HMD395 Chapter 10

most often, how many sprinkler heads total go off in a fire?

1-2

approved fire extinguishers should be...

1. approved by a recognized testing lab which are usually approved by "Factory Mutual" and listed under "underwriters' laboratories, Inc" 2. of the proper type for the class of the fire expected 3. located where they are readily accessible for immediate use and in sufficient quantity and size to deal with the fire expected 4. inspected and maintained on a regular basis so that they are kept in good operating condition 5. operated by trained personnel who can use them effectively

remove: what are new technological advancements with fire sprinklers?

1. temperature detectors - shut off automatically at predetermined temp, turn back on if temp rises again 2. disguised sprinklers that pop out of the ceiling (aesthetics) used in many hotel lobbies 3. mist fire suppression systems - need less water but very high pressure mist. can be linked with smoke detectors so activate at a lower temperature - gets to fire faster and less water damage so less damage overall

typically, what should the water pressure be in a fire sprinkler system?

120 lbs per square inch

remove: what temperature does the bulb filled with liquid or the fusible link in a sprinkler have to be heated to to trigger water?

135-225 degrees F

what was the only federal disaster legislation impacting the hotel industry to any degree?

1990 hotel and motel fire safety act

inhouse fire hoses

2 inches interior diameter stored in a cabinot on hooks - operated by trained staff first, remove the hose by running with it away from the fire, then when it is all out, go back to cabinet and turn on water valve. nozzle has two settings require at least 2 people to operate property also has 4 inch connectors for fire department hoses

approximately how much does it cost to retrofit a hotel with sprinklers and smoke detectors?

2 million

remove: carbon monoxide poisoning levels

200 ppm - flu like symptoms 800 + ppm - disorientation, sleepiness, headache 3,200 ppm - death

what does "5A:20B:C" mean on a fire extinguisher?

5 in front of the A means 6.25 gall of water extinguishing capacity (1=1.25 gallons of water) the 20 infront of B means 20 square feet of coverage there is never a number in front of the C classification

today, how many hotels have sprinklers in guest rooms?

90% of high rises, 45% of all hotels and motels

what is one of the deadliest gases to be found in a fire?

Carbon monoxide (CO)

whose responsibility is safety and security efforts in a small property?

GM and executive committee

emergency action plan checklist

OSHA website general issues, evacuation policy and procedures, reporting emergencies and alerting employees in an emergency, employee training and drills

who provides resources to aid in the planning process of an emergency response plan?

OSHA, american hotel and lodging association, NFPA, department of homeland security, red cross, fire department, others

remove: OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standard of 29 CFR 1910.120

U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's all businesses that require some or all of their employees to respond and assist in case of a hazard or emergency must have a written emergency response plan

smoke and fire dampers

a device found in ventilation ducts to prevent the migration of smoke and fire during a building fire

how much longer does a dry pipe system vs a wet pipe system usually take to release water?

a few seconds longer

fire rating of 45 minutes

a fire can be at that door for 45 minutes before it burns through

why was the MGM fire so bad?

a lot of the stuff in the MGM had a low ignition temperature so when teh fire burst throuhg the ceiling, many of the furnishings int he casino that were made of plastics with low ignition temperatures caught fire before the flames even got there. fire advanced at 19 feet per second (13 miles per hour)

what is a fusible link? what two systems use them?

a metal that will melt at a rated temperature; used in sprinkler heads and fire and smoke dampers

remove: what is a cross main

a pipe that extends from a rise to the branch line that contains the sprinkler heads in a fire control system

remove: what is a branch line

a pipe that runs in a fire control system that contains the sprinkler heads

post incident program

a set of planned activities that follow an emergency important to emergency action plan examples: - generating press releases - contracting with bio hazard cleanign company to clean a guest room after a shooting - arranging accommodations for guests after a property fire, explosion, natural disaster, other disaster that has damaged the hotel - hiring a building contractor to secure and rebuild damaged facilities - hiring cleaning specialists after a flood or smoke damage - contracting insurance company and bonding agencies - filing police and fire dep reports arrangements for additional security to guard the damaged facility - communicating with owners corporate, and employees

what is due diligence?

