LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Safety: everyone’s concern
Let me say to Todd Colton’s family that I feel for their loss (see Editor’s Opinion, November 1991). For those who would judge Chief Nichols, they must take the time to look at all angles of this situation and remember that Chief Nichols will have this pain for the rest of his life. I know for a fact the operations of a fire-ground are many, and we all have to work together for firefighter safety. 1 know from the five years I was fire chief that safety is a must. We cannot lay all the blame on Chief Nichols. Safety is everyone’s business. It is very easy for people to condemn a person after the fact.
David S. Berry Training/Public Education Officer Christy (IL) Eire Protection District
Firefighting in the Pine Barrens
Since I am a member of a small rural fire company in western Wyoming and the majority of our fires are wildland/urban interface, 1 enjoyed the article “Firefighting in the Pine Barrens” by Frank Panek in the November 1991 issue.
Panek touched on all the basics of brush and forest fires, except for the issue of proper clothing. You cannot fight wildland fires in structural turnouts or bunker gear. It is physically impossible, especially in the high temperatures and long hours typical of these fires. It also can be dangerous, increasing the likelihood of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Our firefighters wear I S. Forest Service-approved gear, which consists of a lightweight plastic hard hat. goggles, a yellow Nomex shirt, green Nomcx pants, heavy leather work boots, and leather gloves. Vie also arcissued a small backpack or web gear. Most prefer the web gear. This is a heavy nylon web belt and shoulder harness used to carry a w ater bottle, night light, and fire shelter. Most of our firefighters also carry a hoseclamp, extra nozzles, and wyes.
The fire shelter is a one-man pup tent made of fireand heat-reflective material. These shelters are to be used only in the worst-case scenario, where firefighters arc trapped and in danger of being run over by fire. The federal government does not allow firefighters on the line without one of these shelters.
All firefighters who fight forest fires or who may have to fight these fires should be issued the proper gear. As always, safety is the main concern.
Mike McKinsey Firefighter Boulder (WY) Volunteer Eire Company
PPV: a learning process
Recently, my department responded to a fire in an old post office. As the result of alterations, the building had as many as three ceilings and resulting voids. The fire was confined to a small area and was extinguished, we thought, with a single burst from a 1 ¼-inch preconnect. There was a moderate smoke condition and no heat to speak of. The need for vertical ventilation was not apparent.
Our department successfully had been using positive-pressure techniques for two years. As soon as the fire was knocked down, the rear of the building was opened and a smoke ejector placed at the front door. (Since witnesses’ statements indicated the possibility of arson, overhaul was delayed.) We continued positivepressure ventilation for at least a half hour. At that time a few sparks fell out of the ceiling as it was pulled. This w as followed by smoke coming from the attic.
Positive-pressure was ceased, the of opened up, and additional lines advanced into the building. Smoke from the attic rapidly increased, and the vent hole showed fire shortly after completion.
A second alarm was called, the fire extinguished, and after three hours we left the scene. The mail was saved, but we lost about a quarter of the roof.
We learned four lessons from this incident: PPV should not be relied on solely for venting every fire or building; there is no substitute in construction of this type for vertical ventilation, the effects of PPV may accelerate or even drive fire into voids; and you should balance the need to investigate with the need to overhaul fires.
As we learn more about PPV, better guidelines must emerge to prevent results such as those at this fire.
Gary W. Kraus Fire & Emergency Service Administrator
Sutter County (CA) Fire Department
Fire prevention education
At one time fire companies rushed to a fire to see who had the fastest firecompany. In those days, the firstarriving company could expect to be paid for its promptness. Pride and tradition were a sense of being for them.
Through the years not much has changed. Although fire companies arcno longer fighting and rushing to be the first to arrive, the pride and tradition continue on. As we continue through the ’90s, we must reevaluate our thinking when it comes to fires. As we respond to a fire, we should consider the chain of events leading up to the incident. Some fires are preventable. With others, however, education and prevention were missed or skipped over. A child playing with matches igniting a bedspread or a pile of leaves. A space heater placed too close to a curtain or a chair. Family members injured or killed because of no smoke detector or a battery that was not changed.
