It's the first of its kind, it's easy to use and for an investment of just $5, it will pay dividends for years to come in the form of thousands of safer tenants.
It's the BOMA/NY Hi-Rise Drill Book for Building Staffs, just published by the Association's Preparedness Committee after a year of collaboration by authors drawn from the NYPD, FDNY, OEM, New York's building owners and managers, and a diverse range of preparedness community professionals.
The 60-page self-study guide has a high level of utility "because it was created for the entire crisis management team by those who will be responsible for, and participate, in these drills. There has never been a book - or an effort - like this before in our industry," said BOMA president Angelo Grima.
"More than a dozen individuals expended hundreds of volunteer hours to bring vital information to the building teams who have the safety of New York's 3.5 million tenants in their hands," he continued. "That the BOMA/NY Preparedness Committee took on such a major undertaking, and that they were enjoined so positively by the first responder community, speaks volumes about the depth of BOMA/NY's commitment to the working public's safety, the talent that exists in our association and the mutual spirit of cooperation with the first responder community."
Hi-Rise Drill Book uses a scenario-based learning format applicable to all buildings, yet it allows each participant to customize it for his or her own building with a special "notes" section following each drill, that allows them to immediately note any details or needed improvements. It is comprised of two core sections: drills that convey knowledge and those that teach skills. The knowledge-based drills help individuals deepen their building-specific knowledge across a range of items as diverse and essential as the locations of stairwell equipment and evacuation paths, to the chain of command when interacting with government agencies. Knowledge drills rarely run more than 15 minutes and do not need any special equipment.
The skill-development drills take learning to a much deeper level, often running 45 minutes and involving building systems and equipment. Scenarios invoke emergencies caused by such factors as severe weather, power failures, partial building collapses and hazmat releases, and targets skills that will be needed, such as electrical/gas/steam shut-down, emergency generator start-up, securing the building's access points and more. It also provides a number of sample scripts, including notification announcements and how to make accurate, professional 911 calls.
"Hi-Rise Drill Book does not supplant, but rather enhances, the detailed protocols required by the Fire/Life Safety and EAP plans," said Louis Trimboli, RPA/FMA, preparedness committee co-chair.
"Its timing is fortuitous, adds preparedness committee member Walter Ulmer III, who spearheaded the effort for BOMA/NY. "Hi-Rise Drill Book was developed to coincide with the requirements of RCNY 602, better known as the Local Law 26 Emergency Action Plans, and while it is particularly applicable to the Fire Safety and Emergency Action Plan Directors/Deputies and building evacuation supervisors, it contains drills for the entire building staff. It also can serve as a management tool for measuring and evaluating overall preparedness." Tags: