Posts tagged fire
Boulder sheriff wants a fireworks ban in county
0Commissioners to review burn permit policies and open fire restrictions for unincorporated Boulder County
Public invited to comment at hearing scheduled for May 22 at 9:30 a.m.
Boulder County, Colo. – The Boulder County Commissioners will review recommended modifications to the county’s existing ordinance restricting open fires on “red flag” days at a public hearing on Tuesday.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is recommending that the current ordinance be repealed and replaced with an updated policy that requires permitting for non-agricultural burns and further restricts open burning where the danger of forest or grass fires is found to be high. The new ordinance will address identification of red flag warning days, notification regarding open burning, and penalties for violating statute, ordinance, and requirements of the open burn permit system or the notification system.
“A relatively new state law requires counties to develop a permit system this year, for property owners wanting to burn slash and conduct open burning,” Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said. “The Sheriff’s Office has been working closely with the Department of Public Health to develop a ‘one stop’ permit process which incorporates both the requirements of the state regarding air quality, and our needs regarding safety.”
Part of the plan includes educational and training materials for the individuals seeking permits. It is being developed to be administered online. These proposed new permit requirements do not apply to agricultural burning. They would primarily affect people in unincorporated Boulder County wanting to burn slash piles.
Also to be considered is the recommendation that fire restrictions go into effect under an expanded list of circumstances that contribute to high fire danger, such as during High Wind Advisories. Currently the ordinance only specifies that all open burning, including agricultural burning, be prohibited when the National Weather Service issues a “Red Flag Warning” for fire danger.
“We have found that fires continue to grow out of control on days when the county is under a High Wind Watch or Advisory, and that common sense sometimes does not prevail when deciding whether or not to burn on windy days,” added Pelle. “We wish to include those windy weather conditions under the proposed new ordinance, as times when open burning would be illegal.”
Members of the public are invited to review the draft ordinance online and provide comments in writing or in person at the hearing.
The first reading for the ordinance will be held:
When: 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 22
What: Public hearing on an ordinance establishing an open burn permit system, notification process of open burns, and restrictions during red flag days, high wind watch days and high wind warning days
Where: Boulder County Courthouse, 3rd Floor, Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 1325 Pearl Street, Boulder
The hearing can be viewed online at: www.bouldercounty.org/stream.
A copy of the draft ordinance is available at: www.bouldercounty.org (search by keyword “ordinances.”)
On a related note, the Sheriff’s Office will be presenting an amendment to the fire ban currently in effect for the mountain areas of Boulder County at the Commissioners’ next business meeting. The proposed amendment will include a provision to extend the ban on the sale and use of fireworks to all of unincorporated Boulder County. The public is invited to attend and comment on the proposed changes at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 22 in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room.
Watch Out For Boulder Boomerang Effect With City Park Ban On Homeless by Rob Smoke
0Someone needs to ask Boulder fire chief — county sheriff — city manager …
Rob Smoke, columnist
….DOES the possibility of increased wilderness usage by homeless people –
people who may have been affected or influenced by Boulder’s new rules
banning people from parks at night — indicate a higher risk of fire?
In fact, there’s no other conclusion that can be reached.
It should be pointed out that stating an increased risk is not bashing the homeless.
If someone is outdoors and physically exposed, and there are limited options,
a fire is something very useful, even if it is in violation of an ordinance.
Also, the circumstances that can lead to a campfire turning into a wildfire
can be as simple as leaving the fire unattended when it appears to be out –
and it’s a phenomena that need occur only in an extremely small fraction of all
instances of people using an outdoor fire to create a disaster, which is not to call homeless people
as a group “firebugs.”
If I’m not mistaken, the Fourmile and/or Dome fires were considered likely to have
been caused by outdoor campfires, according to sheriff Pelle.
The city of Boulder, and soon to be city of Denver, it appears, are enacting
ordinances which essentially ask homeless people to disappear.
One has to consider the availability of “disappearable” locations –
our wilderness areas comprise, geographically, the largest subset of
disappearable locations. It should also be noted, the new rules and
regulations — and the anti-camping ordinances — are essentially a violation
of civil rights, putting people in harm’s way without recourse.
Whilst officials tell their constituents they are “cleaning up” the homeless problem;
facts are, a wildfire caused by a homeless person who might have otherwise
stayed in a city park, without a fire, but closer to basic services –
would be a horrible boomerang effect — not a small price to pay for
relying on law enforcement to solve a social crisis.
