Photo-luminescent Signs Can Save People's Lives in Case of a Fire
Laws were passed in New York City back in 2017 that required all New York City residence and property owners to install apartment and guest room identification and directional markers.
The rule requires that signs be posted no higher than 12 inches from the floor. Since smoke rises, signs at eye level can easily be obscured by smoke making them difficult, if not impossible, to read. Moreover, ever since we were young, we were told to get on the floor to try to avoid the smoke. The low-mounted signs are meant to aid those residents, guests, and even firefighters who are staying low to the floor in an attempt to either flee the burning building to look for anyone who might be left behind.
The rule states “The marking of entrance doors with emergency markings serves to better facilitate firefighting operations, thereby providing a greater level of safety to firefighters and building occupants. The fire emergency marking enables firefighters to identify apartment numbers in smoke conditions that obscure the regular (eye-level) door numbers. Such identification ensures firefighters can more quickly conduct search and rescue operations. Additionally, the fire emergency marking for multi-floor dwelling units will make it possible for firefighters to ascertain whether they are entering the lower level of an apartment, rather than the upper level of an apartment, where temperatures may be unsafe. The fire emergency marking also assists in identifying apartments that are joined horizontally (such as adjoining apartments that have been combined into a single dwelling unit).”
The signs must be made of either photo-luminescent or retro-reflective materials and be placed at every apartment door.
While this is a requirement in New York City, we would suggest that everyone who owns a home or a business go above and beyond to install similar signs at eye level and close to the ground for the protection of your residents and guests. Don’t wait for a fire to occur and for people to be injured before you realize you could have done more.
If you have any questions about these reflective signs, give us a call at 631-623-2220.