Fires in Overpopulated High-Rise Temporary Housing for Workers - Coursework Example

Community Safety Fires in Overpopulated High-Rise Temporary Housing for Workers SARA Table Scanning Fire occurs in high temporary housing because of careless cooking in overpopulated workers accommodation. Ignorance of fire safety and disregard of employer and building owner to fire safety regulation. Lack of strick implementation or enforcement of the law. Analysis Cooking contributes to occurrence of most fires. Another is electrical supply tampering and misuse of appliances. The temporary housing is unsuitable for workers accommodation. Failure of local authorities to implement the law and effectively educate the public. Response Fire safety education and strict enforcement of the fire safety regulations. Assessment Statistics shows that fire safety education programme reduces fire occurrence and fatalities. In the UK, the “Fire Kills” campaign successfully reduced various fire related incidents since 1996. 1. Introduction In the UK, many believes that the potentially most effective approach to crime reduction is one that involves a variety of agencies, engages the local community and integrates a number of different preventive strategies. Subsequently, such multi-pronged initiatives are increasingly being coordinated and implemented under the community safety agenda pursued by Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships or CDRPs. The successful maintenance of community safety depends largely on the willingness of the public to assist the authorities, and especially the police, by reporting crime and giving information. Community safety is understood as the right of all people to live in their town with no fear or anxiety for themselves and others. Various groups have been formed to carry out required actions, the police and fire brigade, tenants, enterprises, and others. The purpose of this paper is to develop a strategy in response to fire incidents at high-rise temporary housing for workers. Through application of the SARA methodology, this report will attempt to find out the real problem, accountability of the people involve, the appropriate response to prevent such incidents, and assessment of proposed response effectiveness. 2. The SARA Methodology SARA or scanning, analysis, response, and assessment method was developed in the early 1990s in line with problem-oriented partnership approaches focusing on identifying the root causes of a problem and attacking the problem so that crimes are stopped before they begin. The purpose of ‘scanning’ is to become aware of local concerns, issues and priorities. “An observation of more than two incidents of a similar nature that are linked by time, location, type of crime or disorder” (Leipnik and Albert 2003, p.128). One could very community concerns by ‘analyzing’ reports on incidents to see if they are repetitive, or if they have relationships to other incidents. Analysis is reviewing the details of individual incidents in order to gain an intuitive understanding of the problem and related elements. The who, what, when, where, and why of the incident. A ‘response’ is being aware of resources that can be use to address the problem. A tactical action plan involving multi-agency approaches. Assessment is the post-facto assessment of issues and re-examination of the problem to evaluate whether the responses were successful or not (Chu 2001, p.34). 3. Scanning High-rise fires are labour intensive and provide many obstacles to rapid fire extinguishment. Empirical evidence reveals that flashover can occur at 10 minutes, and the loss of elevators typically occurs approximately 20 minutes into the operation. Fire environment, fire floor location, building construction, and unreliable water supply dramatically increase operational problems in high-rise buildings (Bangash 2006, p.50). High-rise fires increased stress on fire fighters at the same time that they drain energy resources. During a high-rise fire, a department usually assign more companies to do the work and consumes more work force and resources (International Association of Fire Chiefs 2004, p.599). Apparently, personnel needs would differ significantly between a small-detached structure fire and a high-rise fire (Cote 2003, p.131). Smoke and flame movement in high-rise structures is very different from other structures. It often contains multiple types of occupancies and each type presents challenges that must be approached differently. Exits from high-rises are limited, and emergency evacuation is difficult (Purpura 2007, p.303). The problem with overpopulated high-rise temporary housing lies with the fact that overcrowding and unfinished building results to shortage of facilities and space. Workers residing in these buildings do not have sufficient or appropriate space for cooking since the building is still under construction. In addition, overcrowding tend to encourage workers to cook anywhere. Cooking is the major cause of dwelling fires. In UK, dwelling fires account for a third of all property fires and around 80% of all casualties occur in fires in the home. The major cause of accidental fires is the misuse of equipment mostly related to cooking. Cooking appliances are the main source of ignition or 56% in 2006. Accidental fires in dwellings are mainly