People need to open their eyes — not because the homeless
somehow threaten to burn down Colorado, but because
the risk of fire is substantial enough that the only prudent thing
to do under these circumstances is everything in our power
to lessen risk. It would be one thing if every homeless
person represented a lost tree. The mathematics of the risk, in this case,
indicate that it could be one non-malicious homeless person out of thousands causing
the loss of a forest or homes or lives. That increased risk, in light of the new
laws, is a serious issue. The risk situation is analogous
to nuclear power safety. It’s perfectly safe, except when it isn’t.
Put another way, although many thousands of matches
may be lit that do not lead to a forest fire, it still takes only one lit match.
Another aspect, of equal concern I’m certain,
is that putting people into the wilderness — which is simply an obvious possible
result of the anti-homeless ordinances — exposes them to a spectrum of dangers.
People die out in the wilderness all the time for lack of food, water, warmth
or emergency medical services.
The immediate solution is to suspend enactment of ordinances
banning people from public places. If Boulder or Denver residents find the presence of homeless
people inconvenient or unpleasant, then solutions that don’t involve making them “disappear”
must be sought.
Rob Smoke is a political columnist for Boulder Channel 1 often writing about city politics. Rob is a critic and one man watch dog of the council and has been for over 20 years. He has been a writer and journalist for many local papers. Tuesdays nights he can be found at Boulder city council meetings.
#Boulder County fire danger high
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Lefthand Canyon OHV area closed
Boulder County, Colo. – With dry and windy weather conditions expected through the weekend, Sheriff Joe Pelle and the Boulder County Commissioners are reminding residents and visitors to take caution and be aware that fire danger is extremely high.
The fire ban imposed Tuesday remains in effect. Open burning is restricted and Sheriff Pelle has asked people to refrain from shooting or any other activities that could provide a source of possible ignition
Additionally, the U.S. Forest Service has temporarily closed the Lefthand Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle area northwest of Boulder to all entry and uses until further notice.
“Two of three recent fires on the Boulder Ranger District were located in the Lefthand Canyon OHV area,” Acting District Ranger Dave Park said in a USFS news release. “Quick response and early detection helped us keep the fires small. But heavy use combined with dry, lower elevation conditions and expected windy weather continues to be a concern. This area will remain closed until conditions improve.”
USFS officials have asked visitors to use extra caution with all activities. At this time of year fire danger can vary by location and increase rapidly on windy days. “The county appreciates the Forest Service’s proactive stance during this time of very high fire danger and resource issues,” Pelle said.
#Boulder Sheriff: No open fires in the county
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Sheriff Pelle Orders Outdoor Fire Ban
Wednesday, March 27, 2012 Boulder County has seen little moisture over the past month and fire conditions continue to worsen as little relief is anticipated. In addition, Red Flag Fire and high wind warnings and watches have continued to be issued almost weekly. The National Weather Service has declared March 2012 as the driest month on record. These weather conditions along with a series of at least three human-caused fires this past week have prompted Sheriff Joe Pelle to pro-actively respond by issuance of a Fire Ban.
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Boulder will burn its open space
0City to conduct prescribed grassland burns this month
The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) department and the Boulder Fire Department will be conducting prescribed grassland burns this month. The burns will be conducted only if environmental and weather conditions fall within city burn plan guidelines. Ignitions will not begin before 10 a.m. and will end no later than 2 p.m.
Prescribed burns will be conducted at the following sites:
- OSMP Fell property, a 15-acre site located north of Valmont Road and east of 75th Street,
- OSMP Van Vleet property, a 25-acre site located west of South Boulder Creek and south of South Boulder Road.
- OSMP Gephard property, a 20-acre site located east of South Boulder Creek, north of South Boulder Road, and west of Cherryvale Rd.
Boulder’s ecosystems have evolved with fire over thousands of years. The prescribed burning of these areas will improve habitat for native plants and wildlife.
Additionally, OSMP, in conjunction with the Boulder Fire Department, will be conducting ditch burns throughout the spring on the city’s agricultural properties. OSMP has significant shares of water rights used primarily to support agricultural activity in the Boulder Valley. Ditch burning is important to the productivity of agricultural cropland and the efficiency of water delivery. Periodic burning removes the build up of plant debris in irrigation ditches and also keeps weeds at bay, reducing herbicide use. Burning is a cost effective way to clear irrigation ditches before the spring water run off.
