Buildingsonfire Symposium

Webinar: Building Construction and Fireground Operations January 15-16-17, 2021   An Online Symposium, spanning 2+ days dedicated entirely to Building Construction and Operational Issues for Today’s Demanding Fireground. The Symposium will be hosted and...

Know Before You Go

In Their Own Words: Know Before You Go  Here is an excellent video that talks about the reasons that preplanning is so critical. Listen as Jack Murphy (author of a Fire Engineering article "Concrete Tilt-Up Buildings: What You See on the Outside Is Not What You Get on...

Response to Facilities Equipped WithSpecialty Suppression Systems

Industrial Fire World Spring 2020 Greg Jakubowski, P.E., CSP, FSFPECo-founder and Technical Advisor INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES often present hazards unique to their field of endeavor. These risks require facilities be equipped with specialized fire suppression or detection...

Concerns of Spraying Flammable & Other Sanitizing Agents for COVID-19

Thoughts from Greg Jakubowski Greg Jakubowski, P.E., CSP, FSFPEPrincipal and Chief EngineerI have heard, and have had my own concerns regarding the use of various pressurized sprayers for "disinfecting" emergency vehicles and other confined spaces using materials that...

One More Reason To Have a Preplan…

Crews fighting NuStar blaze found locked gates, inactive fire suppression, officials say. Matthias Gafni Oct. 18, 2019 As firefighters descended on the volatile blaze engulfing two giant tanks at a fuel-storage facility in Crockett on Tuesday, they reached the front...

Hydrolic oil fire: Inside the realm of hot work, hydraulics, recovery at Tyson

 Video here. Full article here. Five weeks after the smoke thinned from a hydraulic oil fire that knocked out operations at the Tyson cattle processing plant near Holcomb, the details of a mysterious flash that ignited the blaze remain hazy. The reconstruction process...

Guide to taking your fire preplan to the age of Star Trek

Train wreck, working commercial fire, plane crash, terrorist act, active shooter, hazmat or just a plain regional public event like a state fair or concert…how do you communicate pre-incident plans across emergency disciplines, government support agencies and NGO’s?...

Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) Development, Training, Sharing and Execution

Is your airport ready for an emergency?  Airports vary widely in size and complexity; from small general aviation airports, to mid-size regional airports, to large-hub airports.  However, they all have one thing in common, the potential for emergencies.  An airport...

Pre-Incident Planning For Wildfires

We saw west coast units mount record breaking full-scale wildfire responses this past fall.  We saw areas from suburban towns through those characterized as mountainous terrain that are heavily covered in brush and set near National Forests completely engulfed....

Benefits of Pre-incident Plan Drawings

Properly drafted and labeled drawings are a vital piece of a property pre-incident plan.  Drawings can be equally beneficial during both the planning and fire scene operations at properties in the fire company’s response area. During the planning phase, fire officers...

Determine Nursing Home Compliance with Updated Life Safety and Emergency Preparedness Requirements

Four victims have been identified from a fire that destroyed a senior citizens home in West Chester, PA.  All apparently died of smoke inhalation but the case remains under investigations as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Fire was through the roof when...

Mutual Aid and Pre-Incident Planning

So, how have you devised your mutual-aid plans? Are they informal or formal written agreements? Do you participate in a local, regional, or statewide plan? Do you know what is expected of your department, and do your mutual-aid partners know what is expected of them...

Protecting Histories Critical Infrastructure

Every year, on Christmas morning reenactors cross the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey at Washington's Crossing, recreating the historic event of George Washington crossing the Delaware to attack the Hessian troops stationed in Trenton New Jersey.  This...

Blazemark Presents At Fire Safety Asia Conference

Our staff traveled to Asia for a couple weeks to consult on new and existing client needs.  We also presented at several conferences in Singapore.  Greg Jakubowski presented at the Fire Safety Asia Conference in Singapore as well as conducted a full day workshop on...

