The Problem with High-Rise Residences

Residents of high-rise apartment buildings in New York should be prepared to save themselves in case of an emergency – because high-rise residential buildings are not required to provide residents with a comprehensive evacuation procedure.

The news may come as a bit of a surprise for penthouse-apartment dwellers. If you reside on the 35th floor of a building, do you know how you’ll escape if the 34th floor is going up in flames?
Many of those in such apartments do not. In fact, most are simply advised to stay in their apartment in case of a fire.

“The best thing to do is to shut your door and pray,” said one New York fire fighter, who asked to remain anonymous. “We’ll be there as soon as we can, but until then, you want to keep the fire contained. So just keep your doors shut.”

Indeed, the Office of Emergency Management Web site instructs high-rise residents to do just that.

“If you live in a high-rise residential building, and the fire is not in your apartment, stay inside rather than entering smoke-filled hallways,” the Web site says. “Keep your windows closed, especially if the fire is in the apartment below.”

For one high-rise resident, the fire didn’t become apparent until it was well underway. Liz McNamara, who lives on the 12th floor of The Crest, a 36-story high-rise apartment at 63 Wall St., was spending a sunny day indoors when she thought she heard rain. Confused, she went to the window to find clear skies. And the “rain” she was hearing?


A fire two floors above her had set off the building’s sprinkler system, which was causing a flood in the apartment above hers. Soon, the water was coming through the ceiling into her apartment as well.

“I didn’t know there was a fire in the building until water started pouring from the ceiling,” she said. When she ran into the hall to notify the building manager, she finally heard the fire alarms going off in the stair well.

Fortunately for Liz (and the other residents of The Crest on Wall Street), the building is equipped with a sprinkler system. Without the sprinklers, McNamara could have been dealing with much more serious problems than her soaking wet furniture.

“New York was around 20 years behind the model codes in terms of requiring sprinklers in residential high-rises,” said Charles Jennings, Ph.D., a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where he also received a Master of Science in fire protection management. Jennings points out that the sprinkler systems basically mitigate most evacuation problems by limiting the fire’s ability to grow and spread. New York finally decreed that all high-rise residential buildings constructed need to be equipped with sprinkler systems in 1999. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) claims that, no more than two people have ever been killed as a result of a fire, excluding explosions, when the building had a fully functioning sprinkler system.

Still, said Jennings, improvements can be made.

“What residential high-rises need is public address capability, so that residents can get instructions during an emergency,” said Jennings. “This was never required.”

Jennings suggested that residential buildings should be required to be outfitted with two-way communication capability – like that which is currently required in office buildings.

A representative from the Office of Emergency Management for New York City made a simple, somewhat frightening conclusion for those who seek an evacuation procedure for high-rise residences: “There’s nothing in terms of a wide-scale one for apartment buildings – individuals need to be prepare themselves for evacuation.”


PROTECTING YOURSELF IN CASE OF A FIRE: TIPS FROM THE FDNY


1. HAVE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN

Have a family meeting to discuss what to do if there is a fire. Practice your plan.
2. USE APPROVED WINDOW GATES

Only use approved window gates. Do not use a padlock which will prevent your escape from a fire.
3. DECIDE ON A MEETING PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING

By deciding on a meeting place outside and away from the building, you will know if everyone has gotten out safely.
4. SEND THE ALARMDial 911 to report a fire.

Use the local Fire Alarm Box.
5. WALK QUICKLY, DON'T PANIC

Feel the door on your way out with the back of your hand. If the door is hot, do not open. Close door behind you to slow the spread of fire.
6. USE THE STAIRS

Don't use the elevator. It may stop and trap you.Try to place one hand in contact with the wall. This may prevent you from getting lost.
7. STAY LOW AND GO

If there's smoke, escape by staying very low to the ground where air is cooler.
8. OPEN WINDOW IF TRAPPED

Open window at top to let out heat and smoke; and at the bottom to breathe.If you cannot get out, wave a sheet out the window.
9. DON'T GO BACK

Do not go back into a fire for anything! Your life is your MOST valuable possession.


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Sources:
Charles Jennings, Ph.D.: cjennings@jjay.cuny.edu
Office of Emergency Management: www.nyc.gov/oem
OEM Hotline: (718) 422 4800
Liz McNamara: (301) 325-7206
The Crest: 63 Wall Street, (212) 344 6363, (212) 706 3030
National Fire Protection Association: http://www.nfpa.org/ – Research and Reports: Automatic Sprinklers
Fire Safety Tips: http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/safety/firesafety_escape.shtml

Something is Rotten in City’s Building Inspections Plan.

