Historical Perspectives of the Fire Service FS100 – Unit 5 Historical Perspectives of the Fire Service 1204C

Seminar Overview In this week’s seminar we’ll discuss: Unit 5 Assignment Reminder Unit 6 Assignment Historical Overview of the Fire Service in the U.S. Major fires in U.S. History

Unit 5 Assignment Reminder The Unit 5 Assignment is due on Tuesday by Midnight. Write a 300-500 word essay on the historical events that changed the fire service. In your essay, identify and discuss 3-5 historical events that lead to changes in the fire service. In addition, discuss what you consider to be the most significant achievement in the fire service over the last 100 years and provide an example of why it is a significant achievement.

Unit 5 Assignment Reminder Your Paper Should Include: A cover sheet A good introduction briefly telling the reader (me) what will be discussed in the paper A good body of the paper that flows well from topic to topic A paper that is properly cited throughout using APA citation style A good conclusion that sums up what was said in the paper A bibliography that properly lists the sources used

Unit 6 Assignment The Unit 6 Assignment is where you propose who you would like to interview and also provide questions that you would like to ask. In the Unit 6 Assignment page there is a template that should be used to complete the information needed. You need to provide the name (or names) of who you would like to interview. You also need to explain why you selected this person (persons) and their relevance/importance to your overall career goals in the fire service. Include a brief summary of the research conducted and how this supported your interview choice. Include the names of the online/print resources used.

Unit 6 Assignment You also need to submit a MINIMUM of 10 questions that you would like to ask during your interview. Remember that this number is an absolute minimum and you should submit more than 10. As is listed in the assignment template, questions should be divided into one of the following 3 categories: Education and Training Licensing and Certification Reasons for Choosing the Career Any questions?

The Fire Service in the U.S. Fires have been a challenge for civilizations for thousands of years. Combinations of population density, open sources of flame, poor prevention practices, and ineffective firefighting efforts have led to devastating fires in major cities. Rome 64 A.D. London 60, 675, 1087, 1212, 1666 Chicago 1871 Boston 1872 San Francisco 1906 As early as the 1600’s in the U.S., citizens were required by law to make home preparedness.

The Fire Service in the U.S. Fire brigades were formed and supported by insurance companies to protect and suppress fires in structures covered by their company. Each insured building would have a firemark that identified the insurer. Buildings without a firemark were left to burn. Eventually, fire “companies” were formed in cities and towns. However, there were often several of these fire companies and they competed to be first on scene. The first company on scene would be paid by the insurance company. This system continued for some time and gradually grew into the system we have to day in the middle/late 1800’s.

The Fire Service in the U.S. Fire pumps were operated by hand until around the 1830s when steam driven pumps were introduced. However, these did not catch on till the latter part of the 1800s. These were pulled by teams of men or horses (majority of them were horses). Fire Sprinklers were patented in 1872 Motorized fire apparatus began to appear in the early 1900s and have been continuously modified to this day. Very little personal protective equipment was used until the 1900s and it was not until the 1940s/50s that PPE began to appear that resembles what is available today.

Iroquois Theatre Fire Chicago – 1903 The scenery on stage was made of canvas and was painted in flammable oil paints. Stage lights caused a curtain to catch fire and it quickly spread to the scenery. Fire curtains that were designed to protect the audience from the stage did not work properly. There was no emergency lighting, smoke/heat vents were not functional, and most exits were locked or opened inward. 602 people died.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory New York City – 1911 Clothing manufacturer was located on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of a high rise. Employee flicked a cigarette into a trash can containing scrap material. Employees on the 8th and 10th floors were able to escape. However 250 people were trapped on the 9th floor due to locked security doors. 145 people died

Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Boston – 1942 On a busy evening the club was filled with around 1,000 people - twice its capacity. A lit match caused wall coverings to ignite. Exit doors swung inward, many windows doors and windows were locked/sealed shut, and the main exit was a revolving door. 492 people died

Winecoff Hotel Atlanta – 1946 Hotel was advertised as “fireproof” due to its construction. At around 3 AM, the fire began on the 3rd floor near the building’s only stair corridor, blocking escape for everyone above. Doors that were propped open allowed the fire to spread rapidly. No fire alarm to notify occupants and no sprinkler system. 119 people died (Deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history)

Our Lady of Angels School Chicago – 1958 A fire in a trash can in the basement stairwell quickly spread upstairs. The location of the fire blocked the escape of many occupants. Exit corridors had combustible walls and ceilings, no fire alarms or sprinklers, and there was a delay in notifying the fire department. Perhaps most importantly, there was no enclosure for the stairwell, allowing the fire to spread upstairs rapidly. 92 children and 3 nuns died (Deadliest school fire in U.S. history)

Beverly Hills Supper Club Southgate, KY – 1977 During a busy Memorial Day weekend, over 3,000 people were in the club. An electrical fire started in an unoccupied room with combustible furnishings and spread rapidly to the rest of the building. The building was intentionally built like a maze with little nooks and crannies for people to visit. Staff tried to fight the fire before notifying the FD. No exit markings, inadequate number of exits, no sprinklers or alarms. 165 people died

MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas – 1980 Fire started in a downstairs restaurant and quickly spread through the large open space of the casino floor. The casino was not sprinklered but the hotel was. Large vertical shafts were unprotected and allowed smoke and fire to travel into the hotel and exit stairwells. The stairwells had locking doors so the occupants were unable to leave the stairwells. Over 1,000 people were rescued by helicopter from the roof. 87 people died and nearly 700 were injured (including 14 firefighters)

Station Nightclub W. Warwick, R.I. – 2003 Illegal pyrotechnics ignited combustible materials on stage. There was no sprinkler system and exits were poorly marked. The majority of occupants rushed toward the front door while there were several other exits. Many victims were found within feet of the exit. 100 people died

Sofa Super Store Charleston, S.C. – 2007 A small fire at the loading dock spread into the space between the drop ceiling and the roof allowing smoke and fire to spread relatively unnoticed. The building was not sprinklered and was filled with highly combustible furnishings. The fire department had strategic/tactical issues including lack of water supply, inappropriately sized hoses, poor accountability, and others. 9 firefighters died in the line of duty. There were no civilian fatalities.

So What? Each of these fires and many others that were not mentioned have caused specific changes to fire codes, standards, and fire department operations. Part of your Unit 5 Assignment is to identify code changes that came about from these fires (and others). Even with changes, the same mistakes continue to occur. If we don’t learn from our mistakes, we are bound to repeat them.

Unit 4 Seminar Any Questions/Comments/Concerns?