. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory 33 (2): 27-57.

subset: commoncrawl


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3 players are playing a game where they get to pick independently without knowing the other players picks one of 2 prizes (A,B) and the payout is (a,b) for the two prizes, divided by how many people picked the specific prize.
For example, if the prizes are (3,1) and 2 people picks A and 1 person picks B, the 2 people get 3/2 = 1.5 each and the third person gets 1 for himself.
In a zero-sum setting, if the prizes are (3,1), it would always be best to pick the first location, since you are guaranteed a prize of at least 1. If prizes are (2,1), this is also true, since no other player can beat that strategy. But, if prizes are (3,2), and two players use the strategy, the third player can do better by always picking the 2nd prize.
Is it possible to find an equilibrium for this particular problem, and does it generalize to further players and prizes? Does it fit into some standard theory?


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Item Size:5" x 7"
Sweet Heart Aqua Wedding Invitation
Sweet and modern, this flat white wedding invitation features rounded corners and a chalkboard inspired background with a small aqua heart at the bottom. "loves" is pre-printed at the top of the card between the bride and groom's names. Flip the card over to reveal an aqua hue on the back of the card. Includes white unlined envelopes.
Ideal For:Wedding Invitations
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To determine your delivery time, add the ground shipping time to your location, as shown on the map below, to the listed processing time. To speed up your delivery, you can select rush processing(details below in the form) and/or upgrade shipping to next day or second day air during the checkout process. If you have requested a proof, the processing time listed begins after you have approved your proof.
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Wells Fargo Advisors said Tuesday that Kent Christian is the new president of Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network (FiNet), the firm's independent channel. Christian replaces John Peluso, who was recently tapped to become president of First Clearing Correspondent Services, a non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo (WFC).
"Kent brings to FiNet essential experience, an informed perspective and leadership skills that will help us to further strengthen our firm's attractiveness to a growing number of entrepreneurial minded, independent advisors," said Wells Fargo Advisors CEO and President Danny Ludeman in a press release.
"His appointment to lead our independent advisor business underscores the importance we place on serving the needs of independent business owners," added Ludeman. "It also affirms our commitment to the multichannel model that provides choice and flexibility to advisors and clients."
Christian (left) joined Wells Fargo Advisors in 2005 as president of the independent brokerage group, which includes FiNet. Most recently, he was president of Wells Fargo Advisors' Financial Services Group.
"This is an exciting time for Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, and I am excited to help lead a team of talented managers supporting strong independent business owners in their efforts to serve their clients," Christian said in a statement. "In many ways, returning to the independent brokerage business is like a homecoming for me, and I look forward to leading this business at a time when its potential for growth has never been greater."
While Peluso led FiNet, the channel grew to 1,100 financial advisors and more than $55 billion in client assets, topping $600 million in production.
"In general, FiNet's yearly growth target is to help FAs open up between 75 to 100 new practices a year. And we believe this is sustainable," he said in an interview earlier this year. "Including solo practitioners and teams, this entails about 140 to 200 advisors per year joining FiNet."
The average production of FiNet advisors is about $530,000 in yearly fees and commissions, or $1.05 million per team. And prospective FiNet reps that Peluso and his colleagues at Wells Fargo are talking to these days are generating even greater production, he says.
Over all, Wells Fargo Advisors has about $1.2 trillion in client assets and includes about 15,134 full-service financial advisors and 3,352 licensed bankers.


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There's more to a painting than meets the eye. Under the surface of a sun-dappled landscape or a scrumptious still life lie dozens of meticulously applied layers of paint, forming a complex 3D structure that is all but invisible to viewers. Now, an imaging technique borrowed from biomedical research promises to let art historians and conservators peer into the depths of paintings without damaging them, providing new insights into how these works were made.
"Right now, if an art conservator wants to understand the three-dimensional layering structure of a painting, they almost certainly take a scalpel to it," removing tiny core samples to study its stratigraphy, says Warren Warren, a chemist and biomedical engineer at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He spends most of his time developing laser systems used to image human tissue. But when he visited an exhibit on detecting art forgeries in London's National Gallery a few years ago, he began wondering what art historians and conservators could learn about artwork if they had access to the state-of-the-art imaging technologies like the ones in his lab.
