In occupied Alexandria, volunteer firefighters smoldered

good piece - thanks for posting

... i never understood why there are so many wooden buildings in the us
Mainly because it is cheap, plentiful and easy to work with; longevity has never been a guiding factor in the construction field in the United States. Recently in the city in which I live, a four story woodframe apartment building that was under construction was reduced by fire to a pile of ashes four feet high in under an hour. Like I said, longevity (and survivability) has not been a factor in the construction field.
 
Mainly because it is cheap, plentiful and easy to work with; longevity has never been a guiding factor in the construction field in the United States. Recently in the city in which I live, a four story woodframe apartment building that was under construction was reduced by fire to a pile of ashes four feet high in under an hour. Like I said, longevity (and survivability) has not been a factor in the construction field.

all accepted - how about burnability?
 
all accepted - how about burnability?
It kept me in business for 33 years as a firefighter and the best that we could do was fight for occupant survivability. The guiding factor in the construction business seems to be: How fast can we build it and how cheaply can it be done?
 
Fire fighting has come along way since before the civil war. From a bucket brigade to a super pumper.
In the time that I served, the greatest leaps forward was (in my opinion) in Firefighter Safety (improved protective equipment, improved training and changing firefighter's mindsets to realize that they couldn't take care of the public if they couldn't (or didn't) take care of themselves.
 
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Fire fighting has come along way since before the civil war. From a bucket brigade to a super pumper.

Photos take from the Combined International and State Fire Convention held in Charlotte in 2017.
 
View attachment 207020 View attachment 207021 View attachment 207022 Fire fighting has come along way since before the civil war. From a bucket brigade to a super pumper.

Photos take from the Combined International and State Fire Convention held in Charlotte in 2017.
5,500 GPM @ 100 PSI (dual stage), was this an industrial/refinery pumper and was it at draft or from a plug? The biggest pump that we had was 2,000 GPM and we had trouble supplying it.
 
Sorry but I’am not sure. I think it was from a draft..
FDNY'S Super Pumper system had to be used from draft to come anywhere near reaching it's potential and I'd like to see the pumper that you featured in action, it must be a beast.
 
FDNY'S Super Pumper system had to be used from draft to come anywhere near reaching it's potential and I'd like to see the pumper that you featured in action, it must be a beast.

I will try to find out, but can not promise everything.




According to my friend that worked for the state fire marshal’s office believe that Pierce was building these for New York. They were to operate similar to the old “Super Pumper” system developed and implemented during the 1970s there.
 
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