Conceptual Framework on Community Safety and Fire Management - Research Paper Example

Report on community safety Table of contents Report on community safety 1 Introduction to community safety 1 Background of the study 2 Statement of the problem 3 The SARA methodology strategies 4 Objectives and goals of community safety 5 Hypothesis for testing 6 Significance of community safety studies 6 Conceptual framework on community safety and fire management 7 Literature review 9 Economic costs of fire in England and Wales 11 Research methodology 11 Results 12 Discussion of the results 13 Conclusion 14 Recommendations 15 Bibliography 16 Appendix 17 Introduction to community safety A community fire safety program is an agency-partnership whose domain includes homeowners, community leaders, architects and contactors. The goal is to protect the community property from fire related hazards, loss of life and possible disability and income. It safeguards natural resources from risks of fire and ensures community takes part in planning and designing sustainable safe and user-friendly emergency response to fire incidents. It’s a subset of individual responsibility in effecting fire safety precautions and degradation of natural resources. This is implemented through adopting SARA methodology. Background of the study Fire incidents in high-rise buildings are characterized by three challenges. They present difficulties of evacuation of residents, have limited access to firefighters and are exposed to high ventilation that fan spread of fire. The challenge of extinguishing fire is dependent upon nature of construction of the building subject to fire resistivity or combustibility. Spread of fire vertically above the floor of origin and presence of falling debris of burning combustible materials produces hot gases and heat that can suffocate occupants and firefighters. Many high-rise buildings lack fire emergency plans that lead to high death rates when fire outbreak occurs predisposed by lack of compliance with fire safety order 2005. Many buildings lack updated fire risk assessment reports hence there are no fire assessments in place to indicate occupants at risk and identify possible fire hazards. The residents lack information on fire safety and precautions. This is because appropriate measures to incorporate SARA methodology in incident management are not done. Statement of the problem Fire incidents and frequency have in the past led into increase of insurance premiums due to increased risks of fire in high-rise buildings after appraisal. Many high-rise buildings lack fire alarms, smoke detectors and water sprinkler systems. The buildings lack exterior stairways, ladders or elevators that can be used by people with limited mobility to exit the building. The buildings lack standpipes for delivering water and rescue air to upper floors. The roof of the buildings cannot allow access to residents hence occupants cannot be rescued aerially by helicopters. Occupants may have little knowledge about fire resistivity of the building and cannot determine when to exit the building when fire is reported on floors below them. Many fire related deaths in high-rise buildings result from inhalation of hot fumes and smoke. The inhaled hot air cannot dissolve in the alveolus and rate of gaseous exchange is minimal. Other deaths, burns and injuries result from limited exit routes that are not well lit. Occupants stumble and fall and are stepped on by rushing residents. In other buildings, maintenance of automatic smoke detectors is not timely carried out hence residents are not timely warned when fire breaks out. In other cases, elevators may fail to function. Lack of rails and absence of cranes make it difficult to evacuate residents through the windows when exit channels are shut and opening of doors is not a safe option to access exterior ladders. Lack of compartmentalization facilitates spread of fire and this is dependent on type of fire1. Lack of informed choice of fire protection like unmaintained active fire protection on combustible building leads into high death toll because residents are not timely warned when fire breaks out. Active fire protection is an intensive maintenance method and fire outbreak can occur when fire alarms have weak batteries. In many building, there are no fire emergency plans and even though they may be there, the occupants may not have knowledge of their use. The SARA methodology strategies The term SARA (table 1) abbreviates Scanning, Analysis, Response and Assessment. Scanning involves strategies for determining the causes of fire outbreaks, frequency, consequences that includes analysis of economic costs incurred. Scanning includes measures to determine fire risk assessment and dynamic risk assessment and if the premise complies with regulatory reform (fire safety order) 2005. Satisfaction of fire safety order 2005 requires the community should understand measures for fire safety and precaution. Scanning also looks into different agencies2 that are incorporated in fire incident management. Analysis procedures involves formulation of details concerning an incident, time of the incident, date, location, method of control, strategic and tactical processes, role of different agencies and measures to ensure future incidents are contained with little economic costs incurred. Response procedures include strategies appropriate for resolving the incident and need for partnership of other agencies, their role and position designation to help in incident management. Assessment takes account of details for evaluating measures and strategies that can lead into appropriate cost effective response but this is where community fire risk