One method Warren works on is called pump-probe microscopy, which uses carefully timed pulses of laser light to electrically excite the molecules in a sample. As the molecules gain and lose energy in reaction to the pulses, they emit signals that serve as identifying "fingerprints" that reveal their chemical makeup. Pump-probe microscopy is especially useful for studying biological pigments like melanin in skin. So Warren wondered: Could it work on other kinds of pigments, too? Like, say, paint?
"We built a laser system that was designed to do a good job of diagnosing skin cancer and then realized that we could use exactly that same laser system to look at Renaissance artwork," he says. The low-powered laser pulses travel deep into a painting without scattering as conventional light sources do, returning a remarkably clear picture of its subsurface structure as well as chemical fingerprints of the pigments in each layer.
The team initially tested the technique on mock-up paintings made with historically accurate Renaissance pigments, proving that pump-probe microscopy can distinguish between the 3D structures of a purple created by mixing red and blue pigments and a similar shade made by layering red over blue. Then, the researchers turned their laser eye on an actual Renaissance painting: The Crucifixion, painted by Puccio Capanna around 1330. By imaging small sections of the blue robes of the Virgin Mary and one of the flying angels, they revealed that Capanna used very different pigments to create each one, despite their similar colors. Mary's robe is composed of a thick layer of ground-up lapis lazuli, a deep blue stone that at the time was "more expensive than gold," Warren says. The blue of the angel's robe, on the other hand, was created through a complex layering of several less precious pigments, with just a hint of lapis lazuli, the team reports online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Honestly, for me it was like a glimpse into the future," says Francesca Casadio, a conservation scientist at the Art Institute of Chicago in Illinois who was not involved in the research. Pump-probe microscopy could be especially useful for identifying places on aging paintings where the pigments have started to decay, she says. That could help conservators fine-tune their efforts to halt such deterioration. "Such a boost in technology is what the art conservation and museum fields need to ensure that unique works of art are and remain protected in the best possible manner," agrees Koen Janssens, an analytical chemist at the University of Antwerp in Belgium who was not involved in the research.
Warren hopes pump-probe microscopy might also aid in the identification of forgeries. If the 3D structure of brushstrokes varies from artist to artist, for example, it could serve as a kind of signature, helping historians distinguish between the work of a master and an imitator.
Casadio is skeptical, however, that such identification will ever be precise enough to supplant the sophisticated techniques historians and appraisers already use. She emphasizes that it will be quite some time before pump-probe microscopy becomes practical for most museums. Not only does it now take hours to analyze a few square millimeters of a painting, but the work also needs to be done in a lab with the help of trained scientists. Museums need a smaller system they can use themselves, she says. Not to worry, Warren says: Biomedical researchers are already shrinking down pump-probe microscopy systems, and it's only a matter of time before these new eyes start looking at art.


text: Photo by: Susan Walsh Jheanelle Wilkins of New Castle, Del., right, and Neo Moneri of Beltsville, Md., participate in a rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012, supporting the University of Texas.. The Supreme Court is taking up a challenge to a University of Texas program that considers race in some college admissions. The case could produce new limits on affirmative action at universities, or roll it back entirely. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) **FILE**


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Posted by Editor on 04/10/00
Letter From Italy
Canadian racer Paul Kelly sends us regular updates from Italy, talking about his experience of living and racing in Europe. This latest one should be required reading for anyone who has ambitions about being a pro racer...
Hi everyone.
I made an ethical choice today, and resigned from racing in Italy, after four long years.
Bicycle racing in Europe is difficult. The experience, knowledge, and the huge selection pool of young riders ensure that the competition is tough. That alone can demoralize a rider and send them packing. I surmounted this problem with years of tough training. Alone. In the wind. 1000 hours on the bike per year. I became competitive, had consistent top 10 results, and on two gratifying occasions, won. However, this success is secondary to the lessons learned in achieving it, the lessons which have founded my decision.
This year I saw riders who I had been dropping for months, and who had not finished a race yet this season, suddenly take a huge step forward, and win. These riders were my teammates, and I know how they managed this feat. As in the years before, they will continue to win for a couple months, and then perhaps turn pro, or perhaps have depleted their bodies to the point that they are unable to finish races once again. In addition, while they are enjoying winning through medicine alone, they are depriving those with natural talent of their due rewards.
