- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | DiNenno, P. J.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Washington Adventist Hospital on December 9, 1978.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-229, March 31, 1979, 29 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- doors | fire departments | fire investigations | nursing staff | patients | smoke
- Abstract
- This fire incident at the Washington Adventist Hospital on December 9, 1978 was initially detected by a nurse's aide in nursing unit 3200 as an odor of smoke in the corridor near the elevator. The nurse's aid immediately activated the facility local alarm system at approximately 1047 hours. In accordance with the facility emergency procedures the hospital operator initiated the verbal "Doctor Red" announcement on the public address system and notified the Department of Fire and Rescue Services Communication Center on the direct private phone line. The nursing staff in the facility placed patients in their rooms and closed the patient room doors. The hospital security staff and the Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department responded to nursing unit 3200 which is located on the third floor of the 5-story and 2 basement fire resistive building. When the source of the smoke odor was not identified on the third floor, an investigative search of the lower floors was initiated. A light haze of smoke was detected outside the ladies locker room, room LL2 on the subbasement level, and a developing fire involving three lockers within the room. The fire department personnel immediately extinguished the fire with one 1-1/2 inch hose line supplied from the building west standpipe system. Due to the fire resistive construction of the building, the location of the fire, and its immediate suppression, the need for patient evacuation was precluded.