- Author
- Bryan, J. L. | Milke, J. A.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Bethesda Health Center on June 12, 1979.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 80-263, November 30, 1979, 27 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
- fire alarm systems | fire departments | fire investigations | hospitals | smoke | sprinkler systems
- Abstract
- This fire incident at the Bethesda Health center on June 12, 1979 was automatically detected with the activation of sprinkler head on the wet pipe system. Water from the sprinkler head on the water flow switch, thereby activating the local alarm system and extinguish the fire in the laundry cart. The nursing supervisor proceeded through the facility attempting to locate the source of the waterflow alarm. The water flow activation of the sprinkler system is not indicated on the annunciator panel and she continued to search and noted smoke and water in the vicinity of the first floor laundry room. She reported the occurance of the fire incident by dialing the 911 emergency number of the Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center and then continued to monitor the status of all areas of facility. Two patients were evacuated from their room in an adjacent area to a neigboring room in wheelchairs for precautionary purposes because of a small amount of smoke and water in the vicinity of their room. The fire was linited to a laundry cart, and the smoke was limited to the proximity of the laundry storage room. The Bethesda Fire Department verified extinguishment, performed ventilation, salvage, overhaul operations, including resetting of the alarm and sprinkler system.