School Fire Safety Inspections

School Fire Safety School Fire Safety InspectionsInspectionsCourse Number: 49-5934Course Number: 49-5934Course Record Number: 20-07-1069Course Record Number: 20-07-1069

Ben StevensBen StevensFire Protection SpecialistFire Protection SpecialistTown of ColonieTown of ColonieDepartment of Fire ServicesDepartment of Fire Services

Objective At the conclusion of this program the student

will recognize common violations found during school fire safety inspections and the steps they can take to ensure that the deficiencies are corrected.

Why Do Inspections Required by Codes and Regulations

Identify situations that could potentially cause problems

Protect our families and neighbors

Fire Safety Inspections Required annually by NYSED for schools to

obtain & maintain a Certificate of Occupancy 8 NYCRR 155.8 Fire and building safety

inspections Conducted by a Code Enforcement Official or

Code Compliance Technician certified by State Fire Administrator State Ed will not allow school district employees who are

codes certified to conduct inspections in their own district

Fire Safety Inspections In March of 1954 a fire in

the Cleveland Hill Elementary School, Cheektowaga, NY, killed 15 sixth graders.

In 1955 the New York Legislature passed a law requiring annual fire safety inspections.

Fire Safety Inspections Public Schools

11 month cycle Nonpublic Schools

Prior to December 1 of each school year.

Fire Safety Inspections Inspections required:

Each building of record which is owned, leased, or used by the school district.

A building is defined as any structure, having walls and roof, which can be secured.

Authority Having Jurisdiction NYSED is the AHJ for public schools

Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Education Department’s Office of Facilities Planning Fire Safety Unit 518-474-3906

Private Schools are the local code enforcement officers responsibility

Fires in schools Lake View School

Collinwood (Cleveland) Oh. March 4, 1908 172 students, 2 teachers and 1 rescuer died

New London Texas March 8, 1937 Explosion & fire in school due to

gas leak in heating system 500 people mostly students died

Fires in schools Our Lady of Angels School

Chicago Il. December 1, 1958 92 students and 3 nuns died

Fires in schools In the United States, an average of 6,650 structure

fires occur annually in educational institutions where students attend during the day only.

These fires are responsible for approximately 90 injuries, fewer than 5 fatalities, and $90 million dollars in property loss.

Fires in New York State schools*

* Based on information provided through NYS Fire Reporting System

Year Number of Fires Loss

2005 553 $ 77,005

2006 580 $ 485,755

2007 424 $ 544,972

2008 436 $ 63,895

2009 396 $ 322,818

2010 351 $ 34,571

Fires in schools Leading Cause

Cooking Equipment Intentional

Area of Origin Bathroom Kitchen or Cooking

equipment Contained trash or

rubbish

Peak times Weekdays 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Lack of reporting Only a small percentage of fire incidents in

schools are reported to the fire department. EVERY school fire shall be reported to the fire

department no matter how small. FC401.3 Emergency forces notification. In the event an

unwanted fire occurs on a property, the owner or occupant shall immediately report such condition to the fire department. Building employees and tenants shall implement the appropriate emergency plans and procedures. No person shall, by verbal or written directive, require any delay in the reporting of a fire to the fire department.

Fire chief: Locked doors trapped students during blaze

While some of the 20 to 30 boys managed to flee the dormitories without incident, many were left banging on locked or otherwise obstructed doors near the school entrance. One door had a broken push bar; one was padlocked at the base; and two other doors were locked from the outside. The boys banged on the two sets of double doors until a man with a key appeared, unlocked a door and let the students out.

The fire chief, however, stood behind his comments that his firefighters found students pounding on the door trying to escape the burning two-story building, which includes dormitories, and that the locked doors endangered not only the students but also the firefighters responding to what's being called arson.

Performing the Fire Inspection Who should be present:

Inspector School District representatives

Facilities Dept. Janitor Principal

Local Fire Chief or Fire Dept representative

Blocked Emergency EXIT doors & Windows

2-E-2 Emergency rescue windows are free of obstructing bars, screens, grills or classroom equipment….

FC1028.2 Reliability. Required exit accesses, exits or exit discharges shall be continuously maintained free from obstructions or impediments to full instant use in the case of fire or other emergency…

Evacuation Plans 10-A-2 Fire safety and

evacuation plans are prepared, maintained and available for review FC 404 An approved

fire safety and evacuation plan shall be prepared and maintained…

Camouflaged Emergency EXIT doors

17-C-2 Curtains, drapes or decorations shall not be placed to obstruct exits or visibility thereof. FC1028.5 Furnishings and decorations. Furnishings, decorations or other objects shall

not be placed so as to obstruct exits, access thereto, egress therefrom, or visibility thereof. Hangings and draperies shall not be placed over exit doors or otherwise be located to conceal or obstruct an exit. Mirrors shall not be placed on exit doors. Mirrors shall not be placed in or adjacent to any exit in such a manner as to confuse the direction of exit.

