NIST tests provide fire resistance data on World Trade Center floor systems
As part of its building and fire safety investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster on September 11, 2001, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has completed four fire resistance tests on composite concrete-steel trussed floor systems typical of those used in the WTC towers.
Shyam Sunder, lead investigator of the investigation, explained that the tests “are providing valuable insight into the role that the floors may have played in causing the inward bowing of the perimeter columns minutes before both buildings collapsed, but they alone cannot be used to determine the actual performance of the floor systems in the towers’ collapse.” Other factors, such as the combustible fuel load of the hijacked jets, the extent and number of floors involved, the rate of the fire spread across and between floors, ventilation conditions, and the impact of the aircraft-damaged towers’ ability to resist the fire, must be considered in the final assessment of the floor system’s performance. More information on the NIST WTC investigation is available at http://wtc.nist.gov.
Six firefighters struck by van at incident scene
At press time, Assistant Fire Chief Michael W. Hinman, 47, of the Loami (IL) Fire Department, was in critical condition at St. John’s Hospital. He and five other members of the volunteer department were injured at a highway incident site. Also hospitalized were Chief Richard C. Woolfolk, 38 (upgraded to fair condition from serious condition), and Firefighter Roy D. Brewer, 33 (fair condition). Firefighters Glenn A. Smith, 31; Alan L. Harris, 26; and Steven L. Brummett, 35, were treated at the hospital and released.
The firefighters were injured as they were getting ready to leave a fire scene along Old Route 54, at about 11:54 p.m. They were attempting to help one of the firefighters, whose van would not start. Their fire truck, with its lights flashing, was positioned in the traffic lane to jumpstart the van. The driver of the pickup truck swerved to avoid the fire truck and rear-ended the van, which then hit the firefighters.
A fund has been established to help support the families, a total of 10 children among them, of three hospitalized firefighters. The United Community Bank is administering the fund drive. Loami Township Supervisor Janet Peecher says the money is needed to help make up lost work income not covered by insurance and other expenses related to the hospitalizations. Donations can be sent to the LFD Injured Firefighters Fund, P.O. Box 286, Loami, IL 62661.
DOE to provide comparative evaluations of radiation detectors
By the end of September, more than 100 radiation detectors and handheld radiation survey meters purchased with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds were to have been tested for compliance with new standards for identifying potential threats. Approximately 30 models of pocket-sized personal devices used by law enforcement officers, firefighters, hazardous material teams, and other emergency first responders underwent automated and manual tests and were rated pass/fail. The National Institute of Standards and Technology coordinated the testing, based on criteria developed by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington, for the American National Standards Institute.
Test results will be published in a report to be used by agencies when purchasing radiation detection equipment with DHS funds. Business and public inquiries on PNNL research and technologies should be directed to (888) 375-PNNL or [email protected].
Virginia house fire illustrates potential for fire spread among closely built houses
In July, radiant heat from a fire in the Kingstowne section of Fairfax County, Virginia, almost caused another building 34 feet away to ignite. The original fire was caused by a candle flame, which ignited papers and melted vinyl siding. The fire was not immediately detected and raced up three floors, burning 18 condominiums. Three people died; one man, who was on fire, was forced to jump from a third-floor balcony.
Fairfax fire and rescue officials, concerned that a serious fire could spread to blocks of houses and even lead to conflagrations, have been trying to strengthen national codes by stipulating that houses be built farther apart or be constructed with fire resistive features such as firewalls.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is conducting a series of test burns to obtain data that could be used to construct computer models that would help to determine a “safe” distance between houses.
The Virginia Board of Housing has proposed a ruling, anticipated to take effect later this year, which would require developers to build houses 10 feet apart or to construct a firewall. However, some fire researchers say it may not be possible to establish a “safe” distance between houses because of many variables, such as construction materials, design, and the time it takes for the first fire unit to arrive. “Deadly Fairfax Fire Shows Growing Peril,” Eric. M. Weiss, washingtonpost.com, July 19, 2004.
NFPA: in 2003, stress/exertion, motor vehicles leading causes of deaths
Motor vehicles killed more firefighters in 2003 than fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Last year, 105 firefighters died while on duty, up from 97 in 2002, primarily because of last year’s bad wildland fire season, the study notes. Among other statistics cited were the following:
- Thirty-seven firefighters died while responding to or returning from alarms; 29 died on the fireground.
- Thirty-three died in vehicle crashes, more than for any other year since 1977. Alcohol reportedly was a factor in one crash in which eight firefighters returning from a wildland fire were killed in a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer.
- Of the 37 firefighters who died traveling to or from an incident, eight were not wearing seat belts; at least six were speeding.
- Stress and overexertion continued to be the leading cause of death: 47 firefighters died from stress-induced heart attacks (eight occurred while traveling to or from an incident). In 2002, 37 heart attack deaths were reported.
- Eleven of the 47 heart attack victims were known to have heart problems (usually previous heart attacks or bypass surgery). An additional third had severe narrowing of the arteries.