a term used for a number of concepts involving either the performance of an investigation of a business or person, or the performance of an act with a certain standard of care

how do you treat carbon monoxide poisoning?

administer oxygen in extreme cases, use a hyperbaric chamber

what happened in the 1980s for the hospitality industry?

after all of the hotel fires in the 1980s, clark county commission passed a hotel retrofit code - spriklers and smoke detectors throughout all high-rise properties later adopted by many counties and municipalities

when should you attempt to fight a fire?

after the alarm is turned on

although not required, operators should also include...

alternative communications centers and a secure on-or offsite location to store financial and legal documents, emergency contact lists, and all other essential records.

remove: what is an emergency response plan

an OSHA mandated plan for all businesses that require some or all employees to respond to an emergency

what is an emergency action plan

an OSHA mandated plan for buildings that are required to have fire extinguishers, including hotels

according to OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.157

any facility including hotels where fire extinguishers are required must have an emergency action plan. plan has to contain preferred procedures for reporting an emergency, info on notificatoin alarms in place, evac policy, procedures, escape route assignments, procedures for "sheltering in place" procuedues for employees who remain on site, proceudres to account for employees, the duties and responsibilities and names of employees who are assigned to rescue and to perform medical tasks, a description fo how employees will ben informed of the contents of the plan, names, titles, phone numbers of employees who can be contacted for further quetsoins, a list of key personnel who can be contacted for emergencies 24/7

student who died

apartment bathroom light switch had an electrical short. bathroom caught on fire, was reduced to embers since most of the oxygen had been consumed. he opened the front door, oxygen was reintroduced, huge explosion. died instantly.

remove: 1990 hotel and motel fire safety act

because of dupont plaza fire mandated automated sprinkler systems and hardwired smoke detector systems in all US hotels. hotel industry pushed back for amended version. settled on all hotels that desired business from the federal gov had to install hardwired, single station smoke detectors in all guest rooms. sprinkler systems with a sprinkler head in each guest room. hotels with three stories or fewer were exempt from the automatic sprinkler requirement. participating properties entered into teh federal travel directory self enforcing - no penalty if a federal employee stayed at a non approved proeprty

why should you crawl through a smoke filled corridor?

because there will be a small band of fresh air containing oxygen at the bottom of the smoke and hot gases which are on top. smoke is deadly

you should never attempt to fight a fire that is..

between you and the exit

why is smoke deadly?

breathing the particulates along with the hot gases can cause injury and immediate death. smoke is composed of materials that have not completely burned. can lead to flashover or rapid fire development

remove: U.S. District Judge Philip Pro

carries a faulty fusible link from the ventilation system at the MGM. would have prevented smoke from traveling through the property durign teh fire

risk management departments

chain hotels and franchisors have them

in some cases especially when there is no risk manager, who gets asked to be the hotel's safety and security committee chair?

chief engineer

remove: how to prevent a fire in the kitchen

clean filters, hoods, fans, vents, and broilers of grease regularly clean filters everyday in the dishwasher at the end of the day clean hoods, fans and vents as needed based on use. for heavy frying kitchen once a month, for almost no frying kitchen once a year

where is a dry pipe system better?

cold climates where there is a chance that water in the system might freeze and then the system wouldn't work

in addition to formulating a disaster plan, what can you do for prevention?

contact local ambulance services, make arrangements with hospitals and clinics in the area all on a preventative basis, contact local and county agencies that have disaster related assistance, contact red cross for first aid training, consult with local police about security and safety issues in teh area

dupont plaza hotel hotel fire

december 31, 1986 97 dead, 140 injured

after you develop an emergency action plan...

develop training programs, create teams, notify the property regularly. shouldn't just be brought up to employees at orientation

door closures

devices that automatically close an open door without human intervention; found on guestroom doors

if you are confronted with a hot door or doorknob what do you do?

