News

 

There has been a lot written lately about the Fire Department of New York City line-of-duty deaths at the former Deutsche Bank fire in Manhattan. Subsequent inspection of construction and demolition sites in New York City have revealed building and fire code violations creating dangerous conditions for firefighters, some leading to the arrest of property owners. As progressive firefighters, you need to be asking yourselves, could this happen in your response district and what can you do to prevent it? Fires can and will happen in buildings going up or coming down, and firefighters must develop an understanding of how the normal process of evaluating “risk versus benefit” of tactical fire ground decisions changes during building construction or demolition.

 

When we consider that building and fire codes are created to provide buildings with a level of fire safety and redundancy based on the building’s use (occupancy type) and type of construction (from fire-resistive to lightweight-wood frame), that formula is applied to the finished product. Risks are much greater during construction or demolition because most of the fire protection features are the last systems completed during construction and the first to be removed during demolition. The 2006 International Building Code developed by the International Code Council, recognizes this problem and includes a full chapter (Chapter 33) on “Safeguards During Construction.” Similarly, the Code Council’s 2006 International Fire Code includes a chapter (Chapter 14) entitled “Fire Safety During Construction and Demolition.”

 

Great news, right? Well that depends on how well you know your local code official and how often they can inspect construction and demolition sites. Such sites are constantly changing, so they require continuous attention and visits by the inspector. The frequency of inspections may be compromised by limited budgets, insufficient staffing, competing demands to complete other work assignments or any combination of these factors. If you’re a chief officer, how often are you talking with your code official about these sites? If there is concern about safety at building construction or demolition sites in your response area, its time to get proactive. Don’t wait until you have a fire that could become the next national news headline. Find a way to have your concerns addressed by working with your code official and your local political leaders, if necessary.

 

And what if you’re not a chief officer? As company officers or firefighters, how often do you hold or attend company drills at a construction site to teach new firefighters about lightweight construction?  If you’re holding these drills, great, but there is more firefighters can do at these training sessions than just discussing the failure rate of lightweight construction under fire conditions. Take note of the other hazards present: temporary electric or generators (which means gasoline); propane heaters in colder months; and missing stairs or handrails. Are there fire extinguishers on site? Are the workers smoking (how many cigarette butts can you count)? Are there open trenches or holes surrounding the building? You get the idea. Remember, the International Building Code and International Fire Code contains many provisions for dealing with these sites.  If something looks too dangerous, chances are the code addresses it as a violation. Tell your fire or building inspector so they can get the owner to correct the violations before it leads to a fire or firefighter injury.

 

And what about demolition sites? You should visit commercial building demolition sites and look at the status of fire alarm, fire sprinkler, and stand-pipe systems; check for proper storage of hazardous materials, ensure exit corridors and exit doors are operational to avoid trapping firefighters, make sure that adequate fire apparatus access is provided, and ask about safety during torch-cutting operations. Don’t forget about fire extinguishers and smoking areas.

 

The International Building Code and International Fire Code address all of these situations, but that by itself doesn’t  prevent uninformed or uncaring contractors from taking shortcuts which put firefighters at the greatest risk when a fire occurs. Make it a point to visit construction and demolition sites in your area, with permission of the property owner, to stay abreast of what is going on. If you have a good working relationship with your code official, you can work together to ensure that those known hazards which are addressed by the codes don’t get overlooked in your community.

 

While reviewing new construction in your response area, note that the International Fire Code has an entire chapter (Chapter 5) on “Fire Service Features.” This chapter addresses important fire safety requirements such as fire apparatus access roads, water supplies, house numbers, and street name signs, and requires that they be in place during construction or that an acceptable alternative is provided. These provisions are designed so you can find an address, even in a large new sub-division under construction, and that there are operational water supplies should there be a fire.

 

As firefighters, you have an obligation to know what construction and demolition may be occurring in your response area and to be proactive in ensuring the greatest level of safety for yourselves in the event a fire occurs. Working with your code official, visiting these sites regularly and having a basic understanding of how the building and fire codes apply to these sites might very well prevent a fire in the first place or pay big dividends when the fire alarm comes in.