Houston Firemen train to fight High-Rise Fires
Posted: 09-09-10Category:
It's grueling! Every morning, cadets from the Houston Fire Department's fire academy begin their day with a six story run up the academy's training tower. It's basic training for fighting high-rise fires in Houston. Houston is home to hundreds of high-rise buildings all over the city, and when a fire breaks out hundreds of feet above the ground, there's no taking the elevator! It's a sheer test of stamina for the firefighters who have to haul heavy firefighting equipment up flight after flight of high-rise stairwells. That heavy equipment may include a 42 lb "High Rise" Pack of 3" fire hose. It requires incredible physical stamina.
High-rise fires are inherently more dangerous. Nine years ago, Fire Captain Jay Janke died in a Four Leaf Towers condominium fire after becoming disoriented in heavy smoke. Today, improved Houston Fire Department procedures aim to leave no man (or woman) behind in a fire.
Yesterday's blog post focused on the recent JP Morgan Chase Bank Building Fire on Main Street near Rusk Street which severely damaged the offices of the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program. The 36-story high rise building caught fire on the 27th floor at approximately 8 p.m Monday. The call went to 4 alarms as the fire department had trouble getting water to the flames. A water pipe inside the building broke, requiring firefighters to pump in the water from the street. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.
The JP Morgan Chase Bank Tower was built in 1981. It's the tallest building in the Houston skyline, which is equivalent to 3 1/2 football fields. Imagine having to fight a fire three and one half football fields off the ground when the power is out and the elevators aren't working. Sounds like a job for Superman!
But for the everyday heroes of the Houston Fire Department, it's all in a days work. Which is why the fire cadet training continues...every morning.
Steve Ferrell is an experienced and knowledgeable Texas Fire Loss Attorney based in Houston. He handles both residential and commercial fires, including cases arising from fires in high rise office buildings. Steve is Double Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law. He represents policyholders and property owners making claims against their insurance carriers after a fire. He also represents burn victims in personal injury cases that arise from fires. For more information, call The Ferrell Law Firm, P.C. at (713) 800-0220.