No burning will occur on Red Air Quality days. Trained fire personnel and natural resource advisors will be on site during this activity.
For questions about prescribed burning on OSMP properties, please call 303-441-3440 or visit www.OSMP.org.
CU student’s project UAV to “shake the ground” of rocket research
0CU team’s efficient unmanned aircraft
jetting toward commercialization
Propulsion by a novel jet engine is the crux of the innovation behind a University of Colorado Boulder-developed aircraft that’s accelerating toward commercialization.
Jet engine technology can be small, fuel-efficient and cost-effective, at least with Assistant Professor Ryan Starkey’s design. The CU-Boulder aerospace engineer, with a team of students, has developed a first-of-its-kind supersonic unmanned aircraft vehicle, or UAV. The UAV, which is currently in a prototype state, is expected to fly farther and faster — using less fuel — than anything remotely similar to date.
The fuel efficiency of the engine that powers the 50-kilogram UAV is already double that of similar-scale engines, and Starkey says he hopes to double that efficiency again through further engineering.
Assistant Professor Ryan Starkey, left, with a team of students and one graduate, looks over = engine model nozzles for a first-of-its-kind supersonic unmanned aircraft vehicle, visible in the simulation on the computer screen, that's expected to fly farther and faster Ñ using less fuel Ñ than anything remotely similar to date. From left: Starkey, Sibylle Walter, doctoral student; Joah Deomm, master's graduate; and Greg Rancourt, master's student. (Photo by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado)
Starkey says his UAV could be used for everything from penetrating and analyzing storms to military reconnaissance missions — both expeditions that can require the long-distance, high-speed travel his UAV will deliver — without placing human pilots in danger. The UAV also could be used for testing low-sonic-boom supersonic transport aircraft technology, which his team is working toward designing.
The UAV is intended to shape the next generation of flight experimentation after post-World War II rocket-powered research aircraft, like the legendary North American X-15, have long been retired.
“I believe that what we’re going to do is reinvigorate the testing world, and that’s what we’re pushing to do,” said Starkey. “The group of students who are working on this are very excited because we’re not just creeping into something with incremental change, we’re creeping in with monumental change and trying to shake up the ground.”
Its thrust capacity makes the aircraft capable of reaching Mach 1.4, which is slightly faster than the speed of sound. Starkey says that regardless of the speed reached by the UAV, the aircraft will break the world record for speed in its weight class.
Its compact airframe is about 5 feet wide and 6 feet long. The aircraft costs between $50,000 and $100,000 — a relatively small price tag in a field that can advance only through testing, which sometimes means equipment loss.
Starkey’s technology — three years in the making at CU-Boulder — is transitioning into a business venture through his weeks-old Starkey Aerospace Corp., called Starcor for short. The company was incubated by eSpace, which is a CU-affiliated nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurial space companies. Starkey’s UAV already has garnered interest from the U.S. Army, Navy, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and NASA. The acclaimed Aviation Week publication also has highlighted Starkey’s UAV.
Starkey says technology transfer is important because it parlays university research into real-life applications that advance societies and contribute to local and global economies.
It also can provide job tracks for undergraduate and graduate students, says Starkey who’s bringing some of the roughly 50 students involved in UAV development into his budding Starcor.
“There are great students everywhere, but one of the reasons why I came to CU was because of how the students are trained. We definitely make sure they understand everything from circuit board wiring to going into the shop and building something,” said Starkey. “It makes them very effective and powerful even as fresh engineers with bachelor’s degrees. They’re very good students to hire. That’s a piece that I’m interested in embracing — finding the really good talent that we have right here in Colorado and pulling it into the company.”
Starkey and his students are currently creating a fully integrated and functioning engineering test unit of the UAV, which will be followed by a critical design review after resolving any problems. The building of the aircraft and process of applying for FAA approval to test it in the air will carry into next year.
Starkey’s continuing fascination with speed first began to burn inside of him when he visited Kennedy Space Center at the age of 5.
“When I teach I tell my class, ‘If it goes fast and gets hot, I’m in it.’ That’s what I want to do. There needs to be fire involved somewhere.”
-C
Boulder Office of EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT latest it’s a real mess out there
02/22 7:35 p.m. – Lyons fire contained, but evacuees still awaiting word on evacuations
It is anticipated that the the evacuations will remain in effect for several hours as crews assess any potential for additional fire activity in the Lyons Stone Canyon area. Evacuees are advised to remain at the evacuation center until further notice.
