Grudge #2

Grudge #2

 

I am the mother of a fire victim. My daughter, Chelsea Faith, was one of 36 young people who died in the Ghost Ship fire. During the criminal trial that followed, I learned through testimony that my daughter had been outside and safe when the fire broke out but ran into the burning building and upstairs to warn her friends - who had no idea there was a fire below their feet. Every day, I picture myself grabbing Chelsea by the collar and pulling her back. Why would she run into a burning building?

But I know the answer: Chelsea was a practical girl.

First, she pointed to another girl outside and told her to call 911. Then she ran inside.

She would know she had time to warn her friends because:

·      Loud music was still thumping upstairs. Her friends were still dancing.

·      The 25 Residents who lived downstairs on the first floor filed out calmly and quietly.

·      No alarms sounded.

·      No sprinklers went off.

·      No firefighters were on the scene.

But Chelsea was wrong. She didn’t know:

·      There were no smoke or fire alarms or sprinklers.

·      All the flammable, toxic materials inside made the fire spread with incredible speed.

·      And the narrow meandering stairway was quickly engulfed in flames. It was the only known exit.

Witness after witness at the trial testified about the hazards that led up to the fire. Building codes designed for safety were ignored and laughed at for being “too mainstream.”

But here’s where I really get angry:

·      There was no report of those hazards despite 35 official visits by fire, police, and social service employees. This doesn’t even count the parties they attended there.

·      The building hadn’t been inspected for 31 years.

·      Local firefighters didn’t know the building’s structure �" the first responders had no idea there even was a second floor, let alone people trapped up there.

 

After the fire, I was angry that my daughter died without any rescue attempt. None. Angry at the firefighters who seemed to be milling around in front of the warehouse looking as lost as I felt that night.

 

I was angry thinking about the ambulance sitting empty at the end of the street, its lights on, motor running, anticipating the victims they would carry to the hospital. It never moved.

 

I still cringe when I hear a siren or watch a fire engine race down the street. But my rage dissipated somewhat when I heard the forensic pathologists describe how all 36 victims died of smoke inhalation. They were dead within the first 10 minutes. After that, any rescue attempt was useless. The fire raged on all night.

 

How can we prevent such a tragedy from happening again?

Adopt Community Risk Reduction as the firefighting standard.

 

This calls for a new kind of firefighter �" a Prevention Warrior. One becomes a firefighter because there’s something exciting and noble about men and women who willingly put their strong bodies on the line, fighting the elements. They are the good guys. But with all the toxic, electrical, and highly flammable materials used in modern interiors, the nature of fire and smoke has changed. By the time water is put on fires, it’s too late. Prevention must be the future of firefighting. It saves property and lives.

 

It's time for fire officials to focus on:

·      Strict enforcement of fire and safety codes

·      Standardized communication systems within fire departments and between public agencies

·      City and county officials must prioritize adequate personnel hiring and inspection training if for no reason other than the budget. Community Risk Reduction is cost effective.

 

For several years my admiration for firefighters slipped. Then I met a firefighter who suffered from PTSD. He is one of thousands of brave souls who put service for others above their own lives. We owe these men and women, and the victims of fire everywhere, the intelligence to learn from the lessons of Ghost Ship. With simple changes to fiscal priorities, local fire company inspections, and standardized communication systems, tragedies like the Ghost Ship Fire can be prevented.