Firefighting & Rescue Social / Professional Network
Will Tragic History Be Repeated? You Decide!
Edit Note: I apologize that the links do not work. There is a problem with hyperlink feature. You will have to cut and paste link into your browser. Sorry for the inconvenience,
Bill Carey’s blog: http://www.firefighternation.com/profiles/blogs/find-six-for-six got me to thinking about our commitment to those that we have lost, why we lost them and what we are doing to honor them every day and not just once a year.
I believe that what we are witness to is a human behavior that is reinforced by the idea that our losses are not that bad, when compared to other occupations. That argument could be championed were it not for the empirical data that says, “Oh; we have been down that road before”.
Would it be fair to say that; if we are faced with the facts of an LODD that has a clear cause and a common sense, corrective action, we would follow it ourselves and even pass it along?
I would think so, assuming that we have taken the time to read the report.
So; why haven’t we seen any significant progress in reducing firefighter LODD in this country?
We are getting more timely information than ever before. Our mission has never been more defined and still, we can’t make a significant and sustainable impact on reducing LODDs.
I am going to list statistics for 1998 – 2008 and please notice that in the categories that I have chosen to highlight that the change from one year to another is fairly static, with very few exceptions.
2008
Total LODDs – 118
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 24
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 52
2007
Total LODDs – 118
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 26
Deaths while training – 11
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 55
2006
Total LODDs – 107
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 15
Deaths while training – 9
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 54
2005
Total LODDs – 115
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 22
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 62
2004
Total LODDs – 119
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 23
Deaths while training – 13
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 66
2003
Total LODDs – 113
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 36
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 51
2002
Total LODDs – 101
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 13
Deaths while training – 11
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 38
2001*
Total LODDs – 107
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 23
Deaths while training – 14
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 43
*does not include 9/11
2000
Total LODDs – 105
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 19
Deaths while training – 13
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 46
1999
Total LODDs – 114
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 26
Deaths while training – 3
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 56
1998
Total LODDs – 93
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 14
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 43
Source:http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fat08.pdf
Again; we will often comment on someone else’s tragic loss(s) and proclaim our concern that “we are not learning from our mistakes and are destined to repeat them”.
Yet; when a tragedy occurs like what happened in the Russian nightclub(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091205/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_nightclub...), we can’t seem to get our heads around “the whys”.
When you look at this country’s deadliest fires and similarities start to line up, we see patterns of that same human behavior; from owners of these death traps ignoring zoning policies to a person’s lack of or ignorance of basic fire safety procedures (example: have two ways out) and the most prominent mind-set of “It can’t happen here or to me”.
Look at this long list without shaking your head, because we all know that won’t fix it!
We have to take the lead in our communities to avert such tragedies.
How?
With relentless public education starting with our own children, strict ordinances, effective inspections and tough enforcement followed by significant penalties.
Iroquois Theatre Fire - December 30, 1903 in Chicago, IL
602 died in the fire caused by a velvet curtain coming into contact with hot stage lights. Backdrops painted with highly flammable oil paints accelerated the flames. Contributing to the high death toll were no sprinklers over the stage, the fire curtain did not contain the fire, no emergency exit lighting, smoke and heat vents did not work and many exit doors were either locked or did not swing out.
New London School Explosion-March 18, 1937 in New London, TX
296 – 319 died as the result of an undetected natural gas leak. The gas accumulated in a crawl space under the school and filtered through the building until it made contact with an electrical source, igniting an explosion that collapsed the structure. At the time, natural gas was a colorless and odorless gas. As a result, Texas required adding mercaptans to make the gas odorous and more detectable. The practice was soon implemented worldwide. This incident remains the worst school disaster in U.S. history.
Rhythm Night Club Fire-April 23, 1940 in Natchez, MS
209 died in this fast-moving fire that started in front of the main entrance door. The fire spread quickly due to decorative moss that had been draped over the rafters. Due to the dry condition of the moss, it produced flammable methane gas. Contributing to the death toll were windows being boarded up, blinding smoke, panic and ensuing stampede to escape through a back door.
Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire-November 28, 1942 in Boston, MA
492 died in the fire that started when someone lit a match, catching paper decorations that adorned the walls and ceilings on fire. It caused panic among the roughly 1,000 people in attendance. The capacity of the club was 460 persons. Contributing to the death toll were no sprinklers and open common areas. Exit doors did not swing out, many doors and windows had been sealed closed and the primary exit was a revolving door. It is the worst night club fire in U.S. history.
Hartford Circus Fire-July 6, 1944 in Hartford, CT
168 died in the fire that started when a side wall of the tent caught fire. Over 100 of the fatalities were children under the age of 15. Contributing to the rapid fire spread was from the tent being coated with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline/kerosene, a common waterproofing process at the time. The rapid fire growth also caused the tent to collapse, trapping spectators beneath the burning debris. There were also inadequate exits, blocked exits and over-crowding that made escape difficult, if not impossible.
Winecoff Hotel Fire-December 7, 1946 in Atlanta, GA
119 hotel guests died after an early morning fire spread very quickly through the hotel. It trapped many people on the upper floors and many jumped from windows to their death. Contributing to the death toll were no sprinklers, only one exit stairway which became impassable in the early stages of the fire, because many of the doors had been propped open. There no fire alarms as well. It is the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.
Our Lady of the Angels School Fire-December 1, 1958 in Chicago, IL
95 fatalities resulted from a fire that started in a cardboard trash can located in a basement stairwell. 92 of the victims were children. Contributing to the death toll was the wooden stair banister that spread the fire to the second floor and attic. This blocked escape from the second floor. Furthermore, combustible walls and ceilings accelerated fire growth with no sprinklers to contain the flames, no automatic fire alarms causing a delayed response from Chicago FD. The exit stairway was also not enclosed. As a result of this fire, Life Safety codes were developed.
Beverly Hills Supper Club-May 28, 1977 in Southgate, KY
165 dinner guests died from what was believed to be an electrical fire attributed to aluminum wiring. Contributing to the death toll were the club’s open design, spiral staircases, corridors and dining rooms. Over-crowding, lack of sprinklers and obscured exit signs made a rapid escape for the 3000 guest and 200 employees very difficult.
MGM Grand Hotel Fire-November 21, 1980 in Las Vegas, NV
87 hotel guests died and more than 700 injured when an electrical fire spread through the 26-story structure. Contributing factors were PVC piping, wallpaper and plastic mirrors that created smoke and toxic fumes. In addition, there were no automatic sprinklers in the casino portion of the building that had hazardous wall and ceiling finishes. The hotel portion had many unprotected vertical shafts, openings that allowed smoke to enter and fill the exit stairwell and doors automatically locked behind people once they exited into the smoke-filled stairwells.
Happy Land Fire-March 25, 1990 in New York City, NY
87 club-goers died when they could not escape from a fire that was intentionally set. Contributing to the loss of life were fire exits were blocked to prevent patrons from sneaking in, no alarms or sprinkler system and the fire was set in the only stairwell. Some were able to escape by knocking down a metal security gate.
Station Nightclub Fire-February 20, 2003 in West Warwick, RI
100 patrons died from a fire caused when the rock band Great White’s tour manager set off pyrotechnics at the beginning of their show. This caused the soundproofing foam at the back of the stage to catch fire, race to the ceiling and spread very quickly. Panic caused the 404 patrons to race to the front entrance to escape the acrid smoke. Contributing to the death toll were no automatic sprinklers and failure to use other exit routes.
In addition to these historic fires, there are some noteworthy incidents with multiple fatalities that occurred when the victims made a panicked effort to exit a facility as a result of an "other-than-fire" emergency.
If you have ever wondered why you can’t yell “FIRE” in a crowded theatre; well, here it is:
The Italian Hall Disaster-December 24, 1913 in Calumet, MI
73 people-mostly children-died in the Italian Hall Disaster in Calumet, Michigan. The tragedy occurred during the copper mine strikes on Christmas Eve in 1913. It was a benefit Christmas party for the children of striking miners in Calumet.
The program was in the upstairs of the Italian Hall. During the program, a man or men opened the doors at the bottom of the stairs leading to the outside and yelled "Fire".
The participants of the party, mostly children, rushed down the stairs and tried to get out.
There was no fire. The doors opened inward and the first children to the doors were crushed against them. More and more party-goers came down the stairs.
It was believed that strike breakers hired by the mine captains committed this heinous act, but no one was ever found or convicted. All died of suffocation.
