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Fire Watch Details

Mac

Mac

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2009
Messages
716
Location
Hamilton, NY
I have a university field house (indoor track & field facility) that is used for large temporary assembly events. Specifically, annual visiting lectures by VIP's. The capacity is 5,000 as limited by the exit doors, some of which were added a few years ago to increase the occupant load.

In a scheduling coincidence, Tony Blair will be speaking this Sat, 10/31, and I'll have a big room full of people. For the past few events, we have brought in personnel from the NYS Fire Marshal's office to help conduct a fire watch during the event. We disable the fire alarm's notification system to prevent nuisance trips and false alarms, station one person at the (still functioning) panel, and put a few people out in the audience, communicating via radio. Outside are Fire & EMT personnel, lots of security and police and parking attendants, etc. My function as CEO mostly involves advance preparations, so I walk the perimeters and keep alert.

This year the campus safety dept and myself will be doing the fire watch without the State Fire guys. Campus Safety has experience, was trained by the State FM during the previous events, and is a very up-to-speed group.

Anybody got any suggestions for additional duties or precautionary measures relative to fire watches?

Thanks Mac
 
Re: Fire Watch Details

Unless you are using smoke or shooting pyro, I see no reason to disable the fire alarm system.

Just my opin, even with someones finger on the button

Sounds like you have it together.

What type of seating fixed??, bonded???

With high security person, I know they like to lock some exit doors, so would check before hand if they want to do that.

watch out for curtains tables blocking or causing an obstructed way to exit doors.

are alternate exits, besides the main way in plainly marked and visible for the audience.

Have even been to events where they made annoucements pointing out second exits, kind of like on a plne pre flight.
 
Re: Fire Watch Details

Make sure the perimeter security maintains access for the fire hydrants and any fire department connections.

Tony Blair is a former British PM and attended G8 summits. Since G8 summits seem to bring out every rioting faction, I would suggest your law enforcement component liaison with the FBI and ask for a security and risk threat assessment.

If your building has a fire pump or standby/emergency power system, exercise and test those systems to provide a higher degree of reliability prior to the event.

Finally, establish clear personnel and vehicle paths for EMS.

Sounds like an interesting event.
 
Re: Fire Watch Details

Mac - haz and cda have the 'nuts-and-bolts' covered, I think. Which campus? (just curious, not planning an attack... :) ).
 
Re: Fire Watch Details

cda - I'd ask how you do that, but I'm not sure I want to know! :roll:

Colgate is a nice facility. My daughters' friend (and basketball teammate) used to go to Point Guard Camp there every summer. A few years ago they had a MAJOR storm come through the region (one or two deaths downstream in Delaware County), as a precaution they moved the 'campers' from the dorms (low ground) to the Fieldhouse (high ground). Storm passed without incident (at Colgate anyway), but it was nice to know they had a plan of action in a (potential) emergency.

Mac - Did your office have anything to do with that type of planning, or is that just their in-house guys doing a good job?
 
Re: Fire Watch Details

Thanks for the responses - in a small community like this, everybody knows (almost) everybody, which can be helpful. The previous FD Chief just retired from Colgate, where he was the Fire Safety Coordinator for many years. He knows how to get things done and who does what. I'm confident in the FD's preparedness!

Security blockage of the entrances can be a concern, however the entrances will be few, and the exits are many. We will load the building and stop entry about 10 minutes before beginning the program. This allows time to remove security gear (tables, checkpoints etc) and clear those exits. While loading the building a recorded announcement mentions exiting and safety, and other details about the event.

All available tickets are gone, but if JD wants to attend, I can probably sneak you in!

I mean, assist another CEO in Fire Planning for Public Assembly.
 
Re: Fire Watch Details

Mac -

Thanks for the offer for a first hand view of the Fire Safety Plan in action, but I've spent the last three or four weekends on the road to either Oneonta or to Alfred (or both!). I'm kind of looking forward to a quiet weekend at home. What's Blairs' political persuasion anyway? (shoot me your e-mail by PM)
 
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