BRAZILIAN FIRE SAFETY (exits) for an occupant load of 500 1000 persons (four exits if the occupant load was 2,000 people as reported by the media in the Club Kiss fire). In addition, the nightclub would be required to be equipped with a fire alarm system (with voice evacuation), as well as an automatic sprinkler system. The sprinkler system requirement threshold in the model codes was lowered as a result of the Station Nightclub fire. These code revisions, which were adopted by all 50 US states, require that nightclubs with an occupant load of 100 or more persons be equipped with an automatic and supervised sprinkler system. For the most part, we would like to live in a world where building and business owners spend the maximum amount of attention and money to protect its occupants and/or patrons. Unfortunately, we do not; most often building owners will opt for the minimum level of safety to be achieved so as not to spend additional money from their budget, which could be spent on aesthetics or operational infrastructure. For their part, building and business owners are not experts in life safety and fire protection, but have a social responsibility to ask the hard questions related to such. That is, they should have the awareness to ask questions related to their buildings and business to assure that patrons and occupants are protected in the event of an emergency such as a fire. The example of the Club Kiss fire raises questions related to what the owner knew about the night of the incident. Was he aware that the building would hold as many as 2,000 persons as reported, and that the band would utilise pyrotechnics for the show? Is he at fault for
FIRE SAFETY IN BRAZIL
Brazilian state map Regardless of blame, law makers need to drastically change the landscape of life safety and fire protection as it relates to assembly occupancies (and others) in Brazil. Changes similar to the ones that came after the Station Nightclub fire need to take place and be enforced. After new regulations are revised and/or created at the national level (federal in Brazil), local officials need to develop an enforcement initiative to put nightclub (and other business) owners on notice; they will have a
Most tourists to Brazil feel a sense of safety and security when visiting the many restaurants or hotels in Sao Paulo. Visitors to these businesses are not worried about their safety because they have a sense of security that comes with the notion that such a place of business would not be allowed to operate unless built and maintained to the standard of care expected of a rapidly growing country like Brazil.
Marcelo D’Amico is Principal at Orcus Fire Protection LLC Stephen Kowkabany is President at Neptune Fire Protection Engineering LLC For further information, go to orcusfire.com 46
running a business that, which like so many others in Brazil, are not equipped with proper life safety or fire protection system, but yet are given permits to operate? Would an owner even understand the nuances between different types of acoustical foams with radically different flame spread characteristics? These are questions which will be answered most likely in a court of law and the court of public opinion, but this is the time for owners of similar facilities in Brazil and around the world to be accountable, look in the mirror, and do something about it.
specific period of time in which to make the changes to improve life safety and fire protection, and if not compliant; their businesses will be closed until compliance is achieved. The public is looking for a villain and the media is looking for a storyline, but the solution to this problem will not come overnight for Brazil and if dramatic changes are not made, they will not come in time to provide adequate life safety to the millions of tourists visiting one of the most beautiful countries in the world for the World Cup IFP and Olympic Games. INTERNATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION