Meet SF Escape Artists: Your Fire Escape Inspection & Repair Pros
- Serina Calhoun
- Jul 7
- 2 min read
Fire escapes are a bit of a San Francisco oddity. In most cities, they’re no longer even allowed as an exit route—but in older cities like San Francisco and New York, where buildings sit shoulder-to-shoulder and rear yard access is limited, fire escapes have been standard for over a century.
The catch? They live on the outside of your building, bolted to aging stucco and brick. And while that makes for great movie scenes, it also means ongoing inspections and maintenance are crucial for safety—and for legal compliance.
San Francisco has what’s known as the “604 Inspection Program,” which requires buildings to have exterior elements like stairs, balconies, and yes, fire escapes inspected by a licensed architect, general contractor, or engineer every 5 years, with a formal report filed with the city.
Not to be outdone, the State of California passed SB 721, which requires similar inspections every 6 years (great coordination, right?). Those reports don’t need to be filed with anyone, but they do need to be retained by the property owner—and, of course, be available for review.
In both situations, any failed inspections must be repaired in a timely manner.
That’s where SF Escape Artists comes in.
We met the team at SF Escape Artists—led by owner Ben Maxon—and immediately knew we wanted to bring them into the Property Atlas fold. These guys know fire escapes better than anyone in the Bay Area, and they’ve been doing this work since 1999.
While most of their work is with residential buildings (about 95%), they also handle some of the classic old office buildings in the Financial District—the kind that still rely on fire escapes tucked between buildings.
SF Escape Artists has a full-service approach across each of the city and state requirements:
California SB 721 inspections (required every 6 years, and by January 1, 2026 for all buildings), focused on balconies, decks, and stairways (including fire escapes if supported by wood framing) for multifamily residential buildings.
San Francisco 604 inspections (required every 5 years), focused on fire escapes, corridors, balconies, decks, guardrails, and the like for multifamily residential buildings and hotels
San Francisco 908 Annual inspections making sure your fire escapes are actually accessible, free of obstructions (so you can evacuate safely!), and functional (so you can actually evacuate!).
SF Escape Artists doesn’t just inspect—they help you fix issues too, from rust to missing hardware, so you’re not left scrambling when deadlines hit. They are your only one-stop shop for fire escapes.
If you manage or own a building with a fire escape (or have questions about whether you’re in compliance), SF Escape Artists is a great first call. They’re practical, experienced, and easy to work with—exactly the kind of vendor you want on speed dial. Contact them at 415-279-6113 or via email at ops@sfescapeartists.com. Curious and need general information?
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