Blog of Aaron J.: fire safety

Showing posts with label fire safety. Show all posts

Power Lines and the WUI

Photo from: LA Times

As fires continue to rage throughout California, investigations into the twelve fires that occurred earlier this year, and burned 245,000 acres, have been concluded. Investigators with Cal Fire have determined that these fires were caused by Pacific Gas & Electric Company power lines. High winds in the area caused trees and branches to fall onto the lines, and in at least one case a power pole failed and collapsed. PG&E currently has a vegetation control program in place with a budget of $400 million per year.

NFPA 1, Fire Code provides clear guidance on how to prevent fires from electrical lines. Chapter 17, Wildland Urban Interface outlines the following requirements for vegetation clearance around electrical transmission and distribution lines, conductors, and their appurtenances.

10 feet clearance is required around all poles or towers
At the time of trimming, the following minimum clearances should be provided based on the line voltage:

As the growth returns, it is permitted to grow to within the clearances shown in the table below. Once this minimum distance is reached vegetation must be trimmed back to the required minimum clearance.

The AHJ has authority to adjust clearance requirements based on local needs or conditions, and vegetation type

Engaging Firefighters in Community Risk Reduction

"Firefighters" Nicole Huber

The general goal of the fire prevention organization is to prevent the loss of life and property damage due to fire. Where NFPA 1730 provides guidance on what needs to be done to accomplish this goal, NFPA 1452 provides practical guidance on how this can be achieved.

The Guide for Training Fire Service Personnel to Conduct Community Risk Reduction, provides direction for fire departments to design and implement the community risk reduction plan. A key component for effective risk reduction is face-to-face interaction with community members. This can be achieved through public events, fire station visits, and, most effectively, home visits. Community risk reduction programs, and fire crews involvement in them, produces three distinct benefits.

Material distribution.

Home visits, interaction, and direct contact with the public can provide an excellent opportunity to distribute and discuss fire prevention, life safety, and emergency preparedness literature. With the abundance of documents and materials available, make sure that the selected items and literature are directly tied with the communities risk reduction plan and goals. Fire department personnel should take advantage of these opportunities to to answer questions and create conversations that promote risk reduction initiatives.

Supports other programs.

Personal interactions and home visits improve the public perception of the fire department, and allow the promotion of additional fire protection and life safety programs. Based on the conditions or personnel observed, some programs that may be promoted include:

smoke alarm installation
CO detection and alarm installation
radon dangers and awareness
residential fire sprinklers
fire escape planning
Drowning prevention
senior citizen risks and fall prevention
Fire safety for children

Continuity of CRR programs.

Effective community risk reduction is an endless cycle of planning, implementation, and evaluation. Home visits and discussion with community members and groups can provide feedback on current programs, and data for future community needs. As these programs gain traction and their effectiveness is tracked and demonstrated, community support for the department and CRR will be enhanced.

Resources

Establishing Fire Protection and Life Safety Objectives

What is the purpose of a fire inspection program? Why do fire prevention bureaus exist? For what reasons do fire protection and code consultants exis? How can you know if your prevention program is accomplishing its objectives?

In 1975 the American Insurance Association published "Special Interest Bulletin No. 5, The Value and Purpose of Fire Department Inspections". This bulletin outlined 7 objectives for an inspection program. As you examine these objectives, evaluate your department, company, or organization and determine whether you are meeting these objectives, which of these you are great at, and which objectives need more of your attention.

To obtain proper life safety conditions.
To keep fires from starting.
To keep fires from spreading.
To determine adequacy and maintenance of fire protection systems.
To preplan fire fighting procedures.
To stimulate cooperation between owners, occupants, and fire departments.
To assure compliance with fire protection and life safety codes, standards, and regulations.

Proper life safety conditions can be obtained by evaluating the adequacy of exits, protecting the path of egress, making sure that building evacuation plans are current, and determining occupant loads of the space.

Fires can be prevented by monitoring the hazards associated with a facility or process. Many people in the work force become complacent as they conduct their daily responsibilities without incident. Public education, therefore, becomes an essential component to keep fires from starting.

