Nine Firefighters died last night in Charleston, S.C.

[eskimo2]

Originally posted by Airscrew
It may have more to do with Area (square miles/km) of the town rather than population density.     Our ESD (emergency service district) has 3 volunteer fire stations about 10 miles apart with approximately 1 tanker, 1 pumper, 2 brush trucks and about 15 - 20 guys(including a couple of first responders).  There are plans to add a 4th station.  They cover about 400 square miles of our part of the county, a couple of thousand homes spread out here and there, farms and ranches plus grass and tree covered acerage.  The bordering ESD's help cover each other's areas.

True.  

Also the amount of wildland/civilization interface and the types of natural fuels can influence needs.  Where I lived in Alaska there was a huge risk for big fires that could consume thousands of acres and homes.  I now live in the moist-leafy state of Ohio where the natural environment is unlikely to burn out of control.

[Jebus]

Originally posted by Hortlund
Why does a city that size (100 000) have 230+ firefighters, when my town (size 80 000) have ~50?

What is the huge difference here that I am unaware of?

A lot has to do with OSHA and NFPA standards.  I am a firefighter/paramedic for a suburb of Chicago.  We run three people on a fire engine and fire truck and two on an ambulance.  We have 2 fire trucks 2 fire engines and 2 ambulances.  We jump from vehicles.  That about 6 to 9 people working on a shift depending on staffing.  Now if you go to Chicago they have 4 people on an engine, 4 to 6 on a fire truck, and 6 on a squad, and 2 on an ambulance.  This is all to keep up with the standards, and they would like to have one firefighter per 1,000 people.

Also there was no reason to have those guys in there.  I didnt see the whole thing just bits and pieces but that building looked like that fire was going pretty good.  With the fire load and roof it looked to me there should have been no one in there.  Once again I wasnt there or saw all aspects of what was going on but they should have just drowned the building and kept everyone out.  But I dont want to arm chair this fire.  It is just a sad day when any firefighter get hurt or killed doing what they love to do.

to all firefighters

[Meatwad]

As a past volunteer firefighter, I find that very sad to read

[Slash27]

Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson
Age: 48
Years with department: 30
Capt. Mike Benke
Age: 49
Years with department: 29 years
Capt. Louis Mulkey
Age: 34
Years with department: 11 1/2 years
Engineer Mark Kelsey
Age: 40
Years with department: 12 1/2 years
Engineer Bradford "Brad" Baity, Nine years
Age: 37
Years with department: 9
Assistant Engineer Michael French
Age: 27
Years with department: 1 1/2 years
Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton
Age: 56
Years with department: 32 years
Firefighter Brandon Thompson
Age: 27
Years with department: Four years
Firefighter Melven Champaign
Age: 46
Years with department: Two years





You're right Jebus, we shouldn't arm chair but its damn hard not too. I understood they had to rescue two employees from the start. I wonder if they were told more were in there?

[Slash27]

http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/Charleston-SC-Tragedy/Reports-Say-9-Firefighters-Killed-in-South-Carolina-Sofa-Store-Blaze/56$55139

[Jebus]

Well if there were people trapped.  The fire chief was right by saying they were doing what they were trained to do.

Just sucks.

[Slash27]

Yes it does.

[Slash27]

Rest in peace Charleston 9 <>



http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?id=55162§ionId=56












FDNY lost a firefighter yesterday as well.