WAM- Fire and Life Safety Issues, July 2002

Fire and Life Safety Issues, July 2002
By Paul Radomski, Santa Monica Fire Inspector

WE NEED TO IDENTIFY WHERE YOU LIVE

One of the more crucial things a building owner can do to help out the Fire Department in the event of emergency is to properly identify the building. Obviously, when responding to a fire, the building can be identified as "the one that is burning". However, with over 75% of our responses going to medical aid calls, rapid identification of the building is necessary in the event of life threatening situations where seconds literally count.

Fire Code Section 901.4.4 requires building owners to provide address numbers plainly visible and legible from the street and alley in contrast with their background. The Municipal Code further requires that the number size be 6-inch minimum. Visible and legible from the street means that the numbers cannot be visibly obstructed by trees or other vegetation. Common sense will tell you, if the numbers are difficult to see from the street then you may have to trim any vegetation around them. If that is not possible because of aesthetic reasons, simply move the numbers on the building to a higher unobstructed location.

Speaking of height, how high is high enough when posting address numbers on the building? How about 7 feet? Why so high? Think about it. The next time you see a fire engine rolling down the street, look at how high those guys are actually sitting above the ground. Their eye level is just about 7 feet. 7 feet is also about the same level that the facia board attached to most eaves below your roof is located, if we are talking about a single story building. And that facia board makes an ideal attachment point for mounting those numbers. But most apartment buildings are two stories. So just measure 7 feet up from the ground and call it satisfactory.

Now, what kind of numbers does the Fire Department want you to use on your building? We really are not particular as far as the style of numbers that you use. And we are not insensitive to the artistic needs of some building owners. Simple, basic English language numbers are all we need. They can be made out of carved wood or painted on a ceramic tile. If you prefer the spray-painted-on-with-stencil look, that's O.K. too. Most of the ones I see are the generic type of numbers you can find at any hardware store, numbers painted on metal squares with adhesive backing.

Now, there is a problem that I'm finding with getting people to comply with this particular code requirement. I get phone calls from owners who tell me, "I've been to a half dozen hardware stores and nobody makes 6-inch numbers!" And you know what? They're right. Because the Building Code only requires 4-inch numbers on single family dwellings, that's the size that most hardware stores stock. But in Santa Monica, all commercial businesses have to post 6-inch numbers. And guess what? Apartment buildings are considered commercial businesses. But my partner and I are "Spirit of the Law" inspectors. If you find the numbers you want only come in 5 or 5 ½-inch size, use them. We can still see them from the street. But don't ask us to go any smaller than that. In the mean time, we'll keep lobbying the local stores to stock bigger numbers. By the way, all inside numbers on apartment doors must be 4 inches minimum.

It's pretty important that the numbers are in contrast to their background as well. That means that if the building is white, then use dark numbers, and vice versa. Painting the address numbers the same color as the background color is like having no address at all.

One last thing on addresses: What's the reason for having to post numbers in the alley? Well, if you have a fire in your building, we don't show up only at the front door. We surround your building. We pull lines in through the front and back. We have you covered. And the quickest way to do that is numbers on the back. Also, sometimes when we are dispatched to paramedic calls, we are asked to "respond to the rear of the address" Oh, and please DON'T post alley address numbers onto a garage door. It's like the riddle of what's the first thing you lose when you stand up? Your lap. When the garage door is up, you lose your address.

See you next month!