Question of the Day #8

Some people are blabbermouths... others never give enough info... but people like to talk....

Communication is essential in our line of work... be it Fire or EMS... the flow of information is vital to a life being saved....

With all that said... here is you Trivia Question of the day....

In what year was the walkie-talkie introduced in the fire service?

A. 1923

B. 1933

C. 1940

D. 1945

 
  Answer Posted Below.....

 
 

In what year was the walkie-talkie introduced in the fire service?

C. 1940

 
  In 1940 is when FDNY introduce the first fireground radios known as “Walkie-talkies.” They operated in the ultra-high frequency, 2-meter band, weighted approximately 15 pound, measured 9 by 5 by 13 inches and were carried in a backpack. The “Walkie-talkie” received its first actually test under real conditions in July 1940 at the Algonquin fire. The radio did not get much fame until 1945, when they used Motorola’s handie talkie at the site of the B-25 crash into the Empire State Building, when pictures of their firefighter were taken using the radio at the incident.
 

Question of the Day #7

Think you're the schnizzle when it comes to fire-buff trivia ?   Sink your chops into this all-to-important blast from the past !

Take a guess... leave a comment.... but don't cheat yourself buy checking Google......




When the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health investigated this fire, they issued 12 recommendations- many of which involved preplanning- for similar firefighting situations:


A. Worcester Warehouse Fire

B. Hackensack Ford Dealership Fire

C. 23rd Street Fire

D. The Triangle Shirt Waist Fire
 

 
    ANSWER POSTED BELOW.......

Most comments yet..... @leatherheadff and Eric were correct..

When the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health investigated this fire, they issued 12 recommendations- many of which involved preplanning- for similar firefighting situations:

A. Worcester Warehouse Fire

 

On December 3, 1999, The Worchester Fie Department received a call at approximately 1800 hours for a possible fire at the former Worchester Cold Storage and Warehouse. When the Fire Department arrived on scene, there were reports of 2 homeless people trapped inside and 2 firefighters entered the structure to search for the people. While searching, the 2 firefighters became disoriented and started to run out of air. When they realize that they were in trouble they called in a “Mayday!” Four firefighters heard their “Mayday” and rushed into the structure. All 6 firefighters died as the result of the conditions inside the structure during the 6 Alarm blazed that burned for 24 hours. During the investigation, NIOSH issued 12 recommendations.....


1. Conducting pre-fire planning on vacant buildings

2. Marking dangerous, vacant buildings

3. Implementing an Incident Command System at fire scenes

4. Using a separate Incident Safety Officer at Fire scenes

5. Using adequate equipment and adhering to standard operating procedure

6. Incident Command must account for personnel at scene

7. Using ropes, lines, and lights

8. Ensuring a Rapid Intervention Team is in place

9. Implementing a health and safety program

10. Using a marking system during searches

11. Enforcing mask rules

12. Using thermal imaging cameras
 
This fire was a catylst to changing the way we do business on the fireground. It kills me a little more each time a Firefighter falls... 6 Brothers lost, but, in my humble opinion, hundreds and more have been saved because of the implimentation of changes made after this tragedy.
 

Rest in Peace, my Brothers

The Worcester 6
Pictured top-Botom, Left to right:
Lt. Thomas Spencer, James Lyons,Paul Brotherton
Timothy Jackson, Jeremiah Lucey, Joseph McGuirk

 

 

Question of the Day #6

American History is rittled with violence. . .  and fires.. lots of fires... even from the very beginning... here's a chance to check your american history knowledge coupled with your knowledge of the fire service.....

as always... no oogling Google  :-) and leave some comments....


During what war was the White House set on fire by the invading army?


A. The American Civil War

B. The War of 1812

C. The Spanish-American War

D. The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848



ANSWER POSTED BELOW.......

During what war was the White House set on fire by the invading army?

B. The War of 1812

During the War of 1812, The British burned Washington, DC. On, August 24, 1814, the British reached Washington, and found the city largely deserted, with the only resistance being ineffective sniper fire from one house. The first order of business for the British was to attack the Navy yard... which they burned. British troops next arrived at the US Capitol, which was still unfinished. According to later accounts, the British were impressed by the fine architecture of the building, and some of the officers had qualms about burning it. According to legend, British Admiral Cockburn sat in the chair belonging to the Speaker of the House and asked, "Shall this harbor of Yankee democracy be burned?" The British Marines with him yelled "Aye!" Orders were given to torch the building. The British troops worked diligently to set fires inside the Capitol, destroying years of work by artisans brought from Europe. With the burning Capitol lighting the sky, troops also marched to burn an armory. At about 10:30 pm, approximately 150 Royal Marines formed up in columns and began marching westward on Pennsylvania Avenue, following the route used in modern times for inauguration day parades. The British troops moved quickly, with a particular destination in mind, The White House, which they in turn set ablaze as well. The British troops then turned their attention to the adjacent Treasury Department building, which was also set on fire. The fires burned so brightly that observers many miles away recalled seeing a glow in the night sky.

