Fire escapes and construction type relation

[Dibbs12]

I know if a building has a fire escape then odds are the building is not fire resistive, does this rule hold true on high rise buildings as well? In my city we have buildings that are over 15 stories tall but also has a fire escape, I have a hard time imagining that this building is not fire resistive construction.

Also do you guys have any other tricks that help distinguish tricky building construction types?

[fire49]

Are you asking about enclosed stairs or exterior stairs

Most interior carry a one or two hour shaft rating

It will depend on what year the building was built and what building code was in use

[Dibbs12]

Exterior Stairs

[fire49]

question should have been on the exterior stairs if they are totaly enclosed, paritaly enclosed, or wide open, but it really does not matter.


""we have buildings that are over 15 stories tall but also has a fire escape, I have a hard time imagining that this building is not fire resistive construction""

is this an older building?????

""""Also do you guys have any other tricks that help distinguish tricky building construction types"""""

pre fire plan already built buildings, and visit construciton sites as new buildings go up!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FFFRED]

In NYC those are usually Class II construction and top out in the mid teens and can be as high as low 20s.

The interior stairs can be open wells with ornate curving stairs as one interior stair case with other stairwells in other wings.

They have mostly fire restive features, steel beams and columns, terra cotta and concrete but also with much flamable substructure, flooring, joists, wall studs, partition walls, heavy plaster...etc.

They can also be fire towers on buidlings as new as the 1980s I believe.

I'm not sure if you mean fire escapes or exterior open metal staircases which project from a building. They are two different things altogether.

Not sure what exactly you are refering too. Have any photos.

FTM-PTB

[Dibbs12]

In NYC those are usually Class II construction and top out in the mid teens and can be as high as low 20s.

The interior stairs can be open wells with ornate curving stairs as one interior stair case with other stairwells in other wings.

They have mostly fire restive features, steel beams and columns, terra cotta and concrete but also with much flamable substructure, flooring, joists, wall studs, partition walls, heavy plaster...etc.

They can also be fire towers on buidlings as new as the 1980s I believe.

I'm not sure if you mean fire escapes or exterior open metal staircases which project from a building. They are two different things altogether.

Not sure what exactly you are refering too. Have any photos.

FTM-PTB

Here is the picture of one of the buildings. I would have assumed a fire escape and an exterior open metal staircase were the same thing, what is the difference? The building was built in 1910.

[FFFRED]

Here is the picture of one of the buildings. I would have assumed a fire escape and an exterior open metal staircase were the same thing, what is the difference? The building was built in 1910.

Looks like a Fire escape on a commercial building. Most of the ones I'm familiar with here are on Residential buildings of similar height (usually larger that the one pictured) Or former or current Hotels.

They are of the same vintage as the one you have pictured here.

I'll bet there is only one interior staircase assuming it was commercial, the more floor space the better.

A fire tower would have two doors on each landing and no stairs between the two and a stair case would have usually columns supporting the framework of the full size steel structure...not cantalivered like the one above.

I'll bet a little research into your city's building code history would tell you why this was allowed/reqirired and or chosen for this building.

FTM-PTB

PS- Is that an exterior standpipe? I would hope your procedures don't allow the primary line to be stretched into the fire floor from this fire escape? That is one thing we don't do unless it is the ONLY option and that is operate from an exterior stair or fire tower.

[Dibbs12]

Looks like a Fire escape on a commercial building. Most of the ones I'm familiar with here are on Residential buildings of similar height (usually larger that the one pictured) Or former or current Hotels.

They are of the same vintage as the one you have pictured here.

I'll bet there is only one interior staircase assuming it was commercial, the more floor space the better.

A fire tower would have two doors on each landing and no stairs between the two and a stair case would have usually columns supporting the framework of the full size steel structure...not cantalivered like the one above.

I'll bet a little research into your city's building code history would tell you why this was allowed/reqirired and or chosen for this building.

FTM-PTB

PS- Is that an exterior standpipe? I would hope your procedures don't allow the primary line to be stretched into the fire floor from this fire escape? That is one thing we don't do unless it is the ONLY option and that is operate from an exterior stair or fire tower.

Thanks for the reply, yea that is an exterior standpipe, we have them all over but we don't use them.