Fire and Life Safety Director Overview
The Role of the Fire and Life Safety Director and Emergency Action Plan Director in New York City High-Rise Buildings
In 1973, New York City introduced a Local Law on Fire Safety in High-Rise Business (Group-B Occupancy) Buildings to mitigate fire emergencies in these structures. Local Law 5 mandated that these buildings are required to have a certified Fire Safety Director (FSD) on duty for the premises. The FSD is responsible for the life safety of the occupants within the buildings as well as fire protection systems. In the 1980’s, a FSD also became a requirement in (Group-R1 Occupancy) hotel/motel high-rise buildings and/or in a building that is equipped with a fire alarm system which features a two-way voice communication system.