By Joy Wiltermuth

The Deutsche Bank building stands as an abandoned, gloomy hulk that was badly damaged and filled with toxic debris during the collapse of 2 World Trade Center. After a 22-foot length of steel pipe fell from the building while it was being torn down last year, and landed onto the adjacent roof of the local firehouse, it sparked fire department protests and calls for additional safety measures.

Three months later, a fire broke out in the partly demolished building that led to the deaths of two firefighters. An investigation following the blaze concluded that firefighters Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino were left in the burning building for more than an hour without water, due to a dismantled fire connection and broken standpipe. Several fire exits were barricaded, when the subcontractor attempted to limit asbestos exposure in the floor-by-floor deconstruction.

The tragedy set off a bitter fight between the firefighter’s union and the Fire Commissioner over accountability in the lapsed fire inspections and the hazardous conditions at the site. “Smoke and mirrors seems to be the Department’s response to this department-created situation that has eroded over the years,” said William Romaka, the Uniformed Firefighters Association Health and Safety Officer.

Stephen J. Cassidy, President of the UFA, called for Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta to accept responsibility for department failures following the blaze and requested an independent investigation. Cassidy said the higher echelons knew of the dangers, which plagued the Deutsche Bank, when Chief William Siegel recommended a targeted fire inspection plan for the toxic site three years earlier.

Siegel’s plan addressed hazards posed to firefighters that included exposure to asbestos, dioxins and heavy metals released during abatement. Aware of such conditions at the former bank building, the union disclosed the lack of proper fire inspections that had ceased a year prior to the fatal fire.

Glen Corbett, a professor of fire science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the New York City fire inspections program became a hot-button issue. In the days following the fire, he told the New York Post, “due to the scrutiny of this building, the lack of a pre-fire plan is unbelievable.”

Scoppetta and Mayor Bloomberg weighed in on the tragedy and three high-ranking firefighters were taken out of the field and reassigned. Bloomberg called for strict enforcement of the fire department’s building inspections schedule, which required bi-monthly, spontaneous visits by local fire companies to all buildings undergoing construction or demolition in their area.

Scoppetta announced a new Building Inspection Safety Program (BISP) in November and added a third day to the current 15-day building inspection cycle. Inspections are completed during the firefighter’s regular workday and, under the BISP, the hours each week reserved for completion of inspection duties were increased, from six to nine. Visits to local buildings begin in the morning and continue throughout the day until, or unless, the unit is called to respond to a fire emergency.

Cassidy called the BISP was “an obvious attempt to gloss over the failures of Department leadership, who knew the Deutsche Bank was a toxic mess.” He said the new inspection program would not resolve the problems of an unfeasible inspection cycle, which added to an already overburdened firefighter's workload.

Battalion Chief John J. McDonnell said, “The additional inspection period is a ‘band-aid’ approach to an ever-growing problem. McDonnell, President of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association and one of the reassigned officers, said it would be impossible to check every construction or demolition project under the current schedule and told the New York Times that city regulations did not take into account New York’s recent construction boom.

The department later agreed to cut back on fire inspections to buildings less than 75 feet high, to every 30 days. An attempt to modernize the city’s firefighting capabilities was put forth in March, the first comprehensive revision of the city's fire code proposed in nearly a century. It is slated to go into effect in July and will bring the Code in line with international standards.

While part of the proposed Fire Code Law focuses on fire safety technology, some have called it “a sprinkler system law.” Deputy Assistant Chief Ronald R. Spadafora worked on the Fire Code and said it addressed some of the major issues that faced the Fire Department following the World Trade Center collapse.

Spadafora called it particularly strong in areas of interdepartmental information sharing and said it improved and integrated computer systems. But, he said the offset to technological improvements was a compromise of practical aspects of fire prevention. “Some would say there are areas of the code that have not gone far enough,” he said.

The proposed Fire Code Law does not directly address the disputed fire inspections building program. Romaka said, “While the new Fire Code might, and could be beneficial, the real problem deals with an untrained inspection protocol that does little to correctly respond to the challenges we find ourselves in.” He said the lack of proper training for the vast majority of firefighters in the field has not been addressed.

