§27-975 Communication System and Fire Command Station

Buildings classified in occupancy group E seventy-five feet or more in height, or, if less than seventy-five feet in height, with a total gross area of two hundred thousand square feet or more and existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height, shall be provided with the following:

(a) a communication system acceptable to the commissioner consisting of:

(1) loud speakers on each floor of the building, in each elevator and each stair enclosure, which shall be capable of being operated from the fire command station.

(2) a two-way voice communication capability between the fire command station and the following locations:

1. a designated floor warden station on each floor
2. mechanical control center
3. elevators
4. air-handling control rooms
5. elevator machine rooms

(b) The fire command station shall be located in the lobby of the building on the entrance floor as part of the elevator control panel or immediately adjacent thereto. Such command station shall be adequately illuminated and shall contain the following:

(1) the loud speaker and communication capability described in subdivision (a) of this section.

(2) the audible alarm signal required in subdivision (f) and (g) of section 27-972 of this article.

(3) manually reset information display system to indicate the floor where the alarm was activated.

(4) means to control the sounding devices on any floor or throughout the building.

(5) means to manually transmit a fire alarm signal to the fire department via a central station of a franchised operating company.

(6) means for silencing the audible alarm signals when the loud speakers are in use and for activating the audible alarm systems automatically when use of the loud speakers is terminated. Switches used for this purpose shall be of the self-restoring type.

(7) display lamps to include on/off condition of air-handling systems unless such lamps are provided in the mechanical control center.

(8) means for testing the display lamps, local alarms and the connection to the central station of a franchised operating company.

(c) Existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height shall comply with the requirements of this section on or before September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty-one. Complete plans of the installation shall be filed with the commissioner on or before June thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty. A permit shall be secured from the commissioner on or before September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty. Where compliance with the time requirements of this subdivision would cause undue hardship, the commissioner, with the approval of the fire commissioner, may extend the time for compliance, in accordance with rules and regulations to be promulgated. Before such application for a time extension shall be considered all required applications and plans must be filed and approved, permits obtained and a good faith effort towards completion of the work shall have been made.