Report: NY saw group home evacuation 'impractical'

[x635 4,066]

So....the alternative was to burn to death?

Report: NY saw group home evacuation 'impractical'

March 28, 2009

WELLS, N.Y. (AP) - A newspaper says state officials knew before a deadly fire in an Adirondack group home that it would be "impractical" to rush all the severely disabled residents to safety.

FULL STORY: http://www.lohud.com/article/20090328/NEWS/903280398

[NWFDMedic 58]

While this is tragic, it brings up a good point. We all have places like this in our districts where we may have to make the decision between evacuation and sheltering in place (prisons, hospitals, etc.). I know of a good number of these IRA homes as well that would at the very least be a difficult evacuation.

[Bnechis 3,961]

So....the alternative was to burn to death?

What would you suggest?

There are many places that have no ability to be evacuated. Most nursing homes, what about homes with invalides? The state does not mandate sprinklers in group homes, but because the lack of ability to evacuate the state mandated a sprinkler system in this case.

It is tragic, but what alternative do you suggest?

[markmets415 524]

The home in Wells was new construction having been built in mid 2008 and had to meet the current building code. OFPC is conducting the fire investigation there. From what I have read and heard it seeems that as with many cases, inaccurate items and information has been reported and speculated.

I work for OMRDD and conduct fire safety inspections in our homes located in Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster, Columbia and Greene counties.

There are several factors that go into determining evacuation times and assessments that are to long to even begin here.

Please read the following article from the times union, I am sure you will be surprised at the content

http://timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp...mp;LinkFrom=RSS

[Guest]

The home in Wells was new construction having been built in mid 2008 and had to meet the current building code. OFPC is conducting the fire investigation there. From what I have read and heard it seeems that as with many cases, inaccurate items and information has been reported and speculated.

I work for OMRDD and conduct fire safety inspections in our homes located in Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster, Columbia and Greene counties.

There are several factures that go into determining evacuation times and assessments that are to long to even begin here.

Please read the following article from the times union, I am sure you will be surprised at the content

http://timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp...mp;LinkFrom=RSS

Thanks for the update Mark and I know that the few times we have been to a OMRDD homes in Dover for FD calls the residences were already evacuated.

Edited March 29, 2009 by JHK3605