One of the best things that New York City has to offer both to tourists and residents is its top-quality theater industry. Individuals from all over the globe come to our city to experience its amazing theater productions. The incredible architecture in the theater industry as a tourist attraction should be noted as well. Because this is such a vital contributor to not just tourism but to the local economy as well, a theater owner needs to take great measures to make sure the building is safe for its patrons as well as actors, especially protected from the threat of fire. To help in that area, today we will discuss what’s involved in protecting theaters from fires.
A primary way a fire can spread once it starts inside a theater is when the curtains or scenery are involved. In order to provide maximum protection, it is required by the FDNY that all decorative items in a theater are flameproofed, meaning they must be coated with or soaked in flame repellant chemicals. Items that are included in this mandate are drapes, curtains, carpets, scenery, stage props, seat cushions, upholstered furniture, decorations, etc.
Since curtains are the most prominent and take up the most real estate in a theater, they will be our special focus when we are looking at fire prevention.
The FDNY outlines a few ways in which theater owners can be compliant with the mandates for curtains. First, curtains that are inherently non-combustible can be purchased. That means that specific curtains are created with polyester yarns and have already met the NFPA 710 test requirements. Because they are inherently flameproof, no treatments are needed. However, because dust and dirt can compromise effectiveness, a regular field flame test should be done on these curtains regularly.
Another way theater owners can be compliant is to buy curtains of their choice and then have a certified flameproofing company (a C-15 Certificate of Fitness holder) come on site and treat the curtains with fire retardants. The company would soak or coat the curtains with flameproofing chemicals and then perform a field flame test to ensure non-combustibility. There is a shelf life for the effectiveness of these treatments, so they would need to be treated again after the expiration period.
A final option for a theater owner is to purchase durably flame resistant curtains. This particular kind of curtain has flame resistance to a certain level, but not so much that it would pass the NFPA field flame test. Therefore, these curtains do require flameproofing treatments that involved chemicals penetrating to the inner fibers of the fabric, not just resting on the surface. Why would a theater owner buy this kind of curtain if it still requires flameproofing treatments? Well, the chemicals used on this kind of fabric are unique and not water-soluble, as the other kinds of chemicals are. As a result, these curtains can be washed without needing re-treatment. However, a yearly field flame test should still be performed to make sure they are still non-combustible.
While it’s true that flameproofing is a huge factor in the prevention of the spread of a fire, theaters also must have automatic sprinklers, clearly marked emergency exits, as well as sufficient emergency routes and egress, should a fire break out.
Brooklyn Flameproofing is able to help theater owners come into compliance with FDNY mandates and perform flameproofing treatments on curtains and all required objects and materials. If your theater or other business has flameproofing needs, please call us today. We would be happy to serve you and add you to our growing list of satisfied customers in New York City and beyond! 800-401-5415