[Noisebridge-discuss] So, how many people live at noisebridge now?

rachel lyra hospodar rachel at mediumreality.com
Thu Oct 21 23:11:20 UTC 2010


if there isn't signage that would be clearly visible to someone
unfamiliar with the space, from a fire marshal's POV they don't really
exist.  I would agree with the fire marshal in that case, since someone
not familiar with the space, standing almost anywhere within it, would
only know to exit through the door they used to enter.

Spaces with one entrance are limited by fire safety code to a capacity
of 49.  All you need to do is talk to one person who has managed an
emergency evacuation to understand why this might be a good idea.  I
fortunately have never had to do that, but the stories i have heard are
sobering.

my understanding of the "not an exit" exit is that there is some sort of
lock at the bottom of the staircase, as well as maybe stored junk from
downstairs people?  if this is not the case maybe we could talk about
putting an exit sign back up on it, clearing all the garbage out of our
landing, and maintaining it as a fire exit.  I would be happy to lend
elbow grease to that endeavor, but i am no diplomat.

The west fire escape might as well not exist for all the
climbing-over-a-foosball-table-and-overflowing-hack-shelf-crap that is
required to access it, assuming one is pre-armed with the knowledge of
its existence - since it has no signage at all that i am aware of.  A
great way to start remedying this problem would be to remove the nap
futon in that corner, clearing space for some more of our stuff to get
stored safely, and tape or paint a keep-it-clear safety aisle leading to
the exit.  Then we would need to put up a few regulation-approximating
fire exit signs that would lead an errant event attendee there, like
hansel and gretel trying to find their way through the fucking woods.

it would also be great if someone who had a pre-existing relationship
with the fruit people could talk to them about encroaching on our main
entrance.  it is a safety issue as well, and it would really be best to
keep the entire gate clear in front so that crowds of people can spill
out of it when someone's smoldering joint sets the tearoom carpet on fire.

R.


On 10/21/2010 3:54 PM, Dr. Jesus wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 3:45 PM, rachel lyra hospodar
> <rachel at mediumreality.com> wrote:
>> On 10/21/2010 3:19 PM, Shannon Lee wrote:
>>> It occurs to me that what the space really needs is some big red "WARNING:
>>> BEDBUGS" signs.
>>>
>>> --S
>>
>> god, you know what we need?  exit signs.  seriously, and exits.  It's a
>> whole nother kind of obscene that the most prominent safety exit has
>> been decommissioned because nobody wanted to say anything to the
>> landlord when they took it away, or that the fruit boxes keep
>> encroaching further and further on our only recognizable exit, or that
>> our actual fire escape is completely inaccessible.  As soon as I deal
>> with the first aid kit, on which i have been slacking mightily, fire
>> exits and fire safety (like the stacked milk crates of flammable
>> petroleum products in the shop) is next on my list of Things to Examine.
> 
> Just to be clear, the landlord has said that we can keep things on the
> south stairwell landing, but three feet of clearance needs to be
> maintained at all times on the landing and throughout the stairwell
> and to the exit.  He doesn't want us in there for any purpose other
> than moving things around on the landing.
> 
> In an emergency with lots of smoke, the west fire escape is probably
> the best bet for getting out without inhaling a lot of smoke.  The
> small smoldering apple carton down there did a good job of filling up
> the entire stairwell with smoke; I wouldn't want to go through that in
> case of a real fire.



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