Fire Procedures

[joe tedesco]

Question just asked today 9:30 am EST:

During a residential fire, does the fire department actually have the authority to cut the service drop conductors at the drip loop before, or after the service point?

Interesting comments here in Maine as this is a procedure usually done by volunteers.

Is this a safe way to go?

 

[petersonra]

Question just asked today 9:30 am EST:

During a residential fire, does the fire department actually have the authority to cut the service drop conductors at the drip loop before, or after the service point?

Interesting comments here in Maine as this is a procedure usually done by volunteers.

Is this a safe way to go?

It might be safer than the alternative of not cutting them. We are talking about an ermegency situation here, not a normal every day thing.

 

[muskiedog]

Fire Department Is the Authority

Fire Department Is the Authority

During an emergency situation they will take what ever means to protect the crew. It is up to the cheif or who ever is in charge of the sight. My neighbors house burned down over labor day weekend. The power lose activated my backup sump pump alarm (2AM) which alerted me to the outage which actually was caused by the fire. They had to pump water out of the lake since I live in the boonies. House is gone. I did talk to the cheif and they put in an emergency call to the electrical company who was out on the pole even before the fire was out. House up for sale for over a year. no one home. Suspicious?

 

[bphgravity]

This is not meant to offend any fire rescue personnel or power utility companies, but I am aware of more than one occasion where the fire fighters stood-by and watched the structure burn while waiting for the utility company to come disconnect power. Didn't make much sense to me....

 

[petersonra]

This is not meant to offend any fire rescue personnel or power utility companies, but I am aware of more than one occasion where the fire fighters stood-by and watched the structure burn while waiting for the utility company to come disconnect power. Didn't make much sense to me....

sort of makes an external disconnect switch attractive.

I seem to recall there was once some talk about fire departments getting some training on opeing up the utility line switches, but I think the utility company union nixed it. Seems the call out crews get double or triple time if they actually get called out.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Cutting the drop, if you have the proper training, equipment and PPE is much safer than pulling a meter. As far as fighting the fire while the power is still on...this varies from department based on their training and safety rules. If they have a no fight rule, they should at least make the primary search before they watch the building burn. I know of one large eastern department that stages their people at least one block away on any downed line, other than a dewlling unit service drop, until the power company has shut down the power.
Don

 

[tallgirl]

This is not meant to offend any fire rescue personnel or power utility companies, but I am aware of more than one occasion where the fire fighters stood-by and watched the structure burn while waiting for the utility company to come disconnect power. Didn't make much sense to me....

If it's a volunteer or contract fire department, they may well stand by and watch the fire burn. This happened up where my parents lived in St. Tammany Parish, LA. People had a choice -- pay for fire protection or watch your house burn. A burned out house was a great marketing tool.

Someone has to pay the bill$.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

People had a choice -- pay for fire protection or watch your house burn. A burned out house was a great marketing tool.

There are a small number of subscription or contract fire departments in the US. They do not receive any tax dollars. The department is funded by the subscription fee and to expect these types of departments to fight a fire for a nonsubscriber is the same as expecting an insurance company to pay for the damage when you have not bought a policy. Most of these departments will do a primary search for lifesaving even for nonsubscribers.
Don

 

[realolman]

Many times putting out a fire leaves the owner with a bigger mess than if they had just let it burn up.
A volunteer fireman told me one time they are not allowed to just let it burn. I don't know what authority disallows this. I recollect he said there was some law.

"The barn probably would have burned down by midnight , but the volunteer fire dept. came and kept it going till morning."



just a joke. If there are any firemen out there, please don't be offended.

 

[petersonra]

There are a small number of subscription or contract fire departments in the US. They do not receive any tax dollars. The department is funded by the subscription fee and to expect these types of departments to fight a fire for a nonsubscriber is the same as expecting an insurance company to pay for the damage when you have not bought a policy. Most of these departments will do a primary search for lifesaving even for nonsubscribers.
Don

yep. happened not far from here a few years ago. local FD gets like $50 a year from each homeowner. if you don't pay they send you a letters saying they won't put out a fire at your house. they showed up to a fire at a guy who had not paid and watched it burn AFTER they determined no one was in the structure. the reason they stayed was to make sure it did not spread off his property.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Many times your better off if it totally burns.Settlement with insurance company will be easier.Having done many fire job repairs i can tell you that few if any are ever good as new.Its like a car after an accident.The value is never the same as before.Personally i would not want any house after it had more than a minor fire.

 

[iwire]

Is this a safe way to go?

Is firefighting a 'safe' occupation in any circumstance?

I put firefighters, police and soldiers all in the same category.

All occupations that require that you give up a lot of personal safety for the sake of saving others.

In other words a highly noble profession.

 

[templdl]

Pulling a meter is the same issue. Since the meter plug is not a load disconnect some interesting things can happen when pulling a meter that has a load on it. Likewise with any conductor that has a load passing through it and is cut when one one considers the arcing that can take place.
I would like to think that one would consider the risks and take appropriate precautions should disconnecting power be choice.