Ossining-Sing Sing Prison Fire (Discussion)

[x635 4,066]

Last night, there was a small electrical fire at Sing Sing:

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110418/NEWS02/104180354/Sing-Sing-fire-forces-middle-night-relocation-700-inmates?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

I just had a couple of questions. When I worked for Empress, we had the contract for Sing Sing EMS private emergencies. Even when we were going there for an MI, our vehicle had to be checked, and we had to be ID's, which took a little while-and that goes for leaving as well. Does Ossining FD have to go through the same check in procedure?

Also, it mentioned prison firefighters. I assume that this refers to their in-house fire brigade? I know Ossining has trained extensively at Sing Sing, but I can't remember if they have any dedicated firefighters or equipment besides a equipment cart.

And when evacuating that many prisoners, what danger does that place on Ossining firefighters?

[RITRobotoX 29]

I was formerly employed as a contract employee to provide Electrical Design services to the NYS Office of General Services - Design & Construction Group, who's biggest client was the NYS Dept. of Correctional Services.

I was based out of Albany but I did A LOT of work for Sing Sing CF and can say that it needed a whole lot more work then what we were already working on.

As the second oldest facility in the state, it has some of the oldest wiring you can find still in use.

On top of that, all of this wiring was done over the years by lowest bidder contractors or poorly paid/ overworked maintenance staff.

What was of decent quality at installation, can be guaranteed to be deteriorating due to lack of maintenance over more than a century.

I am a little surprised that there aren't more electrical fires there.

As far as the safety of the Firefighters from injury by inmates, I'd guess that the C.O.'s marched their evacuated inmates well away from the building in question before the facility let the fire department inside the inner perimeter.

They would never let the safety of civilian volunteer firefighters be at risk from inmates, nor do I think that the vast majority of inmates really have any animosity toward volunteer firefighters.

I don't think the facility would have significantly delayed the fire department's response that much, probably just collected ID's, got a head count and gave everyone a hand stamp.

With the solid construction of those buildings (they may be slowly falling down due to age, but they are all pretty much solid masonry, steel and concrete, nor do they have a heavy fireload from their contents), I don't think the gate delays would be that big a deal.

I would however guess that accounting for every person and EVERY tool or piece of equipment after the fire has been extinguished would take a lot longer than normal.

In all of my site visits I never saw a Sing Sing CF fire truck, like the one that Bedford Hills CF has (my group supervised the construction of the new storage structure for BHCF's fire truck), but it could also be stored in the old boiler plant, which I never got to visit.

Many facilities do have vans full of their fire brigade's gear, which in combination with pre-connected lines and standpipes throughout the facility can help the fire brigade get a handle on most fires until mutual aid can get on scene.

[64FFMJK 21]

I do not know if Sing Sing has an engine but I will ask when I return from Vacation. Every NYS prison has a fire brigade with turnout gear, SCBA (scott 2.2) , hoses and nosles on carts or vans depending on facility and several have engines, with some brand new engines delivered in the past year. All SCBA certified members of the Fire Responce Team are required to have FF1 and have 8 - 16 hours of fire team training per year.

I wonder what the damage total will be since the state is looking to close up to 4 prisons and the local politions are asking for Sing Sing to close since therr is little ecanomic impact on the area from Sing Sing and there has been several inquires to purces the property over the years.

Edited April 18, 2011 by 64FFMJK

[chiefofd41 25]

OFD arrived with ladder 41, Engine 97, Engine 100 ,2331 and 2334. and 25 Ossining Firefighters. There were no Sing Sing Fire brigade members. OFD was escorted in and a count was taken of the FF. There was no delay upon arrival. We arrived at the block and was advised by corrections officers that there was a loud pop followed by smoke and then the electric going out. Once the keys to an exterior door and gate was obtained, a 2 1/2 was stretched through the door and down a set of stairs where the smoke was coming from. The stairs lead down to a utility hallway that housed steam pipes and electrical conduit. 3/4 of the way down the hall the fire was located (with T.I.C.) in an electrical room. Upon a second confirmation that the power to the block was shut off, the room was entered and a large junction box on the ceiling containing feeder cables were burning along with combutibles on the floor, The fire was extinguished and the smoke was evacuated from the building.

Upon leaving the complex, the FF were counted and the apparatus' examined. There was no contact with inmates, many of them were still in their cells until they were evacuated. The operation went well without incident.

