Top Reasons Why Regular Fire Escape Maintenance Can Save Lives

Every high-rise building in New York City has a fire escape for safe egress during emergencies like fire, earthquake, etc. These metal fire escapes are an iconic architectural characteristic in cities like the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, Brooklyn, and Richmond Hill. Residential, commercial, industrial, or municipal, you can find them in every property.

As a safety feature in multi-story buildings, a fire escape system must be in working condition so that occupants can swiftly and safely evacuate when elevators and internal stairwells become inaccessible. Therefore, fire escape maintenance NYC is quintessential to ensure the structure is accessible and operational.

Deterring or ignoring maintenance solutions can lead to injuries, loss of lives, and property damage. In this blog, we will discuss the role of fire escape maintenance in saving lives. We bet, you will never neglect the proper upkeep of your fire escape system once aware of its significance!

What Happens When You Ignore Maintenance?

The ultimate goal of maintenance is to safeguard the structural and functional efficiency of your fire escape. These emergency staircases are designed to offer extra time and a safe passageway to exit a building. Thus, it saves lives big time! But most property owners ignore fire escape maintenance services Queens, which include inspection, cleaning, repair, and painting. What happens next?

• Corrosion– The leading cause behind large-scale structural damage in a fire escape is corrosion or rust. Typically made of stainless steel, galvanized steel, or wrought iron, these metal structures corrode when exposed to excessive moisture. As corrosion occurs, rust forms on the surface which gradually disintegrates the metal. Over a period, as corrosion spreads, the fire escape becomes weak and unstable. Hence, you have an unsafe fire escape that poses potential safety hazards. It may even collapse under excessive weight, causing life-threatening accidents!
• Welding Failure– Another pivotal reason to seek fire escape maintenance solution NYC is to keep a check on the joints and anchorages. As you know, during fire escape fabrication and installation, you need welding to join metal parts for a permanent bond. Welding ensures the structure is sturdy, durable, and stable. Nonetheless, due to harsh weather conditions and other external elements, the welded joints become loose as there is subsequent material loss. You may have wobbly stairs, hanging railings, missing bolts, and fasteners. Thus, your fire escape is no longer secure, and you may hurt yourself while using it.
• Inaccessible Passageway– Maintenance means regular inspection and cleaning. But when you miss, debris may pile up on the stairway, blocking the passage. Tree branches, dry leaves, or loose objects, as they stock up over a period, have obstructions on your fire escape system. It means that without rigorous fire escape maintenance services, the accessibility and usability of a fire escape are compromised. Naturally, people will get trapped inside the building, leading to injuries and loss of lives.

Maintenance is the Definitive Solution!

No matter how rarely you use your fire escape, you still need to maintain it to ensure you can rely on it in need. The maintenance program will comprise:

• Professional Inspections– Schedule professional inspections to assess the overall condition of your fire escape and recognize damage.
• Repairs– Immediately repair or replace parts that exhibit corrosion or other deterioration.
• Paint– Always scrape, clean, and paint the structure. Choose an ideal fire escape paint that provides broad-spectrum moisture protection. Also, use a rust-inhibiting primer to enhance longevity.
• Clear Obstructions– Ensure that the passageway is accessible. Remove stockpiles and keep the area clean.

So, maintaining your fire escape can take a long way to saving lives!