“Capture and Burning of Washington by the British, in 1814,” an 1876 wood engraving.

Question of the Day #5

Ok Fire Buffs.... put you're thinkin caps on.... Here Comes the QOD #5


Who was considered to be the first fire chief in US history?


A. Jacobus Stoutenburgh

B. Benjamin Franklin

C. Jacobus Turck

D. Thomas Atkins
 
 
 

Answer Posted Below.....

Who was considered to be the first fire chief in US history?

A. Jacobus Stoutenburgh

During 1761, Jacobus Stoutenburgh became the head of the volunteer fire department for New York City. His title was “Overseer of Fire Engines The department was reorganized I 1762 and Stoutenburgh's title was changed to "Engineer," then to "Chief Engineer" in later that year and finally in 1763, "Chief." (This was the first time any firefighter in the U.S. was officially known by the rank of chief.) The rank of chief soon became popular with fire departments throughout the country, and the association of the speaking trumpet and a fire officer was starting. The earliest mention of trumpets in New York City was in 1752, when Jacobus Turck, who was in charge of the department at that time, was authorized "to purchase six small speaking-trumpets for the use of the Corporation." The first trumpets were made of tin and were painted. The officers called cadence through the trumpets to keep the men on the hand pumpers in time on the noisy fireground. The trumpets soon were being made from brass and were being presented as gifts to members of the department. Chief Officers used them for overall command at the scene of working fires. They also became part of the elaborate uniforms of the volunteer firemen. The speaking trumpet was in use for many years as a communication device. It has carried on to this day in a small way as an insignia of rank in most departments - one trumpet for lieutenant, two for a captain, and crossed gold trumpets up to five in number to signify chief of department.

Question of the Day #4

Happy Sunday to All !!!   In the spirit of Public Assembly fires of historical note... today, we'll add a neat trivia fact from the Cocoanut Grove fire...

but not what you think......

During the Cocoanut Grove Fire, this was used for the first time on burn victims:

A.  Burn Blanket

B.  Vaseline

C.  Morphine

D.  Saline Solution






Answer Posted Below......

Whoever post anon was correct!

During the Cocoanut Grove Fire, this was used for the first time on burn victims:

B. Vaseline

The Cocoanut Grove fire victims were treated by two hospitals: Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston City Hospital. While at these hospitals they were treated by doctors using medical advancements such as new drugs, procedures and a blood bank. Doctors Daniels Moore and Oliver Cope treated them at Massachusetts General Hospital in a process involving gauze smeared with Vaseline. It was the first major use of the hospital’s new blood bank- one of the areas’s first established by Dr. Lamar Soutter. The Cocoanut Grove victim was amongst the first to be treated with a new drug called penicillin as well.

Question of the Day #3

Ok fire trivia junkies... let's get to it... hopefully we start getting a little more interaction going here soon

Here is your Fire Trivia Question of the Day......remember.. no Google, no Cheating :-)



This was the Deadliest Public Assembly Fire in US History:


A. Dance Hall, Via Platt, LA

B. Rhythm Club, Natchez, MS

C. Iroquois Theater

D. Beverly Hills Supper Club, Southgate, KY
 




Answer Posted Below.....

Bi-Paula and @scribbles412 were right!  (...and who says movies aren't educational ?  LOL)

The Deadliest Public Assembly Fire in US History was:

C. Iroquois Theater

 Ever wonder why Fire Inspections and Code Enforcement are so important ? Read on........



The Iroquois Theater fire occurred on December 30, 1903, in Chicago, Illinois. It is the deadliest Public Assembly fire in United States history. A total of 602 people died as a result of the fire. Despite being billed as "Absolutely Fireproof" in advertisements and playbills, numerous deficiencies in fire readiness were apparent. An editor of Fireproof Magazine had toured the building during construction and had noted "the absence of an intake, or stage draft shaft; the exposed reinforcement of the (proscenium) arch; the presence of wood trim on everything and the inadequate provision of exits.” A Chicago Fire Department captain who made an unofficial tour of the theater days before the official opening noted that there were no extinguishers, sprinklers, alarms, telephones, or water connections; the only firefighting equipment available were six canisters of a dry chemical called "Kilfyre", which was normally used to douse residential chimney fires. There were also structural deficiencies. Large iron gates blocked off the stairways during performances to prevent patrons from moving down from the gallery to the dress circle or orchestra. Many of the exit routes were confusing; patrons seated in the front of the gallery had to turn left, climb four stairs, turn right, climb down a number of stairs, then turn and descend another staircase simply in order to reach the dress circle level, then descend another stairway to reach the foyer. The gallery stairways also converged on one point, making it more likely that the exits would become bottlenecks. Within the theater, curtains covered the main fire exits located on the north side of each level. The exits themselves were secured with bascule locks, a form of lock in which bolts run vertically out of the top and bottom of the door and which were almost unheard of outside of Europe at the time. The fire escapes that led from the north exits each served three doors and were too narrow to carry the number that could exit if all doors opened. Moreover, the last rungs of the emergency stairs were frozen in place and could not be moved. Many doors opened inwards, including the main stage door. The roof ventilation system was either nailed down or wired down, but in any event was not functional. At about 3:15 P.M., late in the second act, a dance number was in progress when an arc light shorted and ignited a muslin curtain. A stage hand attempted to douse the fire with the Kilfyre canisters provided but it quickly spread to the fly gallery high above the stage where thousands of square feet of highly flammable painted canvas scenery flats were hung. While the actors were fleeing through the back door, it was reported when they open the door a back draft was created. As the cold winter air rushed into the building, the fire created a bellows like effect that shot tongues of fire out across the audience. It took the Chicago Fire Department 13 minutes to get the initial call of the fire because of the lack of pull boxes in the area, and it took them only 2 minutes to arrived on scene after receiving the call. By that time when they arrived on scene, it was to an eerily quiet blaze with 572 people already dead before their arrival.


