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Q&A
Process of filing a fire prevention plan
0:23:56
ยท
3 min
Tom Currao explains the process of filing a fire prevention plan, detailing its components and how it serves to protect building occupants.
- Fire protection plans cover physical items that enhance building safety during emergencies
- Plans are uploaded digitally as PDFs and reviewed by the Emergency Planning and Preparedness Unit
- Components include building location, internal features (firewalls, stair pressurization), occupancy details, and building systems
- The plan creates a comprehensive safety profile of the building's construction and systems
- FDNY reviews and approves various aspects, including fire alarm systems, before issuing final approval
Joann Ariola
0:23:56
Thank you.
0:23:58
And would you describe the process of how a building files a fire prevention plan?
0:24:04
What are the components of that plan?
0:24:06
And how the plan serves to protect occupants of the building?
Tom Currao
0:24:09
Sure, certainly.
0:24:10
So the fire protection plan, if you think about it is the physical items that actually help to make a building, a typical building, more safe and support the safety of occupants and react in a safe manner during a fire or an emergency.
0:24:31
So that fire protection plan is uploaded into Acela.
0:24:36
That is our digital system that tracks everything.
0:24:39
It's uploaded as a PDF.
0:24:40
It goes to our emergency planning and preparedness unit.
0:24:44
They will review it.
0:24:47
And they will look at everything.
0:24:48
So right from if think about how a building is set out, the particular location of the building, the surrounding streets, It'll go inside.
0:24:57
It'll look at firewalls, fire partitions, stair pressurization, all these different inherent building features that help to make a building more particularly safe.
0:25:09
It'll talk about what's the construction, what's the occupancy, and the expected occupancy load.
0:25:16
And then the final part is really building systems.
0:25:19
So to look at a whole laundry list of the alarm system, the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, communication systems, areas of refuge, a whole laundry list that really builds a profile of how that building is going to be constructed.
0:25:40
And it actually has come out of 109 out of the DOB construction code, how it's going to be constructed to be the most fire safe and emergency safe it can be.
Joann Ariola
0:25:49
Great.
0:25:50
So so and that's all part of what you would need for your fire protection plan sign off?
Tom Currao
0:25:56
Correct.
Joann Ariola
0:25:57
And so under what circumstances would you not renew or recommend to not renew a temporary restraining order?
0:26:05
I'm sorry, temporary a TCO.
Tom Currao
0:26:10
So that's we don't have a direct line into the TCO process.
0:26:15
So we get everything from the client or the building applicant.
0:26:20
And we review the fire protection plan.
0:26:24
Sometimes it goes back and forth.
0:26:25
There's letters of deficiency.
0:26:27
Change this, add this, this is missing.
0:26:30
And then we will issue a letter of approval.
0:26:32
Same thing if it's, say, a fire alarm system.
0:26:34
So the applicant will file through our plan intake unit.
0:26:38
They'll file a plan for a fire alarm system.
0:26:41
We'll go back and forth.
0:26:42
These need to be letter of denial or a letter of acceptance.
0:26:47
Then they will issue or request a project authorization, which actually lets them actually put the fire alarm system within the building.
0:26:56
Then they will go and come back to us again.
0:26:58
They will request an inspection.
0:27:00
We will send our fire alarm inspection team go out there.
0:27:03
And if everything is good, we'll file a letter of approval at the end.
0:27:08
All those different components is what the client actually needs to be able to apply to the Department of Buildings for the TCI.
Joann Ariola
0:27:15
Right, so that becomes all digitalized and then it goes to the DOB and then you decide if if so so there is that interaction.