Nearly whole families died that day.
The Italian Hall was torn down, but they left the doorway and a plaque in memoriam.
The Who Concert Stampede-December 3, 1979 in Cincinnati OH
While waiting to get into a concert by the Who, 11 fans were crushed to death and dozens injured.
Festival seating or general admission was partially blamed for the tragedy. In addition, there was a lack of security and ticket takers. The practice of festival seating was banned in Cincinnati shortly thereafter.
E2 Nightclub Stampede-February 17, 2003 in Chicago, IL
The Epitome Chicago and its upstairs dance floor, E2, was a popular nightclub in Chicago. It was reported that the stampede that caused the deaths of 21 patrons and injuries to more than 50 was the use of pepper spray to break up a fight.
Patrons unfamiliar with its noxious odor panicked and rushed to the exits. Victims were trampled to death and others died of suffocation. The only exit known to most were the narrow, steep front stairwell with narrow doors that opened in; a fire code violation. As more victims tried to get out, they were forced onto victims who had already fallen and were against the exit doors and blocked attempts to get the doors open.
More than 1500 patrons were reported at the nightclub that evening.
Source for highlighted information: Google search
Once again, I will say that we must take the lead to protect our citizens from themselves. It starts with educating them and then identifying the establishments that pose significant risks to public safety.
TCSS.
The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author. You may read other works by the author at www.chiefreasonart.com.
Bill Carey’s blog: http://www.firefighternation.com/profiles/blogs/find-six-for-six got me to thinking about our commitment to those that we have lost, why we lost them and what we are doing to honor them every day and not just once a year.
I believe that what we are witness to is a human behavior that is reinforced by the idea that our losses are not that bad, when compared to other occupations. That argument could be championed were it not for the empirical data that says, “Oh; we have been down that road before”.
Would it be fair to say that; if we are faced with the facts of an LODD that has a clear cause and a common sense, corrective action, we would follow it ourselves and even pass it along?
I would think so, assuming that we have taken the time to read the report.
So; why haven’t we seen any significant progress in reducing firefighter LODD in this country?
We are getting more timely information than ever before. Our mission has never been more defined and still, we can’t make a significant and sustainable impact on reducing LODDs.
I am going to list statistics for 1998 – 2008 and please notice that in the categories that I have chosen to highlight that the change from one year to another is fairly static, with very few exceptions.
2008
Total LODDs – 118
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 24
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 52
2007
Total LODDs – 118
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 26
Deaths while training – 11
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 55
2006
Total LODDs – 107
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 15
Deaths while training – 9
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 54
2005
Total LODDs – 115
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 22
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 62
2004
Total LODDs – 119
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 23
Deaths while training – 13
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 66
2003
Total LODDs – 113
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 36
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 51
2002
Total LODDs – 101
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 13
Deaths while training – 11
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 38
2001*
Total LODDs – 107
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 23
Deaths while training – 14
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 43
*does not include 9/11
2000
Total LODDs – 105
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 19
Deaths while training – 13
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 46
1999
Total LODDs – 114
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 26
Deaths while training – 3
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 56
1998
Total LODDs – 93
Deaths while responding or returning from a call – 14
Deaths while training – 12
Deaths due to stress/overexertion – 43
Source:http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fat08.pdf
Again; we will often comment on someone else’s tragic loss(s) and proclaim our concern that “we are not learning from our mistakes and are destined to repeat them”.
Yet; when a tragedy occurs like what happened in the Russian nightclub(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091205/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_nightclub...), we can’t seem to get our heads around “the whys”.
When you look at this country’s deadliest fires and similarities start to line up, we see patterns of that same human behavior; from owners of these death traps ignoring zoning policies to a person’s lack of or ignorance of basic fire safety procedures (example: have two ways out) and the most prominent mind-set of “It can’t happen here or to me”.
Look at this long list without shaking your head, because we all know that won’t fix it!
We have to take the lead in our communities to avert such tragedies.
How?
With relentless public education starting with our own children, strict ordinances, effective inspections and tough enforcement followed by significant penalties.
