INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS IN FIRE PROTECTION
MANAGEMENT
Ideas from Europe that could improve U.S. fire safety. From a report by Philip S. Schaenman, president of TriData Corporation.
Despite advanced technologies and better fire fighter protective gear, North America continues to lead the world in structural fires, fire deaths and fire fighter injuries, with two to four times the average number of incidents suffered in most European countries.
Philip S. Schaenman, former associate administrator of the United States Fire Administration, visited European fire officers, fire researchers and fire protection officials over a two-year period to determine what factors contribute to the success of European fire protection.
“Some of the (European) countries England, Sweden, France, have fire death rates roughly half of ours, and some of the (densely populated) countries, Switzerland and West Germany, have rates less than one quarter of ours, and are among the lowest in Europe.
Schaenman suggests that, with modifications, some of Europe’s fire prevention and protection practices could be adopted in the United States and Canada.
The first item to consider is fire fighter safety.
According to 1980 statistics, 9493 fire fighters were injured and six fire fighters were killed in the line of duty in that year alone in New York City. From 1966 to 1978, 12 years, London had 1400 fire fighter injuries and between 10 and 20 fire fighter deaths. Part of the reason for these vastly varying figures may be different philosophies in fire fighter training, operations and safety.
North America continues to lead the world in structural fires, fire deaths and fire fighter injuries, with two to four times the average number of incidents suffered in most European countries.
In general, European fire officers are very fire prevention oriented, and fire chiefs can function as fire protection engineers, capable of reviewing building plans and advising on safety features.
European fire prevention bureaus are supplemented by officers assigned to fire suppression, “most of whom spend a surprising amount of their time on prevention. Prevention is considered a prime function, not a dead-end job as it is in some U.S. cities.For example, in Hamburg, the officers commanding the three fire fighting divisions in the city spend about two-thirds of their time on prevention work for their district,” notes Schaenman. “The most striking difference between the United States and Europe in prevention staff is the percentage of senior officers and staff hours devoted to prevention, and the emphasis on building plans review. In many U.S. cities there is only one person above captain who works on prevention, and that is the fire marshal himself. One of the major needs pointed out by the Presidential Commission on Fire Prevention and Control in the early 1970s was to shift more emphasis to prevention. That still remains to be done.”
European fire fighters tend to undergo more initial training than their U.S. counterparts and in Switzerland, both officers and fire fighters receive additional on-thejob training. “Once a year each fire fighter notes the areas in which he feels he needs to improve his skills and those areas in which he feels he has strong skills and can teach. From these inputs, individual development plans are prepared. A fire fighter may find himself being trained by an officer one day and then training the same officer in a different skill the next,” reads the Schaenman report.
Although U.S. fire fighters have better personal protective equipment and turnout gear, European fire fighters are compelled to use their protective equipment or face a penalty. A significant factor in German fire fighter safety is the fact that fire chiefs can go to jail or be sued if they do not enforce safety standards for tire fighter equipment.
In most of Europe, SCBA is synonymous with fire fighting. In Sweden, fire fighters who go into a building are called “smoke divers,” closely linking the concept of wearing masks to the job of fire fighting, and creating a positive image and reinforcement for wearing masks.
“The Swedes use high-pressure breathing apparatus that . . . has a theoretical limit of 60 minutes but was said to provide only 25 to 30 minutes of air in practice. American fire fighters typically use 30-minute equipment with 15 to 20 minutes of actual air. Twin tanks are used rather than the single centered tank used in the United States. The apparatus felt less weighty than U.S. tanks, partly because of the broader weight distribution.”
To enhance communications, Sweden has installed an ordinary two-way radio between the SCBA tanks. The radio includes a small headpiece and microphone attached to the fire fighter’s helmet for “hands-free” communication. The radio is protected from heat by being between the cold air tanks and under a metal plate built over it, explains Schaenman. “They have not had a radio failure yet, they said …. The radio communication allows the fire fighters in the building to tell the incident commander outside where they are and what they see. This makes the fire fighting operation more efficient and increases the safety of the crew. They feel that the radios play a significant role in reducing fire fighter injuries. It also reduces the psychological feeling of isolation in a fire.”
Although U.S. fire fighters have better personal protective equipment…, European fire fighters are compelled to use their protective equipment or face a penalty.
The Swedish SCBA also has an attachment that provides air to a victim from a fire fighter’s own unit.
In England, every SCBA is equipped with a distress signaling unit to alert others that the wearer is in trouble. “In addition,” says Schaenman, “virtually every room in (England) is said to have natural ventilation (openable windows) so that a fire fighter could always get to a window. Even modern office buildings are required to have openable windows.”
In Paris, a mobile barometric (high pressure) chamber is used to quickly resuscitate smoke inhalation victims.
The Zurich Fire Department installed speed recorders in each vehicle to provide a continuous printed record of the speed driven. The speed recorders not only motivate drivers not to speed, but provide evidence if drivers get into an accident that they were not speeding (which deters suits against the city).
