In this series, Fire Engineering Senior Editor Mary Jane Dittmar looks at the things that motivated and inspired instructors to present on their topics at FDIC International 2016. Segments will be posted on a regular basis up to and through the conference, April 18-23.
Greg Jakubowski
Life Member and Past Deputy Fire/EMS Chief
Bryn Athyn Fire Co.
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Firefighting Operations in Mega-Mansions
Generally, fire departments are prepared to handle fires in homes of 2,000 square feet or less; this is their bread and butter and considered by National Fire Protection Association standards as a ‘low-hazard’ occupancy. However, major paradigm shifts are needed when faced with a fire in a home that is four, five, or 10 times the size of that ‘low hazard occupancy.’ More, larger homes are being built in the United States, and they are often being built with lightweight construction that has been proven to burn faster and hotter.
Recent fires in large homes have occurred in Maryland (six fatalities), Maryland (10 firefighter injuries), Connecticut ($10 million loss), Pennsylvania (19 bedrooms, $18 million loss), Ohio (10,000 square feet, $4 million loss), North Carolina ($3 million loss), New Jersey (four alarms), and California (eight bedrooms, $19 million home) among many others. Most of these fires have presented serious challenges to firefighters. Chris Naum and I were discussing these challenges and realized that there was little training focusing on this emerging issue. We partnered to study the challenges, learn the lessons from the case studies, and apply best practices and lessons learned from these incidents and others to present a unique program to the international fire service.
We have recently begun to present these programs, and they have been well-received. We have been invited to present seminars on mega-mansion fires in a number of locations.
