Introduction
The fire marked a significant discovery for human progress because of its usefulness in cooking, lighting, and heating. However, fire sometimes destroyed due to accidental impacts contributed by human ineffectiveness. Fire incidences had caused deaths, injuries, and destruction of properties. Fire incidence became frequent not only in most cities but also in remote regions, in the world. Electric hazards often led to a fire breakout.
Major cases of home fires occurred due to too cooking. Arsonists also caused fire incidences; however, the American federal government formulated regulation aimed to convict and jail arsonists. This paper examined how fire incidences in America influenced the review policies of the fire codes.
Development of Fire Protection Equipments
According to Reger and Bober, fire death rates have minimized due to: use of Sprinklers in institutional buildings, the adoption of smoke detectors, developed fire fighting policies, and the use of less flammable interior equipment (5). The use of Sprinklers became an effective measure when preventing the spread of fire in the premise. Fire frequently began when nobody occupied a building that led to a delayed response to extinguish the fire.
Fire Watch became an effective approach utilized in industrial buildings under construction. Fire Watch became a suitable way to prevent fire incidents that may be caused by Saw-cutting and Welding events when a house nearing completion. “Smoke control models, Alarms, and Sprinklers provided an effective way for controlling fire incidences” (Mor 23). Firefighting equipment should provide an effective measure to control the fire spread and save the trapped individuals. Lack of door exits in tall buildings led to many death cases. Trapped individuals rarely survived because fire smoke frequently contributed suffocation.
Fire brigades department enacted measures to ensure that proper building policies got followed. Modern technology has improved construction standards. The evacuation zone was constructed in tall buildings, where individuals may get refuge while waiting to be rescued. Successful rescue came possible when there was effective communication to guide the trapped people in a tall building.
Review of Fire Codes
Fire codes referred to regulations prescribing measures to minimize and prevent fire incidences arising from buildings or through the use of dangerous equipment. “Fire codes and building codes aimed at providing safety measures to avoid death, lose of properties and injuries” (Mor 21). Fire codes were components of construction safety measures. Building codes formulated measures that sought to prevent fire incidents.
Reger and Bober viewed that Building codes provided effective ways to detect and minimize the fire spread, and to make quick evacuation measures during fire outbreak (7). Fire codes promoted the maintenance and inspection of different fire safety devices to facilitate effective measures. Fire codes were standard codes used by the local jurisdiction, which became enforced by the fire brigade officers. Fire codes were a set of regulations prescribing measures on how to eradicate explosion and fire hazards emanating from the use of dangerous items.
Mor affirmed that the fire brigade officials established fire codes to eradicate fire incidents to ensure that the provision of essential training and effective use of household devices got adopted (24). Fire brigade personnel reviewed the fire codes to ensure that the constructors did not compromise building safety measures. Fire codes aimed to maintain and inspect the use of different fire protection items to sustain active fire safety measures. “Fire codes minimize and prevent the possibility of fire incidences, which may lead to property destruction, injury, and death” (Reger and Bober 6). Fire codes ensured effective strategy during building construction. Fire codes provided effective measures that encouraged residents to minimize the chances of causing fire incidences.
Works Cited
Mor, James. Plagues and Fire: Battling Black Death and the 1900 Burning of Honolulu’s Chinatown, New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
Reger, Cheryl and Bober, Ted. In The Line of Fire: Trauma in the Emergency Services, New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.