Fire and the Evacuation Process - Article Example

Fire and the Evacuation Process – Power Point Order No. 365349 Introduction Fire catastrophes in high- rise buildings has always been a source of concern for governments around the world as they strive to find fool proof methods for safety. Research in this area is an ongoing process that contributes a great deal towards finding and implementing innovative methods to safeguard life and property. However, even with the advancement of science and technology fire incidents do occur and there continues to be loss of life in damage to property. In this presentation, I am going to enlighten you on some of the salient features of the WTC catastrophe in addition to fire and fire- safety in general. 1. Definition of a High- rise Building The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101, Life Safety Code, defines a high-rise building to be any building that is over 75 feet tall and is measured from the floor of the building to the highest occupied storey. (NFPA, Section 3.3. 25.6, 2000) 2. Salient Features of Fire Safety Fire safety is a collective term used to describe the safety of life and property during a fire catastrophe which include – a) The framing of fire safety policies by the Government b) Legislation codes that include a proper guide for fire engineering practices c) Saving of life and property in the shortest possible time c) Proper fire exits to ensure the safety of the inmates in high- rise buildings d) Extinguishing a fire as soon as it is reported e) Limiting the spread of fire by using the latest equipment and technology f) Evacuating victims to safety at the cost of risking their own lives g) Taking the right precautionary measures and not leaving anything to chance. 3. Few Facts about Specific High-rise Buildings a) First ever skyscraper in the World - The Home Insurance Building b) It was built by - Engineer William Le Baron c) Place – Chicago d) Year built - 1885 e) The height of the structure – 180 feet high (10 storeys) f) It was constructed as a rival to – The Tower of Babel. (Dupre, 1996, pg. 14) g) Most modern and contemporary high- rise building –The Petronas Towers h) Height of the Petronas Towers – 1483 feet (453 meters) i) Most recent highest skyscraper in the world – The Burj Dubai Building. 4. Necessity of Avoiding Fires in High- rise Buildings To avoid loss of human life and property To avoid damage to high-rise buildings To avoid facing the aftermath of a fire catastrophe To safeguard the government against a rehabilitation process To avoid the trauma, pain and suffering of those affected by loss Safeguarding the lives of fire evacuation personnel 5. Causes of Fire in High- rise Buildings Poor building construction Use of cheap building materials Use of flammable construction materials Poor precautionary and safety measures within the building Insufficient research and use of the latest technologies Occupation of old buildings using traditional methods of approach Improper and insufficient fire exits Insufficient knowledge of human behavior during fires Loopholes in the Government’s regulations for high-rise buildings Insufficient fire response facilities and equipment Inefficient manpower Unavailability of the latest technologies for the evacuation process 6. Human Behavior during a Fire Catastrophe a. Human behavior is unpredictable b. People react according to how they view or perceive a catastrophic situation c. At most times a fire that breaks out is taken for granted till it spreads out of control d. Most humans exhibit vulnerable behavior during a fire incident e. Panic is the most common behavior exhibited and worsens the situation f. They also exhibit fear especially when trapped g. Choking due to smoke and fumes makes them disoriented and this can sometimes prove fatal h. They become so scared that many a times they are the cause for spreading the fire i. Most often, their first reaction is to look for missing members j. They also try to inform their loved ones about the catastrophe before being evacuated. (Bryan, J.L. 2002) k. Some individuals attempt to join in the evacuation process by volunteering to save the lives of other individuals 7. Proper Precautionary Measures to be taken Construction of high- rise buildings according to the current regulatory act Constructing buildings keeping in mind the safety of human life and property Utilizing materials that are high in quality Making use of nonflammable materials for construction and a greater purposes Avoiding the use of harmful substances that could add more damage during a catastrophe. Never compromising on the cost of material used in high- rise buildings Professional emergency fire response services, facilities and equipment are imperative to avoid loss of human life and property Keeping in close contact with trained and efficient fire personnel Alerting fire personnel as soon as a fire breaks out Constructing entrances and exits that are easily accessible to the people who use it. A highly skilled paramedical team is necessary to avert huge catastrophes 8. The Government’s Stand on Fire Safety The various Governments around the world are showing great concern towards the safety of human life and