The United States is no stranger when it comes to huge, destructive fires. On Monday, a Los Angeles apartment tower was engulfed in flames. Although fires of this magnitude, according to Capt. Jaime Moore are often treated as "criminal fires," it is quite rare for an entire apartment building to be burned at once.
The fire, which broke out at 1:20 a.m. on Monday, looked and felt as if a bomb had exploded. It caused heavy traffic in the area and even blasted windows of nearby buildings. There were no injuries reported and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was able to put out the most of the fire in just 90 minutes.
Is it possible that destructive fires such as this can be avoided? And how was it possible for a populated city like Los Angeles to survive the flames without any injuries?
Apparently, technology is the answer.
"The fire departments in Los Angeles are early-adopters when it comes to technology," former Fire Chief Bobby Halton shares. The LA Fire Department, according to Halton, did a great and effective job in containing the fire.
Drones, for instance, allow firefighters to get a bird's eyeview of a burning establishment. This lets them assess the fire situation better. Another piece of technology that has made last Monday's blaze defiable is the FLIR, which is a thermal imaging gadget that can tolerate a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit for up to five minutes. Cameras such as FLIR can serve as a firefighter's "eyes" inside a smoke-filled, burning building.
Apart from drones and FLIRs, buildings that were constructed recently are also equipped with smoke detectors and sprinklers. Smoke detectors give off a loud, irritating sound, causing people inside the establishment to evacuate or call local authorities right away.
According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA) website, 2202 civilian fatalities were reported due to fire in 2014 alone.
