Fire Safety Plans For Hotels And Motels In New York City
Who Needs A Fire Safety Plan?
The Rules of the City of New York (1 RCNY § 15-05) require certain properties operating as hotels, motels, lodging houses, dormitories and single room occupancies to have an FDNY accepted Fire Safety Plan.
The properties covered under this rule are as follows:
- Buildings or parts thereof which are to be used by the same person(s) for living or sleeping purposes for a period of ninety (90) days or less and:
- Contain a total of more than thirty (30) sleeping rooms, or
- Can accommodate more than thirty (30) lodgers, or
- Contain a total of more than fifteen (15) sleeping rooms above the first or ground story, or
- Can accommodate more than (15) lodgers above the first or ground story, or
- Any such building or part thereof used for the purposes described above, regardless of the number of rooms or number of lodgers which is greater than seventy-five (75) feet in height.
- These properties are known under the Administrative Code of the City of New York as occupancy group J-1, J-2.
Why Have A Fire Safety Plan?
Aside from the obvious need to comply with legal requirements there are a number of benefits to having a current and well-rehearsed Fire Safety Plan.
- First and foremost is ensuring the safety of your employees and guests in the event of a fire.
- A staff which is well trained and practiced in fire safety procedures will respond quickly and effectively in an emergency thus reducing risk to occupants and minimizing damage to the facility.
- Second, many insurance companies either require properties to have a Fire Safety Plan or will issue discounts to those that do.
- Third, having a Fire Safety Plan may reduce the legal liability of owners or managers in the event of a fire in their building.