The general public passes through our buildings everyday, largely unaware of the life saving features that surround them. Structural features such as enclosures, fire walls, fire partitions, and fire doors must be inspected and maintained to adequately keep fires from spreading.

There are three primary reasons that a fire sprinkler may fail. The top reason that sprinkler systems fail is due to a lack of maintaining operational status of the system, this can be followed up by inadequate or incomplete coverage of the fire area or hazard to be protected. The final reason a sprinkler may fail is inadequate performance of the system itself. Any prevention program or fire strategy should include components that are designed to determine the adequacy and maintenance of the fire protection systems.

The best way to ensure success when fighting a building fire, saving lives, and preserving property is to preplan fire fighting procedures. Fire protection programs should provide a clear layout of the building, its systems, related hazards, and special procedures or requirements.

Fire prevention bureaus should work closely with the public and establish a good relationship with the building owners and facility managers within their jurisdiction. If a client is seeking the services of a fire protection or life safety consultant, a major part of the proposal should include a clear plan that outlines how cooperation between owners, occupants, and fire departments will be achieved.

With the myriad codes, standards, and regulations that abound, a fire prevention program should educate, interpret, and enforce these requirements. With the constant submission of new code change proposals, and the creation of new products and fire protection methods a skilled fire strategist will be knowledgeable enough to assure compliance with fire protection and life safety codes, standards, and regulations is met and maintained.

Does your fire inspection or life safety program address all of these objectives? What area needs more work? What are some resources that you need to meet these objectives more efficiently?

Leave your feedback in the comments section below.

Merry Christmas - 2014!

Merry Christmas from TheCodeCoach.com!

Video provided by, Fire Risk Consultancy.

Conducting Hot Work Operations

Smoke Showing Photography: Boston Ma - 9 Alarms 2 LODD's - March 26 2014 &emdash;

On March 26, 2014 Lt. Edward Walsh, Jr. and Firefighter Michael Kennedy of the Boston Fire Department lost their lives in the line of duty. The fire, a brownstone in the 200 Block of Beacon St., would escalate to 9-alarms. The cause of the fire was determined to be wind-driven sparks from a welding operation.

D & J Iron Works were found to be at fault in this fire and these deaths. Though, not intentional, their lack of proper fire safety precautions will cost them $58,000 in fines. This seems like a small financial penalty for the damage and lives lost. However, this incident will, no doubt, put this company out of business due to lost revenue, damaged reputation, and lost standing in the community.

D & J Iron Works was cited and fined for 10 violations, among them are the following:

lack of employee fire safety training
ineffective fire prevention precautions
no posted "fire watch" during the welding operation

OSHA and the NFPA have specific guidance and safeguards that must be followed when performing hot work operations. This can most readily be achieved by instituting a hot work permit program/system at your facility or within your community. FM Global freely provides a complete hot work system and information. These can be ordered through their website.

Below is a brief slideshare that provides an overview of the hot work process and considerations. This presentation is based on the requirements found in NFPA 1:41 and NFPA 51B.

If you would like any further information, training materials, or assistance in creating your own hot work program, feel free to contact me.

Related Post:

Don't Be Afraid - Life Saving Education for Children

This post is provided by Joe Galizio, author of , "Don't Be Afraid - The Fireman and EMT"

The first time you set eyes on your child, you fall in love. Immediately you are the protector. This is your child, and you will do anything you can to protect them from everything. The one thing any parent dreads is the thought of losing their child. It’s a thought that you hate to have, and we hate to see other parents go through it. As an EMT, there is nothing worse than seeing a worried parent cry
over their sick child.

While researching child deaths in fires I came across a story unlike any other. It was about a little boy who was upstairs in his room when a fire broke out in the kitchen downstairs. His parents heard footsteps go downstairs and assumed it was their son exiting the house to go meet them at their designated meeting place. When his parents arrived at the meeting spot, they quickly realized their son was not there. They weren’t sure what those footsteps were. Maybe the dog? Panic set in. When they turned to look at the house, the fire had already gotten out of control. The fire department got there quickly as they were right down the street, and when they searched for the boy, they could not find him. The boy’s parents watched as he perished in the fire.