Blazemark consults and presents at Temasek Polytechnic School in Applied Science in Asia

Our staff traveled to Asia for a couple weeks to consult on new and existing client needs.  We also presented at several conferences in Singapore.  Greg Jakubowski spoke for a full day on Managing Emergencies in Laboratories and Workshops at Temasek Polytechnic School...

Pre-incident Planning In The Modern IT World Should Be Off Of The Corporate Network

In high risk, high reward research environments facilities staff, environmental health and safety, and risk managers understand the need for pre-incident plans at several levels. First, nothing can go wrong!  Unlike many other business functions, the R&D and...

Four Problem-Solution Areas For Financing Your Own Risk

What is “financing risk?” Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) take on a lot of risk in search of great reward. While you might be happy to take that risk, that risk often bites you in the rear and someone has to cough up money to pay for it. If this sounds a lot...

CMS Deadline For Emergency Preparedness Is This Week

The emergency preparedness deadline is quickly looming over 17 different health care provider types, including hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAH), ambulatory surgical centers, and long-term care facilities. On Sept. 16, 2016, the Centers for Medicare &...

Pre-Incident Planning Could Have Saved Millions In Aircraft Destroyed By High Expansion Foam

I got the call early one Labor Day morning, can you come into work early there has been a foam release at one of the hangars and we need some extra manpower. I’m an ARFF Captain at small regional airport in New Jersey. The hangar is owned by a Fortune 500 company that...

Keys To Protecting Faith Based Organizations From Emergencies

Gone are the days where institutions only had to worry about medical or weather emergencies.  Today we see blatant hostility toward the religious rights of people of faith.   This open season against religious facilities includes religious houses of worship, childcare...

Blazemark to present at IFMA Mini World Workplace

We are very proud to announce that Blazemark's Chief Fire Protection Engineer, Greg Jakubowski will present at this years International Facility Management Association's Mini World Workplace 2017 on November 1st in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Businesses, no matter...

Cameras and Blazemark could have saved lives in Las Vegas

When Stephen Paddock started shooting hundreds of people from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, important minutes and intel were lost because there were no cameras in the hallways (as reported by the Los Angeles Times).  As hundreds of rounds of...

Trivia Question: BIM is?

Survey says? Nah, not Family Feud, thats a Jeopardy question.  What is... Building Information Modeling? Correct, BIM is both a best practice process and 3D modeling that building designers use to create a project with integrated information to be shared with all...

OWNER’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIRE PROTECTION

It's 2pm in the afternoon and you get a call that your main corporate center is on fire with employees trapped on the upper floors.  As a manager, panic starts to kick in as you mentally go through your preparation for this day asking, "did I do everything I was...

Lessons Learned From Pool Chemical Warehouse Fire

August 4, 1989 just before midnight on a Friday night, a passing police officer notices smoke/fire coming from a large building on Philmont Ave in Lower Moreland, PA. The building was used for storing pool chemicals; and manufacturing/storing hot tubs. Previously, the...

FREE Webinar on Enterprise Pre-Planning to Protect Property, People, and Profits

Proudly presents: Enterprise Pre-Planning to Protect Property, People, and Profits Blazemark® is the one Pre-Planning and Communication tool that companies of all sizes and industries need to dramatically improve readiness and preparedness and to respond quickly and...

Its About Time To Take Disaster Planning For Events Seriously

How many more times will we need to see an active shooter at an event, a stage fail at a concert or a car go through a large gathered crowd before we start preplanning?  Anywhere a large gathering occurs presents the possibility that an incident may happen that will...

Medicaid Nursing Home Life Safety Reviews

Blazemark pre-planning software and services can assist health care facilities with life safety and emergency prepardeness requirement compliance.  In September 2017, CMS updated its health care facilities' life safety and emergency preparedness requirements to...

FREE Pre-Planning Webinar Training

Sign up today for a FREE webinar training on pre-planning by Blazemark on September 28 at 11:30AM. If you sign up but cannot attend a video link will be emailed to you within 24 hours of it ending. Blazemark is an industrial-strength, web-based pre-planning software...

