In June of 2016, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) adopted new rules, 3 RCNY §505-01 & 505-02, which requires specific signage and fire emergency markings for dwelling units in R-1 & R-2 Occupancy Groups (i.e. apartments, guest rooms, dormitories, hotels, motels and boarding houses). 

Put yourself in this scenario: you are a New York City firefighter responding to a fire in a high rise, and upon entering the building you find yourself in a smoky maze where none of the corridors are clearly marked. Apartment numbers are missing or in odd locations, and when entering a door you cannot be sure what level of the apartment you are entering or if it is even the main entrance. Up until now this challenging scenario was far too common for New York’s bravest when answering their calls. No more.

New rules, 3 RCNY 505-01 and 3 RCNY 505-2, detail new building requirements for marking entrances, corridors, and stairwells with signs that will give responding personnel information at a glance, even in the poorest of visibility.  The new signs are required to be glow in the dark (photo-luminescent) or of a retroreflective material that reflects light back to its source.

Pictured above: Fire emergency markings for exit stairwell entrance doors in Group R-1 and R-2 Buildings and Occupancies (Source: RCNY 505-01-505-02)

The new rules come with many technical details and caveats that vary by building type. Building owners and facilities managers are encouraged to seek expert help in interpreting the new code requirements and implementing them properly.

Pictured above: A Dwelling Unit with a Single Entrance Door (except multi-floor dwelling units) requires the fire emergency marking to be located and vertically configurated as it is above (Source: RCNY 505-01-505-02).

All apartment buildings in New York City must comply with the new marking and sign requirements by March 30, 2018.  All buildings and occupancies with multi-floor dwellings (duplex, triplex) units were required to have met compliance with the markings requirements by March 30, 2017.

For assistance with how to comply with the FDNY’s emergency signage rules, please contact Milrose’s Fire Protection Specialists and we’ll be happy to assist you.