“I Never Thought of That
DEPARTMENTS
EDITOR’S OPINION
About two years before coming on board as editor of this magazine, I became involved in training fire brigades in some of Suffolk County, NY’s largest industrial complexes. One of the first installations to undergo our training program was a major commercial baking industry.
The first session was a “feeling out” experience for us all. “Where are you at in training and what do you want to accomplish?” I asked.
“We want to be able to handle every aspect of firefighting in case of an emergency so we won’t have to call in the local fire department. Our ovens and equipment are our lifeblood, and we can’t afford to have them destroyed by the aggressive tactics of the public fire service.”
With a few more questions and a quick inspection of their firefighting equipment and procedures, I knew that their “brigade” was not ready to handle anything more than a Class A fire in a wastebasket. Put that same basket fire inside an enclosure and they were in trouble.
The next meeting I arranged was with the local fire company in whose district the bakery was located. I asked the chief what pre-planned operations were in place for the industrial bakery complex.
“You know, there is no cooperation or information released from that Mickey Mouse operation at all. In fact, I think that they hate our guts. Why should we invest time and effort with those guys?” he quickly remarked.
Here was a two-fold problem that I would find echoed in many other industrial complexes throughout the county in the next few months. Firefighting strategies, tactics, and procedures could easily be taught with time. But the lack of two-way communication and understanding, plus the negative attitudes that existed needed to be attended to first and corrected.
The bakery’s small, six-man crew would never be able to handle a fire of any significant proportions while simultaneously accounting for the life safety of the occupancy unless they had immediate help.
“Why not communicate with and educate the municipal fire companies as to your needs, capabilities, and fears of their possibly injuring your facility’s equipment?” I asked the industrial safety director. “You might as well coordinate both your firefighting efforts before an emergency occurs, as you are going to have to call in outside assistance anyway.”
The safety director’s answer surprised me. “We never thought of that.”
Well, after a few classroom sessions, coupled with “hot” fire operations in which the local,”outside” fire companies agreed to participate, attitudes did change. Both the industrial and the volunteer fire organizations were surprised at how much one could learn from the other, and the fire protection and life safety abilities of both skyrocketed.
As Chief John J. O’Rourke of the New York City Fire Department recently remarked, firefighters in every district are forced to deal in unforeseen results and unanticipated circumstances. The enemy is out there. If we can’t turn to our brother firefighter to help us ease our burden, who can we turn to?
To that end, this is our second annual issue dedicated to the cooperation of effort of our brothers in the industrial and the public fire protection fields.The communication space is here for you to use. I hope you don’t echo the safety director’s remark, “I never thought of that.”