2/22 7:20 p.m. – Stone Canyon Fire contained
Fire crews are reporting that the Stone Canyon Fire has been contained. Firefighters are still on the scene to monitor and address hot spots. The fire scorched about 20 acres. Evacuation Center officials are reporting that approximately 15 families are on scene, awaiting word about when they can safely return to their homes. Updates will be posted here as soon as they are available.
2/22 6:40 p.m. – Hwy. 36 has been re-opened
The Colorado State Patrol has re-opened Hwy. 36, but motorists are advised to use caution because of high wind conditions.
2/22 6:35 p.m. – Additional evacuation information
Evacuations have been ordered for the Eagle Ridge subdivision, and officials are re-routing traffic to 5th Avenue because of a downed power line at 1125 Stone Canyon Road.
2/22 6:30 p.m. – Hwy. 36 closed at McCaslin Boulevard
Motorists are advised that Hwy. 36 is closed at McCaslin Boulevard in both directions. Alternate routes are suggested.
2/22 6:15 p.m. – Lyons High School opens as evacuation center
Emergency officials are opening an evacuation center at Lyons High School for individuals displaced by the Stone Canyon fire. The high school is located at 100 S. Second Ave. in Lyons. Individuals are encouraged to at least check in at the evacuation center to register in the event that officials need to contact them.
2/22 6:05 p.m. – New fire reported east of Lyons
Crews are responding to a grassfire that is threatening structures east of Lyons. The fire, approximately 2 acres, started behind 931 Stone Canyon Road. Emergency officials made 42 Everbridge notifications, advising people to evacuate immediately because of the high winds and fast-moving 10- to 15-foot flames. No evacuation centers have been established yet. Additional updates will be posted as soon as they are available.
2/22 6 p.m. – City, county crews contain Diagonal Fire
Contact:
EOC Media Line – 720-564-2935
City, county fire crews contain grass fire along Diagonal Highway
City and county firefighters have contained a grass fire that broke out at about 3:30 p.m. today at 63rd Street and Diagonal Highway. Firefighters battled high winds that made conditions particularly challenging. As of 5 p.m., crews were reporting that the blaze was 100 percent contained.
Read more…
2/22 5:45 p.m. – Weather Update
According to the National Weather Service, we are currently experiencing the strongest winds of the evening, with gusts out of the W/SW over 70 mph. Between 8 and 9 p.m., winds will shift to NW at 40-50 mph. Around midnight tonight, winds shift to the N decreasing to 25-30 mph gusts. The wind helps to move a cold front quickly in to Boulder County by 5 a.m. with winds at 10-15 mph. Snow accumulations expected to be .5 to 1 inch, and the storm will move out of the area by noon tomorrow.
2/22 5:22 p.m. – Diagonal Fire
2/22 5:22p.m. – Diagonal Fire The Diagonal Fire is now 100% contained. The Diagonal is open for Longmont bound traffic, still closed for Boulder bound traffic. 63rd St. is closed from the diagonal to Monarch Road. 71st St. is closed between State Highway 52 and Winchester Circle.
2/22 4:40 p.m. – Diagonal Fire
2/22 5:04p.m. – Diagonal Fire – 1300 reverse notifications were sent to the area from Lookout Road north to Niwot Rd, and from 79th Street west to the Diagonal, advising residents of the fire in the area. No evacuations were ordered.
2/22 4:40 p.m. – Diagonal Fire
2/22 4:40 p.m. – Diagonal Fire Update – There are no mandatory evacuations at this time. Voluntary evacuation should go Eastbound towards 75th Street.
2/22 4:30 p.m. – Diagonal Fire
Fire crews are responding to a brush fire near 63rd Street and Diagonal Highway. Initial reports indicated the fire was near Tom Watson Park, west of Diagonal Highway.
Please be aware that both lanes of the Diagonal Highway at 63rd Street have been shut down.
City, county fire crews contain grass fire along Diagonal Highway
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City, county fire crews contain grass fire along Diagonal Highway
City and county firefighters have contained a grass fire that broke out at about 3:30 p.m. today at 63rd Street and Diagonal Highway. Firefighters battled high winds that made conditions particularly challenging. As of 5 p.m., crews were reporting that the blaze was 100 percent contained.
Emergency officials used the Everbridge notification system to inform 1,300 households of the fire. No evacuations were ordered.
