Skip to content

Research Help Needed

19 comments

ONE OF OUR LONG-TIME READERS, Assistant Chief Wayne Kewitsh of the Richfield Fire Department in Minnesota is asking for some help:

“Do you happen to know of any resources discussing the use of fire poles, primarily studies indicating injury rates, etc.? Everything we’ve found so far has been anecdotal, although we did speak with a CalOSHA official attached to LA County FD who said they consider them safer than having a firefighter run down stairs at 02:00.

We’re building a new, two-story station and everyone is trying to figure out which has the highest injury incidence, poles, slides or stairs.”

If you’ve got some leads or tips for him, post them in the Comments.  Thanks!

Posted by on August 18, 2009 • Filed under: Fire-ology, safety
  • Kevin Murphy

    Check with FDNY. I remember a study they did during the 60′s on whether the fire poles expedited response. As I remember, they has experienced some injuries and were assessing the use of poles.

  • Kevin Murphy

    Check with FDNY. I remember a study they did during the 60′s on whether the fire poles expedited response. As I remember, they has experienced some injuries and were assessing the use of poles.

  • Gary Kraus

    LA Co. took over the old Azusa FD a number of years ago. The fire station there has a slide and has been in use for at least 45 years, and yes I remember when the station was new! Could be you could make a specific inquirey as to its history.

  • http://firegeezer Gary Kraus

    LA Co. took over the old Azusa FD a number of years ago. The fire station there has a slide and has been in use for at least 45 years, and yes I remember when the station was new! Could be you could make a specific inquirey as to its history.

  • Eric

    A number of years ago (ten or fifteen maybe?) I attended a grand opening of a new headquarters station in San Luis Obispo, CA, and their brand new station had a pole. I asked one of the chief officers how they pulled it off, since many were removing them, and he said they’d done studies and worked with their insurance provider to show that it was safer than running down stairs at night. I don’t know if they’d still have that info available, but they might have it available to share.

  • Eric

    A number of years ago (ten or fifteen maybe?) I attended a grand opening of a new headquarters station in San Luis Obispo, CA, and their brand new station had a pole. I asked one of the chief officers how they pulled it off, since many were removing them, and he said they’d done studies and worked with their insurance provider to show that it was safer than running down stairs at night. I don’t know if they’d still have that info available, but they might have it available to share.

  • Mike

    Poles-tradional, as long as you have rookie to do the polishing.
    Slide-sounds like a funky west coast thing, like plastic helmets
    Stairs- Ya gotta build them to get up ayways.

  • Mike

    Poles-tradional, as long as you have rookie to do the polishing.
    Slide-sounds like a funky west coast thing, like plastic helmets
    Stairs- Ya gotta build them to get up ayways.

  • Rob

    I work for the DOD, and we just replaced our pole. You can get hurt just walking down the hall.

  • Rob

    I work for the DOD, and we just replaced our pole. You can get hurt just walking down the hall.

  • Pingback: Fire Pole or Sliding Chute - Check this out : The Fire Critic - An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service

  • http://firecritic.com Fire Critic

    Check out this alternative to the fire pole. Anyone else seen this around? The firehouse is in Geezer’s backyard.

    http://www.firecritic.com/2009/08/fire-pole-or-sliding-chute/

  • http://www.firecritic.com FireCritic

    Check out this alternative to the fire pole. Anyone else seen this around? The firehouse is in Geezer’s backyard.

    http://www.firecritic.com/2009/08/fire-pole-or-sliding-chute/

  • http://hlsforthefd.blogspot.com/ FIREhat

    I’ve just heard of anecdotal stories as well, but I do believe the guide to station design and construction that you can order from the USFA recommends against poles. Don’t hold me to that.

  • http://hlsforthefd.blogspot.com/ FIREhat

    I’ve just heard of anecdotal stories as well, but I do believe the guide to station design and construction that you can order from the USFA recommends against poles. Don’t hold me to that.

  • MN Chief

    FIREhat, I checked out the document on the USFA website that you referenced. Thanks for that! It has a ton of great information. The document didn’t recommend against fire poles, but covered the main concerns relating to fire pole installation and usage (guard rails, covered opening, etc.).

    The appendix did have a few references which I’m going to attempt to track down.

  • MN Chief

    FIREhat, I checked out the document on the USFA website that you referenced. Thanks for that! It has a ton of great information. The document didn’t recommend against fire poles, but covered the main concerns relating to fire pole installation and usage (guard rails, covered opening, etc.).

    The appendix did have a few references which I’m going to attempt to track down.

  • EMT

    Can’t say I’ve ever seen firefighters around here “run down the stairs” any time, never mind 0200. And they have poles in one station that have never been used- it’s such a long way down in that station nobody wants to take the chance.

  • EMT

    Can’t say I’ve ever seen firefighters around here “run down the stairs” any time, never mind 0200. And they have poles in one station that have never been used- it’s such a long way down in that station nobody wants to take the chance.