IAFF testified on D.C. water problems. Immediate solution: 2-piece engine companies.

Chairman Graham, I wish to use my time to discuss the water supply problems associated with the Adams Mill Road fire…and Chief Tippett will address what we believe to be an immediate solution to address the problems caused by low pressure mains.

The headlines and opening paragraph in The Washington Post told the story…”Water Main Impeded Battle With NW Fire…“A public agency has known for at least seven years that many of the District’s water mains need to be replaced but failed to make upgrades in such areas as Adams Morgan, where fire fighters had trouble drawing enough water to fight a major fire.”

The culprit? A century old six inch main that was unable to supply the water desperately needed by the more than 150 fire fighters who responded to the 4 alarm blaze. While no civilians were injured…several dozen residents of the 30 unit apartment complex were left homeless.

Dave Statter, of WUSA Ch-9 News, accompanied by video shot by D.C. Fire and EMS photographer Vito Maggiolo, provided a running commentary on what appeared to be a tragedy in the making.

Three fire companies were attacking the fire on the roof…when their primary means of escape…an aerial ladder…was cut off by the advancing fire. There was heavy fire conditions between the fire fighters on the roof and the 100 foot aerial ladder.

Quickly thinking …members of Engine Company 6 grabbed a 45 foot extension ladder and carried it through the narrow alley in the rear of the building and extended it towards the roof. Unfortunately, it came up short and a second ladder was used from the top of the first ladder to reach the roof, providing an escape route. It was shortly thereafter, that the roof collapsed.

Because of the large volume of fire…fire fighters were forced to use heavy duty devices in order to contain the fire. The 6 inch water main (hydrant) used by fire fighters was not able to adequately supply the badly needed water.Three of the fire departments water supply companies were forced to use 4 inch hose to hook up to two distant 20 inch mains.

And…in order to keep an adequate supply of water flowing to the heavy duty devices…two…2000 foot hose lines were laid across the Duke Ellington Bridge to the west side of Connecticut Avenue, while another 3,000 feet of water supply hose was laid south of the fire ground to Columbia Road.

Chairman Graham…the issue of water supply for fire fighting purposes is not new to the District. The recent multiple alarm fire at the Georgetown Library highlighted another water problem involving more than inadequate water mains I’m referring to defective fire hydrants. Fire fighters responding to the Georgetown Library on the initial alarm were delayed in getting water on the fire due to inoperative fire hydrants located in close proximately to the library.

Mr. Chairman…a fire hydrant is more than just a receptacle for neighborhood dogs to christen. It is the device that when operational, permits fire fighters to enter a burning structure fully confidant…trusting that shortly water will be flowing through the hose they are dragging into a burning structure.

A defective hydrant…or a hydrant that is out of service is like having an empty fire extinguisher in your home. It looks like an extinguisher…feels like an extinguisher…even contains instructions on how to use the extinguisher, but if the extinguisher is empty…or defective, just an empty can…it serves no purpose.

There is a very simple equation that describes this problem…bad hydrant = no water = increased property damage = injured civilians and fire fighters. As a result of the Georgetown fire and the public outcry which followed, Mayor Fenty and Fire Chief Rubin…with the consent of WASA General Manager Jerry Johnson, established a Fire Hydrant Inspection Task Force to thoroughly inspect all fire hydrants located in the District of Columbia.

The FEMS hydrant inspectors did an exemplary job in carrying out their mission, however, the results of their inspections were alarming. Over 11 percent of District fire hydrants were found to be inoperable. An additional 17 percent of hydrants listed as “high profile” were found to be in need of great repair, including 28 percent of the fire hydrants located in WASA’s complex located at Blue Plains, the largest industrial complex in the District.

And just when we thought the District’s fire hydrant controversy was slowly behind us…the spotlight turns onto…or shall I say, into…the 3rd street tunnel where more defective hydrants have been discovered.

The finger pointing now rages over who is responsible for fixing and maintaining the fire hydrants in the tunnel. The District Department of Transportation claims the responsibility rests with WASA…and WASA says.“Not so, the responsibility lies with DDOT”.

In the meantime…it is now time for WASA to pay the piper…or in this case the District of Columbia Fire & Emergency Medical Services Department…for services rendered. However, WASA is now playing hard to get and refusing to ante up with the money owed to FEMS for “services rendered.”

I trust Fire Chief Rubin has learned a very hard lesson in District of Columbia Procurement practices, no matter how serious or emotional the issue, you can be assured that in the future, the Fire Chief will be obtaining an RFP detailing the scope of work to be performed and the manner of reimbursement before he commits District Fire Fighters to perform activities that under most circumstances should be performed by another agency.

In the meantime, the District of Columbia Fire Fighters Association calls on WASA General Manager Jerry Johnson to put this issue to rest by reimbursing our department the $900,000 for work performed.

At this time I would like to ask Chief Tippett to explain how the DC Fire & EMS previously operated and maintained the most efficient and most effective Fire Engine Company operations in the nation.