The U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) called on the organizations that develop building and fire safety codes, standards and practices - and the state and local agencies that adopt them - to make specific changes to improve the safety of tall buildings, their occupants and first responders. The recommendations result from the agency's three-year investigation of the fires and collapses of New York City's World Trade Center (WTC) towers following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Among other NIST recommends:
"...to accommodate timely full building evacuation of occupants..."
"...to accommodate counterflow due to emergency access by responders..."
"...to maximize remoteness of egress components..."
"...that the full range of current and next generation evacuation technologies should be evaluated for future use, including protected/hardened elevators, exterior escape devices, and stairwell navigation devices, which may allow all occupants an equal opportunity for evacuation and facilitate emergency responders access..."
"...providing timely emergency access to responders and allowing evacuation of mobility-impaired building occupants..."
NIST Draft Report and Recommendations:
News release
Executive summary
Complete recommendations
Full report
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