Letters to the Editor
departments
July Editorial Comments
Safety Harbor, FI.
I’m writing this letter in reference to your July 1980 issue of Fire Engineering, particularly the Editor’s Opinion page article entitled “Large Departments With Large Resources Benefit All.” The article was very informative and historically big departments have solved problems for smaller departments. But, times are changing with the smaller communities setting pace and surpassing the larger communities in areas such as code enforcement, sprinkler ordinances, productivity, EMS, use of large diameter hose and fire protection impact fees.
For years, larger communities have geared to provide traditional fire protection by buying more hose, engines, hiring additional manpower, getting prepared to fight the worst fires possible. Due to higher wages and shorter work weeks, big cities are now facing manpower and equipment shortages that smaller communities have had for years. Many smaller communities due to lack of adequate men and equipment have passed strong sprinkler ordinances. Safety Harbor, the community I work for, requires all buildings over 24-feet in height to be sprinklered. Another example of reducing fire risk is trying to control the fire environment. Safety Harbor has passed a local ordinance prohibiting wood frame construction in all new buildings except single family dwellings.
In 1978, Safety Harbor’s on-duty fire fighters installed a smoke alarm in every single family dwelling and all apartments in the program resulted in an 80 percent drop in fire losses.
San Clemente, California has passed a residential sprinkler ordinance. The purpose of the ordinance was to allow the departments to adequately protect life and property with 50 percent less manpower than the surrounding communities.
Due to manpower shortages and excessive cost of training personnel, many smaller departments are having to augment their fire fighting forces with CETA personnel.
1 respect your years of combat experience, but it is my sincere belief that fire protection is changing. Communities are looking for a more cost effective way of providing fire protection. The U.S. Fire Administration is promoting fire prevention and control. Since smaller communities are not bogged down with tradition, I believe it is easier for them to take a non-traditional approach to providing cost effective fire protection through sprinkler legislation, automatic nozzles, smoke detectors and fire safety programs.
W. J. Stout
Chief, Safety Harbor Fire Department