Electromagnetic Locks Not permitted by State

Education Dept. 17-F-3 Electric strike with

mechanical override is permitted.

Snow & Ice obstructing Emergency EXIT doors (17-B-2)

FC1028.3 Obstructions. A means of egress shall be free from obstructions that would prevent its use, including the accumulation of snow and ice.

Combustible storage in hallways 15-B-1 Storage of

teacher supplies not permitted outside of classrooms. Only students’ personal

belongings are allowed in cubbies.

Waste containers not permitted in exit corridors or stairway landings.

Personal Belongings

FC807.4.3.1 Storage in corridors and lobbies. Clothing and personal effects shall not be stored in corridors and lobbies.

Exceptions: 1. Corridors protected by an automatic sprinkler system 2. Corridors protected by an smoke detection system 3. Storage in metal lockers provided the minimum required egress

width is maintained.

Combustible artwork in hallways

15-C-2 No More than 20% of wall area FCNYS 807.4.3.2

Combustible artwork in hallways

Items placed in hallways obstructing egress (17-A-3)

FC1028.5 Furnishings and decorations. Furnishings, decorations or other objects shall not be placed so as to obstruct exits, access thereto, egress there from, or visibility thereof.

It is a VIOLATION of

NEW YORK STATE FIRE CODE

&

NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS

To obstruct Emergency Exits

This area MUST be kept clear and accessible at all times.

DO NOT place anything in this exit way.

Items placed in hallways obstructing egress (17-A-3)

Fixed and Portable Gates State Ed. does not

allow any gates (fixed or portable) in the building. 6-A-1 FC1028.3

Obstructions. A means of egress shall be free from obstructions that would prevent its use…

Fixed and Portable Gates

Fire doors wedged open

14-C-2 Doors with closers are not rendered inoperable by removal of the closer or the installation of any non-automatic hold open device PMC703.2 Opening Protectives. Required opening protectives shall be

maintained in an operative condition. All fire and smokestop doors shall be maintained in operable condition. Fire doors and smoke barrier doors shall not be blocked or obstructed or otherwise made inoperable.

Town of ColonieDepartment of Fire Services

Extension cords & Multi-plug adapters (12-I-1 & 12-J-1) FCNYS 605.4 & 605.5

Allowed with restrictions

Combustible storage piled to the ceiling 9-D-1 Maintain 24”

clearance in non-sprinklered 18” in sprinklered buildings FCNYS 315.2.1

Fire Alarm Systems (16-A-2)

FC901.6 Inspection, testing and maintenance. Fire detection, alarm and extinguishing systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times, and shall be replaced or repaired where defective.

Obstructed Fire Alarm Pull Stations FCNYS 907.20.5 The building owner shall be

responsible for ensuring that the fire and life safety systems are maintained in an operable condition at all times.

PMCNYS 704.1 General. All systems, devices and equipment to detect a fire, actuate an alarm, or suppress or control a fire or any combination thereof shall be maintained in an operable condition at all times in accordance with the Fire Code of New York State.

Obstructed Fire Alarm Pull Stations

NFPA 72 3-2.2 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be distributed throughout the protected area so that they are unobstructed, readily accessible, and located in the normal path of exit from the area…

Fueled Equipment 9-G-2 Fueled

equipment shall not be stored, operated, or repaired within a building

FC 313.1 Fueled equipment. Fueled equipment, including but not limited to motorcycles, mopeds, lawn-care equipment and portable cooking equipment, shall not be stored, operated or repaired within a building.

6-F-1 Storage in storerooms and classroom areas is orderly and restricted to items of obvious value and usefulness.

FC315.2 Storage in buildings. Storage of combustible materials in buildings shall be orderly…

Orderly storagein building

Clearance to ElectricEquipment (12-G-1)

FC605.3 Working space and clearance. A working space of not less than 30 inches in width, 36 inches in depth and 78 inches in height shall be provided in front of electrical service equipment.

Combustible storage 6-D-2 Space under

stairs and landings is not used for storage unless separated by a 2 hour fire rated construction FC 315.2.2 Means of

egress. Combustible materials shall not be stored in exits or exit enclosures.