2331

Special thanks to Briarcliff FD for having their Tower Ladder stand by in their quarters. (OFD TL-42 OOS )

[helicopper 1,050]

OFD arrived with ladder 41, Engine 97, Engine 100 ,2331 and 2334. and 25 Ossining Firefighters. There were no Sing Sing Fire brigade members. OFD was escorted in and a count was taken of the FF. There was no delay upon arrival. We arrived at the block and was advised by corrections officers that there was a loud pop followed by smoke and then the electric going out. Once the keys to an exterior door and gate was obtained, a 2 1/2 was stretched through the door and down a set of stairs where the smoke was coming from. The stairs lead down to a utility hallway that housed steam pipes and electrical conduit. 3/4 of the way down the hall the fire was located (with T.I.C.) in an electrical room. Upon a second confirmation that the power to the block was shut off, the room was entered and a large junction box on the ceiling containing feeder cables were burning along with combutibles on the floor, The fire was extinguished and the smoke was evacuated from the building.

Upon leaving the complex, the FF were counted and the apparatus' examined. There was no contact with inmates, many of them were still in their cells until they were evacuated. The operation went well without incident.

2331

Special thanks to Briarcliff FD for having their Tower Ladder stand by in their quarters. (OFD TL-42 OOS )

Thanks for the inside (no pun intended) story, Chief!

[efermann 28]

OFD arrived with ladder 41, Engine 97, Engine 100 ,2331 and 2334. and 25 Ossining Firefighters. There were no Sing Sing Fire brigade members. OFD was escorted in and a count was taken of the FF. There was no delay upon arrival. We arrived at the block and was advised by corrections officers that there was a loud pop followed by smoke and then the electric going out. Once the keys to an exterior door and gate was obtained, a 2 1/2 was stretched through the door and down a set of stairs where the smoke was coming from. The stairs lead down to a utility hallway that housed steam pipes and electrical conduit. 3/4 of the way down the hall the fire was located (with T.I.C.) in an electrical room. Upon a second confirmation that the power to the block was shut off, the room was entered and a large junction box on the ceiling containing feeder cables were burning along with combutibles on the floor, The fire was extinguished and the smoke was evacuated from the building.

Upon leaving the complex, the FF were counted and the apparatus' examined. There was no contact with inmates, many of them were still in their cells until they were evacuated. The operation went well without incident.

2331

Special thanks to Briarcliff FD for having their Tower Ladder stand by in their quarters. (OFD TL-42 OOS )

I'd like to add to what my Chief said about the operation. Yes, it went well. From my perspective, the pace of the operations seemed a bit slower and more deliberate than normal and just about every interior action before and after the fire was extinguished was accompanied by a corrections officer.

Edited April 19, 2011 by efermann

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Can someone link the Discussion that I started on November 2 2010 in the Apparatus photo section page 4 "Ford 550 ' and it will tie in with this. Thanks !

[SteveOFD 176]

Can someone link the Discussion that I started on November 2 2010 in the Apparatus photo section page 4 "Ford 550 ' and it will tie in with this. Thanks !

Here's the link for the Sing Sing Apparatus you requested. The Dispatchers at OFD HQ told me that this rig is driven by outside the walls at least once a week, usually going by HQ.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Here's the link for the Sing Sing Apparatus you requested. The Dispatchers at OFD HQ told me that this rig is driven by outside the walls at least once a week, usually going by HQ.

Thanks Steve, do you if it was used in last nights fire at the Prison ?

[SSCharged E100 7]

I dont recall seeing it being used at the fire. I know i saw it there after as we were exiting the prison.

[x635 4,066]

Thanks guys for all the info!

[MoFire390 118]

yes the "engine" is used by the sing sing fire brigade. not sure how many members they have but i will let u know some time today or tomarrow.

[chiefofd41 25]

I dont recall seeing it being used at the fire. I know i saw it there after as we were exiting the prison.

Sing Sing Fire Chief Morris arrived just as we were leaving, he drives the utility when he is working. The only equipment used at this alarm was OFD apparatus and surpression was performed by OFD firefighters only.

We have a good relationship with Chief Morris and have trained at Sing Sing in the past and will continue to do so in the future

2331

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Firehouse magazine had a short article on Ossining and Sing Sing years back. I remember in the article they spoke of the manpowere count on the rigs coming in. They also said something like "...and you better have the same count going out as you did coming into the site!"

Edited April 20, 2011 by spin_the_wheel