Fire codes must be updated for safety

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village on Saturday, March 25, 1911, was one of the deadliest fires in United States history. The fire resulted in the deaths of 146 textile workers, who perished from flames, smoke inhalation or by falling or jumping to escape. The tragedy was compounded by the lack of sprinklers and locked exits, as well as the only available stairwell lacking smoke extraction ventilation.

In response to the Shirtwaist Factory disaster, the New York City Bureau of Fire Prevention was established and new legislation was enacted, including changes to the New York Building Code, aimed at improving safety standards to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Most recently, on January 9, 2022, a fire at Twin Parks North West, Site 4, a high-rise apartment building in the Bronx, claimed the lives of 17 people, including eight children, all of whom died from smoke inhalation. It was the third worst residential fire in the United States in the past 40 years and the deadliest in New York since the Happy Land nightclub fire in 1990.

After every major fire resulting in loss of life, our city has always taken steps to improve the safety and security of its buildings and protect residents and workers. The Twin Parks Fire has given us another historic moment, one that we must experience if we are to avoid unnecessary loss of life in the future.

For this reason, I strongly encourage the City Council to pass a life-saving bill, Int. 0088-2024, a common-sense measure that proposes the mandatory periodic inspection and maintenance of smoke and fire dampers in residential buildings, ensuring that these life-saving systems remain functional and compliant with safety standards.

Key provisions ensuring the bill saves lives are requiring certified professionals to inspect and test UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listed fire, smoke, and combination dampers, as well as smoke purge systems. According to recognized standards, these inspections must take place one year after installation and then every four years, except in hospitals, where the interval is six years.

This legislation would close gaps in building safety and ensure continued compliance with critical fire protection measures, ensuring that the City’s commercial, industrial and public buildings are safe for both occupants and first responders. Among these deficiencies is the fact that fire dampers, smoke dampers and smoke control systems are not subject to inspection and testing requirements.

Additionally, numerous field inspection technicians have publicly revealed that several dampers and smoke control systems are not functioning properly. Indeed, a review of more than 170,000 fire safety logs conducted as part of a 2021 University of Maryland study found that 53% of them required repair. The same study looked at 740 smoke control system projects and found that 41 percent of stairwells in existing buildings needed repairs or adjustments.

If a building had less than half of its sprinklers, fire alarms or fire extinguishers in working order, that building would be immediately evacuated. Why would we treat fire and smoke control systems differently?

Remote inspection technology can be convenient, but it is not always reliable and erroneous readings are often seen. There is no substitute for the certainty of a qualified professional performing a thorough visual inspection.

Int. 0088 would bring New York into compliance with approved National Fire Protection Association standards, which are already part of the New York City Fire Code. And in fact, many other states and municipalities have adopted similar measures, including ensuring that technicians performing the work are qualified by an internationally recognized certification.

This bill was designed to prevent tragedies like those at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory and Twin Parks North West, while creating hundreds of local jobs in fire safety maintenance.

This effort would simply save lives. Families entering schools, hospitals or apartment buildings deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing that fire alarms, sprinklers and other life safety systems are regularly tested. Protecting lives should never be seen as just a box to tick. It must be a commitment backed by responsibility and professionalism. Take this life-saving measure.

Cassano, senior managing director of Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno, LLC, served as the 32nd New York City Fire Commissioner from 2010 to 2014.