management fails due to poor partnership between agencies and lack of enough skills to effect different incident responses. This is partly due to lack of dynamic assessment and leads into poor strategies for managing response and accounts for deaths of fire fighters and residents due to strategy taken that is not appropriate. Objectives and goals of community safety a. To evaluate if high-rise buildings satisfy building regulation and fire safety order 2005 b. To determine ways of fire risk management that could help to lower fire emergency cases c. To investigate efficiency of fire risk management as a function of inter-agency liaison d. To determine competencies that make effective workforce in fire management e. To analyze fire strategy preventive measures that is cost effective with respect to the life cycle of the building Hypothesis for testing a. Risks of fire and fire incidents are high in high-rise buildings that are not equipped with smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and rails for evacuation b. Buildings with combustible materials have high incidents of user and firefighters deaths and injuries. c. Buildings that have no up-to-date fire risk assessment have high likelihood of fire outbreaks d. Buildings that have planned exits and emergency plans report lowest incidents of casualties in fire incidents. e. Building users who have adequate information on fire safety can effectively portray sustainable fire safety measures and reduce occurrence of fire incidents. Significance of community safety studies Community safety studies will propose fire safety strategies that can result into reduction of fire emergencies and their possible outcomes. The study will lead into sustainable fire risk management strategies that are function of users and firefighters safety and health. The study will produce sustainable fire risk strategies that have little effect on management of the environment. The study will advocate for education and training of users and firefighters and equip them with information on fire safety and practices hence help to improve quality of life. Conceptual framework on community safety and fire management Partnership working of different agencies like building planners, building developers, ambulance services and fire rescue services has led into development of high-rise buildings whose fire alarms have staged or zoned evacuation capabilities (Rossi and Freeman 1993). This property ensures minimal incidences of loss of life, property and damage to the building (Davis Langdon Consultancy/Arup Fire 1996). Inter-agency cooperation liaison has resulted into development of high-rise buildings that have functional two-way communication potential (Hall Jr. 1998). This ensures users are able to communicate with emergency personnel at the scene and this makes it possible for trapped users to get advice on the best course of action (Charters 2006:81-86). Users are given information like sealing door openings with cloths. Inter-agency liaison has contributed into education campaigns on fire safety and precautions. Users have been equipped with knowledge on nature of the building in terms of fire resistivity and combustibility (Mishan, 1976:65-74). This makes users to evaluate best options in the event of fire like opening windows, top and bottom, without breaking them and likelihood of exiting the building if its materials are combustible or opening windows in the leeward side (Engineering Systems-Barker,R. 1991:38-39). High-rise buildings should be equipped with standpipes that facilitate delivery of water needed for extinguishing fire and rescue air for breathing (Eisma, 1990:48-50). The buildings are equipped with rails that are use in conjunction with elevators for evacuation purposes and fire extinguishing. Interagency liaison has paved way for effective environment management systems. Efforts of inter-agency partnership have led into development of environment protection strategies that have helped to reduce greenhouse gases that add to global warming. Inter-agency liaison has effect of improving fire risk assessment and dynamic risk assessment that ensure fire safety order 2005 is satisfied and implemented (Flores, 1983:11-14). It also facilitates development of buildings that satisfy building regulation act. Inter-agency liaison has made it possible for users of high-rise buildings to get effective information on efficiency of fire safety, fire safety system, nature of the building with respect to fire resistivity and combustibility, fire departments potential to extinguish the fire and reliability of stairways and elevators, their safety standards and operational efficiencies subject to maintenance practices in place (Hitchcox, 1996:45-46). This had led into users who are informed on fire safety and workforce that are competently trained and conversant with fire fighting equipments. This has consequently reduced loss of life to able-bodied and people with limited mobility, loss of property and injuries. This has also helped to reduce insurance premiums on high-rise buildings that have sustainable fire safety systems in place as a function of reduced fire risks. Literature review Kletz (1999:46-69) argues that community fire safety programs brings together array of fire related solutions to problems resulting from outbreaks of fire. Lunch (1994:pp.29) agrees community safety program works towards reducing occurrence of emergency incidents and their outcomes. Hitchcox (1996: 45-46) indicates that incidents of fire lead into loss of life and inventory loss in terms of raw materials and products. Flores (1983:11-14) argues that increase in frequency of fire incidents results into increase in