FLSD - CHAPTER 2 : LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

Question 1

What was the reason that NYC enacted Local Law 5 in 1973?

Answer 1

5 people died in two high-rise fires in 1970 and buildings were getting taller and more complicated.

Question 2

Local Law 5 created Fire Safety Plans… and as part of the FSP, it created numerous positions in Office Buildings (Category E in 1973… changed to Category B in 2008). What are the 6 positions created in the Fire Safety Plan?

Answer 2

1. Fire Safety Director
2. Deputy Fire Safety Director
3. Building Evacuation Supervisor
4. Floor Warden
5. Deputy Floor Warden
6. Searchers

Question 3

How many Floor Wardens are required in a Hotel?

Answer 3

Be careful of trick questions! Hotels do not have Floor Wardens - only office buildings.

Question 4

How are “Normal Business Hours” defined in a Category B (Office Building)?

Answer 4

The hours when there are regulary 100 persons below the ground floor… or 100 persons above the ground floor… or 500 persons in the entire building (including the ground floor).

Question 5

What Local Law required Fire Safety Directors in Hotels?

Answer 5

Local Law 16 of 1984 required that all transient hotels (Occupancy J-1 in 1984… Occupancy R-1 today) have Fire Safety Directors on duty 24/7.

Question 6

Local Law 5 of 1973 required Office buildings to have what type of communications?

Answer 6

Two-Way Communications which is better known as Warden Phones.

Question 7

What is the purpose of Two-Way Communications in a Occupancy B / Office Building?

Answer 7

To provide the Floor Wardens and Deputy Floor Wardens with a mean of commuincating with the Fire Safety Director (FLSD).

Question 8

Local Law 16 of 1984 defined or established that any building that was _______ feet or higher was considered a High-Rise Building.

Answer 8

75 Feet

Question 9

Local Law 16 of 1984 required all buildings to provide an Emergency _________________ in all new buildings built from 1986 on.

Answer 9

Emergency Power System. This could be battery storage, a generator, or other system. This was only for new buildiings… older buildings were grandfathered in and that is why you do not see generators in older office buildings.

Question 10

Local Law 16 of 1984 required that buildings install what type of system to manage smoke?

Answer 10

The law required buildings to integrate smoke control systems into their properties. This includes Post Fire Purge Systems designed to remove smoke through a controlled ventilation system.

Question 11

Local Law 16 of 1984 required what kind of buildings to install sprinkler systems?

Answer 11

Prior to this, most buildings were not sprinklered. All high rise buildings including hotels, office buildings, etc. now had to be sprinklered. It also required low-rise hotels to be sprinklered.

Question 12

Local Law 16 of 1984 required new high-rise Office Buildings as well as existing Office Buildings over 100 feet in height to have what?

Answer 12

A Fire Alarm and Communications Systems including warden phones & PA (one-way communications)

Question 13

What was the first law that comprehensively addressed Disabled Persons and Building Access in NYC?

Answer 13

Local Law 58 of 1987

Question 14

Local Law 26 was created in response to what event?

Answer 14

9/11

Question 15

Local Law 26 of 2004 required owners of Office Buildings to create what type of plan?

Answer 15

Emergency Action Plan (today the plan is still called EAP but the training is known as Non-Fire Emergencies training).

Question 16

EAP covers what type of material?

Answer 16

Non-Fire Emergencies… anything that happens in or affects a building that is not Fire-related.

Question 17

Office Buildings were already required to have a Fire Safety Plan. With the introduction of the EAP, the plan was known as a Comprehensive Fire Safety/Emergency Action Plan. What happened to the Fire Safety Director position?

Answer 17

Nothing. The Fire Safety Director was still an F-58. The Emergency Action Plan added the position of F-59, Emergency Action Plan Director. Once you had both an F-58 and F-59… you were known as a FS/EAP Director.

Question 18

Local Law 26 requires that all existing Office buildings require full sprinkler coverage.

Answer 18

The 9/11 review deterimined that an alarm system was not enough. Automatic Sprinklers are the best way to fight a fire in a high-rise building.

Question 19

What did the 2014 Fire Code change?

Answer 19

Changed the previous F-58 and F-59 Certificates of Fitness and title Fire Safety/Emergency Action Plan Director to Fire Life Safety Director.

Question 20

What did 2014 Fire Code add to EAP (Non-Fire) training?

Answer 20

Active Shooter & Medical Emergency Procedures.

Question 21

Does an Occupancy R-1 property require an Emergency Action Plan?

Answer 21

R-1 is a Hotel or Shelter. Hotels do not require an Emergency Action Plan yet… only a Fire Safety Plan.

Question 22

According to Fire Code, who is responsible for training all staff?

Answer 22

Owners of properties are responsible for selecting staff… but the FLS Director (FLSD) is responsible for all training.

Question 23

What is the ADA?

Answer 23

Americans with Disabilities Act. it establishes requirements and guidelines for buildings to better service persons with disabilities.

Question 24

How does the ADA impact us as FLSDs?

Answer 24

Buildings are required to maintain an active and on-going list of persons in the building who are “Special Needs” and may require additional support in the event of an emergency. This list must be provided to the FLSD in an emergency to pass along to first responders.