randomperson Fire Alarms
@randompersonfire.bsky.social
I talk about fire/life safety, politics, Disney, and more. Left-leaning, proudly non-partisan, anti-NRA, anti-war, a non-driver, and a Masshole.
It really isn't sound - why isn't this a rule for, let's say, hotels, libraries, apartments, or many other buildings where children might be present?
December 1, 2025 at 5:55 PM
It really isn't sound - why isn't this a rule for, let's say, hotels, libraries, apartments, or many other buildings where children might be present?
Especially when there's no such restriction in the code regarding, for example, hotel rooms and families with young children. (Just one example. There are of course many other occupancies where young children might be on upper floors.)
December 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Especially when there's no such restriction in the code regarding, for example, hotel rooms and families with young children. (Just one example. There are of course many other occupancies where young children might be on upper floors.)
The old Uniform Building Code (which WA did use) did have such a prohibition (which probably explains what happened here), but the IBC has never had one and WA doesn't seem to have ever amended the prohibition into the IBC either.
The current WA IBC amendments are:
app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default....
The current WA IBC amendments are:
app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default....
Chapter 51-50 WAC:
app.leg.wa.gov
December 1, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The old Uniform Building Code (which WA did use) did have such a prohibition (which probably explains what happened here), but the IBC has never had one and WA doesn't seem to have ever amended the prohibition into the IBC either.
The current WA IBC amendments are:
app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default....
The current WA IBC amendments are:
app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default....
This is right up @jasoncoxnc.bsky.social's alley!
December 1, 2025 at 6:02 AM
This is right up @jasoncoxnc.bsky.social's alley!
Another issue is (in some US jurisdictions), believe or not, building codes.
bsky.app/profile/rand...
bsky.app/profile/rand...
Not applicable for WA, but another barrier can be building codes: NFPA 101 (and some jurisdictions' IBC amendments, e.g. NC, CA) ban many elementary students from upper floors. Here's a real case where this almost caused huge problems.
www.ncosfm.gov/formal-inter...
www.facebook.com/hpclearningc...
www.ncosfm.gov/formal-inter...
www.facebook.com/hpclearningc...
December 1, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Another issue is (in some US jurisdictions), believe or not, building codes.
bsky.app/profile/rand...
bsky.app/profile/rand...
Not applicable for WA, but another barrier can be building codes: NFPA 101 (and some jurisdictions' IBC amendments, e.g. NC, CA) ban many elementary students from upper floors. Here's a real case where this almost caused huge problems.
www.ncosfm.gov/formal-inter...
www.facebook.com/hpclearningc...
www.ncosfm.gov/formal-inter...
www.facebook.com/hpclearningc...
December 1, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Not applicable for WA, but another barrier can be building codes: NFPA 101 (and some jurisdictions' IBC amendments, e.g. NC, CA) ban many elementary students from upper floors. Here's a real case where this almost caused huge problems.
www.ncosfm.gov/formal-inter...
www.facebook.com/hpclearningc...
www.ncosfm.gov/formal-inter...
www.facebook.com/hpclearningc...
Someone else on my timeline said "If you want less of something, tax it." - spot on!
December 1, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Someone else on my timeline said "If you want less of something, tax it." - spot on!
Here's a page with some discussion on this.
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
Jurisdictions — The Second Egress: Building a Code Change
Jurisdictions Cite this image: Speckert, C. (2022). Jurisdictions: Maximum Permitted Height for Single Stair Buildings [Infographic]. McGill...
secondegress.ca
November 28, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Here's a page with some discussion on this.
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
secondegress.ca/Jurisdictions
For Group R-2 occupancies in NYC, seemingly not at all even today - just a "silent alarm" used for sprinkler monitoring and smoke detection in unoccupied spaces (e.g. mechanical rooms).
The unmodified IBC (like the legacy codes) requires a fire alarm system in many Group R-2 occupancies.
The unmodified IBC (like the legacy codes) requires a fire alarm system in many Group R-2 occupancies.
November 28, 2025 at 8:49 AM
For Group R-2 occupancies in NYC, seemingly not at all even today - just a "silent alarm" used for sprinkler monitoring and smoke detection in unoccupied spaces (e.g. mechanical rooms).
The unmodified IBC (like the legacy codes) requires a fire alarm system in many Group R-2 occupancies.
The unmodified IBC (like the legacy codes) requires a fire alarm system in many Group R-2 occupancies.
My biggest worry is that Trump is going to do things like embargoes or other things that violate Brazil's sovereignty - the US government has a poor track record when it comes to respecting other countries' sovereignty.
