Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially destructive fires . It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation , suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of mitigating systems . In structures, be they land-based, offshore or even ships, the owners and operators are responsible to maintain their facilities in accordance with a design-basis that is rooted in laws, including the local building code and fire code, which are enforced by the authority having jurisdiction .
9-464: The New Orleans Fire Department provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the city of New Orleans , Louisiana . The department serves 378,715 people living in a 350 square miles (910 km) area, including 170 square miles (440 km) of water. The NOFD got its start in April 1829 when a group of men organized a volunteer fire department . The volunteer organization
18-401: A bracketed E, "(E)" denoted on various types of extinguishers. Fires are sometimes categorized as "one alarm", "two alarm", "three alarm" (or higher) fires. There is no standard definition for what this means quantifiably, though it always refers to the level response by the local authorities. In some cities, the numeric rating refers to the number of fire stations that have been summoned to
27-563: Is a table showing the standard operated in Europe and Australia against the system used in the United States . Technically there is no such thing as a "Class E" fire, as electricity itself does not burn. However, it is considered a dangerous and very deadly complication to a fire, therefore using the incorrect extinguishing method can result in serious injury or death. Class E, however generally refers to fires involving electricity, therefore
36-528: The architect and other consultants. A building permit is issued after review by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) . Deviations from that original plan should be made known to the AHJ to make sure that the change is still in compliance with the law to prevent any unsafe conditions that may violate the law and put people at risk. For example, if the firestop systems in a structure were inoperable,
45-519: The city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005. The effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans included 1,464 deaths, 80% flooding of the city, and many burned buildings. Fire protection Buildings must be maintained in accordance with the current fire code, which is enforced by the fire prevention officers of a local fire department. In
54-478: The event of fire emergencies, Firefighters , fire investigators, and other fire prevention personnel are called to mitigate, investigate and learn from the damage of a fire . When deciding on what fire protection is appropriate for any given situation, it is important to assess the types of fire hazards that may be faced. Some jurisdictions operate systems of classifying fires using code letters. Whilst these may agree on some classifications, they also vary. Below
63-413: The fire. In others, the number counts the number of "dispatches" for additional personnel and equipment. Fire protection in land-based buildings , offshore construction or on board ships is typically achieved via all of the following: Passive fire protection (PFP) in the form of compartmentalisation was developed prior to the invention of or widespread use of active fire protection (AFP), mainly in
72-420: The form of automatic fire sprinkler systems. During this time, PFP was the dominant mode of protection provided in facility designs. With the widespread installation of fire sprinklers in the past 50 years, the reliance on PFP as the only approach was reduced. Fire protection within a structure relies on all of its components. The building is designed in compliance with the local building code and fire code by
81-559: Was known as the Firemen's Charitable Association, a title that would remain for 62 years until the first paid fire-fighting force, the New Orleans Fire Department, came into existence on December 15, 1891. Chief Engineer Thomas O'Connor, the first leader of the volunteers, stayed on to become the first Chief of the New Orleans Fire Department. As of May 2015, below is a complete listing of all fire station and apparatus locations in
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