Modern home materials drive faster fire response times
Fire department response times have gotten faster, largely due to the kinds of materials used in home construction and home appliances.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, many of today’s structures can develop from a small flame to a large fire in three to five minutes. Jamey McVicker, St. Joseph Fire Department assistant chief, said this has much to do with the kinds of building materials used in modern homes and the composition of many newer appliances.
“The contents of the house are mostly petroleum-based now,” McVicker said. “In the 1940s and 1950s, most home materials were made of wood, cotton and other natural fibers, so they wouldn’t burn as hot or as quickly.”
Today, he said, the kinds of wood used, which can save money, burn more quickly. He cited the common usage of composite woods as opposed to natural woods in many homes.
“These may save thousands of dollars on the cost of the home,” McVicker said, “but composite wood burns faster, just like sawdust burns faster than a piece of wood.”
Fire departments nationwide have been working to increase response times because of the issue. The St. Joseph Fire Department’s response time goal is five minutes. However, McVicker points out that the burn time of certain types of wood in an attic or a basement may be around five minutes. This means that even if firefighters meet the goal response time, it may be too late to save some structures.
“This reality puts a lot of pressure on our first responders when it comes to critical decision-making,” McVicker said. “Our priority is always to save lives and to save property. Once people are safe, we have to make decisions based upon what we know about burn times, about whether we will be able to save the property or we have to pull out due to imminent danger of the building collapsing.”
Part of the training of new firefighters in St. Joseph involves becoming familiar with the age of the houses in the area, as well as the construction process of new homes and buildings in the area.
McVicker said construction materials and burn time are things the department has to adapt to but there are still important safety measures homeowners can take to prevent a fire from starting and spreading.
He said homeowners should avoid overloading outlets, which includes limiting the usage of extension cords. He also suggested avoiding the misuse of alternative heat sources.
Finally, if you are adding on to the house, seeking out an electrician and a building professional for advice, even if you are doing the construction yourself, can save you fire damage in the future.
