Fire Escape Ladders
As a new owner of an old building, there is only one means of egress for the tenants on the 2nd and 3rd floors. There is a fully functional sprinkler system, but I was considering providing each studio with rope ladders, to offer a second means. Anyone out there with experience/advice in this?
As a new owner of an old building, there is only one means of egress for the tenants on the 2nd and 3rd floors. There is a fully functional sprinkler system, but I was considering providing each studio with rope ladders, to offer a second means. Anyone out there with experience/advice in this?
I have something like that under my bed. It is boat rope and is very thick, about the thickness of my arm. It has knots tied every foot, and is tied on to 2 two by fours that span the width of the window, a little longer so the rope goes out the window to the ground and the wood stays in the window. Not sure if I explained it correctly. Anyway, the fire escape is in the Living room, which is of no help in the middle of the night, so this just gives me peace of mind that if in the event, and there is just no escaping, this will do. Besides the fire ladders do reach up to the 4th floor…..
@brooklynexpediter
So if i owned the top 2 floors of a 4 story brownstone and there were 4 studios underneath on ground and first floor. (1 front and 1 back fro each of the two floors)
What would need to happen under smokeychimps suggestion about the hallway being sprinklered in order to block the escape to the roof for incorporation into a top 2 floor apartment (eg rather than building an internal stair).
I thought under NYC code anything over the first floor had to have 2 means of egress.
Good advice here, smoke detectors and CO detectors are required for your tenants.
you guys all crack me up, rope ladders are not made of rope anymore. Kidde and others make escape ladders. I keep one in each of my 2nd floor bedrooms, cuz hey, you never know.
http://tinyurl.com/2a8bkao
Having said that, I don’t think the DOB would take kindly to anyone showing him an escape ladder under the bed.
a rope ladder can be a very bad idea in a panic-prone situation like a fire or a homocidal maniac banging on your bedroom door
*rob*
Have you ever tried to use a rope ladder on the face of a building? It’s extremely difficult. Rope ladders are good only if you’re climbing up or down in mid-air, not against a wall. If someone uses a rope ladder that you’ve given them, and they fall and get hurt, your good intentions will turn into liabilities and you could get sued.
In most cases, in brownstone type buildings, a sprinkler system is a legal way of eliminating the need for a second means of egress. This is allowed as per the Multiple Dwelling Law and the NYC Building Code. I would agree with smoky in that you’re safe as you are.
Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP
Not always as an equivalent and a lot of times ypu gotta have both. It depends on sq. ft. per floor, no. of families, construction class.
Smokychimp,
Can you please tell us where did you get that? building code, fire code or something else? Thanks.
A sprinkler system along the route of egress is the code equivalent of a second means of egress, so don’t worry about it you’re good.