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Permalink Reply by Mike Gemberling on December 26, 2009 at 8:23am

Many of the hardwired smokes now can fire an outboard relay of some sort which in turn could fire more. Ventilation systems turned off, outside strobe turned on, gas shut-off, and low-level emergency exit lighting activated. As an electrician I can tell you this would not take much to do. Double 5/8 sheetrock between cockloft and top floor (although if I built a house it would NOT be light-weight construction). No hollow core doors. 2nd story egresses with built in rope ladders. Just off the top off my head.

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Permalink Reply by Mac Conant on December 26, 2009 at 8:45am

Id want it pretty well fire resistive of course. Some of the big things I would touch on is keep that roof easily accessible. I know how shitty it is to try to vent a roof thats way too steep, or hard to get at. I wanna keep it firefighter friendly. Id make hallways wide. Umm Id have all shut offs for utility in one location. A Sprinkler system would be awesome, obviously. Thats all I could think of right now.

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Permalink Reply by FETC on December 26, 2009 at 8:46am

I added residential sprinklers in my home, upgraded the system to include protecting the attic and the attached garage.

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Permalink Reply by Loyd Dittfurth on December 26, 2009 at 9:47am

knox box
sprinklers/ extinguisment system
I like the rope ladders idea
48 inch windows
heavy sheetrock
heavy wood
a built in fire hose (for looks and functionality)
balcony on both the a and c sides of the house
an a motorized ventilation system on the roof

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Permalink Reply by Peter Yacovone on December 26, 2009 at 10:05am

Well as a contractor for the last 30 years I have seen a lot of change . But till the two sides can sit down and come up with ideas and not demands there will be no easy way to make it safe.

You Got the fire side wanting all this stuf then the builder side saying it is to much money.

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Permalink Reply by FETC on December 26, 2009 at 2:12pm

To be honest, unless a builder is a firefighter or a really consientious builder who lost a home to fire, fire safety is furthest from their laborers mind while building unless it is a mandated requirement. That is why we sometimes see corners cut, etc.

Residential fire sprinklers cost pennies on the dollar with new construction. So much that they cost less to install than high end counter tops in a modest kitchen...

But when these non-protected homes burn and some will... I always look at those granite or corian counter tops and say hmmm those provided zero protection. But they look so damn pretty!

I understand builders don't want to add to the price of a job in this economy, but if mandated, wouldn't every builder have to bid/build on the project with the said required punch list... so how can someone say it costs so much?

End user is ultimately paying.

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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on December 26, 2009 at 2:29pm

I think much of the stuff has been covered, the biggest being a sprinkler system, but let's face it such things will cost money and even building new, in general. Not sure about most out there but being the overpaid, underworked tax dollar soaking govt employee I am, I still do not have the funding to build new with everything I would want, nor really to afford upgrading my existing home. (sorry I prefer not to live in high debt to do so either)

That said, the issue becomes what to do without such features and sometimes there can be a false sense of security with everything in place. (Titanic syndrome) So while the building construction features are nice and so would sprinklers etc, the other issue comes down to what we focus on in our prevention talks. Get out stay out, EDITH (honestly, how many, including us, really do random fire drills and ensure everyone knows what to do?) Working smoke detectors, regular maintainence, etc.

Saving the home is nice and having the features to do so is nice, but most of us really don't have the funds to do everything we would really want, but we can do things to ensure our families know what to do and save their lives.

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Permalink Reply by John L. VanAuken on December 26, 2009 at 3:50pm

I my self since becoming a firefighter and the many older mobile and manfact homes going up in smoke in a matter of mins, have taken a lot of thought into home plans, exits in and out, as well as easy ways for kids to be able to get out and fire safety and teaching my kids. For I live in an older double wide, I have mounted a slide to my kids window so that they can open it and just slide down to the ground, my oldest since they are all in the same room is responsible to get her sisters out and her self. I have rules that if there is a fire my wife goes out the bedroom window right to the kids window and slide. Myself go out the bedroom door to the kids room, two feet is all I have to go from room to room. I then help my oldest and get out as well. I stress the alarms and keeping batts replaced in them, as well as keeping the clutter down to a min around the house.
I as far as building a home would have sprinklers installed as well as alarm co. and basic smoke alarms. Double thick sheetrock ceilings, 5/8 on walls or thicker if can find. 12/4 pitch basic roof const, outside stairs both sides of home, my plan for my home is a loft old barn style home of pole building const. I would have commercial doors front and back, and firefighter friendly windows that are wide enough for a bigman and scbas. My design is with an open foyer and no hallways, inside stairs both sides, with wood heat based in the center, we all know heat radiates and goes up. Also no need to cut a vent hole will have sky lights in all four beds( less fire is in bath ), and no ceilings on top floor, for it will be built with 1 ft I beam const, center beam and four pole supports. I cant say my idea is the best way but the less distance a person has to go to get out and the more exits the better.

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