Massachusetts Fire Chief 2009

FIGHTING FOR CODE CHANGE black smoke. While additional testing may be required, the WPI test results have had a powerful impact. The results of our internal investigation were provided to ofﬁcials at the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS). That agency was quick to understand the seriousness of these concerns and have worked with inspection agencies to make certain that all applicable codes are being followed at the factory. The BBRS is forming a task force to deal with these issues and have alerted local building inspectors to look closely at certain items when conducting on-site inspections of modular homes. The presence of ﬁ re service professionals, including a Massachusetts Fire Chief and active FCAM member, on this board advocating for attention to these issues, have had a positive impact. While state and national code developers look at whether existing codes are compatible with present day modular construction practices (the International Residential Code prohibits void spaces greater than 1,000 square feet despite the height of the void), the ﬁre service needs to step up the education of our members relative to the hazards posed by the voids and ﬂammable glue. Following discussions with ofﬁcials at the United States Fire Administration, a six-part series on modular construction was developed and shared with ﬁreﬁghters across the country through their popular “Coffee Break Training” program. Fire service ofﬁcials in California have used the information gathered from the Acushnet and Hanson ﬁres in training programs for their personnel. This past October an educational forum was conducted by the National Fire Research Foundation which has lead to ongoing discussions between code ofﬁcials and industry representatives. Are the experiences from Massachusetts last year the result of distinct perfect storms, or are they part of a national trend? Our attempt to answer this question is stymied by the lack of reliable data. Neither national nor state ﬁre data collection agencies require information on the type of construction used in the structures that we report have burned. With no centralized data base, we have no way of connecting the dots. Since looking into this issue, we have learned of recent ﬁres (mostly through ﬁre based Web sites) in modular structures across the country. What we are learning is that a common thread exists between the ﬁres in modular structures in Massachusetts and those from Summersville South Carolina (1 fatality), Byron New York (4 fatalities) and Stuartsville North Carolina (4 fatalities); these ﬁres spread very, very fast! Often ﬁrst responding units report the structures to be fully involved. The impact of these ﬁndings to the safety of our ﬁreﬁghters is alarming. A room and contents ﬁre has the very real possibility of burning overhead a signiﬁcant distance from the location of the ﬁre due to the large void space. With lessons learned from the Hanson ﬁ re we must now question the possibility of heat transfer through the sheetrock resulting in a deterioration of the adhesiveness of the glue which could also result in collapse. Of greatest concern is the inability to quickly distinguish a residence of modular construction from that of traditional stick built construction when arriving on the scene of a ﬁre. As ﬁre service ofﬁcials and code developers continue to grapple with these issues, it is imperative that organizations like FCAM continue to take the lead in educating our troops while ﬁghting for code changes. This proactive leadership will, without question, save lives. ❚ THIS NUMBER WILL CATCH FIRE 1-800-682-9229 The Arson Watch Reward Program offers confidential rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of any person who plans or commits the crime of arson in Massachusetts. This program is sponsored by the property-casualty insurance companies of Massachusetts and is coordinated by the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association (FAIR Plan). Speakers and/or materials for distribution are available. For more information contact: Massachusetts FAIR Plan, 2 Center Plaza, Boston, MA 02108-1904, (617) 723-3800. Tools proudly made in the U.S.A. Tools Made by Fireﬁghters for Fireﬁghters New Style - 5 second set up time See the New Collapsible Colum-Master Only 8" x 28" x 4" for easy storage info@glasmaster.com www.glasmaster.com Call 1-800-457-4527(GLAS) for your local dealer. 26 | M ASSACHUS E TTS FI RE C H I E F 2009 http://www.mpiua.com http://www.glasmaster.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Massachusetts Fire Chief 2009

Massachusetts Fire Chief 2009 Contents A Message from the FCAM President Code of Ethics/Vision Statement Bonds of Service Legislative Report The Fire Chief for 2009 and Beyond Leading a Combination Fire Department Remember When Fighting for Code Change Leadership Matters Fire Risk Management - Fire Chiefs - Codes The Current Economy and its Effect on Fire Departments Statewide Fire Mobilization Plan Beware of the Truss Index of Advertisers

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