insurance premiums and loss of business. Evans and Chaffin (1986:734-737) suggests investment is negatively affected as the future of the business is not guaranteed. In addition, government revenue decreases and income to employees occurs leading into decrease in the standards of living and increase of unemployment rates. Eisma (1990: 48-50) argues community safety programs leads into designing of sustainable fire emergency plans. Flores (pp.11-14) and Eisma (pp.49) argue this ensures the building conforms to fire safety order 2005. According to engineering systems (1991:38-39) implementing regulatory reform ensures an emergency plan is in place in order to reduce deaths and injuries of users. Gambatese, Hinze and Haas (1997:32-41) argue passage of information on fire safety ensures users understand nature of fires that are likely to break out and how they can be extinguished. The users are able to categorize fires into classes3. This ensures every fire is given its own fire prevention measures and correct extinguishing methods are applied accordingly. Community fire safety ensures fire risk assessments are up-to-date. This ensures fire hazards are timely identified and precautions taken to prevent them. Timura (n.d.) propose fire risk assessment identifies users at risk and proposes integration of their safe evacuation in the event of fire outbreak. Wortham (1997:66-71) argues fire risk analysis helps in planning emergency evacuation and priorities of every methods are passed to users. This is dependent on fire risk, weather conditions at the time of fire incident, presence of exit channels and tested emergency plan and degree of mobility of the users. Gornick (1997:41-42) suggest community safety ensures specific protection measures are in place. Fagan, Monte, Powell and Cronici (1998:33-35) indicate that nature of fire protection depends on fire safety needs. National institute of design (1992) have shown fire protection takes the form of passive fire protection that involves use of fire resistant rated walls. Mishan (1976:65-74) suggested passive fire protection ensures spread of fire vertically and horizontally is minimal and helps to contain fire within its source due to the aspect of occupancy separation. Passive fire protection provides an enabled environment for fire suppression and evacuation tasks. Fire protection can also take the form of active fire protection that takes into account automatic smoke detectors, water sprinkler systems and fire alarms that have zoned evacuation. Fire protection can also be implemented through education campaigns on fire safety. This provides information on the building, its active and passive fire protection and ways through which fire outbreaks can occur. Education of fire safety equips users of buildings with information that makes them to implement best fire safety measures. Economic costs of fire in England and Wales The 2004 economic costs of fire were ranked at £8.9billion. This made 0.95% of national income. These costs were computed as direct costs that included damage to property, death and injuries that totaled £3.8billion, indirect costs included cost expected of fire in terms of insurance and fire prevention measures that totaled £3.0billion. The cost of fire cover totaled £1.9billion. Cost of fire arson was estimated at £1.7billion while cost of responding to fire incidents was valued at £1.5billion. Economic costs increased by £1.2billion from the year 2003 due to increase in prices of houses by 31%, government investment to the tune of 24% and business investment that totaled £400milion. Research methodology Research design A descriptive survey was used in community safety studies. Descriptive studies lead into formulation of principles of knowledge and solution to significant problems. Descriptive survey involves data collection, data measurement, data classification, data analysis, data comparison and data interpretation. Data collection The community safety study relied on secondary data. The community safety research Instruments Questionnaires and interviews were two main descriptive methodologies that were used. Results Causes of fire in high-rise buildings Cause of fire Percentage Probability Overloading of electricity 90 Interference of electrical networks 98 Lack of safety in candle handling 86 Interference with gas connections 94 Maintenance levels and fire incidents Variable percentage Fire risk probability Loose naked plugs and connection 97 Gas leaks 95 Role of education and fire incidents Particulars Fire risk reduction ratio Overloading of electrical fires 67 Interference of electrical connection 70 Fire risk management candles, gas and electricity 85 Interference of gas network 90 Compliance with fire safety order 2005 towards high-rise building fires variable Percentage fire incident rate Fire incident rates gas, candles and electricity 2 Fire spread vertically 3 Fire spread horizontally 2 Compliance with emergency plans and exit channels Particulars Percentage outcome rate User death probability 1 User injury probability 2 Firefighter death probability 0.5 Fire fighter injury 0.8 Economic loss Variable Description Percentage outcome Building with sprinklers, fire alarms, emergency plans, rails, User death 0 Firefighter death 0 Destruction of property Depends on property valuation Vehicle costs fuel, maintenance Depends on vehicle type, distance covered to site, Discussion of the results Causes of fire incidents in high rise buildings include overloading of electricity, short-circuits due to faulty electrical connections made by unqualified or unregistered persons, unattended candles, poor handling of candles, lack of proper maintenance of gas networks