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This after 2 firefighters died in the Deutsche Bank fire

The changes, announced Wednesday night, are a direct result of mistakes by the fire department in how it inspected the Deutsche Bank building near ground zero. Those mistakes likely contributed to the deaths of two firefighters when the building caught fire last summer.

Eyewitness News' NJ Burkett has the story.

This was a disaster that could have, and should have been prevented. The city's fire commissioner has already shaken up the ranks by re-assigning two chiefs and a captain. Now he's going further with a series of sweeping changes.

By all accounts, the fire at the former Deutsche Bank building was a debacle for the FDNY -- an otherwise routine fire in a vacant building under demolition that left two firefighters dead.

The firefighters were trapped in a deadly-maze of smoke and debris because the fire burned out of control for so long -- no sprinklers and no working standpipes.

On Wednesday night, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scopetta ordered stepped-up building inspections across New York City with new layers of supervisory review and oversight, data sharing in the field with new computer software and a renewed partnership with the City Buildings Department.

"The inspection program is a critical component of ensuring public safety by allowing firefighters to get a first-hand look at buildings before an emergency arises. ... By increasing inspection time and providing more tools and information to our members, these initial steps will give firefighters a better opportunity to uncover any challenges they may face while fighting fires. What they see could ultimately save their own life or the lives of others," Scopetta said.

The commissioner has also changed the curriculum at the city's fire academy, with new guidelines on fire prevention, and most importantly, fire inspection protocols.

Critics have insisted that the wholesale failure to inspect the Deutsche Bank building was a major factor in the disaster.

But it will take more than policy changes to close the book on Deutsche Bank. There is also an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney that could result in criminal charges.

FDNY Press Release of all the changes:

"Implementation of a third inspection period each week for every field unit, increasing the amount of time six to nine hours -- units will be scheduled for weekly building inspections. (Less than half of the scheduled inspection time for field units actually gets spent inspecting buildings due to emergency responses, inclement weather, etc.)

Creation of a new computer software program which indexes all buildings more than 75 feet high that are under construction or demolition * for each individual field unit according to their particular area. This program is now tracking inspections and electronically reminds units when their next inspection is due.

Added oversight of field inspections by or at the Borough Command level, and additional oversight with compliance measures implemented at FDNY headquarters in Brooklyn.

The City's Department of Buildings now notifies the FDNY of new building or demolition permits issued. That information will be given to field units, which were previously instructed to canvass their areas to learn this information.

Other initiatives also are being developed to streamline building information and increase training at every level, including the following which are currently underway:

Computerization: The FDNY is currently working with the City's Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications in planning an integration of all of our building inspection information, as well as improved information-sharing with the Department of Buildings and other City agencies.

Partnership with DOB: The FDNY and DOB are partnering on a number of information-sharing initiatives, including the Fast-Track Pilot Program which enables chief officers to enter critical information about buildings directly into the DOB's Business Information System. This drastically reduces the notification and action time required for DOB officials to address structural concerns that could endanger our members or the public. A pilot program in Divisions 6 and 7 in the Bronx was successful, and soon, it will be expanded to other boroughs.

Increased Training: With the expansion of proby school at the Fire Academy, additional material on fire prevention and inspections has been added to the curriculum. Newly promoted officers at every level also will receive additional training on building inspections in their promotional courses, and a new course is being developed for fire prevention coordinators."