FossilMedic brings up the subject:

KILLED WHILE OPERATING IN A BURNING STRUCTURE

Vincent Dunn’s Collapse of Burning Buildings is one of the few fire textbooks that left me sleepless. When the book came out in 1988 Dunn was in his third decade at FDNY and working as Division 3, the mid-town Manhattan deputy chief. While on the job, Chief Dunn obtained an associate (fire administration), bachelor (sociology) and master degree (urban studies) from Queens College, City University of New York.

The opening left a lasting impression: This book is dedicated to the forty-six FDNY chiefs, company officers and firefighters who have been killed by burning buildings which collapsed during the thirty years 1956-1986. Dunn then lists the deceased, including a description on what collapsed on them.

Every chapter starts with a fireground story that describes a collapse or sets a scene. He then describes the construction elements at play for this type of structure. Each chapter concludes with lessons to be learned. I would be wide awake in the fire station bunkroom thinking about how to apply the lessons to my company.

I used the book as a resource for the building construction and strategy and tactics courses that I taught at the community college. I used my own funds to purchase the five videos developed by Dunn for Fire Engineering. With Dunn’s videos I felt I was bringing Brannigan’s building construction course alive.

FDNY LODDS IN STRUCTURE FIRES 1994 - 2008

Last month Chief Dunn made a presentation to The Fire Bell Club of New York (http://www.firebellclub.org ) describing the results of his continuing research into the deaths of FDNY firefighters operating within burning structures.

Chief Dunn

Excluding 9/11, 28 FDNY members died while operating in burning structure fires in the last fourteen years. Seventy-five percent of them were members of ladder companies. Three were from rescue companies and four were from engine companies.

By rank, there were 17 firefighters, seven lieutenants and four captains. Eight-six percent of the deaths occurred while searching the structure. Four were killed while operating a hoseline.

Multiple family dwellings counted for 15 of the fatalities, followed by eight commercial structures, three vacant and two single family homes. Thirteen were killed operating above the fire floor, ten on the fire floor and three in the basement.

There were more deaths during the fire growth stage (64%) than when the fire was fully developed.

DEVELOP AN EXIT STRATEGY

In some situations, command may initiate an evacuation order that does not result in the crews to promptly exit the fire area. Chief Dunn advocates that department’s develop and practice an exit strategy, including a unique signal, more training and a specified assembly area.

Chief Dunn’s fourth textbook, Strategy of Firefighting, was published last year by Fire Engineering.

Chief Dunn’s website: http://www.vincentdunn.com/

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