Big Week!

I think I will survive this week, but it has been a doozey! 

Monday wasn't bad.  I started duty on Tuesday and we had a structure fire at 8:30am.  Check out this amazing video to see how a single fire sprinkler head totally put out an unattended grease fire!!
 

On Tuesday, April 30, a young man walked away from his cooking. 

The event occurred in a two story, wood stick, mixed use structure 14,570 square feet.  Smith’s Liquor store on the grade level and housing for Smith’s employees above.  The housing is set up with rooms on one side of the corridor and shared kitchens and bathrooms on the other.  The value of the building is estimated to be $5-7 million dollars (this is, Jackson Hole!). 

The building is sprinklered per NFPA 13 and has a protected attic space.

Because this is a shared area, Smith’s installed surveillance cameras in the three shared kitchens.  Unfortunately, the camera time is not correct, however, it captured the event as it unfolded.

In approximately three minutes, the pan began to flame.  The fire became developed and deployed the 155 degree sprinkler head.  There was some good fire activity when the water hit the fire, but this video certainly dispels the concern of water and grease and fire.  The flowing sprinkler head completely suppressed the fire. 

Our crews arrived and stopped the water flow.  By 2pm that afternoon, I was informed the water was cleaned up, the life safety systems all restored, and operations were back to normal.

In a town suffering from a significant housing crisis, a town where property values are extremely high – this one sprinkler head saved lives, conserved valuable property, prevented firefighter injuries, and maintained some very valuable employee housing. 

We have it posted on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/JHFireEMS/ and I have attached the video for your use and review. 

PS  Jackson Hole and Teton County have had a fire sprinkler ordinance since 1998 for structures over 5000 square feet, residential and commercial!!  

So, big deal, right?  Pretty cool story.  I was flying high. 

And then the newspaper called.  Always a frightening thing to be interviewed by the paper.  Will they get my statements right?  Will they get the story right?  Here is the article for the paper.  Allie did a good job.  My stress level has dropped.  

A full, long weekend ahead in Freedom!  Phew.  Here are some spring images to enjoy.