due to careless handling of fire or hot substances (Communities and Local Government 2006, p.28). Fire investigations often reveals that fire initiation or impeding subsequent escape from it was influence by people’s actions such as thoughtlessness, disobedient, neglectful, ignorant, intemperate, careless, well-intentioned, and malicious (Harmathy 1985, p.413). The average cost of a domestic fire is estimated at £24,900 of which about £14,600 is accounted for by the economic cost of injuries and fatalities and £7,300 is due to property damage. In 2004 alone, the value of property damaged by fire was estimated at £1.3bn, accounting to 18 percent of the total cost of fire. The human cost is also overwhelming since there were 395 deaths from fire in 2004 and around 12, 300 injuries. The economic value of these human costs was estimated at around £1.1bn. Moreover, the value of lost business was estimated at £43m and the cost of response are estimated at 1.74bn in 2004 alone (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2006, p.26). The workers are primarily responsible to fires occurring in high-rise temporary housing because of carelessness, negligence, and disregard to fire safety. However, the company or building owner is also equally responsible since it is their responsibility to make sure that their employees are safe and given sufficient facilities. Moreover, local authorities are partly to blame for neglect and failure to implement regulations regarding fire safety. In sum, the workers, owners, and local authorities are all responsible to some extent in these incidents. 4. Analysis a. Cooking As we mentioned earlier, cooking is the major source of ignition due to carelessness or neglect of dwellers. The problem is compounded by lack of concern by building management or owner of fire safety and regulations. The building is apparently not suitable for accommodation since first, it is still under construction and do not have the facility and second, it is not intended for dwelling. Workers living in an overcrowded room tend to make the best of a very limited space. They sleep and cook in the same area where most of their highly combustible possessions such as clothes, mattress, carpets, etc. are very near. More importantly, these workers are not trained and ignorant of fire safety regulations and are not aware that their actions could results to uncontrollable fire. Apparently, these buildings are not equipped with fire warning or suppression devices since it is still under construction. Consequently, when a fire broke-out, it will spread rapidly, destroying anything on its path. Since workers are not trained on fire safety, many workers are trapped and injured or even killed by fire and smoke. b. Altering Electrical Supplies Altering electrical supplies is tendency caused by the absence of appropriate utilities. Workers living in a high-rise temporary housing tend to temper electrical supplies to power their appliances. A short-circuit usually happens when two conductors of differing potential touch each other resulting in a current flow that bypasses the connected load (Mullin 2001, p.530). When insulation fails because of tampering, appliances may become live and capable of carrying current. Touching the casing of appliance could then result in a short circuit through the body to earth and electric shock. According to Wenham (2005, p.197), when electrical circuits and appliances are properly installed, maintained, and used, accidents are very rare. The overwhelming majority of danger and accidents associated with electricity results from either incorrect installation or neglect, so that the circuit or appliance is faulty, or from carelessness and deliberate misuse. The current that flows through the conductors is a short-circuit current, and is very high and if allowed to continue would burn the insulation. The high conductor temperature resulting from the excessive current could start a fire. If the excess current continues to flow further after the insulation has been damaged, there is also a possibility that the conductor might touch exposed metal and give a shock to anyone touching the metal (Rigby and Porges 2005, p.139). c. Lack of Enforcement It is very clear that the above activities, cooking in unsafe areas and alteration of electrical supplies are product of disobedience to fire safety regulations. The lack of enforcement apparently make this things happen. For instance, workers are not supposed to live in an overcrowded accommodation. Employers should provide them suitable facilities and safe dwellings to their workers. Local authorities are expected to inspect these buildings or prohibit its use. Given that the workers lack sufficient information about fire safety and causing the fire to start, the lack of enforcement of fire safety regulations still plays a major role or responsible to the occurrence of fire incidents. Fire is preventable and if there is proper enforcement that would prevent employers to use unsuitable accommodation for their workers, the occurrence of fire could be avoided. 