Coweta County Safety Council
learns about fire code history, safety
Fire codes began after a series of tragedies, including one here in Georgia, Coweta County Fire Marshal Blaine Shirley told members of the Coweta County Safety Council at their April 19, 2016 meeting.
Atlanta’s Winecoff Hotel, built in 1913, was said to be “fire proof,” a claim Shirley likened to claims that the Titanic was “unsinkable.” The 15-story hotel, however, had only one set of stairs serving all 15 floors, and the hotel had no fire escape, sprinkler system or fire alarm system.When a fire started there one night in December of 1946, the stairwell was already compromised by the time the occupants were alerted, so they had no means of escape. Some119 lives would be lost, making the tragedythe worst hotel fire in the nation’s history. Shirley noted that most of those deaths were from burns, suffocation and injuries from those who leaped through windows while trying to escape the fire.
After this fire, the Building Exits Code of 1946 was adopted, and buildings were no longer described as “fire proof” but “fire resistant.”
Today, Shirley said, fire codes call for a building to have not only the proper number of exits but also clear exits as well. The number of exits required in a particular building can vary based on the building size, classification and hazards present, he said. He noted that a fireworks store, for instance, has to have more exits because of the hazards inside the building.
Fire code measures today also require checks of the illumination of exits, proper test date of equipment such as fire extinguishers, any sprinkler system present, fire doors and fire walls, and fire alarm systems. Businesses such as restaurants also have additional requirements because of the risk of fires occurring in the kitchen.
Some of the most common fire code violations, Shirley said, are building addresses that aren’t clearly marked and legible, and fire hydrants that aren’t accessible and that lack a clearance of 36 inches in circumference.
He noted that sprinkler systems are not required in all buildings, and the requirements vary based on how a building is being used at the time. If a building is used for low-hazard storage, a sprinkler system may not be required. If the next occupant of the building uses it for high-hazard storage, however, a sprinkler system may then be required.
Shirley also noted that one of his pet peeves is Hollywood movies that portray something setting off an entire sprinkler system at once, flooding a building. In reality, he said, most sprinkler systems are designed to activate only one sprinkler head at a time so that the entire building won’t be flooded, but in movies, sometimes the whole building is indeed flooded. Such images have damaged the reputation of sprinkler systems.
“I get bent out of shape when I see that,” Shirley said.
Formed under the auspices of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber, the Coweta County Safety Council was founded to make sure that local businesses are leading the way in keeping employees safe and preparing for natural disasters and unexpected emergencies.
For more information, contact CCSC President Ken Pinkerton or call the Newnan-Coweta Chamber at 770.253.2270.
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Cutline: Coweta County Fire Marshal Blaine Shirley speaks to members of the Coweta County Safety Council.