Fire service administration - Essay Example

Fire Service: School Fire The fire started at around 2.00pm in the basement of the north wing. The es were heading to dismissal at 3pm. The lighting took place in a trash barrel situated at the staircase. The fire burned unnoticed for around 25 minutes, slowly heating the staircase and smoking it that ultimately turned out to be black and thick. It also sent superheated gases and air into a pipe that moved up to classrooms that were situated in the second floor. The smoke then started filling the corridors in the second floor, although remained undetected for some time. At 2.30pm three girls bumped into a thick smoke that chocked them.

They quickly alerted the teacher who was around who lined all students to vacate the building. As the teacher to make her way out of the class to access the avenue that led to the exit, the smoked was more intense and hence, she was forced to sit back in the class with the students to wait for help. The fire ignited fiercely and more time passed before the school alarm rang (McBride, 1979)At this time, a window was shattered at the staircase’s foot from the intense ignition providing the fire with oxygen.

The heat also lit a roll of building paper that along with the oil based waxes triggered the oily, thick dark smoke that led to deaths from the smoke inhalation. The staircase made of wood also got ignited. Just around the same time the janitor noticed the fire and alerted the housekeepers to alert the department of fire. For 330 children and 6 teachers, the remaining outlet was jumping from the second floors or wait for the rescue team to arrive. Noticing the fix they were in, they teachers encouraged the students to sit at their lockers and pray.

The intense flames, heat and smoke pushed them towards the windows. One of the teachers suggested that the students should stuff furniture at the door front that slowed the smoke till the rescue team arrived. Out of all the students, 8 got injured, and 2 died. One died out of roof collapse. The other died in the hospital out of injuries (John K, 2008)InvestigationWhat triggered the fire could not be established. A student of 5th grade during the time of ignition confessed to have set the place ablaze and then withdrew the confession.

He feared telling this to the parents than to the authorities. He also said that he had been setting a series of fire in apartment buildings in the neighborhood. On that day, the boy had been excused to go the washrooms at 2pm. At this time is when the ignition started in the bin. Succeeding the incident, investigation established burned matches in the basement area. Ultimately, the cause was never established as there was no substantial evidence in relation to the confession (David, et al pp. 187)StrategiesAfter the school fire, the president Fire Protection Association stated that no new lessons were learnt form the fire as the earlier ones were ignored.

Significant changes in safety regulations of fire in schools were established nationwide. The association approximated that at least 68% of communities initiated and completed the safety improvements after the incidence. Moreover, the investigators studied lessons that were to be learnt. The council approved a law that required the schools to install fire alarms at schools’ fronts and in other public places. The core of fire alarm structures of the buildings should be fixed to the alarm box.

The investigation had an impact on the improvement of measures as it was found out that the fire was intense by the wooden structures and rolls of papers. It therefore, recommends for limited use of inflammable materials in the schools building and installation of fire alarm boxes at strategic points in the school compound. Minimum requirementsThe NFPA via a document, the standard requirements for the investigation of fire, states minimum requirements for an investigator. The main being the fields in which the fire investigator must have gone through which include fire chemistry, fire science, thermometry, thermodynamics, fire dynamics, investigation technology, methodology, analytical tools, failure analysis and hazardous materials.

The importance of these requirements is that it helps in establishing the cause of fire that helps in establishment of prevention measures and punishing arsonists if there be any. The success of the investigation has great impact on fire administration as it has led to many changes to establish better preventive measures.Cited worksDavid C. and John K .To sleep with the Angels: The Story of a Fire. Chicago, 1996Michele McBride. The Fire That Will Not Die. ETC Publications, Palm Springs, CA, 1979John K.

Remembrances of the Angels: 50th Anniversary Reminiscences of the Fire No One Can Forget. Chicago, 2008