“The philosophy of the fire service common throughout Europe is that the government’s prime responsibility is life safety — for civilians and fire fighters. . . . They are not willing to risk the safety of fire fighters to save property…. This is very different from the United States, where interior fire fighting is used to reduce property loss,” reads the Schaenman report. A dramatic example of the European approach was a fire scene decision at a Ford factory in Cologne. The deputy chief ordered the fire fighters to pull out of the building, essentially allowing the factory to burn down rather than endanger the fire fighters. The estimated property loss was $200 million.
Another aspect of European fire fighter safety is keeping a card listing of fire fighters on duty in each unit’s vehicle. Whenever a fire fighter is sent into a building, the officer in charge notes this on the individual’s card, thereby accounting for all personnel.
Physical fitness and regular checkups also play a part in European fire fighter safety.
“At age 40, all British fire fighters must get a medical exam and must have one every three years after that…. Fire fighters must retire by age 55.
“In Stockholm, fire fighters are given medical exams once every two years before 40 and every year after age 40. You cannot be a smoke diver (for interior fire fighting) if you are over age 50. You can be a fire fighter who fights fires ‘from the outside’ between 50 and 60. Over age 60, you are not allowed to fight fires. Prevention inspectors are allowed to work until 65….
In Sweden, fire fighters who go .into a building are called “smoke divers,” … creating a positive image and reinforcement for wearing SCBA.
“In Bonn, once a year the fire fighters are timed while going through a 100-meter obstacle course wearing full gear and breathing apparatus to check their physical fitness. Anyone employed in active fire fighting must pass this test.”
Another major factor in fire fighter health is diet. Schaenman explains that to aid in long-term fitness, diet is controlled while a fire fighter is on duty in some Swiss departments. “Fire fighters of ail ranks are given the same subsidized meals. The fire fighters pay only one-fourth the cost of their food in Bern. The idea is to insure a healthy diet for all, regardless of income. Some U.S. cities provide food allowances, but few if any regulate fire fighter diet on duty.”
Although it must be admitted that U.S. fire fighters are exposed to more fires and risks, the question again comes back to why are there fewer fires in Europe?
Physical fitness and regular checkups also play a part in European fire fighter safety (as does) diet…. To aid in longterm fitness, diet is controlled while a fire fighter is on duty in some Swiss departments.
One reason is the emphasis on fire prevention, not just in the fire service, but in society itself. According to the Schaenman report, “The European public is probably more aware of the hazards from fire than the American public because of European history. A major part of almost every city burned down at one time or another in the Middle Ages and many in the wars of this century.” The message of fire prevention reaches most European homes through schools, well-targeted public education programs, and mass media.
There is a social stigma as well as court fines connected with fire carelessness, and Europeans tolerate a higher degree of government involvement to obtain safety than do Americans.
Chimney sweeps are another important part of fire prevention programs in many European countries. Essentially, the chimney sweep system is a mandatory home fire inspection program. Chimney sweeps maintain heating systems and provide advice on the purchase and installation of wood burning stoves and fireplaces and test them after installation.
Building codes and construction are perhaps two areas where the United States differs the most from European countries. Europeans tend to build structures of concrete, steel and stone, which builds in fire safety beyond that required by codes.
“European codes are stronger, and they are much more vigorously enforced than is true in most U.S. cities,” says Schaenman. “It is certainly not our lack of technology or know-how, but rather a lack of will, training, and manpower to enforce codes that makes this so.”
Europe’s building codes apply throughout the countries’ rural sections as well.
In France, builders of large, new structures pay a private company to inspect the building for code compliance. This inspection is required in order to receive a license to open. If there is a fire due to a code violation, both the builder and the inspection company are held liable.” In Sweden, the fire chief can be fined by the court if a building that was not recently inspected has a fire.
For copies of Schaenman’s study, contact TriData Corporation, 1500 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22209; telephone: (703) 841-2975.
European insurance measures, too, work to reduce fire incidents and deter arson. In some countries, full payment is made only if another building is erected on the same spot. Other countries raise the premiums if violations are found; and in Switzerland, insurance, which is mandatory, is provided only by the government and only if the structure is considered in adequate compliance with codes.
“London has a particularly effective way of determining fire cause. All fire fighters are given some fire investigation training.” If cause for the fire cannot be found, a special investigation team can be requested.
Overall, the U.S. fire departments have much better response times than do European departments. In Sweden, response time standards are astonishingly slow. For in-town buildings greater than four stories, less than 10 minutes. For everything else, less than 30 minutes.”
There is a social stigma as well as court fines connected with fire carelessness in Europe.
How do they hold down losses when a fire occurs? Schaenman explains that they put great faith in their building codes to contain fires until the fire service arrives. They also seem to be willing to a a ept a higher level of damage per fire as a tradeoff against devoting more effort to reducing the total number of fires through prevention.
“By and large, the U.S. fire servic e does an excellent job of extinguishing fires. Its equipment can pump more water, its response times are faster, and it has greater manpower at its command than comparable European departments.” The United States also has a major technological edge over Europe in its use of smoke detectors and sprinkler systems.
European building codes are stronger, and . . . more vigorously enforced than … in most U.S. cities … In Sweden, the fire chief can be fined … if a building that was not recently inspected has a fire.
Still, America’s fire problem far outshadows that in Europe, and we have a long way to go before we get down to the low death and loss rates experienced by Europe and the rest of the world.