The fire, which spread to about 45 acres, started on City of Boulder Open Space and property owned by IBM, near a transformer just outside of Tom Watson Park.
Several agencies responded to the fire: City of Boulder Fire, Longmont Fire, Lafayette Fire, Louisville Fire, Boulder Rural Fire Protection District, Lefthand Fire Protection District, Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District, Mountainview Fire Protection District, Fourmile Fire Protection District, Sunshine Fire Protection District, Lyons Fire Protection District, Sugarloaf Fire Protection District, Boulder Emergency Squad, American Medical Response ambulance service, Boulder Police, Boulder Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, City of Boulder Open Space and Boulder County Open Space.
Officials are anticipating that high winds could pick up ash and dust. Individuals with respiratory concerns are advised to stay indoors and limit their exposure to particulate matter. Firefighters are planning to remain on scene throughout the night to monitor and respond to any potential hot spots.
The city-county Emergency Operations Center has been activated and updates, including road closures information, are being posted atwww.boulderoem.com/emergency-
CU Boulder’s video game design research catches fire with students
0CU-Boulder nets $1.5 million NSF grant
to continue video game design research
The University of Colorado Boulder exceeded its own researchers’ expectations with its iDREAMS Scalable Game Design Summer Institute, and that success has been rewarded with a new $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation. CU-Boulder researchers are tracking how video game design engages students in computational thinking and STEM simulation design.
STEM simulations are computer programs that model natural and social phenomena, such as how a forest fire spreads from tree to tree. Students design these simulations to learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.
The new NSF-funded Computational Thinking for Teaching Computing grant to computer science Professor Alexander Repenning and co-investigators Kris Gutiérrez and David Webb from the School of Education, will build on previous work the team did on video game design as a motivational tool for computer science education.
That project, called iDREAMS, involved more than 100 teachers and over 8,000 students producing more than 10,000 games and STEM simulations. The project started in Colorado but quickly expanded to Alaska, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming where it gave teachers the tools and support needed to take the video game design curriculum into their classrooms. Participation far exceeded initial projections for the iDREAMS research project of about 40 teachers and 1,200 students over three years.
The curriculum, as taught through the Scalable Game Design Summer Institute on the CU-Boulder campus during the past three summers, was found to be highly effective across a wide spectrum of communities, including technology hubs, urban/inner city, rural and remote Native American communities.
The research team was encouraged by the extraordinarily high levels of participation and motivation, especially for girls and underrepresented students: 45 percent of participants were girls and 56 percent were underrepresented minorities. Motivation, expressed by a willingness to take more game design classes, was determined to be 74 percent for boys, 64 percent for girls, 71 percent for white participants and 69 percent for minority students.
In the new project, student performance data using measures of computational thinking will be integrated to further analyze how video game design helps students reason and learn STEM content. The performance data will be used to enhance the Scalable Game Design curriculum and professional development opportunities for teachers.
“I am extremely excited to see the enormous energy of students and teachers involved in the Scalable Game Design project,” said Repenning. “They have shown that it really is possible to bring computer science education to public schools and integrate it into the curriculum. The Scalable Game Design curriculum includes problem solving, logical thinking skills and sophisticated math and science concepts highly relevant to STEM and computer science education.”
CU-Boulder will again host its popular Scalable Game Design Summer Institute for K-12 teachers this summer, June 4-10, as part of its long-term efforts to improve and broaden participation in computer science education.
“We now want to analyze the impact of the research on students’ motivation and what they are learning, continuing the success of the iDREAMS project,” said Webb. “With the new grant, we can build up more robust research instruments that can be used for computer science education. We will continue to be very intentional regarding our research of particular populations and will be broadening the scope of groups studied.”
Project partners include AgentSheets Inc., the Computer Science Teachers Association, the National Center for Women & Information Technology, the Shodor Foundation and SRI International.
For more information visit http://scalablegamedesign.cs.colorado.edu.
30 years ago a training fire went bad in Boulder Full Story
0FROM FIRE ENGINEERING
Boulder (CO) Fire Department held a remembrance ceremony in memory of Firefighters Scott Smith and William Duran on the 25th anniversary of their deaths, which resulted from a live-fire training tragedy on January 26, 1982. Lieutenant Daniel Cutler also was seriously burned in that event. This incident was instrumental in the development of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1403, Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions.