The Building Stage – Firefighting in wood buildings under construction

Both National Fire Protection Association 1, Fire Code, and the International Fire Code call for building representatives to develop preplans for buildings under construction, and fire departments should work closely with developers to see that this happens. The...

Hurricane Harvey shows municipalities and business need mandated emergency operation plans

Most states have codes that hold elected officials responsible for the protection of their citizens in case of a disaster.

Although sprinkler systems can do much to aid firefighters, crews must still be ready for a major battle

Hotels and condo/apartment buildings of wood-frame (Type 5) construction that are up to four stories tall have sprung up across the country. You can find them in cities, suburban areas and even in rural areas near highway interchanges. Almost universally, these...

BLAZEMARK TO PRESENT AT FIRE SAFETY ASIA CONFERENCE SINGAPORE

Themed “New Frontiers in Fire Safety & Emergency Response”, this presentation of FiSAC 2017 is designed for all fire safety experts and professionals. Gregory Jakubowski, P.E., CSP, FSFPE Principal and Chief Engineer Fire Planning Associates, Washington Crossing,...

Listen to Fire Engineering Interview with Greg Jakubowski on Mega Mansion Fires

Check Out Training Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with fireengineeringtalkradio on BlogTalkRadio

FUNDING OPTIONS FOR PREPLANNING FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS

During construction, you can get the developer/property owner to fund the work (see 1408.1 and 1408.2 below). The Assistance to Firefighters Grant from DHS www.firegrantsupport.com is a valid source to obtain grant funding for laptops in each emergency vehicle as well...

This article explains the why and how of Blazemark, completely.

Chief and Fire Engineer, Greg Jakubowski, has out done himself, again. This article completely explains; the problems facing first responders, the importance of preplanning, and the role that a tool like Blazemark plays in preplanning, training and communicating at...

Firefighting Operations in Mega-Mansions, with Chief Greg Jakubowski

Fire chief and fire protection engineer, Greg Jakubowski introduces his pre conference workshop that he will lead at FDIC 2015, "Firefighting Operations in Mega-Mansions." Chief Jakubowski will share his experiences and wisdom on fighting fires in this very dangerous...

Fire Engineering Class at Eastern Kentucky University Uses Blazemark

Chief Greg Jakublowski teaching the Industrial Fire Protection Engineering course at Eastern Kentucky University. A cornerstone of the course is our own, Blazemark pre planning software.

Blazemark selected by Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), has selected Blazemark as part of its Industrial Fire Protection Engineering curriculum.  Chief Greg Jakubowski will be teaching the forward thinking, firefighting students the value and ease of pre planning with Blazemark for school...

Blazemark and FPA selected to pre plan Franklin Township, NJ., Schools.

Fire and Police Departments are part of the planning process and will have on line access.

FPA and Blazemark Selected to Pre Plan….

Fire Planning Associates, Inc. is in the process of completing pre planning for 1 Million Sq. Ft. of high tech, research and development for a global pharma company.

Fire Planning Awarded Fire Services Study

Fire Planning Associates, Inc. has recently been awarded a strategic fire services study for Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, PA.

Security-Advisors Interview

On November 11, 2013 Greg Was Interviewed by "Security-Advisors Online" A Program on WNPV AM 1440. This installment of the program featured the topic "Fire Safety". Who Better than Greg to talk about fire safety? [button...

Great Sessions with the Wisconsin Fire Inspectors

If You Missed it See You next Year! The Wisconsin Fire Inspectors Association was held October 30-31 in Green Bay, WI.  Great tutorials were shared with the association members. A few good photo ops. and a meet and greet with Greg J. Pics to come.

Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness Conference

March 31-April 4, 2014, National Home Infusion Association, Orlando, FL. We will be presenting with Tom Brown, Director Health Ventures, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Phila. Pa. on Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness.

October 30, Event: Wisconsin Fire Inspectors Association

Wisconsin Fire Inspectors Association. October 30-31, 2013, Green Bay, WI. Stop by and meet Greg J.