Assembly events Overcrowding (FC1029.5), blocked exits (FC1028.5),

and lack of access for emergency equipment as a result of blocked fire lanes(FC503.4) during assembly events are common complaints to NYSED

Assembly events History has many examples

of tragedies that have occurred when buildings filled to over-capacity experience emergencies. Station Night Club – RI Stouffers Inn - NY Beverly Hills Supper

Club – KY Coconut Grove – MA Iroquois Theater – IL

Assembly events The first smell of smoke or the failure of the

lighting system causes immediate panic. Blocked exits and obstructions in corridors such

as tables and chairs cause confusion and further panic.

Experience has shown that in these terrible tragedies, victims rarely die from the actual effects of fire, but instead from smoke inhalation or trampling during the confusion.

Assembly events To compound the disaster,

the ability of emergency responders to reach the scene is often severely compromised by parking in fire access lanes in front of buildings. (11-A-2) FC503.4 Obstruction of fire

apparatus access roads. Fire apparatus access roads shall not be obstructed in any manner, including the parking of vehicles...

Decorative Material and Furnishings

15-D-2 Curtains, drapes, hangings and other decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall be fire resistive or non-combustible. 807.1 General requirements. In occupancies in Groups A, E, I and R-1 and

dormitories in Group R-2, curtains, draperies, hangings and other decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall meet the flame propagation performance criteria of NFPA 701 in accordance with Section 806.2 or be noncombustible.



Scenery & Sets BC 410.3.6 Scenery.

Combustible materials used in sets and scenery shall meet the fire propagation criteria of NFPA 701, in accordance with Section 806 and the Fire Code of New York State. Foam plastics and materials containing foam plastics shall comply with Section 2603 and the Fire Code of New York State.

Scenery & Sets Wood Construction

and flammable decorations not permitted.

Anything that is constructed of flammable materials must be flame treated. FC807.1 General. In occupancies

of Groups A, E, I and R-1 and dormitories in Group R-2, curtains, draperies, hangings and other decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall be flame resistant in accordance with Section 806.2 and NFPA 701 or be noncombustible.

Scenery & Sets

Scenery & Sets

Safe Design & Construction The New York State Fire & Building Codes

contain provisions for the maintenance and safe operation of buildings.

Constructing a safe building does no good if the features that provide that safety are ignored or intentionally disabled by the building occupants.

Safe Design & Construction Principals need to understand that the state

code holds the building operator responsible for any violations of the safety provisions of the code.

What can you do? Ensure school staff knows the school’s fire protection

system. They should be familiar with the type of fire protection systems are in

the school. Know the location of pull stations and fire extinguishers and whether

you school is protected by fire sprinklers.

What can you do? School Fire Drills

Staff should actively participate in monthly school fire drills.

Fire drills, as REQUIRED by Section 807 of the Education Law, will ensure rapid and orderly occupant evacuation of school buildings at the time of a real fire emergency.

12 per school year 8 prior to 12/1

FC 404 & 405 – Fire Safety & Evacuations Plans and Evacuation Drills

What can you do? State Education Law

408-b Requires every public

and nonpublic school statewide to submit copies of school building plans and specifications to their respective local fire and law enforcement officials.

What can you do? Provide a list of the violations.

The report can be used by school staff for self-education and self-evaluation on a regular basis to identify and correct unsafe conditions which may develop at any time. Used in this manner, minimum safety standards can

be met and maintained on a continuing basis.

What can you do? Awareness of, and concern for fire and life

safety It must come from the demonstrated attitude of

the school board and top school administrators. When these individuals refuse to tolerate unsafe

practices or conditions, and insist on a continuing program for fire safety in the schools, building administrators, their staff and students will follow their lead.


safety cont. A developed concern & daily observance of

building conditions should help to eliminate unsafe conditions such as: Exits blocked with furniture or supplies Combustible displays in exits Poor housekeeping practices FC406 Employee Training & Response Procedures


safety cont. When all building occupants are alert for fire

hazards, and act to correct hazards as soon as they are discovered, a higher level of fire and life safety can be maintained throughout the year.

FC907.1 FIRE ALARM AND DETECTION SYSTEMS. This section covers the application, installation, performance and maintenance of fire alarm systems and their components in new and existing buildings and structures.

Buckman Heights Elementary School Fire

Fire rated door to the principals office. Closed during the fire.


Principal’s office showing limited damage as a result of the fire rated door.


Office supply storage door. Fire rated door left open the night of the fire.


Kodak copier and data network. Copier and all wiring is not salvageable.