After the fire, it was alleged that fire inspectors had been bribed with free tickets to overlook code violations. The mayor ordered all theaters in Chicago closed for six weeks after the fire. The Iroquois fire prompted widespread implementation of the panic bar. A second result of the fire was that it was required that a fireproof asbestos curtain (or sheet metal screen) be raised before each performance and lowered afterward to separate the audience from the stage. The third result was that fire codes limited the maximum number of seats between aisles to six or eight for faster evacuation. The fourth result was that all doors in public buildings must open "outward" to prevent more death, but that practice didn't became a national effect until the Collinwood School Fire of 1908 were 172 children and 2 teachers had died in this fire.

Some great links to this fire I found :
 
http://www.eastlandmemorial.org/iroquois.shtml
 
http://journeytofirefighter.com/602-lives-the-iroquois-theater-fire-of-1903/
 
 
 
 

Question of the Day #2

Ok Fire Buffs... no cheating... leave Google alone.... time to test your fire history knowledge....

Take your time... think about it  :)



The Deadliest fire in American History was:


A. The Great Chicago Fire

B. The Peshtigo Fire

C. The San Francisco Fire

D. The Great Baltimore Fire



...... ANSWER POSTED BELOW

 

Shell is Correct !!

The Deadliest fire in American History was:

B. The Peshtigo Fire

On October 8th, 1871, the same time and day as the Great Chicago Fire, 3 other fires, The Port Huron Fire, the Great Michigan Fire, and the Peshtigo Fire. However, only one of these fires is recorded as the most deadly fire in US History and that is The Peshtigo Fire. Reports have been said that the Fire Storm was so intense it jumped several miles over Green Bay and burned parts of the Door of the Peninsula. By the time the fire was over, 1,875 square miles burned, with 12 communities destroy in the fire. As a result of this, an accurate death toll has not been determined since local population records were destroys by fire. Reports have said 1,200-2,500 people had lost their life in the fire, however, the Wisconsin State Legislature listed on 1,182 names in an 1873 report. For years, these 3 fires have been mostly forgotten because of the Great Chicago Fire and the folk lore of it.

Question of the Day #1

Here is the first in your series of Fire Trivia Question of the Day.  So without further ado....

Let's start easy, shall we ? .........



The Oakland Firestorm of 1991 ended up costing?




A.  $500 million

B.  $1 Billion

C.  $1.25 Billion

D.  $1.5 Billion

           .....Answer Posted below

 RescueMonkey is correct...

The Oakland Firestorm of 1991 ended up costing

D. $1.5 Billion

The Oakland Firestorm of 1991 was a large urban fire that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California and southeastern Berkeley on Sunday October 20, 1991, almost 2 years after the Loma Prieta Earthquake. The fire has also been called the Oakland Hills Firestorm, the East Bay Hills Fire, and the Tunnel Fire (because of its origin above the west portal of the Caldecott Tunnel) in Oakland. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres destroyed included 3,354 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units. The economic loss has been estimated at $1.5- $2 Billion. Developments of this fire was Fire-resistant building codes, Homeowners are mandated to clear vegetation, Neighborhoods access to firefighting equipment and water, and Firefighters given forest fire training and equipment, such as thermal imaging devices and portable hydrant systems.

Fire Trivia

Figured I would try something a little different with the blog... What's this you say ?  How about a little somethin somethin in fire trivia questions ?  Maybe a little fun can be had, maybe a little history can be learned... and just maybe... you can earn a free drink or two at the club LOL.

Each day or so.. I will post a multiple choice Fire Trivia Question... PLEASE!!! Fell free to comment and tweet what you think the answeres are....only fun if there is participation.... the next day, I will post the answer and the explanation of the answer in the blog and send it out.  

always good to learn the history of the job we love so much....