After the fire was extinguished, the boy’s remains were found in his hamper, in his closet buried under his clothes. Yes – he was hiding.

I can’t begin to imagine the pain those poor parents were feeling. To experience such a loss in such a way cannot even be describable. Why didn’t he get out? Why was he hiding? I asked myself these questions over and over for the next few days. Then I decided to try and find out.

They call it “Darth Vader effect.” It’s very simple. Without proper education a child will fear firefighters. It’s very common. Imagine being in a building that is on fire. Now imagine being a child, barely being able to see due to the smoke, and hearing a Darth Vader like creature come into your room. Add the mask, bunker gear and an axe – anyone would hide.

Although, firefighters are trained to look under beds and other hiding places, under fire and emergency conditions it may be hard to find a hiding child.

The solution to the problem is education. Fire prevention week only happens once a year. EMS week only happens once a year. Many Fire Departments and EMS agencies, only visit schools once or twice a year (and some don’t even get a visit yearly). This is at no fault to the fire departments. They do the best they can. They have open houses for kids to visit. They also have budget cuts to contend with. Not to mention a lack of personnel. Especially personnel dedicated to public education.

To respond to this problem within a problem I began to think of different ways to get the message to kids. I thought a book would probably be the best way to go. My goal was to write and illustrate and easy to read children’s book about firefighters and EMTs. The book would include illustrations and real photos to depict the gear and tools, as well as, simple stories the kids could easily identify with.

However, I faced a few roadblocks. I had no money to fund this, I was not an author or illustrator, and I had limited time.

What I did have was a passion to make sure a child never died like this again. Within a day I had the baseline for both short stories, and I had all the illustrations in my head. Now all I had to do was put it on paper. Utilizing my own family as test subjects I found success with the storyline and set to work on the illustrations. After multiple changes to the drawings I finally got the family seal of approval. The books content was ready. Funding the project was the next hurdle.

I knew I was going to be self publishing this project, so I began looking at printing companies to obtain pricing. My goal was to get 2000 books printed, and cover the costs of obtaining the ISBN number and initial advertising. Utilizing a crowd funding site I was able to raise $1700.
I found a printer willing to work in the price range I was looking for. By using this printer, I could donate 1 book for every 2 sold at full retail price. This would cover all my costs. So I ordered 75 books, registered the ISBN and went to the printing press.

The support from parents and educators has been so overwhelming and to see the book in these classrooms is a dream come true. Because I know the kids will take them home, read them to their friends, parents, and siblings. With that, the knowledge will grow, the word will spread… Firefighters and EMTs are your friends. And potentially many lives will be saved as a result.

My goal is to get this book into as many little hands as possible. By purchasing a copy you will be helping to put a copy in a classroom. To get a copy of the book please go to one of the following links and help me help our children. Be safe!

Website: http://dont-be-afraid.org
E-mail Joe: joegalizio@emergencysafetyacademy.org
Call Joe: 631-905-1730

Sweet Brown On Fire Safety

Here is a valuable fire safety lesson from one persons experience, "get out - stay out".

Download these safety tips on escape planning from the NFPA.

7 Ways to Die In a Nightclub

A couple of weeks ago, a fire at a nightclub in Thailand killed 4 people. And just a few years ago, at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok 66 people were killed. People enjoy going out and having a good time, and although life safety responsibility should fall on the club owner (the Station nightclub owners learned this at a cost of $176,000,000), ultimately you are responsible for your own safety.

When entering a club, or to ensure the safety of your favorite watering hole, here are 7 things to look out for to ensure that you come out alive. I call these, "The 7 Deadly Sins of Life Safety."

