Is Your High-Rise Equipped For Fire?

In the aftermath of the deadly Bronx fire that killed at least 17 people, experts laid out some of the steps residents living in high-rise buildings can take to ensure their safety during a fire emergency.

The recommendations are based on interviews with Charles Jennings, associate professor of Security, Fire, and Emergency Management and director of the Christian Regenhard Center for Emergency Response Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Steve Zirinsky, co-chair of the American Institute of Architects New York’s Building Code Committees, and Jim Bullock, the co-founder and president of NY Fire Consultants.

• Smoke detectors: Make sure there is a smoke detector in each bedroom and one within 15 feet of the bedrooms. In new residential high-rises, buildings less than a decade old, the law requires smoke detectors to be hard-wired, or permanently connected to the building’s electrical system. Residents of older buildings will find separate smoke detectors attached to the ceilings or walls. Check regularly to see that they are operating properly, and the batteries are still good.
• “Combustible” vs. “non-combustible”: The materials the building is made from can make a big difference in deciding if it is safer to flee or to shelter in place. New York City’s fire preparedness guide defines “combustible” buildings as those with structures made from wood or other materials that can catch fire itself. If that describes your home, experts say it’s best to exit the building quickly during a fire emergency. “Non-combustible” means that the building is made from materials like steel, brick, and concrete that will not burn and will likely remain structurally sound. In those buildings, it may be safer to shelter in your apartment. This information should be published in your building lobby on a fire safety guide, and you can also find it on the website for the Department of Buildings by searching for your building’s Certificate of Occupancy. It is also included in the fire preparedness guide that is mailed to apartment residents every three years.
• Block smoke from entering the apartment: The leading cause of deaths from serious fires is not the flames themselves, but the smoke and toxic fumes they produce. If you are sheltering in your non-combustible home during a fire emergency, experts recommend placing wet towels at the foot of the front door to your apartment, as well as blocking any vents where smoke could enter from other parts of the building with towels or tape. If you don’t see smoke outside, opening all your windows at the top and bottom will prevent smoke from building up in your apartment. However, experts say you should not break the glass, as that will make it impossible to close if smoke does begin coming in from the outside.

• Self-closing doors: These doors are designed to control and contain fires for up to an hour and a half. If the fire is inside the apartment, the door will prevent the blaze from spreading into the hallway. If a public hallway catches fire, the self-closing doors will prevent fire from spreading into the apartments. Make sure the doors work as intended and remember to close them when leaving your apartment during a fire.
• Emergency Exits: Know where they are and how to get there. For residents with mobility issues, plan on how to get out of the buildings if elevators are out of service. If you live on the 19th floor, how will you get downstairs or up to the roof? New York City fire safety regulations also require all apartment doors and common areas have an escape plan posted.
• Fire alarm with public address capability: A public address system allows fire officials to communicate with residents and provide guidance to those trapped inside high-rises. The fire department could ask residents to stay inside their apartments while firefighters check on fire in the building. Fire officials can use the public address system to evacuate residents when it’s safe to do so. Absent such a system, there are no real means for fire officials to communicate with all tenants at once.
• Fire sprinklers: Does your high-rise have a building-wide sprinkler system? After two deadly fires in 1999, New York City enacted a law that required sprinkler systems in most new residential buildings and existing ones that underwent extensive renovations.
• Space heaters: If you are using a space heater, make sure it has up-to-date safety measures, such as an automatic shutoff if it is tipped over. Make sure the plug is intact and does not have loose prongs or stray wires. Because space heaters use so much power, they should be plugged directly into a wall socket, not attached to an extension cord. Keep the space heater at least three feet away from anything that could burn, like curtains and newspapers.
• How do I complain and to whom? If your building doesn’t have these basic systems, the first step is to alert your building management company, landlord or super. If that doesn’t work, call 311 or file a complaint here with the Department of Buildings.