Firefighter safety/building markings

[Lieutenant Gonzo]

How does the Firehouse.Com community feel about these ideas?

1. Any commercial/industrial/R&D occupancy that deals with hazardous materials must place the NFPA 1704 diamond on all sides of the structure to warn firefighters of the worst possible fire/health/reactivity/special hazards on the premesis.

2. Any building with truss construction will have a universal sign on all sides of the structure as a warning to firefighters.

3. Any abandoned/vacant structure that is deemed unsafe for firefighting operations will be marked with a universally understood sign posted prominently on all sides of the structure to indicate that firefighting operations will be done from the outside only.

I feel that federal legislation on these matters will help save firefighter's lives. Your opinions?

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We boldly go where no one else dares...
take care and stay safe
Lt. Gonzo

[This message has been edited by Lieutenant Gonzo (edited May 29, 2000).]

[dtj]

I know the risks, but I don't know the statistics. What are the numbers for injury and/or death in these circumstances?

NFPA 1704 is voluntary at this point, but I believe it may be mandatory for some, if not all, federal buildings and installations. I'm not sure what the criteria for mandatory posting is. I agree with you on this one, there must be some mandate to protect firefighters and other personnel. DE has a law where businesses must notify the fire chief of reportable quantities of hazmat in their fire district.

As far as the vacant stucture goes, even if it were deemed unsafe, would we still have the obligation and/or moral responsibility to check for indigents and homeless? Sorry, I disagree with you, up to a point, on this one.

Trusses? What builder, designer, owner, occupant, etc. would want that on their structure? I agree, but it would be a long battle. It may be easier to get on certain types of commercial and business occupancies rather than go after all such structures. This requirement should be probably be based on fire load and occupancy.

[Capez]

Jeez Gonzo What fun would that be?!

1. How big would the 704, not 1704, symbol Be? Can't give em an inch make it 6'X 6'. Cool.

2. All buildings have truss roof construction you need to ID the ones with Light Steel non-protected, and Wood.

3.I'd recommend burning these down on pourpose prior to letting someone else do it. AKA Urban Renewal.

Just as a side note an effective pre-plan operation should identify most of these hazards. Your pre-plans should be on your apparatus. Remember just like GI Joe Said, "Knowing is half the battle"

[Lieutenant Gonzo]

Capez...we do have preplan information...the layouts of the complexes are in a 3 ring binder on the rigs and the preplan information is on the computer tear sheet that gets generated for each run.

My questions were not specifically for my FD, but the hundreds of others that do not have the resources in cash or personnel to identify the hazards and keep things updated on a continuing basis.

My idea for the NFPA diamond was something that could be quickly recognized in an instant rather than reading a preplan binder/tear sheet on the way. A 4'X4' or larger sign would allow any firefighter a quick identification of hazards.


I go out with my crew on a regular basis to
do "district familiarization:...we scope out all the new construction and makes notes of what construction method is being used...I in turn give this information to our computer systems manager, who enters the data for the tear sheet information. We also do a lot of inspections, which keeps us current.

As far as marking vacant structures, I beleive that Boston has a system in place for doing this.

------------------
We boldly go where no one else dares...
take care and stay safe
Lt. Gonzo

[This message has been edited by Lieutenant Gonzo (edited June 01, 2000).]

[E229Lt]

In my department we mark all vacants as follows.

1. A yellow box, 18"x18" over the entrances, indicates:" Vacant w/normal stability.

2. One diagonal line is added in the box to indicate questionable stability.

3. An "X" is added in the box to indicate the building is structurally UNSTABLE.

4. The letters "RO" are painted next to the box if the roof has been opened or burned through at a prior fire.