do not open it. even if there are victims inside. instead, sound the alarm and report the fire

what is hydrostatic testing of portable fire extinguishers? who does it?

done to protect against unexpected in-service failure from internal corrosion, external corrosion, damage from abuse etc. has to be done by trained personnel with proper testing equipment and facilities

how to prevent fires in housekeeping department

dont dump ashtrays into trashcans dont let linen bins block the back of house hallways and emergency exit doors - prevents quick and safe exit and fire fighters from comign in clean lint screens on dryers daily dont let dirty linens pile up in the linen rooms - potential fire fuel

in hospitality, what are the two primary types of sprinkler systems?

dry pipe and wet pipe

whose responsibility installing and maintaining safety and security equipment and systems?

engineering department

what is a sidewall sprinkler

extends from the wall of a room and the water cascades out in a 180 degree pattern wetting teh room and the wall

if the chemical reaction that takes place at the start of a fire is fast it is called what? if it is slow it is called what?

fast = explosion slow = rust

what is an automatic door closure

fire doors that will close when a fire alarm is sounded; often found in hallways, lobbies and between guestroom corridors

what is the fire tetrahedron

fuel, heat, oxygen, and chemical reaction (i.e. oxidation)

what is a pendant sprinkler?

head hangs from the pipe and disperses water in a 360 arc

what is an upright sprinkler?

heads are installed on the top of the pipe but operate the same as the pendant

how can heat be deadly in a fire?

heat rises so the temperature of a room on fire can vary ceiling to floor. ceiling could be 1000 degrees F and several hundreds of degrees at 5-6 feet from the ground. 2 feet off floor could be less than 100 degrees. crawl = survive, stand up = die

remove: what are the products of combustion?

heat, light, smoke (particulates) and gases. the gases may include carbon monoxide carbon dioxide, and other gases depending on the substance being burned have to be conscious of water things the fire will give off. if plastic burns, the gases can be very toxic

what is the potability of the water that comes out of the sprinklers>

horrible. static supply in automatic sprinklers so black, smelly, could contain antifreeze, not potable

use a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire in what stage?

incipient stage after the alarm has been set off if the fire is no larger than the size of a bread basket

remove: because only the fire department can turn off the sprinklers, what can you do to prevent building water damage once the fire is out?

insert a wedge and wrap the head of the sprinkler with cloth and place a bucket under to catch water

if there is an electrical fire and the power is cut....

it becomes a class A fire

why would a fire department cut the power to a property on fire?

it would become a class A fire, much easier to put out

portable fire extinguishers need to be visually inspected how often? what does the inspection entail?

monthly 1. are they in the assigned place 2. are they not blocked or hidden 3. are they mounted in accordance with NFPA Standard No. 10 4. are the pressure gauges showing adequate pressure (CO2 has to be weighed to determine if leakage has occurred) 5. pin and seals are in place 6. do they show no visual sign of damage or abuse 7. nozzles are free of blockage

NFPA

national fire protection association mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and edu example codes - fire prevention code, life safety code, national fire alarm code, installation of sprinkler system code

do all sprinkler heads go off at once?

no, just the ones close enough to the fire to have their fusible link melted or their bulb shattered

what are the two settings that an inhouse firehouse has?

one is a stream to aim at the base of the fire one is a fog - used to push back flames smoke and hot gas so you can reach a victim

remove: who to prevent fires in the engineering department

overheated equipment, soldering guns left on, blow torches used around flammable materials are potential fire hazards. fires are common during proeprty remodeling and expansion. require contracts to take all precautions and monitor them for due diligence. welding and trash fires are two of the more common occurances dont overload circuits, smoke in nondesignated areas fired employees can start fires

remove: what are the three types of sprinklers?

pendant, upright, sidewall

PPE

personal protective equipment

remove: per OSHA, what does an emergency response plan need?

