How Old Equipment from the Past Differs from Present Day Equipment
Learning how burning fires start, better fireproof clothing, and technology equipment changing over the years proves that progress save lives and helps in the safety aspect of fighting structure fires. There are differences between past helmets and modern ones, changes in turnout gear and other equipment used to fight fires, plus researching the history of firefighting.
In the 1600’s firefighting started with the Romans and grappled with heat, fire, and toxic smoke. Most structure fires burn to the ground because the equipment was not equipped to fight fires as departments are today. Helmets came on the scene around 1930; however Henry T. Gratacap in 1836 designed a fire helmet closer to the style firefighters wear now. “The design was a reinforced dome-shape leather helmet with a front shield and brim rolling to a long back tail” (Hasenmier), which made if safe for protecting heads of the firefighters. In the past, firefighters used a long fire coat that was made of wool and long boots like hip waders with a fire helmet. John Roberts, a miner, made a mask to help filter smoke inside a smoke filled environment in 1825. (Hasenmeier).
Jackets are not the same as firefighters wear presently because firefighters never enter the structures as done today so normal clothes were worn since the fighter never came in contact with fire. The “Three-quarters” boots were used back then to protect the legs while the trench coat was long enough to protect the upper part of the body. The trench coat lined with wool or cotton was for dryness and warmth, however made from rubber, leather, or canvas. Firemen referred to these as “Three-quarters”...
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At 2215 hrs, on November 28, 1942, Fire Alarm Headquarters from Box 1514, situated at Stuart and Carver streets, received an alarm. When the responding apparatus arrived they found a small car fire at the corner of Stuart Street and Broadway. After the fire was extinguished the firefighters were about to return to quarters when their attention was called to smoke emanating from the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub a few doors away. Upon their arrival at the entrance of the Broadway lounge on Broadway they encountered numerous people leaving the premises admidst the cries of “fire”. The chief in charge immediately ordered that a third alarm be sounded from Alarm Box 1521 which the alarm was received by fire alarm headquarters at 2223 hrs. A civilian sent an alarm that was received at 2220 by fire alarm headquarters. As soon as the chief in charge realized that the immediate problem was one of rescue he ordered that a fourth alarm (received at 2224) and a fifth alarm (received at 1102) be sent. The apparatus responding was comprised of 25 engine companies, 5 ladder companies, 1 water tower company, 1 rescue company and various other apparatus. 18 hose steams for cooling purposes and three ladders were utilized (located at Piedmont, Broadway, and Shawmut for venting operations).
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'Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them?’ ‘No. Houses. have always been fireproof, take my word for it.’ ‘Strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames.’ He laughed.
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The United States Department of agriculture Forest Service investigation report on the thirty mile fire.
Wildfires started as an annual and seasonal occurrence in the south western region of California since the early 1930’s in part because of the hot dry summers and the hot dry turbulent Santa Ana winds that blow in from the desert during the fall months. Now it has become a yearlong event (Mckay, 2010). These conditions greatly contribute to the “fire season” throughout this area. This set of circumstances in conjunction with downed power lines and humans that ignited fires took place in October of 2007. This led to a series of fires that burned more than 500,000 acres, destroyed 1,500 homes, killed 9, injured 85, and forced the successful evacuation of around 500,000 people out of harm’s way.
The most pressing issue facing Detroit, in regard to fire, is the steady amount of burning vacant or delipidated buildings, and second to that is the high rate of home fires. For the purposes of this project, the capabilities of
On March 25, 1911, 146 garment factory workers their lives in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. In less than an hour, these workers died from asphyxiation, burns, or jumping to their deaths in a futile attempt at escape (McGuire, 2011). The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory the eighth through tenth floors of New York City’s Asch building, and employed approximately 700 workers, 500 of them young women and girls (McGuire, 2011). A fire quickly broke out on the eighth floor shortly before the end of the work day. Loose fabric was strewn about the floor and stuffed under equipment, providing kindling for the fire to quickly become an inferno. As women attempted to exit, they were met with locked doors and forced to find other means of escape, including jumping from the eight floor windows, climbing down elevator cables, and scampering down the fire escape - each route of escape tragically failed, costing many their lives. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is an example of how quickly dangerous and neglectful conditions can quickly take many lives, but it has also served as the impetus for great changes in workplace and fire safety codes and regulations, including the development of Fire Safety Codes, implementation of state-based worker’s compensation laws, and the formation of New York State’s Industrial Code. The impacts of these changes and many others are still felt today, more than 100 years later. There is, however, still work to be done in the area of workplace fire safety, as evidenced in the Kader Toy Factory fire and the Imperial Chicken Processing Plant fire.
Firefighters are more than friends. You can't fight fires with friends. To fight fires you need a brotherhood. The men and women of the fire service across the globe consider each other family, this is one of the grand traditions of the fire department. Firefighters are constantly looking out for one another, thinking about the things they do and how it may affect the other’s lives and safety. Life safety is of the highest priority in the business of fire rescue. To achieve a safety standard there are many tasks that fire personnel are expected to carry out, for both a personal and a team related purpose. One of these tasks is the daily inspection of the fire apparatus upon arrival to the fire station. This task is with most certainty the most essential process that fire personnel are responsible for in order to get through the shift safely and efficiently.
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In the area of the firemen¡¦s own personal protective equipment, it too has be advanced because of computers. Twenty-five years ago, the turnout gear worn by firefighters was used to keep the firefighter from getting wet mainly then with the introduction of Nomex, which was a self-extinguishing man-made material, then came Gortex and PBI.
Fire extinguishers are portable fire equipment which plays a vital role in any place since there are under circumstances that fire fighters are not absolutely essential wherein extinguishers are capable to fight the fire.
firefighters in action with a few conflicts that they would resolve, someone may die or get hurt
HM Government (2008) Fire and Rescue Manual, Volume 2, Fire Service Operations, Incident Command, 3rd Ed.