The UFA called for a separately trained and staffed task force to remedy the growing need for professional fire inspectors, who can identify and report back to local units about dangerous or hazardous conditions. While new probationary firefighters are given increased building construction and inspection training, Romaka said, “In the past we had dedicated task forces that were allowed to be cut from the budget under the guise of doing more with less.” Spadafora said, “In a perfect world, there would be a separate task force, but that involves a budget and we have to work with the workforce we already have.”

Weighing in on the added third day of inspections, Romaka said, “Being judged on hours does not improve the quality of the inspection.” He said it detracted from the bonding between companies “that generally occurs at lunch time, at a time when we have so many new members that we strive to pass on traditions to.”

On December 12, the City Council’s Fire and Criminal Justice Services Committee requested an oversight hearing with respect to the Fire Department’s building inspections program. The Committee wanted to determine the staffing levels, training, equipment and qualifications of the inspectors. They also looked at the increase in levels of inspections and the impact that had on response times and safety. Scoppetta testified that fire response times had actually decreased since the new inspection plan was instituted, but Cassidy said the Commissioner provided no supporting data or statistics for his conclusion.

Cassidy said the number of fire engines on building inspections increased by 50 percent since December. While acknowledging the Fire Department’s responsibility to manage the city’s building inspection program, he said, “Every firefighter knows that his response times are negatively impacted.” A fire company out conducting routine building inspections is required to regroup and deploy when a fire emergency calls, sometimes to distant locations.

In a recent ratcheting up of the tensions, Romaka was excluded from certain departmental meetings, which related to technology oversight, and the UFA said he was targeted due to union activity. Cassidy said, “Rest assured, the Department’s actions will not stop the UFA from shining the light of truth on the Department when their policies endanger our members.”



Sources:
Scopetta Nov. 7, 2007, BISP Announcement
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/pr/2007/110707_8507.shtml
UFA Nov. 20, 2007 Ltr to Members and Public
http://ufalocal94.org/pdf/db11_20.pdf
UFA Oct. 12, 2007 Charge of Cover-Up
http://ufalocal94.org/press/100907.php
Dec. 5, 2007 FDNY Proposed Fire Code
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/pr/2007/120507_9107.shtml

Glen Corbett: 212-237-8092
William Romaka: 212-683-4832
Ronald R. Spadafora: 917-418-8653

Giachino and Kupferman talks

Here they are, as promised.

http://saveandrewgarib.com/audio/08.04.11-10h31m12s_INV_Alyssa_Giachino_talk.wma

http://saveandrewgarib.com/audio/08.04.11-12h52m45s_INV_Joel_Kupferman_talk.wma

For those of you who complained the link to the last talk wasn't working: I think it's working now.

Nitey nite,

Andrew

Ps.: All these audio files will be labeled "talks" instead of whatever crazy crap I was doing before. AG

Regenhardt, Collett, and Schwartz (audio)

Hi All,

Here's the link to the Regenhardt, Collett and Schwartz talk from last Friday. I'm sorry it took so long to get on-line.

I think this is decent quality - just bad enough resolution to lose my obnoxious, snarky comments, but just good enough to catch Chad's. :D Frederic Schwartz has a voice (and a beard) for radio, and he and all the other speakers came through better than Pat Alex did.

Also, by some miracle, the batteries of my recorder cut off at just 3 minutes after 1 p.m., so we got basically the whole talk.

David, you missed it. Come see me in my office after class.

Andrew

Link: http://saveandrewgarib.com/audio/08.04.04-13h03m50s_INV_Schwartz_Regenhardt_Collett.wma

Sarah's Progress Memo

At this point I have interviewed a person whose 36-story building caught fire a few weeks ago. Fire alarms did not go off throughout the building, but they did go off on the floor where the fire started. Her apartment did sustain a lot of water damage from the building's sprinkler system and the fire fighters' hoses. She lives on the 12th floor.

I've also done some research through the FDNY Web site, which is help shedding light on how the fire department responds to emergencies in hi-rise residences. Especially insightful was story of the plane that crashed into the 30th and 31st floors of a 46-story residence on 10.11.06 -- Cory Lidle's small, fixed-wing aircraft. The story of this incident describes the way the fire department responds when they are dealing with a hi-rise evacuation in this way: "The Air Rescue plan calls for two ladder companies and a Battalion chief, who are trained in high-rise roof operations, to meet the NYPD emergency services unit and aviation unit at a designated landing spot to prepare for an airlift."

I've found that fire officials typically ask residents to stay in their apartments with the doors closed during a building fire. For the most part, fires can be contained in the apartment where the fire started due to the construction of the buildings.