November 26, 2025 at 7:28 AM
My biggest worry is that Trump is going to do things like embargoes or other things that violate Brazil's sovereignty - the US government has a poor track record when it comes to respecting other countries' sovereignty.
Another law enforcement reform idea that our politicians seemingly don't care about is reducing the total number of law enforcement agencies (in other words, getting rid of extreme localism). When a university, etc. has its own police force it's an inherent conflict of interest.
November 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Another law enforcement reform idea that our politicians seemingly don't care about is reducing the total number of law enforcement agencies (in other words, getting rid of extreme localism). When a university, etc. has its own police force it's an inherent conflict of interest.
I just wonder how many Americans are mad at things like EES/ETIAS when US-VISIT/ESTA has been a thing for much longer.
November 26, 2025 at 7:19 AM
I just wonder how many Americans are mad at things like EES/ETIAS when US-VISIT/ESTA has been a thing for much longer.
With all the discussion on building code reform in the US this seems like a great opportunity to suggest doing a similar thing in the codes in the US.
November 26, 2025 at 7:14 AM
With all the discussion on building code reform in the US this seems like a great opportunity to suggest doing a similar thing in the codes in the US.
It's something that's very common in many other countries, much of which have a better fire safety record than the US.
November 25, 2025 at 10:46 PM
It's something that's very common in many other countries, much of which have a better fire safety record than the US.
How long 'til Trumpelstiltskin threatens/tries to impose an embargo?
November 25, 2025 at 10:39 PM
How long 'til Trumpelstiltskin threatens/tries to impose an embargo?
Are parole conditions usually in the total discretion of a judge with little to no limits on what can be imposed? (e.g. could it say something like “do the Macarena once a week”?)
November 24, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Are parole conditions usually in the total discretion of a judge with little to no limits on what can be imposed? (e.g. could it say something like “do the Macarena once a week”?)
Are there any people other than me who actually believe in states’ rights? (Before the 2024 election some people accused me of being a MAGAt because I support states’ rights. My response to them now: I told you so.)
November 24, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Are there any people other than me who actually believe in states’ rights? (Before the 2024 election some people accused me of being a MAGAt because I support states’ rights. My response to them now: I told you so.)
Don’t forget ICE!
November 24, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Don’t forget ICE!
If the editors of those sites dressed like racing drivers, whose logos would they be covered in? (I have a few guesses.)
November 24, 2025 at 11:45 AM
If the editors of those sites dressed like racing drivers, whose logos would they be covered in? (I have a few guesses.)
Speaking of law, there's also urban legends about fake laws, which AI exacerbates.
www.tiktok.com/@micaunleash...
www.mass.gov/news/the-bro...
sustainatlanta.com/2016/05/17/h...
Last but not least: www.fiolinjurylaw.com/10-weird-law... (Yes, that's a real lawyer claiming it's illegal to break wind.)
www.tiktok.com/@micaunleash...
www.mass.gov/news/the-bro...
sustainatlanta.com/2016/05/17/h...
Last but not least: www.fiolinjurylaw.com/10-weird-law... (Yes, that's a real lawyer claiming it's illegal to break wind.)
November 24, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Speaking of law, there's also urban legends about fake laws, which AI exacerbates.
www.tiktok.com/@micaunleash...
www.mass.gov/news/the-bro...
sustainatlanta.com/2016/05/17/h...
Last but not least: www.fiolinjurylaw.com/10-weird-law... (Yes, that's a real lawyer claiming it's illegal to break wind.)
www.tiktok.com/@micaunleash...
www.mass.gov/news/the-bro...
sustainatlanta.com/2016/05/17/h...
Last but not least: www.fiolinjurylaw.com/10-weird-law... (Yes, that's a real lawyer claiming it's illegal to break wind.)
Is this association actually international or is it just as “international” as the International Code Council?
November 22, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Is this association actually international or is it just as “international” as the International Code Council?
This is an excellent reason why politicians should have to dress like racing drivers.
November 22, 2025 at 7:40 PM
This is an excellent reason why politicians should have to dress like racing drivers.
I guess we can add another entry on the long list of reasons to ditch the ICC’s codes.
bsky.app/profile/rand...
bsky.app/profile/rand...
November 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I guess we can add another entry on the long list of reasons to ditch the ICC’s codes.
bsky.app/profile/rand...
bsky.app/profile/rand...
This article is everything @jasoncoxnc.bsky.social has been saying for a while. (And it even calls out the not-so-international nature of the ICC’s codes.)
November 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
This article is everything @jasoncoxnc.bsky.social has been saying for a while. (And it even calls out the not-so-international nature of the ICC’s codes.)