All Entries Tagged With: "building construction"
Buffalo Box 191 North Division & Grosvenor Streets; December 27, 1983
Buffalo Box 191 North Division & Grosvenor Streets; December 27, 1983 Buffalo Box 191 As Buffalo (NY) firefighters arrived at the scene of a reported propane leak in a three-story radiator warehouse (Type III Ordinary and Type IV Heavy Timber construction), a massive explosion occurred, killing five firefighters instantly and injuring nine others, three of […]
FDNY Brooklyn Box 4080: 17 Vandalia Avenue 12.18.1998
FDNY Brooklyn Box 4080: 17 Vandalia Avenue 12.18.1998 Take a moment to look back at an incident: On December 18, 1998, Three FDNY Firefighters died in-the line of duty while conducting suppression and rescue operations at fire on the tenth floor of 10-story high-rise apartment building for the elderly. At 0454 hours Brooklyn transmitted box 4080 […]
The Same Mistakes: Newspaper Reports Common Issues Affecting Fire Operations
Four years after nine firefighters died battling Sofa Super Store fire, a report details an eerily similar set of breakdowns in a March blaze. Firefighters rush into a burning commercial building with too-small hoses and insufficient water. The commander can’t reach them because the captain forgot his radio. Backup crews aren’t sure where to go […]
New Sensor System Tracks Firefighters Where GPS Fails
New Sensor System Tracks Firefighters Where GPS Fails Portable device locates missing firefighters–saves time and maybe lives Firefighter Ray Hodgson hits the talk button on his walkie-talkie: “I have fire showing, possibility of a rescue on the third floor. Engine 35, initiate a rescue group. Also back him up with a hose line.” A fire […]
USFA Releases 2010 Fire Estimate Summary Series
U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) issued the 2010 Fire Estimate Summary Series which presents basic information on the size and status of the fire problem in the United States as depicted through data collected in USFA’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). The data summary series was developed by USFA’s National Fire Data Center and is […]
Fireman’s Memorial: Worcester Cold Storage Tragedy
Fireman’s Memorial Worcester Cold Storage Tragedy On December 3, 1999, a five-alarm fire at the Worcester Cold Storage & Warehouse Co. building claimed the lives of six brave firefighters who responded to the call. These six heros, The Worcester 6, sacrificed their lives to try and rescue two individuals who were believed to be trapped […]
Remembrance: Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire and the Worcester Six
Today December 3, 2011 marks the 12th anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire that resulted in the line of duty death of six courages brother firefighters. For those of you who remember this event, take the time to reflect and honor the sacrifice made this day; to those of you who have not […]
Bridging The Gap: Fire Safety and Green Buildings Guide
Bridging The Gap: Fire Safety and Green Buildings Guide A Fire and Safety Building Guide to Green Construction The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) released its fire and building safety guide to green construction called “Bridging the Gap: Fire Safety and Green Buildings.” This guide identifies some of the key areas where rapidly […]
Second Alarm Apartment Fire, VA
A second alarm fire occurred in a four-story apartment building in the 20500 block of Reserve Falls Terrace, Loudoun County, VA that took command of over 13 apartment units. The fire was reported at 07:39 hours on Sunday morning November 20, 2011. Arriving companies found heavy fire was coming from the building. Fire crews initiated […]
Los Angeles Firefighters Battle Major Emergency at Townhouses Under construction
Los Angeles Firefighters Battle Major Alarm at Townhouses Under Construction Under-construction building fire forces dozens of evacuations A townhouse complex under construction caught fire on November 10, 2011, in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles (CA). The six-unit, wood-framed complex was in its construction phase, where at least two of the units were fully involved […]
FDNY: Building Collapse Claims Life Of 1 Of 5 Workers Rescued
A five-story building under construction suddenly came down on Monday afternoon in Brooklyn, New York. Three workers became trapped under the rubble after the top two floors fell onto the third, sending it all crashing to the ground, officials said. Published reports indicate that the likelihood of the weight of the concrete caused the 3rd […]
Hal Bruno: The best friend a firefighter and the fire service could have
“Hal Bruno is one of the most important figures in the history of this country’s fire service. Hal died last night (November 8, 2011) at age 83. I imagine that many of the younger firefighters and a few older ones who read this site aren’t familiar with the name Hal Bruno. Hal wasn’t a […]
Required Reading: Impact of Ventilation on Fire Behavior in Legacy and Contemporary Residential Construction
Another must read for all Company and Command Officers: Impact of ventilation on fire behavior in legacy and contemporary residential construction, by Steve Kerber (2011) UL Report. Take some time to increase your proficiencies and compentencies. Executive Summary Under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to FirefighterGrant Program, Underwriters Laboratories examined fire […]
FDNY: The 23 Street Collapse October 17,1966 Box 55 598
On October 17th 1966, Manhattan Box 598 was struck at 21:36 hours for the report of a building fire at 7 East 22nd Street, an art dealer in a four story brownstone. On arrival, the heat and smoke was so intense companies could not make entry through the art dealer, and so attempted to make […]
Fireground Dynamics: Smoke Explosion during Interior Operations
Three Franklin (OH) firefighters were caught in what has been determined to be a smoke explosion at a structure fire involving a restaurant occupancy in what appears to be a building of Type III construction that published reports indicated was built in 1892. Franklin (OH) FD Lt. Kyle Lovelace and firefighters Quincy Pearson and […]