and interference with gas network by unregistered persons leading into gas leakages. Lack of fire risk assessment predisposes failure of maintenance of gas networks and electrical networks in the building. In many instances, users of the building lack knowledge on impacts of their gas and electrical interference with respect to probability of fire outbreaks in the future. Many users don’t understand failure to have maintained electrical networks by registered personnel have an effect of predisposing occurrence of fires. Many occupants therefore expose themselves and other users of the building to fire risks. Education on fire safety equips users of high rise buildings with information required to minimize fire incidents. Users are advised to seek services of registered engineers in order not to put their lives and lives of other residents at fire risks. It is recommended that users should conduct the building fire safety personnel or housing department or fire rescue department who can advise on agents that the user can contact if they need to make and gas or electrical alterations in their apartments. Fire risk assessment should be carried out periodically to determine threat of fire risk and to reflect fire safety measures of the gas and electrical networks in the building and apartments. The users should cooperate with fire risk assessors in order to implement the task of fire risk assessment. Emergency plans for the building should be pre-tested with full participation of users. The users should understand fire alarm sounds and follow the emergency plans that they have practiced by following exit channels to safety and should not attempt to rescue valuables. In the event the users are trapped inside the building by the fire, users should create alerts of their floors by using flashlights or waving pieces of cloths through their windows. If the building is fire resistive, the users should close all openings in the door by using cloths to prevent entry of smoke that can lead into suffocation. The users should not break windows as they may need to close them to prevent entry of smoke that may contain hazardous fumes. Conclusion Community safety is a function of education on fire safety. Residents should be informed on effects of fire incidents4 and methods of preventing outbreaks of fire. Residents should avoid acts that could predispose future fire outbreaks. This would help to reduce fire economic costs and improve quality of life. This should be a product of formulating three levels of community safety incident management subject to determination of short-term goals, medium-term goals and long-term goals. The short-term goals should involve fitting of fire alarms, water sprinklers and exterior ladders and rails and training of residents on use of fire extinguishers. The medium-term goals should work towards partnership working with employers to ensure the premise is fit for the purpose and that regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005 and building regulation Act are complied with. The long-term goal should work towards engagement of different agencies into a partnership program to avoid conflict of interest that arises due to use of different terms and different positions of command through unification of command structure. Formulation of strategies towards efficient ad effective community safety should be built on application of SARA methodology. Adoption of SARA methodology will ensure incident management is efficient, timely and contains incident economic costs. Recommendations a. High-rise buildings should be installed with wet or dry standpipes, fire alarms with staged evacuation, water sprinkler systems for extinguishing fire and smoke detectors b. High-rise buildings should have safe emergency plans that are pre-tested by occupants. the exit channels should be opened immediately fire alarms are run c. Users should have adequate knowledge in fire safety d. In combustible building that have limited fire escape, their top floor should be flat to facilitate aerial evacuation of residents using helicopters. e. Formulation of short-terms, medium-term and long-term goals for the community safety. Bibliography Charters, David. (2006). A Study of Fire Risk Performance Parameters. Fire Science Technology , Vol. 25, 81-86. Davis Langdon Consultancy/Arup Fire. (1996). Quantifying the Cost of Meeting Building Regulation-Fire safety Requirement in New Building. Watford, England: Building Research Establishment Limited. Eisma, T. (1990, June). 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Safety Valves help lock out accidents. Hydraulics and Pneumatics , Vol. 13 (Issue no. 6), pp.45-46. Hall Jr. J.R. (1998). The total cost of fire in the united states through 1995. National Fire Protection Association. Kletz, T. (1999). the constraints on inherently safer design and other innovations. process safety progress , Vol. 18 (issue no. 1), pp. 46-69. Lunch, M. (1994, march). "Safe Place" laws may entrap designers. building design and construction , pp.29. Mishan, E. J. (1976). Cost Benefit and Analysis (New and Expanded Edition ed.). New York: Praeger Publishers- A division of Holt, Rinehart and Winston, CBS, Inc. National Institute of Design. (1992). Reflection on design: twelve convocation addresses. Ahmedabad, India. Rossi, P. H and Freeman, H.E.. (1993). Evaluation: ASystemic Approach (5th edition ed.). Newbury park: Sage publication. Timura, M. (n.d.). Construction worker should be part of effort to improve workforce safety. occupation health and safety , pg. 74. Wortham, S. (1997, July). Safe dEsign Improves your bottomline. safety and health , pp.66-71. Appendix Table 1: The SARA methodology Read More