Iroquois Theatre Fire - December 30, 1903 in Chicago, IL
602 died in the fire caused by a velvet curtain coming into contact with hot stage lights. Backdrops painted with highly flammable oil paints accelerated the flames. Contributing to the high death toll were no sprinklers over the stage, the fire curtain did not contain the fire, no emergency exit lighting, smoke and heat vents did not work and many exit doors were either locked or did not swing out.
New London School Explosion-March 18, 1937 in New London, TX
296 – 319 died as the result of an undetected natural gas leak. The gas accumulated in a crawl space under the school and filtered through the building until it made contact with an electrical source, igniting an explosion that collapsed the structure. At the time, natural gas was a colorless and odorless gas. As a result, Texas required adding mercaptans to make the gas odorous and more detectable. The practice was soon implemented worldwide. This incident remains the worst school disaster in U.S. history.
Rhythm Night Club Fire-April 23, 1940 in Natchez, MS
209 died in this fast-moving fire that started in front of the main entrance door. The fire spread quickly due to decorative moss that had been draped over the rafters. Due to the dry condition of the moss, it produced flammable methane gas. Contributing to the death toll were windows being boarded up, blinding smoke, panic and ensuing stampede to escape through a back door.
Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire-November 28, 1942 in Boston, MA
492 died in the fire that started when someone lit a match, catching paper decorations that adorned the walls and ceilings on fire. It caused panic among the roughly 1,000 people in attendance. The capacity of the club was 460 persons. Contributing to the death toll were no sprinklers and open common areas. Exit doors did not swing out, many doors and windows had been sealed closed and the primary exit was a revolving door. It is the worst night club fire in U.S. history.
Hartford Circus Fire-July 6, 1944 in Hartford, CT
168 died in the fire that started when a side wall of the tent caught fire. Over 100 of the fatalities were children under the age of 15. Contributing to the rapid fire spread was from the tent being coated with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline/kerosene, a common waterproofing process at the time. The rapid fire growth also caused the tent to collapse, trapping spectators beneath the burning debris. There were also inadequate exits, blocked exits and over-crowding that made escape difficult, if not impossible.
Winecoff Hotel Fire-December 7, 1946 in Atlanta, GA
119 hotel guests died after an early morning fire spread very quickly through the hotel. It trapped many people on the upper floors and many jumped from windows to their death. Contributing to the death toll were no sprinklers, only one exit stairway which became impassable in the early stages of the fire, because many of the doors had been propped open. There no fire alarms as well. It is the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.
Our Lady of the Angels School Fire-December 1, 1958 in Chicago, IL
95 fatalities resulted from a fire that started in a cardboard trash can located in a basement stairwell. 92 of the victims were children. Contributing to the death toll was the wooden stair banister that spread the fire to the second floor and attic. This blocked escape from the second floor. Furthermore, combustible walls and ceilings accelerated fire growth with no sprinklers to contain the flames, no automatic fire alarms causing a delayed response from Chicago FD. The exit stairway was also not enclosed. As a result of this fire, Life Safety codes were developed.
Beverly Hills Supper Club-May 28, 1977 in Southgate, KY
165 dinner guests died from what was believed to be an electrical fire attributed to aluminum wiring. Contributing to the death toll were the club’s open design, spiral staircases, corridors and dining rooms. Over-crowding, lack of sprinklers and obscured exit signs made a rapid escape for the 3000 guest and 200 employees very difficult.
MGM Grand Hotel Fire-November 21, 1980 in Las Vegas, NV
87 hotel guests died and more than 700 injured when an electrical fire spread through the 26-story structure. Contributing factors were PVC piping, wallpaper and plastic mirrors that created smoke and toxic fumes. In addition, there were no automatic sprinklers in the casino portion of the building that had hazardous wall and ceiling finishes. The hotel portion had many unprotected vertical shafts, openings that allowed smoke to enter and fill the exit stairwell and doors automatically locked behind people once they exited into the smoke-filled stairwells.
Happy Land Fire-March 25, 1990 in New York City, NY
87 club-goers died when they could not escape from a fire that was intentionally set. Contributing to the loss of life were fire exits were blocked to prevent patrons from sneaking in, no alarms or sprinkler system and the fire was set in the only stairwell. Some were able to escape by knocking down a metal security gate.
