|
A seven-alarm fire
destroyed one half of the 400,000 square-foot warehouse of
Houston Distribution Company, 8550 Market, on June 24, 1995.
An adjacent subdivision was evacuated because the warehouse
contained toxic and flammable chemicals. The following month
on July 9, the balance of the warehouse on Market was
destroyed by a suspicious fire that went to four alarms and
nine taps.
Chief Corral began the
fire department's renowned Honor Guard, and was the first
fire chief to "meet and confer" with the firefighters'
union.
District Chief Lester
Tyra replaced Chief Corral in 1998 after a new mayor took
office. Chief Tyra was the fifth fire chief who had served
previously as president of the firefighters' union
(1970-90).
Chief Tyra immediately
instituted a self-evaluation of the department which
resulted in: 1) a 5-year strategic plan; 2) risk analysis of
fire districts; and 3) recognition as a leader department in
2000 by the country's fire chiefs and city managers.
He won approval for
the purchase of 55 engines, six ladder trucks, three ladder
towers, and a hazmat foam engine. (The new equipment was to
replace 60 percent of the first-line apparatus.)
Quality assurance of
Fleet Maintenance was instituted, and all of the reserve
apparatus were fully equipped to respond immediately to
fires. Before, a company switching to a reserve apparatus
would have to transfer the hose and equipment from its
regular apparatus before the company could go in
service.
HFD policy and
procedures were updated in 1998 to a guideline format, and
the command staff was restructured into 12 commands to
improve operations.
Chief Tyra created
year-round recruitment of firefighters, fully staffed the
Training Academy, and instituted multi-company drills,
tactical training, and continuing education.
In 1999, thermal
imagers, which improved the search for victims and hidden
fire, were bought and placed on all ladder trucks, hazmat
units, and rescue trucks. Also, Fire Prevention was beefed
up with the addition of 17 new fire inspector
positions.
|
