Victim location information critical
John J. O`Rourke
Chief of Department (retired)
City of New York (NY) Fire Department
I have read with interest the May 1996 issue of Fire Engineering, especially the article by Vincent Dunn entitled “Searching a High-Rise Building for Trapped Victims,” on which I would like to comment.
I agree with Dunn`s statement that the Chicago Fire Department operating units were wrongfully criticized for the loss of the young lady who had discovered the fire and called in the alarm. Many factors came together to contribute to this loss of life as outlined by Dunn in his article, with which I agree.
However, the most serious breach of procedures was not given any mention at all in the article. The glaring reason for the loss of life was the failure of the 911 dispatcher to notify the operating units at the scene that a victim was reportedly trapped and her location was known.
The alarm dispatcher for some unknown reason did not provide the responding units with vital information as to the victim`s location. Had the operating forces been apprised of the victim`s location in the initial dispatch, a targeted search could have been initiated that would have dramatically improved the victim`s chance of survival. The evidence in this case indicated that units had, very early on after their arrival, established a foothold on the fire floor and were making progress in extinguishing the fire. Quite some time after they had arrived, the officer in command was informed in an offhanded manner by a police officer at the scene that a person was trapped in the northeast corner. Why the police were given this information by 911 and not the fire department is inexplicable. It was at this time that a concentrated, targeted search was commenced and the victim was recovered. It was too late to save her.
I further agree with Dunn that the search of a 20,000-square-foot floor area is a complicated and arduous procedure that is rife with dangers for those performing the search. However, if those searchers are provided with specific information (which the dispatcher withheld) as to the location of the victim, the search can then be targeted to that specific area. When information is available (as in this case), it must be immediately relayed to the operating chief to reduce the complexity of the search. Without this information, a full and complete search, which is inherently slow and dangerous, must be carried out, much like looking for a needle in a haystack that is on fire. However, if we know where to look, the search has a considerably better chance of success and can be far less dangerous to operating personnel.
I disagree with Dunn`s statement that the fire floor was inaccessible when firefighters got to the 20th floor and that fire had control of the entire floor. The pictorial evidence in this case does not support that theory. Firefighters did indeed gain access to that floor within a reasonable reflex time and had gained considerable headway in extinguishing the fire when they belatedly received information on the trapped victim. By the time recovery efforts were pressed, the victim had succumbed to smoke inhalation. There is considerable evidence that the area from which she was recovered was not directly affected by fire damage, which further supports the fact that the floor was accessible and not fully involved, contrary to Dunn`s claim.
Just as vital information in the real fire situation in Chicago was withheld, it has been withheld in this article. The most glaring deficiency in the entire Chicago operation was the lack of information being relayed to those who were at the scene and in a position to utilize it. Competent command decisions cannot be made in a vacuum or in the dark; those responsible for these decisions must be given all available information. For these reasons, it is my feeling that all of the facts should have been clearly stated in the article for the reader to fully understand the circumstances of this tragic fire.
Of course, automatic sprinklers throughout a centrally connected smoke-detector system and better intelligence from building security personnel would also have helped the victim to survive. Certainly, firefighters cannot be held accountable for failures of building systems or lack of competence of building security personnel. The firefighting effort at the Wacker Drive fire in Chicago was beyond criticism and was carried out in a thoroughly professional manner.
It is difficult to disagree with someone of Dunn`s stature and reputation, as I have the highest respect for him personally. However, I feel compelled to fill in the blanks in this equation by providing the information that was left out of his article.
