Multi-Family Fire Safe Construction
Codes & Standards
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Life Safety and Property Protection
No matter how careful you are to protect your property and family,
there is no way to predict how and when a fire will start. What
can happen in a neighboring living unit? A smoldering cigarette
may fall from an ashtray, a candle may be left unattended, or a
cooking oil fire may occur. Minimum two-hour non-combustible concrete
and masonry walls between living units and between living units
and public spaces will protect families from accidents and carelessness
in adjacent units and areas.
 Noncombustible
concrete and masonry construction resists fire, does not burn, and
provides fire containment through compartmentation. In addition,
concrete and masonry construction does not produce smoke, fumes,
or gases — all valuable benefits for providing life safety
and property protection.
With minimum two-hour non-combustible concrete and masonry fire
protection, fire and smoke can be contained to the unit of origin,
allowing the fire to burn itself out or to be adequately contained
and easily extinguished by fire sprinklers or firefighters. In such
cases, the concrete and masonry construction not only provides life
safety benefits, but may also limit the fire, smoke, and water damage
to units adjacent to the fire.
 The
structural integrity inherent in typical concrete and masonry multi-family
dwellings permits safe and easy access for emergency responders
to aid in evacuation and to exercise the most efficient options
for extinguishing most fires. The fire containment and the ability
of firefighters to attack the fire in an effective manner further
increase life safety and property protection.
Combining minimum two-hour non-combustible concrete and masonry
separations with minimum one-hour fire resistant-rated concrete
or masonry exterior walls protects occupants not just from fires
within their building but also from fires in adjacent buildings,
as combustibles on the exterior of buildings have been documented
to ignite when buildings more than 90 feet away are on fire.
When it comes to building construction and occupant safety and
comfort, there is no comparison to non-combustible concrete and
masonry construction. For more information about combining smoke
detectors, fire sprinklers, and passive fire protection visit the
Fire
Safety Construction Advisory Council.
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