pre emergency planning and coordination with outside parties personnle roles, lines of authority, training, communcation emergency recognition and prevention safe distances and places of refuge site security and control evacuation routes and procedures decontamination emergency medical treatment and first aid emergency alerting and response procedures critique of response and follow-up personal protective equipmetn and emergnecy equipment needs to be available to employees, employee representatives, and OSHA

what is a hyperbaric chamber?

pressurized tank containing oxygen

what is the PASS system of fire extinguisher operation?

pull, aim, squeeze, sweep

what is a risk manager?

responsible for the mitigation of risk for a property stemming from physical and legal causes (fire, flood, accidents etc) through the use of managerial resources

what is carbon monoxide?

result of incomplete combustion and is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. it displaces oxygen in a human's hemoglobin

whose responsibility is safety and security efforts in a large property?

risk manager

who can be designated as the person who is in charge of getting employees from each department on board and coordinating all aspects of the communication and training processes?

risk manager, chief engineer, director of security, or other individuals

November 21, 1980

second deadliest hotel fire in American history at MGM grand (now bally's) 87 died

why do we have door closures and automatic door closures?

so that when there is a fire, it can be compartmentalized - giving the fire department more time to fight it before it spreads

critical incident response teams

specially trained employees who respond to specific emergencies. a property may have more than on critical incident response team. important to emergency action plan ie on for fires or natural disasters and another for choking or heart attacks or medical emergencies

remove: Fire suppression equipment includes what?

sprinkler systems, hoses, portable fire extinguishers, all of the equipment used with these things

why are construction fires so dangerous?

sprinklers may not be operable yet or it could be in an area without sprinklers (false ceiling or roof) like 1998 and 2003 in vegas

remove: pressurization systems

suck smoke out of a room and expel it outside of a building by reversing the flow of fans. example, fire stairwells designed to work automatically with manual overrides

portable fire extinguisher maintenance requires what? is done how often?

take the whole thing apart and replace whatever is necessary done annually or more often if necessary

an emergency action plan should depend on...

the area where the hotel is located. some issues are universal and others are specific. dont want to plan for something that wont happen in your area

what is the fire triangle

the components of a fire: fuel, heat and oxygen. it takes all three to make a fire

most city and county fire codes say that only who can turn off the sprinkler valves? why?

the fire department even if there is no more fire turning off a valve could compromise the sprinkler heads in other rooms where a fire could occur while the sprinkler head is being reset

where do fire control systems start?

the fire rated door

never use a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire in what stage?

the free burning stage

what is a fire rating?

the length of time a fire can impinge on that door before it burns through the surface

what is the ignition temperature

the temperature at which a product will burst instantly into flames. open flame is not necessary, just heat alone

what is the misconception with light in a fire?

there would be no visible light. the smoke would have masked everything and in reality, the room is black

the problem with items with low ignition temperatures

they aren't usually installed in construction because contractors know better now. but, management and sometimes guests can introduce low ignition temperature items into the property which compromises the fire retardantness of the property

remove: how to prevent a fire in banquets department

used to be ashtrays dumped into dirty linen piles were a fire issue. people dont really do that anymore since smokefree banquets are more of a thing. Lit Sterno cans (used for heating buffet trays) that aren't put out properly are still a fire issue

remove: describe a sprinkler system

water is transported up a riser from the main. In-line pumps may supplement city water pressure so water can be lifted to upper floors in the riser servicing an automatic sprinkler system, there will be a valve. the valve will either have water on both sides of the valve (wet) or it will have water on one side and pressurized air on the other side of the valve (dry) from the risers the water goes to the cross mains, then the branch lines where the sprinklers are

remove: how is the water in a sprinkler triggered?

water or air (dry pipe) is held in check by a stopper that is kept in place by a bulb filled with liquid or a fusible link. when the air temp reaches a high temp the link melts or the bulb shatters. the pressure of the air or water behind the cap then forces the cap off and water comes out.

what is the federal travel directory?

what all federal employees consult when using US hotels

what is the incipient stage of a fire?

when it in the beginning stages.

is it best to involve all employees from all departments in the emegency plannign process?

yes