Some Observations On Fire Departments' Response To The Massive Fire In Chelsea, Massachusetts
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Date
1973-10-14
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Disaster Research Center
Abstract
Description
At 3:56 p.m. on Sunday, October 14, 1973, a fire in an abandoned warehouse was sighted which would eventually destroy 18 city blocks and damage 12 others in
Chelsea, Massachusetts, a city of around 32,000 people and an industrial satellite of Boston. At its height, this conflagration was thought to be a "fire storm" with the smoke of the blaze visible from as far as 50 miles away. Because of the
large area affected, and the number of fire departments involved in controlling
this conflagration, the Disaster Research Center took this opportunity to study the organized response to a relatively rare phenomena in present day American cities,a massive fire situation. A two-person research team was sent to Chelsea, Massachusetts, staying two days, October 16 and 17. Their focus was primarily on the mobilization and coordination of the various fire departments involved, as well as some of the supporting organizations' activities.
The following general questions were asked to obtain the information: (1) Who took charge of the fire departments' response to the fire? (2) What organizations (fire departments, police departments, National Guard, etc.) were involved in the emergency period? (3) How were the various emergency organizations mobilized? And how were they then coordinated? (4) What were the problems confronted in this massive fire situation? (5) What role did the local civil defense organization play in the coordination of activities?
Keywords
Observations, Fire Departments, Response, Chelsea, Massachusetts Fire