BC Steve’s Blog

I believe the future of the service lies in expanding EMS services, and decreasing needs for mobile fire suppression services. One can plainly see that we save more lives through our EMS skills than by our firefighting efforts. Some reasons for this are;

• Increased age in population
  
  


• Increased awareness of  EMS services and less reluctance to use them
  
  


• Increased support from medical community for EMS services
  
  


• Increased fire prevention efforts including smoke detectors (early warning) and exit drills in the home
  
  


• Better data collection and usage to be able to pinpoint real fire problems

Because of this, the American Fire and Rescue Services should adjust accordingly. Some strategic changes might include;

• Anyone entering the service must become an EMT or Paramedic and realize that this is the bulk of our business
  
  


• Re-align firefighting strategy and tactics to move away from “low frequency-high risk” events
  
  


• Develop better EXTERIOR attack techniques
  
  


• Develop fire suppression specialists within departments
  
  


• Fire suppression specialists will remain current on new technologies such as FF foams, aerosols, fine mist application, sprinklers
  
  


• Fire suppression specialists will learn how to design/install specialized systems in an effort to decrease the need for interior, mobile attacks
  
  


• ALL new buildings should be sprinklered
  
  


• Consider impact fees from building developments to help fund the above efforts

Most firefighting deaths are cardiac related. While we all should try to maintain peak physical fitness, the truth is that the human body was not made to take the punishment it has been subjected to in the last 30 years of interior structural firefighting. Firefighting clothing and breathing apparatus have been “enhanced” enabling us to get much closer to the fire since the early 1970’s. The irony is that increased plastics and foams used in home furnishings have increased thermal BTU output tremendously. This is having an overall detrimental effect on the health and longevity of our members.



We should pour our efforts into better, more widely used engineered suppression systems (in ALL buildings) in efforts to keep our members out of harms way. They need to come back next shift in one piece to ride the ambulance and save lives.

On August 6th, 2007, the Solon Ohio Fire and Rescue Department responded to a reported structure fire at The Solon Freeway Lanes, a bowling alley, at about 3pm. The first unit arrived on the scene 2 minutes after the initial alarm. 11 firefighters responded with an Engine, Ladder Truck, Rescue Squad and a Command Car. The first in officer reported moderate smoke throughout the building and an active audible alarm.

The crew had been directed to go to the kitchen area where the fire was believed to be. Upon reaching this area, it was determined that a grease fire originated in a fryer and appeared to be under control.

It seems the fryer had been briefly unattended and overheated. It caught fire and eventually activated the in hood extinguishing system. This was not controlling the fire. A kitchen worker then attempted to extinguish it by using a dry chemical extinguisher which only pushed the flame outside of the hood area and up toward the ceiling. This activated a single sprinkler head which cooled the surrounding area and allowed the other extinguishing agents a chance to work. Had this sprinkler head not been there, the $500 loss surely would have been much higher due to flame spread, and many lives would have been in peril. The establishment was back up and running later that day.

This building went through a major renovation several years ago. While the architects were trying to get around putting sprinklers in, the SFD Fire Prevention Bureau was persistent in their request for its installation. That investment more than paid for itself this day while allowing our members to return safely to their stations. Well done.

Battalion Chief, Steven D. Nash

Solon, Ohio FD

Bc129@sbcglobal.net

Imagine if you would the uproar over a new law enforcement device that would stop nearly any crime inside of a building in it's tracks. A home burglary, stopped. A bank robbery, stopped. A murder, stopped. The outcry for such a device would be defening!

Where are the cries for better sprinkler codes folks? Please read the following short article......Steve

Fire Sprinklers -A Huge Success Story

As the nation recovers from the disaster that recently occurred in Charleston South Carolina where nine firefighters lost their lives in a furniture store fire, it is interesting to note that at a similar fire occurred in Ormond Beach yesterday with a dramatically different outcome.

The Wednesday night fire at Modernage Furniture demonstrates the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinklers in providing life safety and property protection. According to Ormond Beach Fire Chief Barry Baker "not to discount the need for proper firefighter training and staffing, fire sprinklers are your best friend in controlling fires. They are efficient, effective and essential to protecting lives and property."

Firefighters were dispatched to the Modernage Furniture store at 445 South Yonge Street in Ormond Beach at approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night Upon arrival firefighters found a small fire within the showroom being held in check with the buildings automatic fire sprinkler system. The fire was caused by discarded smoking material according to the state fire marshal investigator. The damage was limited to a small area of approximately 10 X 10 resulting in approximately $8,000 dollars in damage.  Three sprinkler heads activated.

This is a great sprinkler success story states Mike Garrett Building Official/ Fire Marshal for Ormond Beach. “The buildings sprinkler system did its job. There were no fatalities, no injuries, and a very small amount of property damage. With some minor clean up the business will be back up and running in a day or so. This is a great example of how sprinklers help with business continuity.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association: Properly installed and maintained automatic fire sprinkler systems help save lives. Because fire sprinkler systems react so quickly, they can dramatically reduce the heat, flames and smoke produced in a fire. Fire sprinklers have been around for more than a century, protecting commercial and industrial properties and public buildings, such as hotels and hospitals and high-rises.

When sprinklers are present, the chances of dying in a fire are reduced by 50-75% and the average property loss per fire is cut by 50-66%, compared to fires where sprinklers are not present NFPA has no record of a fire killing more than two people in a completely sprinklered public assembly, educational, institutional or residential building where the system was working properly.

Sprinklers are highly reliable. When present in the fire area, they operate in all but 7% of fires large enough to activate the system. Human error was a factor in almost all of the failures. The system was shut-off in almost two-thirds of the failures.

This fire incident clearly demonstrates the effectiveness and value of built-in fire protection. Quite often building and fire officials are asked; Why does my building need sprinklers? Or told; our building budget does not include funding for fire sprinklers. While most building and fire codes require sprinkling of larger commercial buildings, fire and building officials still get resistance from builders and developers who only view the short term and tend to ignore fire safety. In reality most fire sprinkler systems cost about as much as carpeting and with proper insurance credits can pay for itself in 7 to 10 years.

Barry Baker, Ormond Beach Fire Chief -676-3333

Mike Garrett, Ormond Beach Chief Building Official/Fire Marshal -676-3350

Battalion Chief Steven D. Nash, bc129@sbcglobal.net