THE BOULDER EXERCISE
This live-fire training drill, billed as “a smoke drill,” was conducted in an abandoned wood-frame chicken coop. To generate smoke, tires, motor oil, and tar paper were burned and a smoke bomb was used. The materials used gene 
rated a great volume of heat while burning. While the third engine company of the day was inside performing the drill, the low-density fiberboard ceiling ignited behind the firefighters, trapping them and the inexperienced training supervisor in the building. According to the analysis of the incident [these were pre-National Institute for Occupational Safety an d Health (NIOSH) days], conducted by David P. Demers, P.E., the most significant factor relative to the fatalities and serious injury was the extremely rapid development of fire (flashover) caused by the combustible low-density fiberboard ceiling. Other contributing factors were the use of tires and other high-heat potential fuels in an open flaming mode to produce smoke, the use of an inadequate-size hoseline (a booster line) inside the building, the lack of a water supply line or other means of reliable water supply on the training ground, and the absence of personnel with backup hoselines at the scene. The overall lack of planning, supervision, and control at this exercise directly contributed to the conditions that caused the fatalities and serious injury. Another major factor in this incident, as well as in most live-fire training accidents, was the lack of experience of the instructor conducting the training. Instructors leading this training should be trained in how to conduct a proper burn and the types of fuels that should and should not be used. Being an instructor, a senior firefighter, or an officer does not automatically qualify one to teach live-fire training.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
How many of today’s firefighters know about the Boulder training disaster or that it provided the impetus for NFPA 1403? How many fire departments follow NFPA 1403? Judging from recent events, it would appear that the answers to these questions would be “a very low number.” Some in the fire service tend to forget what happened before and have not researched or learned from the history of firefighter deaths. We 
kill firefighters over and over again in the same exact ways: Failing to learn from past mistakes is a critical failure. Why in 2007, 25 years after the Boulder incident, do we still continue to injure and kill firefighters in live-fire training? In early 2006, a chief commented after a live-fire training incident in which two recruit firefighters were burned: “If a fireman is in the department and doesn’t get burned, he isn’t doing his job. If they don’t get burned, I don’t want them in our department. If they are afraid to get burned, they’re on the wrong job.” Doesn’t it surprise you that someone in today’s fire service would make this comment? Maybe some of us would be surprised. But, the fire service has performed poorly when it comes to learning from the past-thus, attitudes like this still exist. Also in 2006, a fire department burned four firefighters trying to teach flashover training in a house trailer. We all know a house trailer flashes over. They found out how quickly it does so. Numerous line-of-duty deaths related to live-fire training have occurred over the past 25 years. In addition to the two in Boulder in 1982, there were three in Milford, Michigan; one in Greenwood, Delaware; one in Lairdsville, New York; two in Osceola County, Florida; one in Port Everglades, Florida; and one (an instructor) in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. Since 1982, 15 instructors or students were killed in the line of duty during live-fire training. In addition, several other firefighters have been injured or have been involved in close calls. One such case occurred in Parsippany, New Jersey, where three firefighters were burned in a converted school bus being used for training fires. In Hillandale, Maryland, three firefighters were burned during a public education training fire display that had gone wrong. What message does burning firefighters send to the community? In Indiana, I know of several departments that neglect to follow NFPA 1403. They say it takes the reality out of the training, and it is too difficult for a small department to comply. Also in Indiana, there has been an instance where live-fire training was conducted with only four firefighters on the training ground. In another training burn incident, a firefighter was sent to the hospital and five sets of turnout gear were ruined. In the 2001 Lairdsville, New York, incident, Alan G. Baird III was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide for his role in the death of Recruit Firefighter Bradley Golden. Baird and the fire department did not follow NFPA 1403; they said they did not know it existed. Two other firefighters were also severely burned in this incident, in which a recruit was used as a victim during the exercise. Also, a couch was set on fire to increase the smoke production. After this incident, the NFPA made 1403 available to all fire departments free of charge. It is appalling that a U.S. fire department would not be familiar with NFPA 1403 in the year 2007. Yet, fire departments throughout the country still claim they are not aware of the standard and continue to use gasoline, diesel fuel, couches, mattresses, and other materials outside of the NFPA 1403 standard for live-fire training evolutions. Some departments may know about NFPA 1403 but choose to ignore it because of the preparation time it takes and what they say is a lack of realism in the training. The sad thing is that many have forgotten why NFPA 1403 came into existence in the first place.
