By Robert Tutterow

It is the fire station fire. Earlier in the year, I received an inquiry on this subject from an architect who specializes in fire station design. His inquiry was as follows: “It turns out that, on average, 50 fire stations burn each year. Recently a two-year-old station burned. I imagine that the fires begin in a fire truck. Do you think it is possible to put enough water in the bay to stop a fire that starts in a truck?”

I wasn’t exactly clear what he meant about “enough water in the bay,” but fire departments should always be in “prevention” mode when it comes to fire station fires. To underscore this issue, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports: “In 2009-2013, an average of 86 structure fires per year were reported at fire stations, resulting in an average property loss of $2.4 million per year.”

It is certainly not unusual to hear about a station fire, and there are probably a lot of station fires that never make the news and are not reported. But, based on the known numbers, this is 1.65 fire station fires a week-way too many!

During my career, my fire department (with 42 fire stations) had one working fire in a fire station. The cause was unattended food on the stove. The crew was “in quarters” but outside grilling and forgot about the pot on the kitchen stove, which happened to be on the second story of the two-story station. The company was able to extinguish the fire without calling for assistance, but the kitchen cabinetry was charred and there was minor smoke damage on the second floor. The incident never made the news. As the safety officer, I was notified; when I arrived, the crew had cleaned all the smoke damage and, except for the charring, the kitchen would have received the highest of food sanitation ratings. It was clearly obvious, the crew wanted the damage to look (and be) as minimal as possible!

I’ve often heard that an automotive mechanic may have the worst maintained vehicle. Far too often, we in the fire service have some of the most egregious fire safety violations in our stations. The fire station fire is not only embarrassing, but it puts the community’s fire protection at risk.

The fire incident described in my department was not exactly as described in the inquiry from the architect. I think he is probably correct in that most fires start in apparatus and spread to the station. The catastrophic losses are likely in stations that are unattended, primarily volunteer and combination fire departments.

Prevention Measures

So, what are the prevention measures? The short answer is a sprinkler system. Yet, the reality is that unless the station was built in the past 25 years, it probably does not have a sprinkler system, and many built today still do not have sprinkler systems. A fire that starts in the cab of an apparatus will not initially benefit from a sprinkler system because of the cab roof, so consider an onboard extinguishment system and/or alerting system.

As with all fires, early detection is crucial. All fire stations should have a detection system that immediately notifies the fire dispatch system of a fire or potential fire in a fire station. The longer a station is left unattended, the more important this system is to prevent a catastrophic loss.

NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, has an entire chapter on “Facility Safety” (Chapter 9). Among the requirements are compliance with the life safety code and sprinkler systems for all new fire stations. There are requirements for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well as all federal, state, and local fire code requirements

By Robert Tutterow

It is the fire station fire. Earlier in the year, I received an inquiry on this subject from an architect who specializes in fire station design. His inquiry was as follows: “It turns out that, on average, 50 fire stations burn each year. Recently a two-year-old station burned. I imagine that the fires begin in a fire truck. Do you think it is possible to put enough water in the bay to stop a fire that starts in a truck?”

I wasn’t exactly clear what he meant about “enough water in the bay,” but fire departments should always be in “prevention” mode when it comes to fire station fires. To underscore this issue, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports: “In 2009-2013, an average of 86 structure fires per year were reported at fire stations, resulting in an average property loss of $2.4 million per year.”

It is certainly not unusual to hear about a station fire, and there are probably a lot of station fires that never make the news and are not reported. But, based on the known numbers, this is 1.65 fire station fires a week-way too many!

During my career, my fire department (with 42 fire stations) had one working fire in a fire station. The cause was unattended food on the stove. The crew was “in quarters” but outside grilling and forgot about the pot on the kitchen stove, which happened to be on the second story of the two-story station. The company was able to extinguish the fire without calling for assistance, but the kitchen cabinetry was charred and there was minor smoke damage on the second floor. The incident never made the news. As the safety officer, I was notified; when I arrived, the crew had cleaned all the smoke damage and, except for the charring, the kitchen would have received the highest of food sanitation ratings. It was clearly obvious, the crew wanted the damage to look (and be) as minimal as possible!

I’ve often heard that an automotive mechanic may have the worst maintained vehicle. Far too often, we in the fire service have some of the most egregious fire safety violations in our stations. The fire station fire is not only embarrassing, but it puts the community’s fire protection at risk.

The fire incident described in my department was not exactly as described in the inquiry from the architect. I think he is probably correct in that most fires start in apparatus and spread to the station. The catastrophic losses are likely in stations that are unattended, primarily volunteer and combination fire departments.

Prevention Measures

So, what are the prevention measures? The short answer is a sprinkler system. Yet, the reality is that unless the station was built in the past 25 years, it probably does not have a sprinkler system, and many built today still do not have sprinkler systems. A fire that starts in the cab of an apparatus will not initially benefit from a sprinkler system because of the cab roof, so consider an onboard extinguishment system and/or alerting system.

As with all fires, early detection is crucial. All fire stations should have a detection system that immediately notifies the fire dispatch system of a fire or potential fire in a fire station. The longer a station is left unattended, the more important this system is to prevent a catastrophic loss.

NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, has an entire chapter on “Facility Safety” (Chapter 9). Among the requirements are compliance with the life safety code and sprinkler systems for all new fire stations. There are requirements for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well as all federal, state, and local fire code requirements

By Robert Tutterow

It is the fire station fire. Earlier in the year, I received an inquiry on this subject from an architect who specializes in fire station design. His inquiry was as follows: “It turns out that, on average, 50 fire stations burn each year. Recently a two-year-old station burned. I imagine that the fires begin in a fire truck. Do you think it is possible to put enough water in the bay to stop a fire that starts in a truck?”

I wasn’t exactly clear what he meant about “enough water in the bay,” but fire departments should always be in “prevention” mode when it comes to fire station fires. To underscore this issue, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports: “In 2009-2013, an average of 86 structure fires per year were reported at fire stations, resulting in an average property loss of $2.4 million per year.”

It is certainly not unusual to hear about a station fire, and there are probably a lot of station fires that never make the news and are not reported. But, based on the known numbers, this is 1.65 fire station fires a week-way too many!

During my career, my fire department (with 42 fire stations) had one working fire in a fire station. The cause was unattended food on the stove. The crew was “in quarters” but outside grilling and forgot about the pot on the kitchen stove, which happened to be on the second story of the two-story station. The company was able to extinguish the fire without calling for assistance, but the kitchen cabinetry was charred and there was minor smoke damage on the second floor. The incident never made the news. As the safety officer, I was notified; when I arrived, the crew had cleaned all the smoke damage and, except for the charring, the kitchen would have received the highest of food sanitation ratings. It was clearly obvious, the crew wanted the damage to look (and be) as minimal as possible!

I’ve often heard that an automotive mechanic may have the worst maintained vehicle. Far too often, we in the fire service have some of the most egregious fire safety violations in our stations. The fire station fire is not only embarrassing, but it puts the community’s fire protection at risk.

The fire incident described in my department was not exactly as described in the inquiry from the architect. I think he is probably correct in that most fires start in apparatus and spread to the station. The catastrophic losses are likely in stations that are unattended, primarily volunteer and combination fire departments.

Prevention Measures

So, what are the prevention measures? The short answer is a sprinkler system. Yet, the reality is that unless the station was built in the past 25 years, it probably does not have a sprinkler system, and many built today still do not have sprinkler systems. A fire that starts in the cab of an apparatus will not initially benefit from a sprinkler system because of the cab roof, so consider an onboard extinguishment system and/or alerting system.

As with all fires, early detection is crucial. All fire stations should have a detection system that immediately notifies the fire dispatch system of a fire or potential fire in a fire station. The longer a station is left unattended, the more important this system is to prevent a catastrophic loss.

NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, has an entire chapter on “Facility Safety” (Chapter 9). Among the requirements are compliance with the life safety code and sprinkler systems for all new fire stations. There are requirements for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well as all federal, state, and local fire code requirements

By Mario H. Trevino

Have you ever heard of firefighter air replenishment systems (FARS)? If not, you’re not alone.

In fact, a majority of fire chiefs, fire marshals, and firefighters in the United States either have minimal knowledge or are completely unaware of this technological advancement, even though FARS are in the 2015 Edition of the International Fire Code as Appendix “L.”

Don’t be surprised. Many of the technologies we take for granted today, like thermal imaging cameras, were unheard of in the fire service not so long ago. New technologies arise every day, and not many things have the staying power to go on to affect our day-to-day operations. Even the best new ideas take time to gain acceptance in our complicated industry.

1 Firefighters using the “Bottle Brigade” method to cache air bottles in a high-rise building. Each member normally carries two bottles, one in each hand. This is a slow, difficult process for all involved. Because of firefighter fatigue, each member can only do one or two trips up stairways to higher floors before needing time in rehab. (Photos courtesy of Rescue Air Systems.)

FARS are now at that point. More and more jurisdictions are requiring FARS in midrise and high-rise buildings, large “big box” structures, and other new construction projects. Thousands of firefighters are becoming familiar with both the concept and the benefits of these systems. More than 400 FARS have been installed and are in service across the country, and there are 35 more currently in various stages of installation. FARS have been adopted in numerous states, including Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. As awareness grows, more and more jurisdictions are investigating and embracing the technology.

Even if you are part of a jurisdiction that has not adopted FARS yet, it is still advisable to get informed about what it is, how the system operates, and the benefits offered. Why? First, from a firefighter safety perspective, it may be possible that you could find yourself in a mutual aid, urban search and rescue (USAR), or other situation and be engaged in fire suppression in a building that has built-in air replenishment. Second, if and when your community is considering adopting FARS as part of its local fire code, your opinion should be an important part of this conversation. After all, it is your safety at stake.

First, What Are FARS?

Simply stated, FARS are standpipes delivering breathing air, providing firefighters with a quick, safe, and effective means to refill their air bottles at filling stations located throughout a building during emergency operations. FARS deliver air replenishment when and where firefighters need it the most.

To effectively execute their mission of extinguishing fires, firefighters normally need two important resources: water and breathing air. Under current firefighting standard operations, by the time a firefighter is prepared to enter an immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) environment, he will be wearing or carrying close to 100 pounds