5. Response a. Fire Safety Education and Enforcement of Regulations Educating the public regarding fire prevention, fire protection, and evacuation could help prevent fire and reduce casualties. Since carelessness and ignorance of fire safety is the common cause of most fire and loss of lives, education can help boost awareness and responsiveness (Fischer and Green 2004, p.226). Fire safety education is one are in which setting goals and objectives can bring significant benefits. Setting goals and objective can prevent crisis by making sure that appropriate action is taken before conditions precipitate a crisis (Carter and Rausch 2006, p.181). Reductions in the magnitude of fire incidents depend on the education and consciousness of the people at risk. Education increases knowledge and consequently affects the behaviour and lifestyle of the people involved. Effective enforcement of regulation can also help avoid the occurrence of fire incidents since people will be forced to follow safety rules and regulations. There is always a need to be strict about enforcement of the law since fires results to significant damage to property and loss of life. Enforcement and fire safety education can work together in ensuring compliance and safety consciousness among people. b. The Media Media can provide significant amount of information to the public and it is an ideal conduit for fire safety education (Diamantes 2004, p.175). It reaches all types of audiences and very influential in spreading fire and life safety messages, Fire departments can use the media to draw attention to particular hazards and escape techniques, explain critical elements of the fire codes, and solicit compliance (Carter and Rausch 2006, p.190). Regardless of what many think, the media plays a key role in our society. Reporters and correspondents gather information, prepare stories, and create broadcasts that inform the public about local, state, national, and international events. A considerable amount of mass media information, especially in the print media, is designed for informative or educational purposes. The media is very important as the need increases in direct proportion to the importance of the messages especially those, which involve health and safety (Jacoby and Hoyer 1987, p.134). 6. Assessment It is very important to assess the effectiveness of fire safety education campaigns since this can provide the motivation required for future development and adjustment if needed. In the United States, the programme ‘Learn Not to Burn’ that is aimed at educating the public on fire prevention in 1990s saves 194 lives. The awareness of the importance of smoke detecting devices and fire safety education has been suggested as the main reason for the reduction in dwelling fires deaths in the country. This is the result of proper life safety actions learned in fire safety education programmes (Stellman 1998, p.41). In the United Kingdom, statistics from the Communities and Local Government in 2006 shows that occurrence of dwelling fires fell by 3 percent- a continuing downward trend since 1999. Consequently, the number deaths caused by dwelling fires fell down by 13 percent on 2005 (Communities and Local Government 2008, p.28). The fire safety education programme ‘Fire Kills’ started by government more than a decade ago is responsible for the downward trend in fire occurrence. Public awareness on the dangers of fire and importance of fire detecting devices help decreased casualties. From 1996 to 2006 fire in buildings decreased considerably.-see table below. In dwellings, fire occurrence due to cooking appliances also dropped from 1996 to 2006. 7. Bibliography Bangash T. 2006. Explosion-resistant Buildings: Design, Analysis, and Case Studies. Springer, Germany Carter Harry R. and Rausch Erwin. 2006. Management in the Fire Service. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, U.S. Chu Jim. 2001. Law Enforcement Information Technology a Managerial, Operational, and Practitioner Guide: A Managerial, Operational, and Practical Guide. CRC Press, U.S. Communities and Local Government. 2008. Fire Statistics United Kingdom 2006. Department of Communities and Local Government, U.K. Diamantes David. 2004. Principles of Fire Prevention. Cengage Learning, U.S. Fischer Robert J. and Green Gion. 2004. Introduction to Security. Butterworth-Heinemann, U.S. Harmathy T. Z. 1985. Fire Safety, Science and Engineering: A Symposium. ASTM International, U.S. International Association of Fire Chiefs. 2004. Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, U.S. Jacoby Jacob and Hoyer Wayne D. 1987. The Comprehension and Miscomprehension of Print Communications: An Investigation of Mass Media Magazines. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, U.S. Leipnik Mark R. and Albert Donald Patrick. 2003. GIS in Law Enforcement: Implementation Issues and Case Studies. CRC Press, U.K. Mullin Ray C. 2001. Electrical Wiring, Residential: Residential/With Blueprints. Cengage Learning, U.S. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 2006. The Economic Cost of Fire: Estimates for 2004. ODPM Publications, U.K. Purpura Philip. 2007. Security and Loss Prevention: An Introduction. Butterworth-Heinemann, U.S. Rigby Barrie and Porges Fred. 2005. Design of Electrical Services for Buildings: 4th Edition. Taylor & Francis, U.K. Stellman Jeanne Mager. 1998. Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. International Labour Organization, U.S. Wenham Martin. 2005. Understanding Primary Science: Ideas, Concepts and Explanations. SAGE, U.K. Read More