Safety and security are important factors in searching for a home, so it is not surprising to hear people ask “Are high rise buildings safe?” Condo residences offer ultimate convenience and luxury living, but is it a good place to create a home? Find out the scale of safety of Las Vegas high rises in this post.
Are High Rise Buildings Safe from Crime?
Among the many amenities high rise residences offer are 24-hour security and 24-hour doorman. These amenities ensure your safety.
Unlike in a neighborhood where people can knock on your door anytime, living in a high rise means your friend or whoever is visiting you need to get through the doorman and security. They also need to leave an identification at the front desk.
Even your doors are equipped with safety features to keep you safe inside the building.
If you’re asking if Las Vegas high rise buildings are safe on the context of personal safety, the answer is yes, high rise buildings are safe.
Are High Rise Buildings Safe from an Earthquake?
One of the questions in the popular questions and answer website Quora asked “Which buildings will survive an earthquake. Low rise or high rise?” This produced some very long and intense answers given by professionals all over the world.
One structural engineer from the Tokyo Institute of Technology said that it depends on the way the structure was built. He then proceeded to point out the reasons for a building collapsing which include ground motion being higher than what is calculated, the building having low ductility, and weaknesses or irregularities in the building’s design.
A former real estate analyst wrote it depends on the quality of the building’s construction. If advanced techniques were used in the construction, the structure is durable and can have a long lifespan.
Someone answered that it also depends on the soil the building was built it on. If the building was constructed on soft soil, during an earthquake the ground will go soft and the building on top of it will collapse. Meanwhile, a building on top of a solid ground will likely survive.
It’s because modern high rises are designed to withstand earthquakes. This is especially true for buildings located in and close to high seismic areas.
Let’s take a closer look at what the professionals said and incorporate what little we know about the Las Vegas area.
There are several factors that affect a building’s strength and ductility during an earthquake. These are the following, namely: kind of soil, the design of the building, and how it was constructed.
Each factor plays a role in the measure of how safe high rise buildings are. A combination of solid soil, design, and high-quality construction will produce earthquake-safe buildings.
Fortunately, Las Vegas high rise constructions follow strict rules and guidelines in building high rises. The foundations are designed to support a very heavy load, but with enough ductility to make sure that the buildings can withstand an intense earthquake.
Are High Rise Buildings Safe from Fire?
Aside from earthquakes, another disaster that many people are worried about is fire. Many have raised the question of safety when a high rise building is on fire.
It is known that fire truck ladders reach only a 100 feet up, about 10 stories high. If you live on the 45th floor, how can the ladder of the fire truck reach you?
This is a serious issue because there have been several occasions where high rise buildings have caught fire.
If you live in a one or two-story home, it is relatively easy to run down the stairs and be out of the burning house in a few minutes. However, if you live on the 28th floor of a high rise residence, it’s not easy to get out if there’s a fire.
Exactly how safe are high rises when it comes to fire?
High rises are relatively safe from fire. The U.S. has a good record of fire safety in high rise buildings. We’ve had many lessons in the past, including the disaster that happened in the World Trade Center — and the country has developed a solid approach when it comes to managing high rise fire.
Also, the backbone of the high rise is protection compartmentation. This means the structure of the building, from its walls to its floor and ceiling membranes, are designed to resist fire for a certain amount of time.
You also have to remember that each building has multiple exits. There are exits for the residents, as well as exits specifically designed for firefighters who are coming in to fight the fire.
Even the elevator designs and technologies have advanced. Modern high rises are equipped with elevators that can keep smoke and heat from entering the elevator shafts.
These advancements created elevators that protect the residents not just from a fire but also from water and power failures.
To answer the question of “Are high rise buildings safe from fire?”, the answer is yes. As long the building residents follow the safety rules when it comes to fire, the building is safe.
How to Stay Safe in a High Rise
Emergencies and disasters like to take us unaware. They have a way of sneaking in our relatively safe and peaceful lives.
Living in a high rise pose certain challenges when it comes to preparing for calamities and disasters. You need to have very specific plans and solutions when it comes to preparations.
Due to your location, your access is limited, so you are better off staying inside the building until the emergency passes.
Here are some disaster safety tips you need to learn:
1. Be familiar with the safety features of your building. Know where to find fire alarms, emergency exits, evacuation plans, alarm response, communication procedures, etc.
To be familiar means not just reading once and forgetting about it. To be familiar means going through all the safety features until you know them by heart.
It also means getting everyone in your unit informed and involved.
2. Ensure that the exits are clearly marked, unlocked, and unblock.
Your safety depends on the efficiency of the exits. If you can’t find the right exit because they are not marked, or if the exits are locked, or if they are blocked with debris, you have no way of getting out.
3. Follow instructions. Some high rise buildings have scheduled fire drills. If your building has one, follow the instructions so you have an idea of what to expect and how to handle yourself in case of an emergency.
4. During the emergency, stay calm. Panicking will only lead you to forget the rules and likely cause you to make unwise decisions.
5. When you hear the fire alarm sound, feel the door before opening. If it is hot to the touch, find another way to exit your unit. If it is cool, leave and go to the nearest exit, but make sure to lock your high rise unit.
6. In case of fire, head to the stairs, not the elevator. The most important reason is that of power supply. During a fire, the power supply may fail and you don’t want to be inside the elevator when that happens.
7. If you cannot leave your condo because of the flames, prevent the smoke from coming inside your apartment by stuffing wet towels or sheets around your door and vent. Make sure to call the fire department to alert them of your situation.
8. In case of an earthquake, stay inside. Use the drop, cover, and hold position. Walking or running during an earthquake is dangerous.
Your high rise residence should be a place where you feel safest. Ask questions, research, learn as much as you can about high rise safety before signing the dotted line.