Drug use which was once only in the job description of the pros, has filtered down to the Italian amateur, junior, and recreational racers. Sponsors funnel more and more money into the sport at any given level, while team management and doctors have to find a way of justifying this contribution. If they don't have a winning team, they don't make money. To get an edge, they put the riders (without education, alternatives, or morals) on performance enhancing drugs. The self-defeating part is that every team does it, so that it no longer becomes an edge, so much as a net increase in the base level of the field. Now, riders suffering from problems associated with years in the pro ranks (and drug use) have become common among the dilletanti. These "athletes" become so exhausted from pushing their bodies beyond their intended limits, that they no can longer progress in their sport. And it is these riders, the individuals on the verge of collapse, that are allowed to turn pro.
I do not want to be a part of this sport's destructive cycle. I cannot perpetuate a system that I am so morally opposed to. Nor do I see any glory in pursuing the thought of doing the same thing as a European professional . A Resignation on Principle.
Upon returning to Canada in June, I have not yet decided whether I will continue to race. I have been riding really well, and am quite fit. The part of me that fell in love with the sport is still alive and well, only now the reality of racing in Europe has overcome the utopic dream. Searching for alternatives to drugs, I have developed an interest in natural health, healing, and nutrition, and believe that this may be the next path in my life.
Paul Kelly.
Saturn Looks for New Team Director
Below is the official word from Saturn, however, it should be noted that Wenzel was asked to resign. The reason is because he notified the management company that he wanted to leave at the end of the season. The management company responded by saying that in that case, they would rather he left immediately. The word is that the riders are not at all happy with this abrupt removal of a person they are very comfortable with.
TROY, Mich.-After six seasons as the director of the Saturn Cycling Team, Rene Wenzel announced his resignation. "It has been a tremendously hard decision to reach and many factors have played a role," says Wenzel. "With our first baby on the way, I am more determined to return to my home and my wife Kendra's family in Oregon. In that way I'll be able to spend time with my wife and baby whenever I am not on the road. I will be looking forward to new challenges as well."
The Saturn Cycling Team wishes Rene the best of luck in his new endeavors. "All in all it has come to approximately 500 wins between 1995 and 2000 for the Saturn Men's and Women's teams and thousands of hours spent in the company of these good people," says Wenzel. "I am very proud to have been part of that."
Team Saturn General Manager Tom Schuler is actively pursuing a new Team Director who will complement the strong support staff currently in place. "We have a great support team," says Schuler. "And now I will be looking to hire a top-flight director who can step in and bring the same enthusiasm and commitment to our athletes and the Saturn Cycling program."
With the Saturn USPRO Cycling Tour underway and the Olympic Games approaching, we are in the midst of an important and exciting year. "We have many Saturn Cycling Team members who will be vying for Olympic medals in Sydney," says Schuler. "It is my highest priority to provide the positive environment the athletes need to achieve their Olympic dreams."
Tour of Pelham Enduro, Ontario
(courtesy Tim Lefebvre)
Sunday April 16th 11a.m start
Citizens Mountain Bike Race
One lap of 35km around picturesque Pelham (St.Catharines) Ontario
For more info check out - members.home.net/tourofpelham or phone 905-688-1296.
Canadians in Europe
On this just past weekend there were a few Canadians racing on the Continent. Michael Barry (Saturn) was 53rd (pack time) in the Tour of North Holland and Sylvain Beauchamp (Shaklee) was 15th at the Archer GP in Britain.
We are updating the results for the Paris-Ancaster, after a few discrepancies were pointed out. You can see the full results Here.
Event timers W.O.W. also has the results in their website, broken down by age categories.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Escorted Group Tours and Tailor-made Holidays
On The Go Tours are an award-winning provider of unforgettable tours and tailor-made holidays. From Egypt to Ecuador, Myanmar to Madagascar, we love helping you see the world your way, unlocking the finest sights and experiences the world has to offer. Whether you're after culture, adventure, or just want to kick back and relax, our outstanding local guides get you to the heart of your destination and deliver truly authentic experiences.
