On first glance the two questions posed above may seem unrelated. The answer to the first, relates to the second. Fire Files are made to withstand a fire for up to one hour and not have damage caused to the paper contents inside. (Electronic media requires additional protection inside the file.) They are also designed to withstand a 30 foot drop if the floor collapses during a fire. They are waterproof in case of sprinklers and fire hoses. They come with very secure locking systems to prevent theft.
To accomplish these many things, construction is expensive. Gypsum in the 1” thick walls is reinforced by steel mesh. This construction results in a 4-drawer 44”W lateral file weighing 1019 pounds.
Note: All specifications quoted here are from Fire King on their website. We have found Fire King to be the top line of fire proof files. Other files are available as well, but may not have these stringent of specifications.
In summary:
Fire Protetcion
Impact Protection
Waterproof
Theft Resistant
A new Fire King 4 drawer lateral fire file can cost up to $4000. Used fire files are often available on the market, but make sure that they are in good working order and have not been dropped in transport, which can degrade their fire resistance. Delivery is usually very expensive because multiple people are required to move such a heavy object. It is a good idea to check floor load capabilities if you are not in a ground floor location.
We often have used ones at our store on our website.
