Well-Learned Fire Lessons

A fire at the Hixson Metal plating plant in Newport Beach in 1987 was one of the worst hazardous-materials blazes in the history of Southern California. Flames broke open huge vats and sent a torrent of chemicals into the street. The legacy of that fire is lingering concern about serious health problems suffered by firefighters involved. One, Larry Parrish, died of cancer, and two others are suffering from it.

No one can say with certainty that the cancers were caused by exposure to chemicals during the fighting of that fire. The city’s risk manager says it would be irresponsible to make a specific connection. However, a doctor who examined two of the victims says the fire must be considered suspect. The city did label the ailments of the three as work-related, which qualified them for workers’ compensation and other coverage.

The Newport Beach Fire Department’s hazardous-material team hasn’t waited for definitive answers before learning from the fire and putting the resulting lessons into action. It has hosted a national conference to help train firefighters on handling chemical fires and has used videotape of the 1987 fire for training. There is now a health screening program for Newport Beach firefighters. Today, police officers who arrive early at a chemical fire know to stay at a safe distance. Fire officials now have detailed floor plans showing the locations of chemicals inside buildings. All firefighters, not just those on the front lines, have breathing gear. Firefighters use foam to combat flames at a chemical facility, sharply limiting runoff such as that which occurred in the 1987 fire.

The fire at the plating installation shows how emergency personnel need to learn constantly about responding to changing conditions. To its credit, Newport Beach has done this and come up with new techniques.

This story, as told by Geoff Boucher in The Times Orange County Edition of last Sunday, is also a reminder of what has been so apparent during the wildfires of recent days--the courage of emergency personnel in trying conditions. All of us owe these people a great debt of gratitude.