- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | DiNenno, P. J.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Sacred Heart Home, March 19, 1978.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-205, July 31, 1978, 43 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- evacuation | fire departments | fire investigations | nursing staff | nursing homes | patients | smoke
- Abstract
- The fire incident at the Sacred Heart Home on March 19, 1978 was detected by the nursing staff at approximately 1330 hours. The nursing staff was investigating an odor of smoke on the third floor when the fire was detected in patient room 335, with flames issuing from a waste basket to a height of approximately eighteen inches. The facility has a capacity of 102 patients and at the time of the fire incident, had a registered capacity of 101 patients. The facility had the main building of protected noncombustible construction, is approximately forty-two years old and had the north wing of fire resistive construction added approximately 14 years ago. Upon detection of the fire, the nursing staff activated the local alarm system, which automatically transmits a signal to the fire department by a central station system arrangement, and also phoned the fire department. The nursing staff extinguished the waste container fire with water from the sink in room 335, evacuated the one ambulatory patient from room 335 and closed the patient room door. The fire emergency procedures of the facility were initiated by all the staff, the fire department responded and verified the extinguishment. There was reported to be no visible smoke accumulation in patient room 335 or the third floor corridor.