Site to check out

I came across a site that might be helpful background info for a lot of people, The Safety Library

The site has information on:
Disasters (disaster safety, emergency management, terrorism)
Hazards and controls (biological safety, chemical safety, environmental safety, fire safety, physical hazards, etc.)
Industry Safety
Laws and Regulations
Safety Management

In addition to compiling research, the site also has a great number of links updated constantly on the issues listed above and others (the list is pretty long, but I selected the most relevant ones for the list above).

Residential High Rises

I would like to explore the evacuation procedures and mandates for residential high-rise buildings. An article published in The Cooperator, a monthly condo and co-op publication, pointed out: “Although no New York City law requires that residential buildings have an emergency evacuation or management plan, experts generally agree that it’s smart for residential buildings to consider what they would do in the case of an emergency.”The article goes on to say that exit signs are required, as well as floor plans that mark the points of exit in case of an emergency. “Beyond those things, however, the city of New York doesn’t require that residential buildings formulate or maintain an emergency management or evacuation plan, nor do they require that these buildings make use of the photoluminescent exit path markings that are required by Local Law 26 of commercial buildings over the height of 75 feet.”I’d like to get in touch with the building management at some of New York’s highest high-rise residential buildings and see if they have formulated an effective evacuation plan in case of an emergency. The article’s link is: http://cooperator.com/articles/1352/1/Planning-for-Emergency-Evacuation/Page1.html

Interview Questions - Residential High Rise Evac. Proceedures

Interview Questions:
1. Why aren't evacuation management procedures required in residential buildings in New York City?
2. Why aren't residential buildings required to have photoluminescent lighting to aid in evacuations as is required of commercial buildings by Local Law 26, a part of the New York Building Code?
Questions for Building Management:
1. Do have an evacuation management procedure for the tenants in your building -- even though one is not required by the city?
2. If so, what is it?
3. Did your evacuation plan change after 9/11? If so, how?
4. What considerations were made when formulating your evacuation plan?
5. If you don't have an evacuation management proceedure, why not?

A Tale of Three Articles

This is for those of you who wanted to see the evolution of my WSN piece from crappy article to crappier article.

To be publicly embarrassed by teenagers is to feel alive.

High Rise Residential Building Evacuations

HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING EVACUATIONS (Tressler) If the city of New York does not require residential buildings to have an emergency evacuation plan, how do high-rise residences in New York City plan for an emergency on their own?

The standards that commercial buildings have to meet are nil for residential buildings, regardless of the number of floors the building has. With so many high-rise residences in the city, how do residential building managers ensure the safety of the buildings’ occupants in the event of an emergency?

Air Quality

Post 9/11 Air Quality regulations (Mike Weiss)
Who is responsible for monitoring and alerting, and has this improved after 9/11?
The 9/11 air quality issue at the time of the attack arose because (1) building materials (primarily asbestos) had been used in the Towers’ construction and (2) right after the attack there was confusion between government agencies as to who was responsible for monitoring and alerting people about air quality hazards.

1. So far, there doesn’t seem to have been any news about improving building materials standards (which materials are safer during a disater, as well as during demolition and construction). The use of asbestos was outlawed just after the construction of the Twin Towers, and there doesn’t seem to have been any other toxic contaminants that were found during 9/11 which then led to use restrictions. Instead, this aspect of the story has shifted to the cleaning of the asbestos-laden residue from 9/11 which still covers buildings downtown.

2. Right after 9/11, many observers feel that the Federal EPA and OSHA should have stepped forward and centralized efforts to immediately issue accurate air quality alerts, and to then coordinate all government agencies’ activities during the clean up. Further, once in this position a centralized authorithy would have been able to oversee the construction boom that is happening in Lower Manhattan (35 new buildings since 9/11, 68 currently in the works) in order to monitor and alert people about air conditions.

This didn’t happen. For various reasons, seemingly stemming from Mayor Giuliani’s insistance that City government and the City agency DDC (Dept. of Design and Construction) oversee all 9/11 building issues, there is now no central authority accountable for air quality issues. Instead, there is a mix of City, State, and Federal agencies which are performing various regulatory roles they were used to performing from before 9/11, but in the post-9/11 world it is unclear what their formal responsibilities are, what they are responsible to report and who they need to report to.

To sum up, the issue of air quality standards and how they may have been improved after 9/11 seems to focus on alerting procedures. This means how have procedures improved which will alert people better next time in the event of an emergency, and also who is monitoring and alerting people about the current air quality relating to the post-9/11 demolition and construction boom.