Tag: fire

Organizational/Systemic Failure: Malignant/Dismissive Authority

June 6, 2022

In 1956, a handful of people died in the Arundel Park fire. “Several of the sample population indicated that when they entered the hall after observing the fire from outside the building, they warned their friends and suggested they leave but were laughed at, their warning apparently disregarded.” People have a difficult time interpreting indirect … More Organizational/Systemic Failure: Malignant/Dismissive Authority

Understanding The I-85 Fire

April 6, 2017

As documented in “ATLANTA BRIDGE COLLAPSE: What burned under the I-85 overpass?” by Richard Elliot and Rikki Klaus of wsbtv, the material stored under the I-85 bridge for 10 years was High Density Polyethylene. As I discuss what that means fire-safety-wise, I’ll be generally talking about polyethylene. Polyethylene is constructed from the combination of ethylene … More Understanding The I-85 Fire

Technology in the Fire Service

March 27, 2017

As many of us know, technology can come as a double-edged sword. The use and incorporation of a particular technology cannot reduce effectiveness particularly in life-threatening situations. Smart technology, the use of computer-based algorithms to solve problems, is no less sensitive to judicious application. Questions that must be addressed include: How reliable are the sensors … More Technology in the Fire Service