About our holidays
Get to know On The Go Tours and the varied types of holidays and experiences we offer travellers. We are best known for our Signature group tours to iconic sights and destinations around the world. But our range of holidays also includes African safaris, relaxing cruises and incredible trekking holidays, plus so much more!
Holiday Ranges
Discover what holiday ranges we offer across our destinations including our award-winning Signature and popular Essentials tours.
Trip Themes
Whether you dream of an overland expedition or a relaxing sailing holiday, we offer trips to cover a range of themes. All you need to do is pick the perfect tour!
The 'On The Go Tours Promise'
Why travel with us? Because of the On The Go Tours Promise of course! Authenticity, value & more.
Travel Advice relating to COVID-19
The safety of our travellers is paramount and we stay informed of the latest travel alerts and advice on the destinations that we cover. As a British-based company, we follow the advice as set out by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). In light of the ever-changing situation regarding COVID-19, we recommend that you check the latest travel advice from the FCO and locally from the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs before you travel. For more information, you can also visit our Travel Advice page.
British Travel Awards Winner!
In November 2019 we were delighted to win five prestigious British Travel Awards, including Best Escorted Adventure Travel Company! Thank you to everyone who voted for us! It's because of your support that we are able to continue offering adventures around the world to all of our amazing customers.
Planning something to look forward to?
We know times are hard at the moment but the Coronavirus is not going to last forever. And if you're like us, you'll really need a holiday by the time it's over. To start inspiring you for your future travel plans, we've picked out some of the hottest destinations for 2021 and beyond.
Holiday Ideas By MonthKnow when you want to go but not where? Use our month-by-month travel calendar to help plan the perfect holiday from beach breaks to wildlife adventures.
UzbekistanFrom the fascinating capital of Tashkent, to Silk Road cities and a beautiful desert lake, Uzbekistan is not to be missed.
GeorgiaFrom the historic capital of Tbilisi to the alpine meadows of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, Georgia has plenty of attractions to offer.
IcelandDiscover the land forged by ice and fire with our range of Iceland tours that take in the cosmopolitan capital of Reykjavik, the dramatic countryside, the famed Northern Lights and more.
FinlandMost visits to Finland will include a stop in the capital Helsinki - a very modern and increasingly trendy city sitting on the Gulf of Finland. Further north you'll discover the winter wonderland of Finnish Lapland.
JordanWhether you want to explore the lost city of Petra, camp out under the stars in Wadi Rum or kick back and relax by the Red Sea, Jordan is the place to visit in 2020!
CambodiaVisit Cambodia and be moved by its tragic past, inspired by its spectacular beauty and captivated by its archaeological sites.
ArgentinaWith the magnificent Iguazu Falls, the inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier, brilliant Tierra del Fuego National Park and plenty of charming villages in between, Argentina is a land of remarkable variety.
Our Tours of the Week
It's always good to have a holiday booked that you can look forward to. Below we've featured our favourite group tours for this week. Whether you dream of browsing the vibrant souks of Marrakech in Morocco, visiting legendary Angkor Wat in Cambodia or floating over the fairy-tale landscape of Turkey's Cappadocia in a hot air balloon, we're sure to have a tour for you. We update this section weekly, so don't forget to check back here soon for more great tours!
New and improved Peru tours!
We've taken our popular Peru itineraries and made them even better, so our travellers can continue to get the most out of this incredible country. There's never been a better time to join us in exploring the wildlife-rich Amazon Rainforest, wandering the cobbled streets of Cusco and of course, visiting the magical Lost City of Machu Picchu. And true culture vultures can join our special June departure to celebrate the ancient festival of Inti Raymi with the locals. What are you waiting for?


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San Giovanni in Fonte, Rome
San Giovanni in Fonte (also known as the Lateran Baptistery) is an early Christian baptistery located next to St. John Lateran and the Lateran Palace in Rome.
Built by Constantine the Great in 315, the ancient structure is one of the oldest Christian buildings in Rome and the oldest baptistery in all of Christendom. It provided the model for later versions, including the famous Byzantine baptisteries at Ravenna.
