Cornell Communications Rescue Assistance Made Easy Article

LIFESafety Assistance Assistance Easy Easy by John Mesenbrink Managing Editor he prospect of meeting exacting of the Americans with Act ADA may be for building owners and managers especially those fac their first experience with the require Detailed and intricate the man for ADA Area of Rescue Assistance multi story buildings mean extra time cost to do everything correctly are cost effective systems available that meet the of the law while transforming build compliance into a simpler project no mistake about it providing an and a means for a disabled person to evacuation assistance in an emer in a multi story commercial or accommodation building is the As per Title III of the Americans with Act Section 7.5135 Areas of assistance are generally required each floor other than the ground floor a multi story building Specific require are provided for such features as size stairway width and two communications underlying intent of this law is noble as it is meant to save lives JJ Johnson president of Cornell Inc of Milwaukee a handicapped person trapped a building when a fire breaks out If the aren safe to use then that only the stairs But if that individual only get around in a wheelchair then they can get down the fire That person would have to find a to wait until someone came to the There has always been this termi of Area of Refuge as the area the stairwell but the new law that you now must put in some for the disabled to communicate to personnel that they are stuck and need help Johnson Law of the Land the actual floor space for Area of Rescue Assistance often exists compliant stairwells as per state local building and fire codes What federal law and court decision add to mix is signage and a means of elec communication Section 4.311.4 of ADA Accessibility Guidelines states A of two way communications both visible and audible signals shall provided between each Area of Rescue and the primary entry that it isn enough to simply have means for a disabled person to sound an There must be two way communi so that for example a fireman at building entrance can confirm to a disabled person that help has An audible tone can suffice but confirmation is preferred A visible Assistance Plan of Rescue Assistance must same protecton and rating as stairway sign indicating of nearest Area of Assistance location for of Rescue Assistance sign communicator for of space and identified by a sign which Rescue Lettering shall permanent and comply Section 4.30 of with Disabilities Accessibility Guidelines states are enforcing more diligently others yet a building can hardly afford to on leniency at the local Dale Austin a sales with C B Sales Associates in Charlotte North it the local building who seek compli There are fines to pay if it discovered that you don it proper lettering in biggest argument I use I engineer jobs for cus is got to have it a matter of pay me now or me later the prove quite painful as evi by Section 8.4000 of The of Justice may a civil action in any US district court court may award mone damages that include all of compensatory dam out of pocket expenses damages for pain and suf to individual victims of Also the court assess a civil penalty the covered entity in amount not exceeding for a first violation and sign required building life codes room space sign corridor must display raised lettering and Braille with required OF RESCUE sign located here of Rescue Assistance exit stairway Cornell Communications Inc of confirmation is required as well not all individuals can hear Here a light proves sufficient these communication instal must act in a fail safe manner and installed according to code A State of Codes Division Technical Advisory of October 1 provides a textbook example Area of Assistance Communication sys whether supplied by a Class 2 power or by line current are required to certified The same advisory points out 700.3 of the National Electrical which requires approval for all used on emergency systems that directs disabled individu to the nearest Area of Rescue within a building also falls the scrutiny of the law Section of the Accessibility states Letters and numbers on shall have a width to height ratio of 3 5 and 1 1 and a stroke width ratio between 1 5 and 1 1 Codes ordinances back up these specific as witnessed for example Illinois by Sections 13 76 076 of the Code of Chicago that man Each area of rescue assistance shall for any subsequent violation that federal state and local gov are serious about enforcing this it behooves any building owner or to apprise themselves on condi within their properties the architect responsibility to be proficient because we the ones seal and sign the drawings before go to the local agency for review Mark Zimmerman an architect in of business development with of Milwaukee fire inspector that when there are stairs to there need to be areas where persons can be secure while sets a good example of these systems are configured for of operation and installation heart of this system is the which is usually wall mounted on ground floor near a main entrance is the point where a firefighter would conduit if required is 1 2 station panel has a switch to send a call to the control panel A flashing and audible alarm let the user know the control panel alarm has been acti panel allows a stranded individ to speak to rescue personnel without isn enough to simply have a means for a person to sound an alarm There must two way communications so that a firefighter the building entrance can confirm to a disabled person that help has arrived personnel make their way So we need to bring this to the owner attention first course all this goes to the bottom line cost of is not initially always on the screen when an owner budgets for a building continues Zimmerman with existing buildings they all to be brought up to code when any remodeling takes place Sometimes requires additional structure that wasn planned for in the budget surprises happen and we have to the owner through the code and don get anything else until you this It that important one other significant factor to encourage increased compli not forget that insurance com are pushing this as well Austin out I incapacitated and I get in your building and if rescue assis products are required and they not then the building owner has huge to face This is not something to off until next year because then an has a whole year of facing increased and insurance expenses building owners and con can all tu