NEAFC 31st Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

NEW ENGLAND A.SSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS
fear, and enables them to fight fire with confidence in themselves and; their equipment.
Our qualifications for appointments of employees in the fire brigade require that
they must obtain written, permission from their supervisor. Their work assignments
must not prevent them from immediately responding to fires and fire training drills.
They must pass and continue to meet the physical requirements c.f our medical
partment in order to be retained in the fire brigade.
As soon as an employee is made a member of the fire brigade, he is issued a tire
brigade badge, and a copy of the Fire Brigade Mandril and Fire Alarm System booklet
for this plant.
This booklet covers the fire alarm box numbers and locations, a map of the plant,
fire brigade cc.mpany assignments for first and second alarms, schedule for additional
alarms, special assignments, calling the municipal fire department, and general rules
at an alarm of fire.
Although we know that the company sponsored annual fire brigade outing is
greatly appreciated and enjoyed by all members of the fire brigade, we also know that
the greatest interest in being a member of the fire brigad’e is based on the satisfaction of
having the opportunity of protecting .c.ur plants against fire, thereby safeguarding the
lives of fellow employees, their jobs, and company property.
We are extremely proud of the fine spirit displayed by our fire brigade personnel
in their prompt response to al! fire alarms, and their excellent cooperaticn with the
plant protection fire department at fires, and fire training drills.
The plant fire alarm s)stem can be termed the nerve center of fire protection for
any industrial plant. The provisions of an approved positive non-interfering type ot:
fire alarm system is an essential requirement for an industrial fire prc.tection organization.
The fire alarm system should have a sufficient number of tire alarm boxes to
adequately cover all portions of the plant; andl a sufficient number ,of, alarm gongs, air
whistles, or electric code air horns to make the fire alarm box number transmitted,
audible throughout all portions of the plant. The fire alarm system in this plant has
as many fire alarm boxes as are provided in a small city.
In ~plants not equipped with a private fire alarm system it is possible to substitute a
telephbne fire ~larm .system, which although not as efficient and reliable, would make
~t still possible for the fire department and fire brigade to respond to the location in
the plant that the alarm was transmitted. Special fire phones used for no other purpose
are used for this type of fire alarm system. Each tire phone has the code number of
the plant section, area, or d~partment in which it is located, and a sufficient number of
fire phones are installed to cover all portions of the plant. The plant switchboard
operator upon receiving the code ’ number of the fire phone operated, manually transmits
this code num.ber throughout the plant by means of alarm gongs, air whistles, or
hor.ns of adequate audibility. During World War II this type of fire alarm system was
used in two of our smaller satellite plants.
All portions of an. industrial plant should .be equipped with an adequate supply
of approved type fire extinguishers. These extinguishers should be installed wth regard
to the kind~ of occupancy and type of fire hazards existing at their location. Manufac,
turing areas subject to both class "A" and "B" fires, and mainly the latter in this plant,
are protected by 2~ and 40 gal. foam .extinguishers. Special hazard areas involving
class "B" and "C" fires are protected by 1~ lb, .and ~0 lb. carbon-dioxide, 30 lb. and
1~0 lb. dry chemical, and 1 quart and 1 gal. carbo.’n-tetrachloride extinguishers. Office.
areas subject to class "A" fires are protected by 2~ gal. water type fire extinguishers.
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