Fire protection systems: this include fire sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems. Look at the ceiling. Do you see sprinkler heads? Look around do you see hornstrobes on the walls or pull stations near the door you just entered? Having these required systems in place are the first line of defense in fire prevention and life safety.
Overcrowding: nightclubs (and similar establishments) are given a specific occupant load by the local fire authority (typically 7 square feet per person), this occupant load numberis to be posted in a conspicuous location. Does the club feel too crowded? Is it problematic to just stand without getting knocked over? Can you get from where you are to where you want to be with reasonable ease? An overcrowded club can presents multiple dangers to yourself.
Exits: when you first arrive locate all exits. Are they clearly visible and accessible? Is the path to the exit clear of obstructions? In case of emergency, most people will exit through the way they came in, it is important to locate alternate exits and plan for their use.
Interior finish: this includes all papers and coverings that must meet a certain flammability rate. You will not be able to know this, however, you can look around to see if there are open flames (tiki torches) inside, lots of vegatation, hangings/material/cloth strung throughout the ceiling, or carpet and foam on the walls. These are potential warning signs, of unapproved interior finishes.
Electric: are there many extension cords strung together/interconnected throughout the facility or attached to the ceiling? Can you spot exposed wiring and open outlets/switches/junction boxes? These are electrical hazards, and are in violation of the National Electric Code.
Pyrotechnics: all pyrotechnics are to be permitted through the local fire authority. A properly permitted pyrotechnic display will have evident safety features, and often time official personnel on standby. Always use your goat. If something does not look right, or feels unsafe, you should probably leave, because you could be putting yourself at risk.
Emergency plan: all nightclubs are to have an emergency plan in place, that the employees are trained on. This plan should outline potential emergency situations, and actions to be taken. You will not know this plan. The next best thing is to always have a plan of your own. Identify a person to contact in case of emergency, have a meeting place, if alarms sound or sprinklers activate exit the facility immediately.

These are just a few things to look out for. Implementing a quick look around every time you enter these places of assembly can be your best plan of protection and ensure that the good times keep on rolling!

For more information and safety sheets check out the National Fire Protection Association.

All Things Summer

Summer elicits images of heat, lemonade, pools, beach, vacations, theme parks, and cookouts. Kids, and teachers look forward, with great anticipation, to these three months, parents, plan their vacations, get togethers, and family reunions around this time. Summer’s great!

In the hustle and bustle of activity that summer brings, it is easy to forget about maintaining safety. The greatest fire hazards that summer brings involving grilling, fireworks, and too much free time.

Before Webber, Coleman, and CharmGlow, near the beginning of time men have undertaken the incredibly masculine task of grilling. Archaeologists recently discovered a few thousand year old outdoor kitchen and barbeque pit. In the pit, they found the remains of mammoth, reindeer, horse, wolverine, and bear. This kind of makes us look silly standing behind our hamburgers, hot dogs, or even worse, turkey burgers.

Grilling, summer and fun go hand in hand. It doesn’t seem that you can have one without the other.

• Fire departments across the US, respond to nearly 7,700 grill related fires per year.

o 13 deaths (annual average)

o 120 injuries (annual average)

o $70 million property damage (annual average

• The latest statistics, from 2009, show that 17,700 patients were transported to emergency rooms due to grill related injuries

o 9,400 injuries were from thermal burns

o ¼ of these injuries were to children under 5 from contact burns

o 1/3 of these injuries were incurred during the lighting of the grill

o Gasoline or lighter fluid was a factor in nearly ¼ of grill burns

There are a few safety practices, that if followed, can keep you grilling, partying, and out of the ER.

• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.

• The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

• Keep children and pets away from the grill area.

• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.

• Never leave your grill unattended.

• Use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.

• Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.

• When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.

• Check the gas tank hose for leaks before using, if it has been stored for a while. Repair any leaks found.

One of the most frequent phone calls, and questions that we get is from apartment/condo associations concerned with the use of grills on their residents patios and balconies.

The Florida Fire Prevention Code states that:

1:10.11.7 – For other than one- and two-family dwellings, no hibachi, gas-fired grill, charcoal grill, or other similar devices used for cooking, heating, or any other purpose, shall be used or kindled on any balcony or under any overhanging portion or within 10 ft. of any structure. Listed electric ranges, grills, or similar electrical apparatus shall be permitted.

