From the Files of David White, President of Fire & Safety Specialists (1981-2023)
Firefighters do not always need an alarm bell to know its time for work. Suddenly, all existence heaves like a sick drunk. The sound of a terrible concussion echoes across the equipment bay. Every pane of glass in the station house is simultaneously tapped by invisible fingers. Maybe that prize picture of the town’s first fire chief comes off the wall with a crash.
The boom response
I call it the boom response. Nobody waits for the first of a flood of 911 calls. Something big has happened and that fireball rising over the local industrial corridor tells you it needs immediate attention.
So the fire trucks start pulling up to the main gates of Filibuster Fabricating and Foundry, that big plant that feeds half the town. A couple of things are immediately apparent. First, there is a big fire. Bigger than last year’s tire store fire. Bigger than last Christmas’ apartment complex fire. Bigger than anything the department has ever simulated in training exercises.
Second, there are almost certainly casualties, maybe even fatalities. Not to worry though. The pre-plan says report to the main gate and receive instructions. But the front gate is wide open. No security guard. No one in charge is to be found. What now?
Unfortunately, too many municipal or district fire chiefs act as if industrial hazards become their responsibility the day of the event, not the day they took the job. Go through the facility in advance and pre-plan it as thoroughly as any other potential fire risk. Plants, refineries, factories and mills are an integral part of the community, not untouchable fortresses.
Time after time, you read the same quote from the fire chief after some industrial catastrophe – “We had no idea what was burning.” That fire chief needs to find another job. The chief has the authority under city, state and federal regulations to know what his department is expected to deal with. Even in facilities cloaked by national security, the local fire department has the authority to demand access.
What are the hazards? What is the worst thing conceivable that could happen? What is the worst thing inconceivable that could happen? How do you respond? Do you go on the offensive or the defensive? Is choosing not to intervene at all a reasonable alternative? Every fire department has its limits. A typical six engine department does not have the resources to tackle a major fire on the top floor of a 10-story high rise. Likewise, an understanding of the resources needed to tackle an industrial fire can make the difference between half a plant or no plant. There is no shame in being defensive and letting the facility burn. It is an acceptable strategy when pitting limited resources against the worst disasters devised by man.
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