Hurricane Ida in New York Technical Report 2: Building Performance: Egress from Floodprone Basements

This technical report presents findings from FEMA's Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) on building egress and occupant safety in flood-prone basements in New York City following Hurricane Ida. It documents how surface water entered basements, the risks to occupants, and the challenges of emergency egress during urban flooding. The report summarizes relevant New York City code requirements, provides recommendations to improve egress and life safety in below-grade dwellings, and highlights public awareness needs regarding urban flood risks. The focus is on residential and multi-family buildings with basements vulnerable to flooding.