BY WILLIAM SHOULDIS
One day, all the concepts of community risk assessment will be examined and every structure will have an active fire protection system. One day, scientific advancements will reduce the flame spread and smoke production of burning materials. Some day, the legal, political, and social objectives of the emergency services will focus on life safety. The role of the fire department will continue to evolve from a conventional group of trained first responders to an innovative army of public safety specialists.
Experiencing a loss by fire is an extreme event. Lives are suddenly turned upside down; normally, residents have no real knowledge of the steps toward recovery. When a life is lost to fire, the incident is even more tragic. The impact on a family, the firefighters, and the community is enormous. Years ago, the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control initiated a proactive approach aimed at reducing fires and fire-related injuries. Today, the challenge for public safety leaders is to identify local threats and find sensible solutions.
For example, in recent years, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has experienced an increasing number of fire deaths. In 2005, there were 53 fire fatalities, the highest in eight years. As a result, there was an immediate expansion of an established public education program.
Traditionally, after a fatal fire in a residential area, the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) implements an awareness program the very next day. The first-due engine and ladder companies contact occupants within a two-block radius of the fire to increase dialogue and share fire prevention tips, distribute educational materials, and install smoke detectors, encouraging residents to embrace proven fire and life-safety measures.
As the direct result of the 2005 data, we created additional components to supplement existing prevention efforts. A week-long multiagency action plan went into effect on January 16, 2006, following the 77th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The kickoff coincided with the national day of service in honor of Dr. King, intended to provide an opportunity for meaningful fire safety changes in the community. The new prevention program, “Operation Stand Down,” was a joint effort to examine prevention, inspection, and public education endeavors in the targeted areas before a fire strikes. The program partners, including the American Red Cross, Town Watch, the Second Alarmers (a volunteer group that supports firefighters during rehab), and firefighters, presented a powerful force. These specialty agencies participated in a block-by-block deployment to disseminate a predetermined list of risk-reduction topics.
The PFD’s Operation Stand Down was designed to communicate basic fire safety messages in neighborhoods that had experienced the highest number of fire deaths and educate residents on some of the basic life-safety actions they should take in a fire. We strongly emphasized developing a realistic fire safety plan before a fire occurs.
The operation’s partners presented such topics as identifying the nearest exit for each room in one’s home, installing smoke detectors, developing and practicing an escape route that includes a designated meeting place for those exiting the building. The best safety actions and techniques for individuals to take during a fire, such as staying low under the smoke, getting out and staying out, testing doors for heat before opening, and understanding the “Stop-Drop-Roll” extinguishment technique, were also passed on to residents.
In developing this program, we reviewed fire incident statistics. Fire investigators, emergency preparedness planners, and management information specialists offered some compelling data on the factors involved in fatal fires in Philadelphia.
• Smoke detectors. There is a lack of early warning to occupants during the incipient stage of a fire. In some sections of the city, more than 70 percent of the properties that had suffered residential fires did not have a properly located or working smoke detector; reversing this trend was a priority.
• Smoking: “Take It Outside.” We reemphasized the message of a fire safety program that advised smokers to take all smoking materials out of the home. This original campaign, aimed at the guardians of schoolchildren, was the direct result of a rap song recorded by local firefighters, “Take It Outside.” We distributed the song on a CD to students and held a contest to generate a similar song with a safety/prevention theme. School administrators reviewed the submissions and selected prize-worthy compositions.
• Electrical safety. Since overloaded extension cords had been previously identified as the culprit in a large number of electrical fires, we reminded everyone that large home improvement centers offered discounts on the purchase of new extension cords. Cooperation and coordination are essential to successful life-safety education. Having neighbors, firefighters, and private organizations working in partnership is recommended, worthwhile, and achievable. The National Fire Protection Association reports that the fire risk factor for residents in homes without smoke alarms is 10.4 times greater than that for occupants in dwellings with smoke alarms. Also, establishing and practicing using recognized escape routes will increase the odds of survival.
WILLIAM SHOULDIS is a deputy chief with the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department, where he has served for 33 years. He is an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy’s resident and field programs, teaching courses in fireground operations, health and safety, and prevention. Shouldis has a bachelor’s degree in fire science administration and a master’s degree in public safety. He is a member of the Fire Engineering editorial advisory board and a frequent FDIC speaker.