Nearly a thousand years ago, in China, a chef was busy cooking. As he was cooking he accidentally dropped his ingredients, called saltpeter into the cooking fire. When he did this the fire lit up brilliantly, so he began experimenting. He found that when saltpeter mixed with charcoal and sulfur it made brilliant, colorful flames. When these ingredients were stuffed into bamboo tubes and thrown into a fire they not only made beautiful flame colors but also a loud bang. Thus, the firework was invented.

More fires are reported on July 4th than on any other day of the year. The most recent statistics we have, from 2008 show:

• fireworks caused an estimated 22,500 reported fires, including 1,400 structure fires, 500 vehicle fires, and 20,600 outside and other fires.

• These fires resulted in an estimated 1 civilian death, 40 civilian injuries and, $42 million in direct property damage.

• an estimated 7,000 people are treated for fireworks related injuries.

People assume that if a firework is not illegal then it must be safe. However, the tip of a sparkler burns at a temperature of more than 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to cause third-degree burns; sparklers, fountains, and novelties alone accounted for 32% of the emergency room fireworks injuries in 2008.

Due to the high number of fireworks related injuries, our primary safety message is to only enjoy fireworks that are put on public display by trained professionals. Stay away from consumer fireworks, and after any fireworks displays children should never pick up fireworks or casings that may be left over as they could still be active.

Summer gives kids lots of free time, often unsupervised free time. It seems that all kids are fascinated with flame and fire. The combination of boredom and easily obtainable fire starting devices (matches, lighters, etc.) can potentially be disastrous.

Fires set by children account for more than 250,000 fires per year and are the largest cause of home deaths among children. Children mistakenly believe that they can control the fires that they set. However, once a fire is set it only takes about two minutes for the flame from a single match to set an entire room on fire, and less than five minutes for that fire to overtake an entire house. Children who start fires, do so, due in a large part o lack of fire safety education.

To remedy the juvenile fire setting problem we have a program called the Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program. If your child has an interest in fire, or you have caught them playing with lighters/matches, or other fire devices then we highly recommend that you sign them up for this program. This is a voluntary program, until your child is convicted of arson then it is required by the court system. The goal of the juvenile fire setter program is to educate children and teenagers on the responsibilities, effects, and consequences of fire setting.

After taking several kids through the program, we realized that they were learning about fire, but they really were not learning that they needed to make better decisions, how to make wise decisions, or the impact that decision-making has on their life, both now, and into the future. So, what we have done is integrated, into the fire safety education, a curriculum called “Success for Teens” which is all about making right and wise decisions. Now when a child leaves the program they have an enhance understanding of the dangers of fire, as well as, the knowledge that will not only prevent them from making wrong choices in the future, but will empower them to make those wise decisions that will allow them to lead successful lives.

The program is a multiple week event. The students meet one night per week, where they receive instruction, they connect with others, and take part in learning these “success” principles. The students also receive assignments and activities to do throughout the length of the program.

We all know the saying, “idle hands are the Devil’s workshop”, so this may be the perfect summer activity for your child.

Use your grill safely, keep it away from combustibles, never leave it unattended. Skip the consumer fireworks and sparklers this year, only attend public fireworks displays that are presented by trained professionals. If your child or a child you know has an interest in fire and is complaining of boredom, then get them involved in the Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program.

Enjoy a safe summer!

Fire Prevention Week 10/4/09

Every year, the first week of October is designated as Fire Prevention Week (this year, Oct. 4-10). To celebrate Fire Prevention Week, we will be posting new fire safety facts/hints/tips each day.

Fire Facts

In 2008, U.S. fire departments responded to 386,500 home fires. These fires killed 2,755 civilians. Eighty-three percent of all fire deaths resulted from home fires.
Someone was injured in a home fire every 40 minutes and roughly eight people died in home fires every day during 2008.
A fire department responded to a home fire every 81 seconds.
Almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2003-2006 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
About 1/3 of home fires and deaths happened in the months of December, January and February.
Cooking continues to be the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
Smoking materials caused one of every four home fire deaths.
The kitchen is the leading area of origin for home fires. However, bedrooms and living/family rooms are the leading areas of origin for home fire deaths.

Burns

Burn injuries result in hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits a year. Thermal burns outnumber scalds nearly two-to-one.

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