November 2009

President's Update

International President's Desk


December 2009

THE REALITY of fatal fires continues to be encountered worldwide, as witnessed by the multi-fatality tragedy at the Lame Horse nightclub in the Russian city of Perm on 5 December. The fire is under investigation, with the incident claiming the lives of some 112 party-goers. There were also significant injuries to many of those who managed to escape through the single exit from the establishment.

Early reports indicated the use of pyrotechnics as the potential cause of the fire. I have watched the amateur video footage of the blaze, available on the Internet. Human behaviour can be witnessed inside the club, as the patrons initially watched the fire grow then began to move towards the exits as the fire spread along the ceiling, causing a build-up of toxic smoke and gases. One can appreciate the congestion of the patrons trying to escape as they surged forward to the exit in a state of panic.

The apparent lack of adherence to fire code regulations by the building owners is now the focus of the criminal investigation. Individuals have been arrested and charged. Accusations over the lack of enforcement by the fire authorities will also be reviewed in the wake of the tragedy. Families will be haunted by the loss of family members and the thought that, in reality, if regulations were complied with, safety would be enhanced and lives saved.

Education and enforcement

Regrettably, we continue to see fatal incidents worldwide, where there are similarities in terms of the cause of fire or the underlying management failures. The use of pyrotechnics to enhance the theatrical performance of a rock band led to the deaths of 100 people and injuries to 187 others at the Station nightclub fire in the US state of Rhode Island in February 2003. The infamous Cocoanut Grove nightclub blaze in November 1942 is the worst fire that has occurred in the United States, claiming the lives of 491 people in Boston. In June 2009, a daycare centre fire caused fatal injuries to 47 young children in Mexico.

History to date clearly indicates that lessons identified from previous incidents have not necessarily been learnt internationally, as we continue to see fatalities in fire incidents involving similar property types and uses.

I firmly believe we must continue in the pursuit of fire engineering practices to reduce the loss of life through building design, education, inspection and enforcement, if we are to be successful in reducing fire fatalities and fire loss. Each member of our Institution has a responsibility to promote and educate the public on fire life safety. Our actions collectively can and will make a difference in our respective communities globally.

Furthermore, we must advocate and promote fire life safety with all levels of government to ensure appropriate codes and standards are entrenched in law. Enforcement is critical to maintaining safety standards in the built environment, as is education of building owners and officials in all facets of fire safety. We must put greater emphasis on public education and community safety to have a larger impact with the public we serve.

Information exchange

As members of the IFE, we can say with confidence that our seminars, presentations and endeavours work towards preventing fatal fires both now and in the future. Planning is under way for a meeting and conference to be held in the Asia Pacific region for IFE members in March 2010. Further updates on the theme of the event will be provided in the coming weeks and posted on our website, www.ife.org.uk.

The work undertaken by the conference organisers is appreciated, as the information exchanged and interaction by members attending will promote a positive educational experience in the interest of fire engineering.

In closing, I am reminded of the work of our Institution and the desire by our membership to move forward fire engineering practices in the interest of public safety on a daily basis. I further recognise the great work that is undertaken by the members - particularly volunteers for leadership roles - in each of our branches and groups. Your time, energy and commitment are vitally important to our Institution. I also look forward to meeting our members at various events held by the branches in this new year.

William Stewart
FIFireE, CFO, CMM, AdeC