ASTM adds Subcommittee on High-Rise Building External Evacuation Devices
The Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings has established the new Subcommittee E06.77, which “will develop and maintain standards for terminology, specifications, performance, practices, and test methods for high-rise building external, multiple-occupant (10 or more) evacuation devices for those who cannot use the primary evacuation routes to a safe zone,” according to ASTM International. Some of these devices may also be able to transport emergency responders vertically to the scene, notes ASTM. Devices will include platform-based devices, slides/chutes, and controlled descent devices but not rope or chain ladders, helicopters or helicopters with platforms, parachutes, balloons, or evacuation chairs. The subcommittee will establish standards for such equipment, focusing on individuals with physical conditions or mobility impairments. All interested parties are invited to participate in the subcommittee’s activities. Call Wayne C. Christensen at (815) 455-7328, e-mail: [email protected]; or Steve Mawn, ASTM, (610) 832-9726, e-mail: smawn@ astm.org/.
Tennessee’s assisted living and homes for the aged to be sprinklered
Effective July 1, 2004, smoke detectors and fire sprinklers must be installed in assisted living facilities and homes for the aged in the state of Tennessee. The requirements apply to facilities of two or more stories and one-story structures with 12 or more beds. Facilities are to submit a plan for fire sprinklers before they are installed. Under the new regulations, all facilities must also have installed electronic smoke detectors with battery backup power in all sleeping rooms, day rooms, corridors, and support areas within 90 days after July 1, 2004. The bill also provides a grant program to subsidize a portion or all of the cost.
A summary of this bill and other fire sprinkler bills in the state of Tennessee are available from Wayne Waggoner; call (845) 947-3393, or e-mail him at [email protected]/.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, firefighters tested for TB
In July, the Fort Wayne (IN) Fire Department began testing its members for tuberculosis. An increase in the number of TB cases in the county had brought epidemiologists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the area to identify and treat the patients. In late June, the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health had confirmed 14 new cases since the beginning of the year. A strain of TB new to the United States also was identified in the county. As of press time, most of the department’s firefighters had been tested; results were not yet available.
DHS approves use of preparedness funds for first responder courses
The National Fire Academy has introduced the following courses: “Introduction to Unified Command for Multi-Agency and Catastrophic Incidents,” “All Hazards Incident Management,” and “Command and General Staff Functions in the Incident Command System.” States and urban areas may use allocated Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) funding to conduct or attend these courses and to reimburse overtime and backfill costs associated with attending these and other SLGCP-approved courses.
Haz-mat carriers must have special safety permit
Beginning January 1, 2005, trucking companies planning to haul certain types and amounts of radioactive materials, explosives, toxic inhalant materials, and compressed or refrigerated liquid methane or natural gas must have a special safety permit, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The final rule is at http://fmcsa.dot.gov and also can be viewed in the DOT Docket Management System, http://dms.dot.gov; search for docket number FMCSA-97-2180.
Resources
- Department of Homeland Security U U.S. Fire Administration U.S. structure fires reports—Three in the Topical Fire Research Series are available: “All Structure Fires in 2000,” “Residential Structure Fires in 2000,” and “Non-Residential Structure Fires in 2000.” They can be downloaded from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/inside-usfa/nfdc/pubs/tfrs.shtm/.
- NIST WTC report—The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a release that includes information concerning World Trade Center (WTC) victims’ locations within the collapsed buildings. It is available at
- Emergency Responder Safety Institute—The Institute is offering free to training officials of fire/EMS and law enforcement departments the videotape The Ten Cones of Highway Safety. The video request form is at www.respondersafety.com/downloads/videoform.html/.
U.S. Conference of Mayors endorses fully funded FIRE Grant Program
The U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously endorsed at its annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, in June a resolution requesting the full funding of $750 million for the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Fire Fighters Grants Program (FIRE Grant) and that the U.S. Fire Administration continue to manage the program. The resolution carries the full weight and support of the nation’s mayors and their lobbying activities. FIRE Grant reauthorization proposals in Congress (H.R. 4107 and S. 2411) would provide funding for six years and allow for greater participation with greater benefits for medium to large cities in the program.
NVFC screens firefighters for cholesterol
More than 1,000 firefighters were screened for cholesterol as part of the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program at Fire Rescue International in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August. Elevated cholesterol is considered a risk factor for heart disease, along with other factors such as heredity, smoking, poor nutrition, and lack of physical fitness.
“There has been a lot of enthusiasm surrounding the program, and we believe we are starting to increase awareness of the serious health risks facing firefighters,” said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. The program was initiated in January 2004. More than 4,000 people have been screened since then.
The screening takes about seven minutes: Participants fill out a consent form, have a few drops of blood taken from their finger, and receive their confidential results in four to five minutes. A counselor is available to discuss the results with each participant in confidentiality.
Ideally, cholesterol levels should be under 200. Also, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-“good” cholesterol) should be above 40, and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL should be less than 5 for men and less than 4.5 for women.
Additional information on the program is available at http://www.healthy-firefighter. org/.
View the latest round of Assistance to Firefighters Grant (FIRE Act) award announcements (at press time) at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/awards/.