Station Nightclub Fire-February 20, 2003 in West Warwick, RI
100 patrons died from a fire caused when the rock band Great White’s tour manager set off pyrotechnics at the beginning of their show. This caused the soundproofing foam at the back of the stage to catch fire, race to the ceiling and spread very quickly. Panic caused the 404 patrons to race to the front entrance to escape the acrid smoke. Contributing to the death toll were no automatic sprinklers and failure to use other exit routes.
In addition to these historic fires, there are some noteworthy incidents with multiple fatalities that occurred when the victims made a panicked effort to exit a facility as a result of an "other-than-fire" emergency.
If you have ever wondered why you can’t yell “FIRE” in a crowded theatre; well, here it is:
The Italian Hall Disaster-December 24, 1913 in Calumet, MI
73 people-mostly children-died in the Italian Hall Disaster in Calumet, Michigan. The tragedy occurred during the copper mine strikes on Christmas Eve in 1913. It was a benefit Christmas party for the children of striking miners in Calumet.
The program was in the upstairs of the Italian Hall. During the program, a man or men opened the doors at the bottom of the stairs leading to the outside and yelled "Fire".
The participants of the party, mostly children, rushed down the stairs and tried to get out.
There was no fire. The doors opened inward and the first children to the doors were crushed against them. More and more party-goers came down the stairs.
It was believed that strike breakers hired by the mine captains committed this heinous act, but no one was ever found or convicted. All died of suffocation.
Nearly whole families died that day.
The Italian Hall was torn down, but they left the doorway and a plaque in memoriam.
The Who Concert Stampede-December 3, 1979 in Cincinnati OH
While waiting to get into a concert by the Who, 11 fans were crushed to death and dozens injured.
Festival seating or general admission was partially blamed for the tragedy. In addition, there was a lack of security and ticket takers. The practice of festival seating was banned in Cincinnati shortly thereafter.
E2 Nightclub Stampede-February 17, 2003 in Chicago, IL
The Epitome Chicago and its upstairs dance floor, E2, was a popular nightclub in Chicago. It was reported that the stampede that caused the deaths of 21 patrons and injuries to more than 50 was the use of pepper spray to break up a fight.
Patrons unfamiliar with its noxious odor panicked and rushed to the exits. Victims were trampled to death and others died of suffocation. The only exit known to most were the narrow, steep front stairwell with narrow doors that opened in; a fire code violation. As more victims tried to get out, they were forced onto victims who had already fallen and were against the exit doors and blocked attempts to get the doors open.
More than 1500 patrons were reported at the nightclub that evening.
Source for highlighted information: Google search
Once again, I will say that we must take the lead to protect our citizens from themselves. It starts with educating them and then identifying the establishments that pose significant risks to public safety.
TCSS.
The article as submitted is published under The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie© umbrella and is the intellectual property of Art Goodrich a.k.a. ChiefReason. It is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-printed in any form without expressed permission from the author. You may read other works by the author at www.chiefreasonart.com.
Tags: beverly, blocked, exits, fatal, fire, hills, lodd, stampede, station
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Comment by Jack/dt on December 7, 2009 at 12:00pm - "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."
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Comment by Dale Dittrick on December 7, 2009 at 8:13am - What a collection of doom.
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Comment by Ron Graner on December 7, 2009 at 8:11am -
From observing human nature and history, I fear, sadly, that we are doomed to repeat what we have done in the past. Every year in the public we continue to have people fighting against “Big Government” trying to tell them what to do which includes telling businesses that they need to run establishments that are safe for the public and there employees.
We continue to have builders and developers continuing to fight against automatic sprinkler laws.
We continue to have deaths in our own service that are absolutely preventable if common sense safety rules were to be followed and enforced.
From reading the firefighternation postings over the years we also continue to have a small percentage of our own folks who do not understand the basics of safety and think it is still OK to act without thinking of the safety issues and their consequences.
These acts all add to the statistics of death and injury.
On the bright side we also have more and more people in our services who are willing to stand up and fight for improvements in safety for the public and in our profession and to fight to keep their brother and sister firefighters safe when they are serving the public. We must all think before we act and make safety a top priority in our operations and in our lives.
In this holiday season where people make “New Year Resolutions” it is time for each of us to make the resolution that we must all keep.
We in Public Safety must continue to work to bring down the death and injuries in our own profession and for the public we are sworn to serve. It must become the culture of every fire station and department.
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Ron
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