News
In high-rise fires, crew size matters, big time
A consortium of public-safety organizations has unveiled a study that uses field and computer-modeling data to determine the minimum high-rise fire crew size. The study, along with the companion Report on Residential Fireground Experiments, establishes a technical basis for the deployment of resources to fire incidents with varying levels of underlying hazards. It also will be used to update the next edition of NFPA 1710, a national standard for the organization and deployment of fire-suppression operations.
"This study was conducted as we watched nationally, and in Canada, decision-makers cut fire department resources with little knowledge of the impact or ramifications of their cuts," said Lori Moore-Merrell of the International Association of Fire Fighters, a co-principal investigator for the study, during a press conference. "[Participants] in the study helped us set, what we hope, will be the minimum crew-size standard in response to high-rise fires."
Read the entire story from FIRE CHIEF, our sister publication.