Line-of-Duty Deaths
July 31. Crew Chief George Raber, 69, Hebron (ND) Fire Protection District: suffered a heart attack while exiting from the fire engine at a fire.
August 3. Fire Police Captain Tom Conway, 78, Haddon Heights (NJ) Fire Department: hospitalized on July 31 with chest pain while directing traffic at a fire department call for service.
August 4. Firefighter Mike McAdams, 69, Sapello (NM)-Rociada Volunteer Fire Company: at home of a cause to be determined several hours after responding with his fire company to the scene of a vehicle accident.
August 6. Rescue Crew Member Michael J. Bliss, 46, Speedway Safety Services, Claremont, New Hampshire: struck by a racecar as he attempted to remove debris from the track.
August 10. Firefighter Barbara Bordenkircher, 52, Wickliffe (KY) Rural Fire Department: the apparatus she was operating while en route to a reported grass fire left the roadway, for a cause still to be determined, and struck a tree.
August 11. Pilot Mike Ward, 55, Okanagan and Wenatchee (WA) National Forests: helicopter crash while ferrying firefighting equipment to a small wildland fire in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area in the Leavenworth Ranger District.
August 14. Firefighter Jaime L. Foster, 25, Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department: vehicle accident; investigation underway.
August 20. Captain John Taylor, 53, and Firefighter Rey Rubin, 42, Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department: entrapped in the basement of a home while fighting a one-alarm fire.
August 23. Firefighter/EMT Benjamin Lang, 22, Polk County Fire Department/Cypress Gardens Station 8, Bartow, FL: ambulance crash while transporting a patient to the hospital.
Source: National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Database, United States Fire Administration.
HELP SOUGHT
Hurricane Charlie destroys firefighters’ homes
Hurricane Charlie wreaked havoc in Southwestern Florida, taking lives, destroying communities, and leaving thousands homeless. Several fire stations were severely damaged. Expensive equipment, including computers, was looted from at least one. In addition, many firefighters and their families were left homeless or with severely damaged homes. A fund has been established to help these firefighters and their immediate families.
Fire Marshal Henry Sheffield and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4074 President Stacey Bailey are coordinating the fund. Contributions can be sent to Braden River Fire Department Station #1; Manatee County Firefighters & Paramedics Association Local 4074; 8800 State Road 70 East; Bradenton, FL 34202. Make checks payable to Manatee County IAFF Local 4074. Indicate on the check that the donation is for “Firefighters Hurricane Relief.” For additional information, call Bailey at (941) 751-5611 (0800-1700 hours) or fax (941) 751-5910.
News Glimpses
FEMA, NIOSH study ambulance and emergency vehicle accidents. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is studying ambulance and emergency medical vehicle crash data to determine ways to reduce their incidence. Vehicle crashes kill the second highest number of on-duty firefighters annually, behind cardiovascular events. The project, “Evaluation of Emergency Services Vehicle Occupant Safety Project,” is expected to be completed this fall. Additional information can be found at www.usfa.fema.gov/inside-usfa/research/vehicle.shtm/.
Girl struck by nozzle dies. A 10-year-old girl in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, died of injuries she sustained when hit by a six-pound nozzle from a hose that had become loose on a fire engine that was responding to a fire in the area. The girl and her friend were on the sidewalk. The hose reportedly fell off the passenger side of a pumper and was trailing the truck. It became stuck briefly under a parked car, hit a birdbath and some plants, and then flew through the air toward the girls. The other girl was in the hospital in fair condition. A department spokesman said the hose had been properly stored on the apparatus but that the matter would be investigated to determine if additional safety precautions should be implemented. “Authorities baffled by bizarre accident in Coraopolis,” post-gazette.com, Aug. 21, 2004.
Philadelphia firefighters die in row house fire. In August, two Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department firefighters died of asphyxiation while fighting a fire in a row house. Captain John Taylor and Firefighter Rey Rubio became entrapped in wires of fans and high-powered lamps used to foster the growth of marijuana in the basement. A male suspect was arrested on several charges, including involuntary manslaughter. “Firefighters Killed,” CBS 3, http://kyw.com, Aug. 24, 2004.
Chicago Fire Department initiates random drug testing. In August, the Chicago (IL) Fire Department began a random rug and alcohol-testing program authorized in the latest firefighter contract. All uniformed firefighters, including the commissioner, are subject to testing. Each weekday, a computer will select the names of 20 firefighters at random. The names of those tested are kept private. A union representative will be present for the computer selection but not for testing. “Random Drug Testing Begins In Fire Department,” www.nbc5.com, Aug. 23, 2004.
Maryland EMT injured in fall from fire engine. An EMT was thrown from a fire engine shortly after leaving the fire station to respond to a call. He was flown to a trauma center, reportedly with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The fire department is investigating.
Exercise mandatory for Park Forest (IL) firefighters. Effective July 1, all firefighters and paramedics must complete 30 minutes of exercise during each 24-hour work shift. The compulsory physical activity was made part of a three-year labor contact.
