2. Following the tragic events of September 11 in New
York, there have been many positive changes around the
city. There have been some lessons learned the hard
way about how things need to be done from now on.
One of those is the manner in which a buildings design
could help people to navigate their way out. In order to
comply with NYC local law 26 various codes have been
enforced.
3. When the September 11 attacks took place the city and
the rest of the country was in shock. People did not
know how to react to what was happening. For the
people who were actually stuck inside of the buildings
that day it was even worse. For the most part they knew
how to exit a building, but nobody knew what to do
when the rest of the building had no idea what to do.
4. In order to do what was required by the city owners
needed to make some simple improvements to their
buildings. Or at least they seemed simple on the outset.
Required was some changes to the exit strategy of the
facility as well as the markings that lead to the exits.
Glowing paint and special tape would be required and
none of these things were cheap.
5. But people worked together. Suppliers helped with
some of the costs and the building owners paid overtime
where needed in order to get these things done in time.
There was a deadline implied by the city but most
owners came in completed well before that time had
expired. Again, most New Yorkers knew what it meant to
work together to get this done.
6. Now with things like this and other certain
improvements that building owners are forced to
comply with there is usually some backlash from owners
and their groups because of the cost involved with such
improvements. There is always a level of argument
made that it is too costly to install these things into
buildings already operating for a period of time.
7. Building have been given every chance to comply with
this law and there is to be no negotiation made for
getting only halfway there. This must be a 100%
compliance situation by all building owners within the
city. We have learned some very hard lessons about how
we design and build structures during that fateful day
and the same mistakes will not be made twice.
8. They needed to show the way to the exit in such a way
that people would not have to think in order to follow
them. They would need lines and arrows and signs that
pointed the way to the ground floor and the exit. Taking
people on the shortest possible path out of the building
was suggested but not always possible.
9. In order to comply with NYC local law 26 owners will be
given all the assistance they need and the officers
enforcing these codes will also be on hand at all times to
make sure these improvements are made. This is not
something that we are doing to improve the looks or
aesthetics of any structure as this is strictly a safety
measure.
