Int 0478-2006

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Chapter one of title 15 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 15-129 to read as follows: §15-129. Firehouse and emergency medical service station inspection and reporting. a. The commissioner shall direct a licensed professional engineer to visually inspect every firehouse and emergency medical service station in the last six months of each year to assess the structural integrity of every firehouse and emergency medical service station. b. Prior to the visual inspection, the professional engineer shall obtain and examine the building’s structural layout plans to develop an understanding of the structural system and layout of the building, identify critical areas for inspection, identify allowable imposed loads and identify unauthorized additions or alterations that could affect the structure of the firehouse or emergency medical service station. c. The visual inspection shall include a review of the conditions of the structure of the firehouse or emergency medical service station to identify structural defects, signs of structural distress and deformation or material deterioration. The visual inspection shall also include a review of the loading on the structure of the firehouse or emergency medical service station to identify any change of use, misuse or abuse which can result in overloading as well as any addition or alteration that could result in overloading or have other adverse effects on the structure. The professional engineer shall document his or her findings in writing. d. If the professional engineer finds signs of significant structural deterioration or defects are present, he or she shall make a professional assessment of the deterioration or defect and, if necessary, recommend appropriate actions to be taken, including repair works, or a full structural investigation of parts of or the entire firehouse or emergency medical service station. e. The professional engineer shall issue a report card for the overall structural integrity of each firehouse and emergency medical service station and grade the structural integrity as Excellent, Very Good, Fair, Poor or Unacceptable and document the reasons for the grade. f. On February first of each year, the commissioner shall submit a report to the council, listing each firehouse and emergency medical service station that has been inspected during the previous year, along with the corresponding grades for structural integrity and the reasons given for those grades by the professional engineer. §2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon its enactment. LS#1200 RCC 11/08/2006