History of San Giovanni in Fonte
Excavations beneath the baptistery have revealed remains of a 1st-century Roman villa and an early-2nd-century bathhouse. The bathhouse was completely rebuilt a century later.
In 315, Emperor Constantine the Great built a baptistery on this site to serve the adjacent cathedral of St. John Lateran, also built by him. Popular medieval legend had it that Constantine was baptized here by Pope Sylvester, but in fact he was baptized on his deathbed by an Arian bishop in 337.
Churches did not contain their own baptisteries at this early date, and San Giovanni in Fonte was the only place to be baptized in Rome until the late 300s. At that time, baptisms were held only at Easter and usually after a period of instruction.
By the end of the 4th century, increasing numbers of Christians led to many more baptisms, which in turn led to baptisms being performed throughout the year and baptisteries being built into churches. Thus free-standing baptisteries like this one stopped being built, and San Giovanni in Fonte itself came to take on the functions of a church.
In the 5th century, Constantine's original baptistery was remodelled by Pope Sixtus III (432-40) in a similar style as the Mausoleum of Santa Costanza, including the addition of a narthex.
A few decades later, Pope Hilarius (461-68) added side chapels dedicated to John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.
Pope John IV (640-42) added the Chapel of St. Venantius, the largest of the three side chapels. John IV was one of the first popes to transfer martyrs' bones to churches in Rome. He brought the remains of Venantius, Anastasia and Maurus from Dalmatia to place in his chapel. A few years later, under Pope Theodore I (642-49), the chapel was decorated with mosaics.
The baptistery was restored under Pope Hadrian III (884-85) and also in the 12th century. A major redecoration of the interior in the 17th century accounts for the unfortunate loss of the ambulatory mosaics and the covering of most of the marble revetment. More recently, the baptistery was fully restored after damage by a car bombing in 1993.
What to See at San Giovanni in Fonte
The brick exterior of San Giovanni in Fonte is entirely original - the walls of the baptistery are from the time of Constantine and those of the chapels are from the times of the popes who built them (5th and 7th century).
The southeast entrance at the back of the building includes the exterior of the narthex built by Pope Sixtus III (432-40), which incorporates two beautiful porphyry columns and a Roman architrave. Inside, there is an apse at each end.
The right apse in the narthex has a 5th-century mosaic of vines in gold and green set against a deep blue background. At the top of the mosaic are six golden crosses, the Lamb of God, and four doves. At the top of the wall left of the apse is a fragment of the 5th-century marble revetment that once decorated the baptistery interior.
The narthex contains a chapel dedicated to Cyprian and Justina (a.k.a. Secunda and Rufina), two martyrs with a romantic story. In a legend dating from the 4th century or earlier, Cyprian was a sorcerer at Antioch who tried to use magic to win the heart of Justina, a young Christian girl. He failed and became very depressed, but after observing a church service he asked to be baptized. He and Justina were subsequenly married, and later martyred.
Nothing from Constantine's time remains inside the octagonal baptistery, but some features from Sixtus III's remodeling in the 430s can be seen: primarily the eight porphyry columns that support an architrave and eight white marble columns.
The architrave bears famous distichs, attributed to Sixtus III's archdeacon, who later became Pope Leo the Great (440-61). The distichs describe 5th-century baptismal doctrine, which has been beautifully translated as follows:
In the center of the baptistery is the baptismal font, which is ancient but not the original, which would have been a large octagonal font. The present font is made of green basalt and bears bas-reliefs of the baptism of Christ and the baptism of Constantine.
The Chapel of St. John the Baptist (461-68), on the southwest side of the baptistery, still has its original pavement. The highlight is the doors, which are said to be made of a mix of bronze, silver and gold and were once thought to have come from the Baths of Caracalla. They produce a powerful musical tone when opened, especially during the hotter months.
The Chapel of St. John the Evangelist (461-68), on the northeast side of the baptistery, still has its original ceiling decoration: a fine mosaic of the Lamb of God surrounded by a wreath divided into sections representing the four seasons, each with specific fruit and flowers.
The large Chapel of St. Venantius (640-42), positioned on the northeast corner between the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist and the narthex, is especially notable for its mosaics (642-49). The apse mosaic centers on John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, a reference either to the baptistery's other chapels or to St. John Lateran next door.
