FIR 4311 CSU Fire Prevention and Code Enforcement Essay
Question 1 (Part 1)
How would knowing the history and philosophy of fire prevention help you explain and justify the need for a greater focus on fire prevention in your specific jurisdiction/area? What events from your area do you think are responsible for local fire code development? How have unfollowed codes directly affected you in your life?
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No references or citations are necessary.
Question 1 (Part 2)
America Burning Report Essay
For this assignment, you will present an overview of the history and philosophy of fire prevention with a focus on the America Burning Revisited report, and explain what your jurisdiction, community, or department is doing as a result of the report.
The following items should be included in your essay.
- Identify major fires that led to the creation of fire codes and regulations near your location.
- Explain how the history and philosophy of fire prevention has impacted current day fire prevention methods in your area or jurisdiction.
- Compare and contrast the main contributors to loss-of-life fires and general safety provisions outlined in the America Burning Revisited report to the trends and general safety provisions in your own jurisdiction.
Adhere to APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. APA formatting, however, is not necessary. A minimum of two references are required for this assignment, one of which can be the America Burning Revisited report.
Your essay must be a minimum of two pages in length. The required reference page does not count toward the total page requirement. A title page is not required.
Question 2 (Part 1)
Of the three “E” categories, engineering, education, and enforcement, which division is the most robust program in your jurisdiction? From your local experience, and after reflecting on the first two units of this course, what areas can you and your jurisdiction improve upon when it comes to fire education, engineering, or enforcement?
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No references or citations are necessary.
Question 2 (Part 2)
Fire Prevention Video
For this assignment, you will create an original, informational, five-minute video. This video should provide a clear visual of you speaking. Ensure you dress properly and speak naturally in a pleasant, social way. You may use any recording equipment to record your video, including a cell phone. Record your video with a relevant background/backdrop. If you record your video outside, ensure that there are no distracting or overbearing sounds that hinder the ability to clearly hear you.
Now, imagine that you are an active firefighter creating a video to educate business owners in your jurisdiction about fire prevention. Include the following items in your video.
- Identify the basic concept of education, enforcement, and engineering.
- Explain how code is enforced in your jurisdiction.
- Describe how your local jurisdiction applies code to new and existing occupancies.
- Identify local organizations that determine fire resistance of building materials.
- Identify the types of tests used to determine fire ratings of certain building components/materials in your area.
- Describe how fire tests and fire ratings apply to inspection and code enforcement in your area.
After you record the video, you will upload it to YouTube. Review YouTube Upload Instructions to assist you in the process. To submit your 5-minute video, copy the HTML code from YouTube and paste it into a Word document to submit through Blackboard along with the transcript of your video and a reference page containing any references used. References are not required. If outside sources are used, please adhere to APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. APA formatting, however, is not necessary.
Try to make the topics flow in your video, so that the audience is engaged. The following resources will aid you in developing your video. Please review them prior to beginning the assignment.
Video Quality Assurance Guidelines
Recording and Uploading a Video through YouTube
If you do not have a way to record a video, you are allowed to create an eight-slide PowerPoint presentation instead. For the presentation, you must follow the same prompt as above, but also include at least four images, a title slide with your name, the date, and the title of your original project, a references slide, and voiceover narration. Adhere to APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. APA formatting, however, is not necessary. For assistance creating a presentation using PowerPoint, please review this tutorial on PowerPoint Best Practices or reach out to the Writing Center for assistance. ( I preferred to create an PowerPoint for this question)
Question 3 (Part 1)
How could having knowledge of building construction, general building, and fire code requirements in your area help keep firefighters safe on the fireground? How could that help you manage an effective code enforcement program? Share any experiences you may have.
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No references or citations are necessary.
Question 3 (Part 2)
Building Construction PowerPoint
Building construction is critical to effective code enforcement. For this assignment, you will create a PowerPoint presentation that identifies the types of building construction and the differences between each. You will also be required to identify building construction in your area and answer questions regarding hazards and means of fire control.
For this assignment, you will create a PowerPoint presentation. In your presentation, include the following items as outlined below.
- Describe occupancy classifications in your area as well as building construction materials. Explain how they correlate with fire prevention and code enforcement.
- Identify characteristics of unsafe structures in your area as they relate to code requirements.
- Identify the building construction type in your area that poses the biggest hazards for potential conflagration and fire spread.
- Identify how pre-construction fire prevention measures increase the safety of general fire and life safety provisions.
- Explain how plans review and structural control as a means for fire protection would improve the safety of unsafe structures in your area.
Adhere to APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. APA formatting, however, is not necessary. A minimum of two references are required for this assignment. Your presentation must be a minimum of eight slides in length. The required title and references pages do not count toward the total page requirement. For assistance creating a presentation using PowerPoint, please review this tutorial on PowerPoint Best Practices or reach out to the Writing Center for assistance.
Question 4 (Part 1)
Share your experience with fire inspection and code enforcement. What occupancies would give you the most trouble in your jurisdiction, and why?
If you are not part of a fire department, use your current profession, and share any experiences with inspections and the enforcement of codes or regulations in your city or town. Now that you have a better understanding of fire inspection and code enforcement up to this point, what occupancies do you believe present the most significant hazard in your area, and why?
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No references or citations are necessary.
Question 4 (Part 2)
In this unit, we have discussed the inspection process in detail. Now you will conduct a fire inspection via video and provide a narrative about the process.
For this assignment, watch the following videos of an industrial occupancy that is fully sprinklered and alarmed:
There is no audio in these videos.
Then, complete the inspection checklist and write a report on the following items.
- Describe what you would do to prepare for this inspection.
- Identify the components of a thorough inspection.
- Describe what code(s) and violation(s) apply to the occupancy in the videos.
- Explain the right of entry and case law(s) that apply.
- Describe how you would conduct your exit interview and its importance.
- Relate this activity to your community. Have you noticed any of these violations in your area? What do you believe to be the top violations in your specific area? How would you handle remedying them as an inspector?
Alternatively, you may choose not to watch the videos, and answer the following prompts.
- Describe what you would do in preparation for an inspection.
- Identify the components of a thorough inspection.
- Explain the right of entry and case law(s) that apply.
- Describe how you would conduct an exit interview and its importance.
- Identify how you would record violations to ensure compliance.
- Relate this activity to your community. Have you noticed any of these violations in your area? What do you believe to be the top violations in your specific area? How would you handle remedying them as an inspector?
As you compete this assignment, it is important that you reference all of the applicable codes for the occupancy type, and those adopted in your jurisdiction to complete the assignment.
Your submission should be one document that includes the completed checklist and a minimum of two pages that includes your responses to the prompts above. Adhere to APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. APA formatting, however, is not necessary.