The educational link in the chain of events was missed. If we are to reduce losses due to fire, we must bring fire prevention education to the taxpayers we protect.
Gary’ R. Rieth
St. Louis (MO) Area l ire Educators
legislation improves life safety
This past Christmas came early for the Philadelphia Fire Department. On December 5, 1991, our city council unanimously passed legislation to fully sprinkler all existing commercial high-rise buildings.
In addition, all residential high-rises are required to install smoke detection in all units and provide selfclosing doors to reinforce existing compartmentation. Although this falls short of our original fire code upgrade, it is still a major improvement to life safety for firefighters and tenants in the hundreds of high-rise occupancies in Philadelphia.
The process took more than nine months following the One Meridian Plaza fire, but it did get done in spite of many obstacles. Your support for this initiative and the extremely informative articles that Eire Engineering publishes are sincerely appreciated.
Bill Manning’s comments in the Editor’s Opinion in the December issue regarding the many broken homes of emergency service personnel made an important point. One of the critical problems facing today’s society’ is the disintegration of the family structure, which, unfortunately, extends into the fire service.
As we attempt to enhance firefighter health and safety via NFPA 1500 and other efforts, we need to focus on the many benefits provided by full-service employee assistance programs. Our “fire service family” extends beyond the fire station into our homes, and the questions that Manning raised need to be addressed.
Our members have always risen to the external challenges of this great profession. However dedicated to the task, we must be equally committed to the children, wives, and husbands who are always there for us.
Roger M. Ulshafer
Fire Commissioner Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department
Fire protection systems: accountability a key
To ensure public safety and property conservation, w ho should address the required engineering judgment in the design of a fire protection system? The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed national fire codes; however, these codes are minimal life safety codes that require sound engineering judgment.
Are these codes preengineered systems or are they broad specifications? Two systems that comply with NFPA 13 can provide entirely different levels of performance and reliability. The NFPA also accepts no liability that results from compliance with its codes, and safety factors are not determined. The authority having jurisdiction develops building codes, but they too, arc minimal life safety codes and are politically influenced. Also, the state of Florida as well as most states do not accept any responsibility/liability.
Contractors who design systems have a major conflict of interest — especially if they have to compete in an inconsistent bidding process. Do they design for profitability or reliability? Designing for reliability may cost them the job. All too often I see contractors conducting a water supply analysis to benefit their profits rather than the owner/public interest: Conducting a fire hydrant flow test during low-demand periods makes the installation cheaper.
And is it to the contractors’ advantage to design a system that can be maintained by the owner? Engineers, who are agents of the owners, can look after their own and the public’s best interest without any conflict of interest with the installation. They assume total liability through state licensing and ethical standards. Since they can be sued, they have more to lose if problems develop. Also, as part of the architectural/engineering design team, engineers are able to address potential problems on the drawing board rather than in the field, where the cost becomes a problem.
Any conflict of interest must be eliminated in the construction industry to ensure public safety and the owner’s best interest. This is especially important when it comes to fire protection engineering.
The chairman of the Florida State Board of Engineers, at the October 1990 meeting of the Florida Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, stated that the owner doesn’t know what he’s getting unless an engineer designs it prior to contractor involvement. Accountability/liability must be required in the fire protection community, and politics should take a back seat to sound engineering judgment. The state of Florida has recognized the magnitude and the complexity of the fire protection problem in the built environment and has established a Statement of Responsibility of the Fire Design Engineers and state laws to implement it. However, local politics are not following these laws, thus jeopardizing public safety. The State Attorney General Office stated, “The way the cities have their permitting system set up, it may lead the engineers down a primrose path of not following the responsibility statement.” In fact, the cities are forcing engineers to violate the statement. Why should architects hire engineers when the cities allow them to defer the design cost into the construction cost? Without sound engineering judgment in the design of the total fire protection system from an accountable engineer not involved with the installation, public safety, owners’ interests, and firefighters’ lives are jeopardized.
Bruce J. Turn in, P.E. Tumiti Engineering Company Margate, Florida
