Newspapers / InterCom (Durham, N.C.) / Oct. 2, 1970, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 'First Line of Defense’ Maintenance Men Staff Fire Brigade TH/S IS HOW irs DONE-Don Rust, an electrician at Duke and a member of the Medical Center fire brigade, demonstrates the use of a carbon dioxide extinguisher or a maie-believe fire. Mr. Rust is wearing portable breathing equipment which will bt used by Duke's fire fighters if necessary, (photo by Dave Hooks) What If You Discover a Fire? If you should discover a fire, you must quickly decide whether the fire is small enough for you to extinguish yourself, or so large that you need help. Most small fires can be put out by smothering the flames with a blanket or other dense material. Never pour water on electrical or flammable liquid fires, but instead use one of the carbon dioxide extinguishers located throughout the Hos pital. If the fire is large, immediately remove any patient, visitor, or employe from the area and then dial 19 to report the fire to the Duke telephone operator. She will call the Durham Fire Department and other appropriate Medical Center per sonnel. If possible, turn off all oxygen and electrical equipment in the area of the fire and shut doors, windows, and tran soms to keep it from spreading while awaiting help from the fire department. Do what you can to fight the fire, but never endanger your own safety. To alert Medical Center personnel of a fire in the Hospital, the Duke paging operator will announce the code word "drill" over the public address system. It will be followed by the location of the fire. If you hear this message, remain on your job and do not go to the scene of the fire unless you have specific duties with fire control. Use the telphone or elevator only in an emergency. When the fire is out, the operator will announce "drill," then the location of the fire, and the word "clear." Even after the fire is out, do not go to the scene unless your duties require it. Quick action is the most important part of fighting any fire. Fire Marshal Fowler explains that a fire grows about 150 times during the first five minutes. If a fire occurs in your area, regardless if it's just a flare-up in an ashtray, report it to Mr. Fowler at extension 5697. Although the Medical Center takes every precaution to prevent fires, a team of employes has been organized to fight any fire that does break out until help arrives from the Durham Fire Depart ment. Members of the brigade, all volunteers from the University Maintenance Depart ment, are taking a 120-hour state fire service training program under the aus pices of the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges. The course is or ganized through Durham Technical Insti tute. The Duke Medical Center Fire Brigade, as the group is called, is the "first line of attack on a fire," explains Marshall Fowler, Duke's fire marshal. "We're teaching these men the use of fire hoses and extinguishers so that they can be called in to keep a fire from spreading until the Durham units arrive," Mr. Fowler said. Captain Norman Leathers, in charge of the training division of the Durham Fire Department, is teaching the 20-member class with Mr. Fowler. The volunteers meet monthly for three hours and are paid their regular wage for the training sessions. Mr. Fowler, who became Duke's first fire marshal late last year, said that the Medical Center has ordered special pro tective clothing and breathing equipment for the fire brigade members. INTERCOM is published weekly for Duke University Medical Center em ployes, faculty, staff, students, and friends by the Medical Center Public Re lations Office, Joe H. Sigler, director, and Vance B. Whitfield, assistant direc tor. MRS. SUE CHILDS PR Associate and Intercom Editor MRS. KATHIE REISING PR Assistant MISS BARBARA RAY PR Secretary Editorial Committee: Sam A. Agnello, director of the division of audiovisual education; James L. Bennett, Jr., administrative assistant to the vice- president for health affairs; Willard McKiver, assistant in the Medical Center Personnel Office; Mrs. H. Shelton Smith, publicity chairman for the Duke Hos pital Auxiliary; and S. Douglas Smith, assistant director of the hospital.
InterCom (Durham, N.C.)
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Oct. 2, 1970, edition 1
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