How Far Fire Escapes Are Safety Requirements?
The history of fire escapes in New York goes long back to the 1860s when they started appearing in most multi-storeyed buildings across the city. Fire escapes are venerated architectural units that are often elaborate and artistically designed. However, spotting a dilapidated fire escape across the streets of New York City is not a surprise!
Although fire escapes were installed as an exit route during emergencies, gradually they became storage areas or re-purposed balconies. Fire escape installation NYC is conceived as significant for the safety of building occupants, but often they are the most neglected features.
Therefore, today, the question arises whether these fire escapes are really safety requirements or they are hazardous. It is a commonly debated issue and we have highlighted the discussion in this post. Here it goes.
The History of Fire Escapes
Most fire escapes you spot in the city are presumably at least 50 years old. Though they were an obligatory unit in the 1860s, nonetheless, with the new building codes in 1968, fire escapes became forbidden. But, in some places, fire escape installation NYC is still prominent. Hence, you must be well aware of how old a fire escape can be!
Relating to the age and the lack of maintenance, it is not surprising to catch sight of a rickety, old fire escape dangling from a building’s exterior. Engulfed in a layer of dust and rust, such fire escapes are absolutely unsafe for use. Missing guardrails or treads, loose joints, and unstable platforms are everything you will discover! It calls for immediate repair and restoration!
Nevertheless, fire escapes possess historical and architectural significance. Some property owners use it as a fancy element while decorating it with flower pots and artefacts while others pile up unusable stocks. Either way, the use of a fire escape has been forgotten recently! Does that mean it is safe to remove a fire escape?
Absolutely no! A building with a fire escape means it is there for a purpose. There is probably no other egress route until you have undergone significant modifications like adding automatic sprinklers, smoke detectors, or fireproof walls.
Fire escape installation companies believe in preserving fire escapes since removing them may cause significant damage to properties. Since a fire escape is attached to the building exterior and secured with mortar or nuts and bolts, removing it is an invasive process.