2010

2010 What Was Hot

by Michael O'Brian on December 30, 2010

Inspector911.com Rocks

2010 was a banner year here at Inspector911.com and we have many great things in store for 2o11.  In reviewing our data for the previous year we found some interesting trends in clicks and what the site is used for.

These FACTS are complied and here for your viewing pleasure

Top Posts

  1. Does This Meet Code 12 which discusses flexible arm-over sprinkler installations and the challenges if not properly installed
  2. Watch the Station Night Club Fire Video till you Understand it was a guest post from our Friend Dave Statter with Statter911.com which relieved the challenges of this tragic fire.
  3. Does This Meet Code 13, reviewed the red goop syndrome.  This is viewed by every inspector and is a challenge to make sure the product is installed in accordance with manufacture recommendations.
  4. The Final Inspection, a post which provided a broad overview of what is necessary to get that one piece of paper, the Certificate of Occupancy

Top [click to continue…]

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Home Fire Sprinkler Challenge

by Michael O'Brian on December 27, 2010

Home Sprinkler Challenge

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division has just released The Residential Fire Sprinkler Challenge, its new online fire safety game. It is a fun, interactive 16-question question quiz designed to test your knowledge about home fire sprinklers.  This game is a great tool for firefighters, inspectors, and home owners on home fire sprinklers.

Developed by Sprinkler Plan Reviewer Ralph Peterson and Public Educator Becki White, the games includes questions on common misconceptions, water requirements, maintenance, and other miscellaneous points. What a great innovative way to raise awareness on [click to continue…]

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Survey of Young Code Officials

by Michael O'Brian on December 19, 2010

International Code Council Needs Your Input

Are you a code professional under the age of 35?  Then the ICC would like to get your input.

ICC is conducting a series of in-depth telephone interviews with code department staff under the age of 35 to gain insight into perspectives toward code development. Results from the study will inform ICC’s ongoing discussion about how to maximize participation in the code development process.

Please consider participating in the study by consenting to participate in an interview and by providing contact information below. The interviews, which will take approximately 20-30 minutes, will be conducted between January 3-14, 2011. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Armstrong, ICC Senior Vice President, at marmstrong@iccsafe.org.

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ISO Looking for Comments

by Michael O'Brian on December 5, 2010

BCEGS Guide

Changes to the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule Needs Comments

The Building Official and Fire Code Official (AKA the Fire Marshal) are key in reducing the exposure a community has to fire and life safety in the built environment.  ISO is a key tool utilized by many insurance carriers that provides evaluation and grading based on fire department.   If we can reduce our communities overall cost (not just taxes) we are helping our community become competitive!

The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS®) assesses building codes and amendments adopted in a particular community and evaluates that community’s commitment to enforce them.

The concept is simple: Municipalities with [click to continue…]

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Draft Study Released for Public Comment Includes 11 Recommendations for Changes to Codes and Procedure

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Major factors contributing to a rapid spread of fire at the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, S.C., on June 18, 2007, included large open spaces with furniture providing high fuel loads, the inward rush of air following the breaking of windows and a lack of sprinklers, according to a draft report released for public comment today by the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The fire trapped and killed nine firefighters, the highest number of firefighter fatalities in a single event since 9/11.

Based on its findings, the NIST technical study team made 11 recommendations for enhancing building, occupant and firefighter safety nationwide. In particular, the team urged state and local communities to adopt and strictly adhere to current national model building and fire safety codes.1 If today’s model codes had been in place and rigorously followed in Charleston in 2007, the study authors said, the conditions that led to the rapid fire spread in the Sofa Super Store probably would have been prevented.

“Furniture stores typically have large amounts of [click to continue…]

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Faces of Fire

by Michael O'Brian on October 26, 2010

Faces of Fire by NFPA

National Fire Protection Association Launches New Campaign

The NFPA launched its new campaign to bring a face to the life saving impact of home fire sprinklers.  The new web-page serves as a resource to building departments, citizens, fire officials and decision makers on the power of home fire sprinklers.

The site is loaded with resources which show the devastating effects that home fires have on people, communities, and responders.

Each year, about [click to continue…]

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FPW2010

Fire Prevention Week 2010

by Michael O'Brian on October 3, 2010

Smoke Alarms A Sound You Can Live with October 3-9 2010

This year’s campaign is designed to educate people about the importance of smoke alarms and encourages everyone to take the steps necessary to update and maintain their home smoke alarm protection.  As many of us know Fire Prevention week was started after many large fires which devastated the United States such as the Great Chicago Fire or the Great Thumb Forest Fire.

Fire Prevention Week is a great way for the fire prevention community to bring a heightened awareness to the public we serve.  Many of you had open houses which showcase the department’s fire prevention efforts or have participated with corporate partners at Lowes or Home Depot.

In fact it [click to continue…]

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Watch the Station Night Club Video, Till You Understand It

by Michael O'Brian on September 9, 2010

Fairfax Jimmys

Are Fire Marshal’s Domestic Terrorists

This is a special post courtesy of Dave Statter from Statter911.com.

My local fire department has been taking a beating over the last month all across the country. Its crazed fire marshals are accused of tyranny, power-tripping, and being domestic terrorists. And those are some of the nice comments.

So what awful thing did the FMs from the Fairfax County (VA) Fire & Rescue Department do?

They did their jobs.

If you are not aware, on July 24th the fire marshals arrested two bartenders they caught in the act of lighting a bottle containing a flammable liquid and a wick. The bartenders are accused of then using what some might call a Molotov cocktail as a source of ignition for their fire breathing demonstration. It’s a trick they’ve apparently done for years at Jimmy’s in Herndon.

I say good job by the fire marshals.

A crowded bar is [click to continue…]

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If It's Green

If It’s Green It Must Meet Code

by Michael O'Brian on August 24, 2010

Green for Operations and Inspectors

On Thursday August 26, 2010 Michael O’Brian, the founder of www.inspector911.com will be presenting at Fire Rescue International (FRI) in Chicago Illinois. The program is aimed at discussing the challenges a Fire Marshal, Inspector, and Fire Chief are challenged with when enforcing model building and fire codes with growing green issues facing fire department’s today.

The program will discuss real examples of implementation where adopted fire and building codes are lacking substance in supporting the new technologies. In addition the program is intended to provide a plan of action for communities faced with the changing built environment as well as [click to continue…]

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Fatal fire raises concern about antifreeze

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) today issued a safety alert recommending that residential fire sprinkler systems containing antifreeze should be drained and the antifreeze replaced with water.

The alert follows a research study and an initial set of fire tests conducted after a fire incident raised concerns about antifreeze solutions in residential sprinkler systems. The incident involved a grease fire in a kitchen where a sprinkler with a high concentration of antifreeze deployed. The fire resulted in a single fatality and serious injury to another person.

“Fire sprinklers are [click to continue…]

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