property and as such have made the following amendments- They have drawn up new legislative principles and have put a defend- in – strategy in place. Special care has been taken in case of hospitals where patients are unable to cope with a fire situation Care has been taken to make use of particular strategies especially in high –rise buildings and malls. The Government is also encouraging a lot of research in the field of Science and technology in order to make use of it during any eventuality. The Government has also made amendments to the existing safety regulatory Act to ensure better safety to life and property. They have also implemented the use of advanced technology and better strategies for safer construction of buildings. Amendments to safety regulations have been implemented based on the latest scientific research conducted. The Government also renders relief measures to all those victims who are affected in a fore catastrophe. 9. Important Statistics of the WTC Buildings Date of the disaster – September 11th 2001 Total number of floors – Each Tower had 110 storeys Area of Office space – 3.8 million sq. ft Combustible material – furniture, paper, carpets, computers etc. Total number of deaths – 2749 Percentage of males – 77% (2,117) Percentage of females – 23% (632) Number of police officers that died – 23 New York City Police officers Number of Firefighters that died - 343 New York City Fire Department’s firefighters. 10. Chief Causes of Fire at the World Trade Center (WTC) a. The WTC was fatally struck by two hijacked planes - an American Airlines Flight, the Boeing 767, and the United Airlines Flight 175 b. High speed of 490/mph created a bigger impact c. Fuel from the tank (10,000 gallons) burst into flames that engulfed the building between the 94th and 98th floor. d. Combustible materials within the building led to the spread of fire. e. The building did not have a complete cage frame f. The whole building rested on a central core framework g. After the initial impact, the central core collapsed h. Extreme heat on the framework brought the towers crashing down. 11. Chief Indicators of a fire Burning smell Thick smoke rising into the air Flames of fire Heat in the vicinity 12. Stages of a Fire Response According to (Sime, J.D. (1995) the process of fire response consists of 3 stages which are – a) Pre- validation Process – During this process people become aware of the danger that surrounds them. They have to take into consideration all the external stimuli they come into contact with by seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling. b) Validation Process – As soon as the extent of danger is gauged, one should act or response immediately without delay. c) Evacuation Process – During this process one should respond immediately to the dangerous situation and leave the premises at once and without delay and move to a much safer place. 13. Comparison between the WTC and the Windsor Tower Fires The WTC Structures were designed by architects Minoru Yamasaki and Emery Roth and Sons and stood at a height of 1, 368 (417m) and 1362 feet (415m) The Windsor Tower comprised of 32 storeys and was a totally commercial complex, unlike the WTC which housed offices. The WTC catastrophe was caused by a terrorist attack with two Hijacked Boeing planes that crashed into the building between the 94th and the 98th floor on the fateful day of September 11th 2001. The Windsor Tower, also officially called the ‘Edificio Windsor’ was a victim to a massive fire that occurred on February 12th, 2005 in Madrid, Spain The WTC as well as the Windsor Towers was constructed with a central core that was reinforced with concrete. However, due to the building regulation codes of 1970, the building had no steel framework or sprinklers and was unprotected against fire and was not fire proof. The WTC building had sprinklers but the impact of the plane crash into the building spread about 10,000 gallons of fuel which caused the fire to spread randomly in all directions. Both building had combustible materials such as wood, paper and cloth which fed the fire and caused it to spread wildly. Conclusion Great caution should be exercised when dealing with fire since human behavior is quite unpredictable. Immediate action is necessary if the fire is to be contained and lives and property saved. During a fire catastrophe chances should never be taken especially during the evacuation process which must be done without delay. Prompt action helps to save more lives and cause less damage to property. Strict rules and regulations should be implemented where constructions of high- rise buildings are concerned in order to ensure the safety of human life and property. REFERENCES 1. Dupre, Judith, Skyscrapers (2001) (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Inc. New York, First Paperback Edition. 2. NFPA 101, (2000) Chapter 3 Definitions, “Life Safety Code” Section 3- 3. 25.6, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA. 3. Bryan, J. L., (2002) A Selected Historical Review of Human Behavior in Fire, Journal of Fire Protection Engineering,16, pgs. 4–10 4. Sime, J. D. An occupant response shelter escape time(ORSET) model, Safety Science 38(2001)109–125. Read More