- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | DiNenno, P. J.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Avalon Manor Convalescent Center on June 16, 1978.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-220, October 31, 1978, 36 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- doors | evacuation | fire departments | fire extinguishers | nursing staff | patients | room fires | smoke | upholstered furniture
- Abstract
- The fire incident at the Avalon Manor Convalescent Center on June 16, 1978 was detected by the nursing staff at approximately 1215 hours. At detection, the fire involved an occupied upholstered chair in the second floor T.V. lounge. The two story building of fire resistive construction is approximately five year old. At the time, the facility had a full capacity of 115 patients. The facility emergency procedures were initiated and the volunteer fire department automatically notified with the activation of the local alarm system, through a remote station arrangement to their station response siren. The nursing staff initially evacuated eight patients from the area of origin, and a secondary evacuation of approximately thirty patients from the west wing, second floor to the east wind was accomplished. The fire and smoke were confined to the room of origin by the nursing staff closing of the patient room door and the construction. The fire was extinguished by the facility staff, prior to arrival of the fire department, with a 2 1/2 gallon pressurized water extinguisher and a five pound carbon dioxide extinguisher.