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Drowning in the "Sea of smoke"
Resolution 92-2 approved by International Association of Fire Chiefs
In November of 1980, 84 people died at the MGM Grand hotel fire in Las Vegas, Nevada, mainly from smoke inhalation. Within two weeks the same number of people died in individual residential fires across the United States.
Most of us understand the concept of drowning in water. When our nose, mouth and lungs are plugged we asphyxiate. The same principle applies when we are in a high toxic smoke environment, smoke particles plug our nose, mouth and fill our lungs with particle matter that causes asphyxiation thus you drown in the "Sea of smoke".
So what's the solution? According to the Institute for Fire and Burn Education smoke filters for civilian use can be used to provide a level of protection from a toxic environment. "The technology has been available for years but used primarly for industrial applications. These safety products are as importants as smoke detectors", said Fred Jameson founder of the Institute. The problem has been that we educate the public that we have the finest Fire Departments in the world, (which is true) but they can't help until they are called and arrive. 96% of fire victims die before the fire fighters arrive on the scene.
Recently the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) passed a resolution to support the need for civilian respiratory protection. The IAFC further resolved that the Older Consumer, the physically challenged and children are at high risk.
For years, Fire Fighters wore smoke filters called type N masks or were not provided anything at all for respiratory protection. Because they were required to stay in a challenged atmosphere for longer periods of time they started using a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).
Survivability in a smoke environment is an individual responsibility. Whether you travel on land, by air or at sea; live or work in highrise building, survivability from toxic smoke is your responsibility. The fire Service can't help you until they arrive on the scene.
By Institute for Fire and Burn Education
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
RESOLUTION 92-2
DESCRIPTION: TO SUPPORT THE NEED FOR CIVILIAN RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
Because the United States has the highest number of fire-related deaths of all industrialized countries in the world, and because the real killer in fire is toxic smoke, there is an urgent and obvious need for the International Association of Fire Chiefs to explicitly support the need for:
CIVILIAN RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
WHEREAS, building and decorative products are increasingly made of plastic and synthetic materials, and when these products ignite they give off such gases as carbon monoxide, benzene, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen-cyanide and smoke particle matter...
WHEREAS, significant delays in summoning firefighters result in people being exposed to and immobilized by these toxic gases and particles...
WHEREAS, more than 6,000 people will die this year; 80 percent of them will be overcome by toxic smoke, 84 percent of all fire fatalities occur before firefighters are called or arrive on the scene, and billions of dollars of property will be lost...
WHEREAS, there is a special need for the elderly, who move more slowly while attempting to escape from fire and are overcome by toxic smoke...
WHEREAS, the physically challenged find it difficult or impossible to evacuate from a home or high-rise building, and have a tremendous need for respiratory protection from smoke...
WHEREAS, firefighters do not normally carry additional SCBAs or any form of respiratory protection for people they are trying to rescue from toxic environments...
WHEREAS, the protection of firefighters from toxic smoke costs millions of dollars annually, but we spend very little time or money studying ways to protect the public from the same toxic smoke...
WHEREAS, the National Fire Protection Association advocates the use of a wet towel to cover the nose and mouth when smoke or toxic gases are encountered...
WHEREAS, proven technology exists to provide smoke protection to civilians. Protected people could safely escape from smoke and summon help quickly...
WHEREAS, protecting people from smoke will not preclude the need for smoke detectors or automatic sprinkler systems...
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the International Association of Fire Chiefs resolves that there is an urgent need for civilian respiratory protection and calls on the scientific community to work with a task force of qualified professionals to review and develop a standard, thus encouraging all fire service organizations to support the need for civilian respiratory protection worldwide.
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Approved unanimously by IAFC Conference Delegates on September 18, 1992 |
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