Residential Sprinklers: New York City History

1
Residential SprinklersNew York City History

• Originated in 1940s
• Response to frequent rooming house fires
• Fire traveled through open stair cases
• Installed off of small diameter water mains
• Fire alarms NOT required
• Minimal sprinkler testing ONLY was required

2
Residential SprinklersNew York City History

• 1987 Local Law 16
• Required sprinkler installation in all
  substantially renovated hotel buildings
• Prior to thiscommercial buildings only

3
Residential SprinklersNew York City History

• December 1988 ? turning point in NYC
• Brooklyn 3 FDNY firefighters engulfed in
  fireball
• on 10th floor of apartment building
• Fire sprinklers had not been inspected / tested
• and were shut off
• Manhattan 4 residents overcome by smoke from
  Christmas tree fire on 19th floor of residential
  building in celebritys apartment

4
Residential SprinklersNew York City History

• 1999 Local Law 10 passed in response
• Automatic sprinklers required for all new and
  substantially renovated dwellings housing four /
  more families
• Periodic inspections of the sprinkler systems
  reported to and filed with FDNY

5
Residential SprinklersNew York City Costs

• New construction buildings
• Low rise buildings (lt 6 stories) 2 - 3/ ft2
• High rise buildings (2.50 - 3) / ft2
• Old construction/retrofit
• Low rise buildings (lt 6 stories) 4.50 to 5 /
  ft2
• High rise buildings (gt6 stories) 4 to 4.50 /
  ft2
• Less than the cost / ft2 of wall paper