How to Certify Fire Escapes in Boston

Last year, the Department of Fire Services recorded at least 29,461 fires in the state of Massachusetts. 16% higher compared to 2019 causing 44 civilian deaths, 245 civilian injuries, 594 fire service injuries, 854 arsons, and $266 million damage in properties. The top three causes of fires are smoking, electricity malfunction, and unattended cooking of food.

As property managers, we highly advise our clients to be cautious and ask for help from professionals so smoke alarms can be tested and fire escapes can be planned out well. In a multifamily house with multiple floors, fire escapes are REQUIRED from every floor because if there’s a fire and it starts on a lower floor and then engulfs the fairway at the front of the house, you need to make sure that there is a means of egress at the back.

You also need to make sure that the windows that you can escape to have a certain amount of dimension to be able to get out. You don’t want to struggle during a fire. Once you have these windows in a certain size, we then help you plan a fire escape.

Fire Escapes Explained

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Fire escapes should be in accordance with the Massachusetts Fire Escape Law – Building Code 1001.3.3 – 1001.3.3 Testing and Certification, it states that: All exterior bridges, steel or wooden stairways, fire escapes and egress balconies shall be examined and/or tested, and certified for structural adequacy and safety every five years, by a Massachusetts registered professional engineer, or others qualified and acceptable to the building official; said engineer or others shall then submit an affidavit to the building official.

You  also have to get architectural plans, and most importantly, the right vendors to be able to do so to make sure that they are in good condition that if someone does end up having to use those, they’re safe.

Aside from this, landlords must make sure to abide the Chapter 10 1001.3.1 Maintenance of Exterior Stairs and Fire Escapes of the Massachusetts State Building Code that states: All exterior stairways and fire escapes shall be kept free of snow and ice. Exterior stairways and fire escapes constructed of materials requiring the application of weather protecting products, shall have these products applied in an approved manner and shall be applied as often as necessary to maintain the stairways and fire escapes in safe condition. Weather resistant structural fasteners and connections shall tie the stairways and fire escapes directly into the building structural system.

If you or anyone else you know, is looking for a proactive property manager that help guide you through the process of either getting fire escapes or recertifying them, please think of Green Ocean Property Management, you get more than a property manager, you get peace of mind