- Author
-
Bryan, J. L.
|
Milke, J. A.
- Title
- Examination and Analysis of the Dynamics of the Human Behavior in the Fire Incident at the Union Hospital of Cecil County on July 29, 1979.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NBS GCR 80-261
November 30, 1979
25 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- GRANT-79014
- Keywords
-
fire departments
|
fire investigations
|
hospitals
|
smoke
|
smoke detectors
- Abstract
- This fire incident at the Union Hospital of Cecil County on July 29, 1979 was initially detected by a pharmacy technician who perceived a smoke odor in the pharmacy on the first floor at approximately 1212 hours. The pharmacy technician immediately phoned the facility operator who initiated the facility fire emergency procedures with the public address system announcement and notified the fire department. The pharmacy technician and the laundry supervisor located the source of the smoke emitting from an exhaust duct in the linen finishing room on the first floor. Damage was limited to the duct in the finishing room and light smoke damage first floor area in the six-story, fire-resistive, nine-year-old building. Patients were protected in their rooms behind closed doors. The fire self-extinguished following the smoke detector activation of dampers in the duct. Ventilation of the first floor area with fans and over-haul procedures was performed by the Elkton and North East, Maryland Fire Departments with the Christinia and Newark, Delaware Volunteer Fire Departments.