|
My firefighting training was not of municipal but in industrial. Our philosophy is the same as Glen's. Surround and Drown!!! There are more unknowns and danger in a hydrocarbon or chemical fire than what happens in a structure fire but the main concern is always the same, preservation of life.
When I first started working at this facility there were no sprinkler and suppression systems. Management deemed sprinkler systems to be invaluable to their assets and were installed over time. This facility was totally covered and the systems were tested monthly. The cost was irrelevant as most of it was recovered in insurance premiums and preserving equipment.
Several years back after a cost of several lives it was mandated that hotels and motels be equipped with sprinklers. There should be no exceptions to businesses and warehouses. The report I heard said this business did not have a sprinkler system installed. If one was had been installed more than likely the intensity of the fire would not have been such and these guys would still be walking the street today. They did what they were trained to do, just somewhere along the line something went wrong.
God bless them and their families.
|