High-rise Fires (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Windsor: apartments, live in, codes)

[bbguy05]

With the ever growing Virginia Beach Town Center (it seems like a new high rise is going up every week), is the VB Fire dept equipped to handle a highrise fire efficiently?

What happens if there is a fire onto the Westin with trapped people, is the fire dept equipped to adequately handle that situation. The city is throwing up these buildings so quickly, I can only imagine if they fully thought through the whole process of responding to emergencies in town center.

[Erma]

Yes, the new fire codes are to accommodate high rise buildings. Most of em' are offices anyway, with the exception of one for business stay suites and apartments.

[vdogg]

Originally Posted by bbguy05

With the ever growing Virginia Beach Town Center (it seems like a new high rise is going up every week), is the VB Fire dept equipped to handle a highrise fire efficiently?

What happens if there is a fire onto the Westin with trapped people, is the fire dept equipped to adequately handle that situation. The city is throwing up these buildings so quickly, I can only imagine if they fully thought through the whole process of responding to emergencies in town center.

They are trained to handle highrise fires, but the fire dept. has warned that fighting one will take most of the manpower in the city. As a result, the City Council is looking in to building a new fire station at Thalia.

[Erma]

You have Kempsville, Windsor Woods and other stations close by as well.

[bbguy05]

Originally Posted by vdogg

They are trained to handle highrise fires, but the fire dept. has warned that fighting one will take most of the manpower in the city. As a result, the City Council is looking in to building a new fire station at Thalia.

If something were to happen stimantenously while something is happening in Town Center, then things might get a little tight. But i'm glad they are looking into building a new fire station.

When there was the fire in the parking garage a few years ago, it seem like every firefighter in the City and nearby cities was there.

[beach kat]

The fire departments would definately have to be equipped to handle high rises. They have them at the ocean front. It makes sense to have another department available near by with the right equipment.

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by vdogg

They are trained to handle highrise fires, but the fire dept. has warned that fighting one will take most of the manpower in the city. As a result, the City Council is looking in to building a new fire station at Thalia.

They must just be re-building the one that's already there. It's between VA Beach Blvd and Thalia ES.

[telemonster]

I live in a taller building in Norfolk. The fire alarm has been triggered quite a bit. Ladder trucks always respond.

It's old, and the one time there was a fire it was fairly contained. I'd imagine new buildings would be much much worse.