Uh, the vested interested in his career if there aren't fires requiring FD
intervention. The budget reductions because they don't need as may big red
trucks. The budget reductions because they don't need as many firefighters.
The prestige about a division chief over 50 firefighters vs. 10 or what ever
the numbers are. The culture is macho adrenaline. Ain't no glory in
sweeping up water.
The fire service is a reactionary force. Think Army vs. the State
Department. Prevention is tolerated at best. The Army doesn't think about
avoiding war or lessening it. They plan on defeating the enemy, period.
They leave the when to execute to the politicians. The fire service plans
to fight fire and leaves the when up to folks having a bad day or doing
something dumb. When battling an enemy of people or fire this one track
mind is useful, don't get me wrong. Yes, I generalize and there are a few
pockets of hope.
This thinking goes all the way back to the Triangle Shirt Waist Fire in the
early 1900. The earliest modern building code came out of this. The Fire
Chief's of the time had the opportunity to incorporate a proactive
prevention based division but didn't. That is why the building official is
a separate department and of equal or many times more authority than the
fire service. That's why 99% of new construction issues are run by the
building official and developed by the building officials. The fire service
is left with hydrants, fire lane, haz mat and sometimes how but not where to
put sprinklers. Oh and making sure what the BO wanted remains in place.
The first three paragraphs above together are what leads to the full display
we saw over the house issue in Minneapolis at the ICC hearing. Had the
building and fire codes 100 years ago been incorporated into the fire
service we wouldn't have builders and building officials against the fire
service today. We'd have building officials working for the fire chief.
The fire service culture would be entirely different. I believe we would
have had sprinklers in everything 20 or more years ago. We certainly
wouldn't be among the worst in fire losses in the industrialized world.
Fire would be rare and we as taxpayers wouldn't be wasting so much money on
the fire service we know today.
I firmly believe if you took all the fire fighters of all the ranks they
would say sprinklers should be optional everywhere. But that's the culture
of today developed over 100 years ago. That's what you are hearing out of
that chief. It takes time to develop a culture and baring a true revolution
or catastrophe takes even longer to change a culture.
Drives me nuts when those that have never fought a fire, carried a crispy
kid or searched for their brother fire fighters under a collapsed building
decide for the most part what is a minimum level of safety. And all this in
a Code complying building. I am speaking of course of the run of the mill BO
and builder. But I digress a bit. As far as the chief in this article well
let's explore his motives (see 1st paragraph). And you know the news can
always find someone to have a contrary opinion. Too bad they didn't find
the rare BO that wants sprinklers. But I ask too much of "journalists".
Obviously just my opinion based on almost 20 years involved one way or
another in the fire service, 16 years actively on the big RED trucks.
And no I don't feel better now that I got that off my chest.
Chris Cahill, P.E.
Fire Protection Engineer
Sentry Fire Protection, Inc.
763-658-4483
763-658-4921 fax
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Mail: P.O. Box 69
Waverly, MN 55390
Location: 4439 Hwy 12 SW
Waverly, MN 55390
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Thomas
Reinhardt
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 11:36 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Interesting story.Watch video.(Why would a chief make a comment
onoptional sprinklers?)
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