Houses burn down while fire dep waits for power co.

[Dogman]

In the last couple of weeks , listening to the police and fire radio dispatches, I have become aware of of my local fire department policy. That is they will arrive at the fire in full force, but then wait for the local power company to come and shut off the power. They will not fight the fire until the power is shut off. The result is in several cases the houses are a total loss, where if they would have fought the fire when they arrived the house could have been saved with in some cases with moderate to little damage, it depends of how fast the power company responds!


This got me to thinking , what is it like in other parts of the country and world , where Gsus members live.

What say you?

[woodman]

I've never hears of it before. I'm in Michigan. I've seen them respond here and they didn't wait for the sparkies to arrive. What the hell they afraid of? Theoretically the power could travel up the water stream, like a wire conduit and zap them, but I have never heard of this.

[boogietillyapuke]

I watched it happen at the end of my street a few years back. Family had gone to church. I think they left the dryer running and when they got home.....they didn't have one. The fire department basically stood around and waited for the power company to arrive and pull the fuse on the pole.

This was a full time ,paid city fire department. They also had to wait for a ladder truck of which the only one in our county is at the military base. But they built a nice new station house instead of buying a truck. :oo-->

[Dogman]

I've never hears of it before. I'm in Michigan. I've seen them respond here and they didn't wait for the sparkies to arrive. What the hell they afraid of? Theoretically the power could travel up the water stream, like a wire conduit and zap them, but I have never heard of this.


I only hear what they are doing, and I agree that their is little chance for them to get hurt. I am laying in wait to get a chance to question on of them. It seems once they arrive and call for the power co. they are quite on the radio then the call the power co is on the scene and then they seem to get busy and the radio chatter goes up. They maybe waiting for the power to be cut off before going inside to fight the fire. But several during this last cold snap have burnt almost to the ground.

When they arrive on the scene they call dispatch and describe where the fire is and how big. It just seems that
way more major damage is done waiting for the power co. Sometimes it takes up to 1/2 hour or more for the power to be cut off. And in that time it is game over for the house.

[Herbicidal]

Pretty sure fire departments are only there too stop fires from spreading to neighbouring properties and possibly rescue someone. Once a fire has started it's usually too late to prevent it.