TESTIMONY
Alfred Webb on the Importance of Fire Smoke Dampers in Building Safety
2:20:16
·
128 sec
Alfred Webb discusses the function and significance of fire smoke dampers in maintaining building safety.
- Webb is a local manufacturer involved with a group called SmackDown, producing fire smoke dampers, smoke dampers, and combination fire smoke dampers.
- He emphasizes that these dampers are crucial for containing fire smoke within buildings, preventing it from spreading from one side of a wall to another.
- Webb demonstrates how these dampers operate by melting at a specific temperature to block smoke and fire; this requires regular maintenance and testing every 4 to 6 years, depending on the building.
- The purpose of such systems is to ensure safe evacuation routes, like stairwells and hallways, remain clear and accessible during a fire.
Alfred Webb
2:20:16
My name is Alfred Webb.
2:20:18
I'm a local manufacturer of a fire smoke dampers, fire smoke dampers, smoke dampers, combination fire smoke dampers, which are used in buildings.
2:20:28
I'm also a member of SmackDown.
2:20:31
And so when we look at buildings, We see them as complete objects that are supposed to function to inhabit people in them in a safe environment.
2:20:44
You want your doors to close.
2:20:46
Your fire doors to close.
2:20:47
You want your HVAC systems to work.
2:20:49
You want your smoke purge systems to work properly.
2:20:52
In that particular case.
2:20:54
What I have before me here is a damper, and there are hundreds of thousands of these in the New York City buildings.
2:21:02
Now how they work because I don't know as to whether you're aware of this, but you'll see these inside walls if you were to open up the walls and look at them.
2:21:10
They prevent the spread of fire smoke from one side of the wall to the other side.
2:21:16
What happens is the little pieces I gave you will melt at about a 165 degrees.
2:21:21
And when that happens, this is what happens.
Daniel Avery
2:21:26
This closes.
Alfred Webb
2:21:29
Now what that does is it prevents, again, smoke and fire from this side of the wall to get to this side of the wall.
2:21:37
Now if this isn't properly done, if this isn't properly maintained in the time period that is stated 4 years for most buildings and 6 6 years for other buildings.
2:21:50
If it's not tested, Someone doesn't come along physically, touch it, and work on it, and make sure it works, then what happens?
2:21:57
We have smoke that'll go from one side of the wall to the other side of the wall where people are.
2:22:01
And people need to be able to get through those means of progress safely.
2:22:07
That's how buildings are designed.
2:22:08
Their design with means of ingress that are supposed to be clear, open, have oxygen in them, like stairwells, pressurized stairwells, and like hallways so that people can go there and evacuate the building safely.
2:22:22
So thank you very much for your time.
← Previous Chapter
Christopher Ruch, Director of Education at the National Energy Management Institute, on Standards for Healthy Buildings and the Efficacy of Fire Life Safety Systems
Next Chapter →
Melissa Barbour, Member of the Public from the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) Long Island, on Supporting Introduction 88 for Improved Fire Safety Outcomes