At the top center of the apse is a bust of Christ, with his right hand in the Greek gesture of blessing, on a gold background. He is flanked by angels, with their arms stretched towards him and wearing cloaks bearing the letter H for Johannes (John).
Below, the Virgin Mary stands also in the gesture of prayer, supported by four figures on each side. On her right are St. Paul, St. John the Evangelist, St. Venantius and Pope John IV (who holds a model of his chapel). On her left are St. Peter, St. John the Baptist, an unidentified martyr, and Pope Theodore I (who commissioned the mosaic; he holds a casket).
The row of figures flows onto the triumphal arch, with four more saints on each side. All shown with haloes but very individualized appearances, these are portraits of the martyrs whose relics Pope John IV brought from Dalmatia.
The semicircle around the arch is covered in a mosaic pattern of small crosses in roundels separated by floral decorations. Square panels at either end of the triumphal arch contain depictions of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Between these are two more panels with the symbols of the Four Evangelists.
A mosaic inscription in the apse (somewhat obscured by a canopy) reads:
Steps on the right-hand side lead to remains of the 3rd-century bathhouse that once stood here, including its mosaic pavement.
Quick Facts on San Giovanni in Fonte
|Site Information
|Battistero Laterano · Battistero Paleocristiano di San Giovanni in Fonte · Lateran Baptistery · San Giovanni in Fonte · St. John at the Font
|churches; baptisteries; World Heritage Sites
|St. John the Baptist
|Visitor and Contact Information
|Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano
Rome, Italy
|Daily 7-12:30, 3:30-7:30pm
|View hotels near San Giovanni in Fonte
- Personal visit (exterior only; July 2006).
- Matilda Webb, The Churches and Catacombs of Early Christian Rome: A Comprehensive Guide (Sussex Academic Press, 2001), 45-48.
- Rough Guide to Italy, 7th edition (2005), 768.
More Information
- Photos of San Giovanni in Fonte - here on Sacred Destinations
Map of San Giovanni in Fonte, Rome
Below is a location map and aerial view of San Giovanni in Fonte. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.


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Treating spam as if it was a game could be the key to the undoing of bulk-mailers everywhere, according to a Greek scientist.
A team of researchers at Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece, led by Ion Androutsopoulos, says that by taking this approach, ISPs and businesses can improve their spam filters - finding the perfect balance between false positives and false negatives in spam identification.
Androutsopoulos approaches the business of filtering spam by modelling it as a game between the spammer and the mail-box owner, with a small sum of cash at stake for each email sent and received, or blocked, New Scientist reports.
The model performs a cost benefit analysis on the spam filter: each legitimate email that is delivered successfully is counted as a benefit, while each real mail eaten by the filter (a false positive) gets marked as a cost. Similarly, each email sent by the bulk-mailer is counted as a cost, with a benefit being recorded each time an unsolicited mail sneaks through (a false negative).
So, to model the costs and benefits of any particular filter, all you need to know are the number of false positives and false negatives. Androutsopoulos' idea is that companies could use the model to tune their filters to either maximise the cost to the spammer, or maximise the benefit to the user.
The paper will be presented at the Conference on Email and Anti-Spam at Stanford University. ®
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Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Design Role at Halston Heritage
James Devaney/WireImage
After stepping out in looks from Halston on the Sex and the City 2 set, rumors sparked that Sarah Jessica Parker was about to ink a deal with the company. And now, it looks like the brand has finally gotten "Carrie-d" away. Sarah Jessica will be taking on an active design role, possibly even that of creative director, for Halston Heritage, the company's just-launched secondary collection that features updated archival Halston pieces at contemporary price points, reports WWD. The company has yet to release details on their decision to add the actress to their team, but one thing is for sure, Sarah Jessica is no stranger to the fashion game. Having reached fashion icon status playing Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw, the actress went on to create the affordable apparel line Bitten for Steve & Barry in 2007. (The line was discontinued a year later.) We can't wait to see how Sarah Jessica will put her fashion-forward imprint on the label once favored by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to jet-setters Bianca Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor. Tell us: What do you think of Sarah Jessica's new role?–Andrea DeSimone


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