What are some of the key points?

 

1. Can people effectively get out of the building on their own power and abilities?     Nearly every high-rise residential building in Honolulu has occupants that have restricted mobility. i.e. require the use of walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, or other similar ambulatory equipment and often need physical assistance by others.

   1. Note; in event of a fire alarm sounding an alarm in a high-rise residential building having an elevator(s) the elevator is required to be disabled – forcing the occupants to use the stairs.

   2. The IBC Section 1007 (2006 edition); [#1009 (2015 edition)] states buildings in such situations are to provide accessible means of egress which may include an ‘area of refuge’ that has significant fire and smoke protection for anyone interior to the ‘area of refuge’.

   3. The design for ‘area of refuge’ and designing the overall accessibility and egress of a building is typically work performed by an architect.

2. Update the building’s Fire Alarm System.  This is a required part of Ordinance 19-4.  Any existing fire alarm system installed in a building will need to be reviewed and will typically need to be upgraded to meet today’s requirements as found in National Fire Protection Association standard #72 as incorporated into Ordinance 19-4.

   1. Note:  many older buildings have ‘analog’ era apparatus.

   2. Today – all such alarm equipment, signal devices, and monitoring equipment are strictly ‘digital’.  Means the older analog equipment can not ‘talk’ to a digital system

   3. Additionally, part of NFPA 72 requires the alarm system to be automatically monitored with a direct connection to the fire department in event of alarm.

3. If the building is not able to be corrected to achieve a passing evaluation, then installation of a water supplied fire sprinkler system will be required.  Fortunately, most buildings can be corrected with new work to eradicate most deficiencies and pass the LSE.  Due date to perform corrections and achieve a passing status is May 3rd 2024. But the LSE [either pass or fail] must be performed and submitted to the Honolulu Fire Department no later than May 3rd 2021.