FE Volume 143 Issue 4

In the “burn-baby-burn” days of the ’60s the ladder companies of New York City’s strife-torn areas arrived at fire scenes with seven or eight firefighters. There was no duplication of effort. One was assigned to the roof and the others to the many primary duties that are needed “all at once” in fast-burning, occupied dwellings. Over the years, because of budget constraints and our lack of marketing what we do, these optimum levels have been cut and cut.

The 1980s have been called the decade of hazardous materials, and huge sums of money have been spent on the development of standards, programs, training materials, training, and equipment. The NFPA released standards 471, Recommended Practice for Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents, and 472, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents;

The idea for our program to train volunteers from the community to assist emergency services personnel during large natural disasters began in 1985. In February of that year a group of Los Angeles City officials went to Japan to study its extensive earthquake preparedness plans.