The Station Nightclub Fire Highlights the Importance of Safe Means of Egress TAGS: building codes | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

Remembering a tragedy also reminds us of the importance of fire safety. This week marked the 10th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire – a horrific blaze that claimed the lives of 100 people in February of 2003. The fire – caused by on-stage pyrotechnics set up by rock band Great White – engulfed the small Rhode Island nightclub in seconds; trapping hundreds in the blazing building. It’s a chilling reminder of the importance of a “means of egress” in any enclosed space. Marking the occasion is the official launch of The Station Documentary – a web series created by …Continue reading →

Casement Windows for Basement Egress: Cheap Fix or Bad Idea? TAGS: Adding egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | means of egress | safe basement exit

Not all basement windows are created equal. Make sure yours meet code before you waste time and money having to reinstall them. Having to get a finished basement up to code is a smart move; and quickly pays for itself in terms of house value and rental potential. However, the initial outlay often inspires homeowners to try and cut corners when adding a means of egress – and that can lead to costly problems in the future. One of the most common “cheap fix” solutions homeowners attempt is to install regular casement windows as a means of egress. Sadly, it’s …Continue reading →

If You Like It, Put a Lid On It TAGS: bringing fresh air in a basement | building codes | Egress windows | safe basement exit | Sunlight into a basement

An egress well cover or grate is a smart investment for your basement window well. Egress window wells are an essential for your basement. Not only are they legally required by building code; but they’re a vital safety feature that could help people escape from the basement in the event of an emergency. But adding basement windows requires a few adjustments around the rest of the house, too – especially in the yard or garden. John Symon, a customer from Bethlahem, Pa., explained a couple of issues he ran into: “I finished my basement last year,” he emailed to tell …Continue reading →

Fire Prevention Safety Week: Have 2 Ways Out TAGS: Adding egress windows | Egress windows | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

This week is national Fire Prevention Safety Week – and their message couldn’t hit closer to home. Every year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) holds their Fire Prevention Safety Week – with a special message to help people protect themselves and their families from fire. This year, the message is one we feel particularly passionate about: “Have 2 Ways Out.” They write: It is important to have a home fire escape plan that prepares your family to think fast and get out quickly when the smoke alarm sounds. What if your first escape route is blocked by smoke or …Continue reading →

A Valuable Tool for Firefighters TAGS: Egress windows | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

If you look it up in a dictionary, a “means of egress” means an exit – but the reason basement escape windows are considered a life-saver by firefighters is actually the opposite: Egress windows allow them to get into a basement during a fire, and rescue those who might be trapped inside. As we wrote about back in May, basements can be a killer when it comes to house fires. One of the reasons a means of egress is now a building code regulation is because of the number of people trapped in basements during a fire. With National Fire …Continue reading →

Basement Escape Window – Not Just for Fire TAGS: Egress windows | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

A means of egress is an essential in any basement apartment – both legally, and practically. But it’s not only fire than makes installing a basement escape window an important idea; as one Pennsylvania woman recently discovered. When Rosalyn Willis, 59, journeyed into the basement of her Berks county home, she had no idea that she wouldn’t remerge for three whole days. She was checking on a power outage in her Douglass Township home, likely caused by water than had flooded her basement. After clambering down the stairs, however, the rickety wooden steps collapsed behind her – trapping her downstairs. …Continue reading →

Basement Apartment Fire in Trenton Demonstrates Importance of Egress Code TAGS: Adding egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

National building code requires all basement apartments to have a safe means of egress – but many are rented out without this vital safety feature. Doing so, however risks deadly consequences. In Trenton, New Jersey, firefighters were recently called to a blaze in a busy residential neighborhood – in which two houses were engulfed in flames. Read about it at NJ.com. It’s believed the fire began on the porch of one of the Franklin Street homes, caused by a cigarette butt or stick of smoldering incense left in the trash by the occupant of the basement apartment. The upstairs tenant …Continue reading →

Family Fire Drills: Don’t Forget the Basement Route TAGS: Egress windows | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

Egress windows are an important safety addition to any basement redesign – but learning to use them effectively is equally important. Clarence Klein, from Cleveland Ohio, takes fire drills very seriously. “When I was just a kid,” he explains, “I lost my dad to a fire in our home.” Even thirty years later, it’s a terrifying memory that stays with him. “That’s why I’m a bit obsessive about fire safety in my own house.” For Clarence, that means running his own family through twice annual fire drills – outlining all the escape routes from the home, and where to meet …Continue reading →

Get Out of the Dungeon with Natural Basement Lighting TAGS: Egress windows | finishing a basement | gloomy basement | means of egress | natural light | safe basement exit

A finished basement can add lots of extra room to your home – but the lack of natural light can leave it dark and unwelcoming – almost like a dungeon. Adding an egress window is one great solution to bring natural light to every level of your home. Kelly loves the sun. “As far as I’m concerned, the most beautiful part of any home is the sunlight.” That was why she bought her beautiful Cape home, overlooking the park in Babylon, New York. “You can spend as much as you want on decorating, but none of it will make your …Continue reading →