NFPA 1403
Now, we know why NFPA 1403 was created, but do we know what NFPA 1403 really means to us as fire service instructors? NFPA 1403 has evolved into an all-encompassing live-fire training standard. It is divided into nine chapters-Administration, Referenced Publications, Definitions, Acquired Structures, Gas-Fired Training Center Buildings, Non-Gas Fired Training Center Buildings, Exterior Props, Exterior Class B Fires, and Records and Reports-and four annexes-Explanatory Material, Live Fire Evolution Sample Checklist, Responsibilities of Personnel, and Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke in Training. Instructors must realize how serious and dangerous this training is. Are you and your department really following NFPA 1403? Are you aware that a chief officer has been jailed for his involvement in a line-of-duty death during a live-fire training exercise? Does that change how you or your department will treat training fires in acquired structures? When your department conducts a live-fire training exercise, what is the drill’s objective? Many would say, search, fire attack, vent, or firefighter rescue. However, if you look at the live-fire training tragedies over the years, most of them occurred when the exercise was attempting to accomplish more than one objective. The focus of live-fire training should be fire attack, not search or any other goal. Why? Because we lose track of accountability; we become complacent, and firefighters die. Remember, if we put out the fire, usually our problems go away. However, in live-fire training we tend to allow the fire to grow a little bigger than normal, we watch it, and we let firefighters get deeper into the building, allowing conditions to rapidly change and cause firefighter deaths. In the fires listed above, the exercises were designed to meet more than one objective.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?
What are other agencies and states doing about NFPA 1403 in the wake of these recent deaths? Some states like North Carolina, Iowa, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky have taken a very proactive approach to live-fire training. They don’t allow just any firefighter to teach it; you have to be fully credentialed. For my final Executive Fire Officer paper, I researched compliance with NFPA 1403 and compliance with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Ninety-two departments responded to the survey. Of those 92 departments, 55/92, or 60 percent, said they always followed NFPA 1403 while conducting live-fire training. However, 64/94, or 70 percent, said they always followed the IDEM permit requirements for air quality standards, in accordance with state law. Thirty-two percent (29/92) of the departments had experienced a live-burn injury. Forty-nine percent (45/92) required some type of training; however, most of this training was nothing more than an Instructor I class. Only 73 percent (67/92) of departments responding said they would support a live-fire instructor training standard. The building and materials being burned in a training fire don’t behave any differently than those burning in a real structure fire. Let’s all help prevent firefighter deaths and injuries by making firefighter safety the primary goal. And, let’s not forget the brothers and sisters who have died in training-related incidents. Remember so that we do not repeat these mistakes.
Resources
• American Heat Video, “NFPA 1403 and the Boulder (CO) Incident.” • Live Fire Instructor Standards for the states of Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. • NFPA 1403, available at www.nfpa.org/. • www.cdc.gov/niosh/rehome.html/. Brian P. Kazmierzak is a16-year veteran of the fire service. Since 1994, he has been employed by the Clay Fire Territory, South Bend, Indiana, where he is division chief of training and safety. He is the MABAS Division 201 Tactical Rescue Team Task Force leader and a hazmat specialist for FEMA’s US&R IN-TF1. He has two fire service related associate’s degrees and a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration, and is a recent graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He is the Close Calls editor for www.firefighterclosecalls.com.
Boulder firefighters killed in accident 30 years ago to be remembered at ceremony The Boulder Fire Department will hold a remembrance ceremony for two firefighters who died during a training exercise on Jan. 26, 1982. The ceremony will be held on Thursday, Jan. 26, at Fire Station 3, 1585 30thSt. in Boulder. Thirty-year-old William J. Duran of Broomfield and 21-year-old Scott L. Smith of Longmont were inside an abandoned garage in north Boulder that was being used for a live-fire training exercise. The fire burned out of control, and the two men lost their lives. Two other firefighters, Cyrus E. Pinkerton and Daniel J. Cutler, were injured during the training. They both recovered. The accident prompted a major change in national fire training standards that are still in place today.“The Boulder Fire Department has never forgotten the sacrifice of Firefighters Duran and Smith or the important lessons learned about providing safe live-fire training for firefighters,” said Boulder Fire Department Chief Larry Donner. “We are honored to pay our respects to the firefighters and their families on this important anniversary, and we invite the community to join us.” The commemoration is open to the public. Seating begins at 9 a.m., and the ceremony starts at 10 a.m. The families of the fallen firefighters will be in attendance. Wreaths will be laid at the gravesites after the ceremony. »
