Fire Chiefs Need F. P. Engineers
The Editor’s Opinion Page
Some years back on this page, we made the statement that “it is a rare fire chief who has an engineering degree and not too many who have college degrees.” Now, of course, there are hundreds of chiefs with college degrees, but still not many with engineering degrees. Yet today’s chief is increasingly involved with what are basically engineering problems.
Even the chief of a small town might have to become involved in the building design of a new high-rise motel or college dormitory, including the sprinkler system design and other life safety features. When this situation arises a chief will find himself involved with architects, engineers and other specialists.
In discussions with such persons, he is frequently overruled and decisions are made against his judgment that affect the fire prevention and fire suppression activities of his department (the problems and solutions on high-rise buildings fall in this category). This often happens because the chief has no feel for the jargon— and perhaps the philosophy—of the other professionals he is thrown in with.
How much better it would be if he had an advisor sitting beside him. An advisor who can speak the language of an architect or a construction engineer. We are referring here to the fire protection engineer. Among all the professional disciplines, his (the FPE’s) is the only one that shares the same function as a fire chief—the protection of life and property from fire.
Most FPEs are registered professional engineers. As such they can deal with architects and consultants on equal footings. And they can talk the same language as their peers.
Working within a fire department an FPE can be involved in a wide range of problems such as building design, risk analysis, sprinkler system design and municipal protection studies. But fire protection engineers are in short supply. There are only two schools offering complete FPE degree programs: the University of Maryland and. Illinois Institute of Technology. And as recently as 1973, there were only about 2000 practicing FPEs.
This short supply can be gobbled up by industry which in recent years has become increasingly aware of the deficiencies in their fire protection systems. Some fire departments, nevertheless, do manage to attract the FPEs.
San Jose, Calif., for instance, has two FPEs who were brought in at the administrative level. One assists in every sort of review and control that the fire prevention bureau exercises over the fire hazard to properties. The other assists the head of the department’s research and development program.
So, for those fire departments who can use an FPE, now is the time to act. As you will discover in next month’s issue, professional engineering expertise is increasingly needed “to develop cost-effective means of coping with the higher technology of modern fire protection.
