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Nine years ago this week the rock band White Snake played a concert and set the place on fire with a pyrotechnics display killing 100 people
...because they couldn't get out of the building!
Just like the concert venue, NPS has many similar buildings like visitor center theaters, large dining facilities, large meeting rooms, and auditoriums where large numbers of people not familiar with the building gather.
If you go into buildings where large numbers of people gather or have one of these facilities in your park then this message is for you!
"Assembly occupancy" is a fire code term used to describe buildings where 50 or more people gather in one place. Of all of the different types of buildings, assembly occupancies have the highest potential for loss of life attributed to not being able to see or access fire exits, locked or blocked doorways, and unfamiliarity with the building.
Often assembly occupancies include drapes, decorations, pyrotechnic displays, or theatrical sets which add to the amount of flammable material in the building. |
Just for You
Employees:
Park Leadership:
Having an assembly occupancy in your park increases your responsibilities and liabilities. The owners of the Station Night club were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and held liable for civil penalties for their part in the fire. Learn more.
Use your experts in the regional office to help determine if you are meeting fire codes.
National/Regional Leadership:
One of the contributing factors to the Station Nightclub Fire deaths was a fire inspector who failed to do his job properly. He allowed the occupant load to double and never made mention of the use of flammable acoustic foam in his inspection reports.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure our employees are trained to do their job and to follow up and ensure they are doing it right. This article discusses one city's unique approach to ensuring fire safety by using police officers and other city workers.
Could we use a similar strategy with law enforcement rangers and safety personnel? |
