Nearly all NYC firehouses had been built before seismic provisions were included in the Building Code in the 1996. Are the firehouses being upgraded to the Code? Is the seismic retrofitting done during renovations?
According to NYC Hazard Mitigation Plan critical facilities are supposed to remain operational after an earthquake -- http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hazard_mitigation/plan_update_2014/3.9_earthquakes_final.pdf
However, many firehouses seem to be unreinforced masonry buildings from the late 19th and early 20th Century, at serious risk to collapse during an earthquake. That the new firehouses will be designed to the new code is great, but what about all the existing facilities?
According to NYC Hazard Mitigation Plan critical facilities are supposed to remain operational after an earthquake -- http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hazard_mitigation/plan_update_2014/3.9_earthquakes_final.pdf
However, many firehouses seem to be unreinforced masonry buildings from the late 19th and early 20th Century, at serious risk to collapse during an earthquake. That the new firehouses will be designed to the new code is great, but what about all the existing facilities?