High-Rise

[Big T]

It is important what you have written here saddlers. If the fire is below you and see smoke rising, you become aware and effectively become "Affected" by fire. Granted on a pshycological level but none the less your behavior will change.

I think the strategy works well if people aren't aware of a fire in their building, the moment you become aware, you wish to leave. The investigation into the deaths of the fire fighters in the Stevenage high rise fire in 2005 recommended that sounders and break glass units were removed from common areas. The alarms caused confusion.

I recently attended the aftermath of a sheltered accomodation fire and in my opinion if all occupants had stayed in their flats, no-one would have been hurt. Those who left their flats moved smoke through doors that would have otherwise been closed (Ie corridoors)

[wee brian]

Thats how it's intended to work.

The other issue is that there is an expectation that the fire service will decide if and when the building should be evacuated.  I get the impression that some officers arent clear about how and when this should be done.

[slubberdegullion]

The other issue is that there is an expectation that the fire service will decide if and when the building should be evacuated.  I get the impression that some officers arent clear about how and when this should be done.

I wont take anything away from the ops guys ("guys" meaning both sexes here) and the job they do, but you're right Brian.  Many aren't aware of the consequences of the construction of the building and of the fire strategies that have been assigned to buildings.  Why should they be?  Ops and fire safety tend not to effectively communicate with each other.  

But, even when they are, the "guys" on the trucks can't carry round in their heads the fire strategies for every building they're likely to go to a fire in.

The problem may be rooted in HR within the fire service.  Maybe every crew manager should be required to serve a couple of years in fire safety before progressing further in their career.  Where have I heard that before?

Stu

[PhilB]

No, Stu, surely it would be better if they can role play and use buzz words.....a leisure centre manager for example!

[slubberdegullion]

No, Stu, surely it would be better if they can role play and use buzz words.....a leisure centre manager for example!

Phil,

I think you have something there.  You'll go far...

[wee brian]

I was talking to a guy the other day, he asaid that the fire safety course at the college was the best ops course he had ever been on. Now he understands what he was meant to have been doing for the last 10+ years!

[jasper]

going back to this subject (I know it has been a while) but if you have a block of flats (10 storeys for example) if my reading of approved doc b correct that the protected landing which the flats have access to really should not have glazed elements? i.e. one near me has small glazing to the door and an openable window for the bathroom with no intumescent strips and only Georgian wired glazing (or am I looking at this too deep?)

[kurnal]

If what you are saying is that there is unprotected glazing between a flat and the common lobby then it does not comply with the guidance that has been in force since 1971 ...but many tower blocks built in the 60s were like that.

[jasper]

cheers for the reply kurnal, it just seems odd that they have got away with this lack of compartmentation even though this is he key to them getting away with no detection etc.