Fire and Life Safety Director operating a fire alarm system

Fire and Life Safety Directors and Their Role in Protecting Life and Property

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In a city as large as New York City, there are few more pressing needs than the protection of life and property. To provide that protection, the city maintains a robust police presence, fire department, and other emergency response services. Unfortunately, however, those committed guardians of life and property are unable to be everywhere at once. Private sector personnel thus play an invaluable role in protecting the City that Never Sleeps. That’s why New York City relies on dedicated Fire and Life Safety Directors to help protect buildings and their occupants from fire and various other threats.

Why Do We Have Fire and Life Safety Directors?

Fire has long been a threat to buildings and human life, and that threat is especially pronounced in a city where millions of people live and work. To help manage that threat, New York City has implemented rules that require certain at-risk buildings to retain a competent safety director to coordinate prevention efforts and responses to fire and other disasters or threats. These professionals receive training to help them fulfill their missions, and work diligently to perform their duties and keep us safe.

What Do Fire and Life Safety Directors Do?

The Fire and Life Safety Director’s job is complex, but it all boils down to one core mission: protect building occupants and employees. There are a variety of duties that they need to perform to accomplish that goal, ranging from threat assessment and safety equipment inspections and maintenance to coordinating communications with emergency responders when disasters strike. These duties include:

  • Assessing threats and developing emergency response action plans to meet potential challenges. Threats can include everything from fire and other natural disasters to terrorist incidents and medical emergencies.
  • Organizing and conducting fire and other emergency response drills to ensure that building occupants fully understand what to do during disasters or other emergency situations.
  • Direct building occupant responses during any crisis, instructing them to either evacuate, shelter in place, or take other steps to limit their risk of harm.
  • Organize and maintain the building’s command center, communicating with the city’s official emergency responders to ensure a seamless response in a crisis.
  • Quickly respond to medical emergencies and contact emergency responders.

Who Can You Turn to for Fire and Life Safety Director Training?

Without the city’s invaluable safety directors, our ability to limit building damage and loss of human life would be severely impacted. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to provide would-be directors the Fire and Life Safety Director training they need at the ISS Fire Science Institute. Our certified instructors are committed to teaching you everything you need to know to properly serve as a qualified safety director, protecting the city’s residents and workers from some of the most serious risks that threaten their wellbeing. To learn more about how you can begin your career as a dedicated Fire and Life Safety Director, contact us today and discover why the team at International Security Services is recognized as New York City’s dedicated security experts.

George Kozhar

George Kozhar

George Kozhar is a respected security professional, licensed private investigator, and founder of International Security Services (ISS) - New York City’s dedicated security experts since 1999. Mr. Kozhar and his team provide a full array of private and business investigative services in the U.S. and overseas, VIP executive protection, armed and unarmed security guard services and training, and Fire and Life Safety Director training through the company’s Fire Science Institute.

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