Fire Planning Associates Partners With Hopewell Twp. Fire District and Capital Health Systems at NFPA 2012 Conference

Fire Planning Associates teamed up with the Hopewell Township Fire District (Mercer County, NJ) and Capital Health Systems to present "Pre-Incident Planning During Construction — Case Study of New Hospital Complex" at the 2012 NFPA Conference and Expo in Las Vegas....

Fire Planning Associates Develops Preplans for 24 Schools in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Largest School District

Fire Planning Associates Completes Effort to Preplan 24 Schools for Emergency Responders in 9 Municipalities Press Release The Warwick Township (Bucks County, PA) Police Department initiated a project to revise and enhance the Emergency Response Plans for all 23...

Fire Planning Associates Writes Residential Sprinkler Report

Fire Planning Associates Writes Residential Sprinkler Report for Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition and Bucks County Fire Marshal's Assn Nonprofit HFSC Releases Results of New Home Fire Sprinkler Study Frankfort, IL – A report that sheds new light on the lifesaving value...

Recent Fire Planning Associates Projects

Recent Fire Planning Associates Projects July 2013 - FPA completed detailed preplans for 2 high-tech research and development facilities in California and Washington for a major pharmaceutical company. - FPA completed detailed preplans of a rail intermodal facility,...

Preplanning in the Sept/Oct 2009 Issue of “Campus Safety” Magazine

Preplanning in the Sept/Oct 2009 Issue of "Campus Safety" Magazine Read more here

NIOSH Recommends Preplanning – How Are You Doing With This?

Numerous NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation Reports Recommend Preplanning - How Are You Doing With This? Even in Large Single Family Dwellings - "Career Engineer Dies and Fire Fighter Injured After Falling Through Floor While Conducting a Primary Proscar Search...

BLAZEMARK Preplans Over 500,000,000 sq. ft.

BLAZEMARK Preplans Over 500,000,000 sq. ft. As of November, 2009 - BLAZEMARK has been used to preplan over 540,000,000 square feet of buildings. This does not include other, "unique" properties for which we have found it also works well--major highway interchanges,...

Fire Protection for Buildings During Construction

Excellent Article on Fire Protection for Buildings During Construction By Mat Chibbaro, P.E., Fire Protection Engineer - OSHA Covers the steps necessary to provide proper fire protection to construction, renovation, and demolition projects - including pre-incident...

Fire Planning Associates Selected to Provide Software/Preplanning for Pharma Plant in Singapore

October, 2008 - Fire Planning Associates Selected to Provide Software/Preplanning for Pharma Plant in Singapore Fire Planning Associates has been selected by a major biotech corporation to conduct the preemergency planning effort for their new facility in the Tuas...

Fire Planning Associates Completes Preplan for I-76

October, 2008 - Fire Planning Associates Completes Preplan for I-76 (Schuylkill Expwy)/I-476 (Mid-County Expwy) Interchange Fire Planning Associates recently completed a pre-emergency plan in our proprietary web-based preplanning software, BLAZEMARK, of the I-76/I-476...

News-Press Release UICDS

Dept. of Homeland Security-Unified Incident Command Decision Support For Immediate Release: Fire Planning Associate's, Inc., Blazemark Software Integral To The Success Of Recent UICDS Information Sharing Demonstration Washington Crossing, PA, April 2009: Pre-Incident...
Mutual Aid and Pre-Incident Planning

Mutual Aid and Pre-Incident Planning

So, how have you devised your mutual-aid plans? Are they informal or formal written agreements? Do you participate in a local, regional, or statewide plan? Do you know what is expected of your department, and do your mutual-aid partners know what is expected of them...

Protecting Histories Critical Infrastructure

Protecting Histories Critical Infrastructure

Every year, on Christmas morning reenactors cross the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey at Washington's Crossing, recreating the historic event of George Washington crossing the Delaware to attack the Hessian troops stationed in Trenton New Jersey.  This...

CMS Deadline For Emergency Preparedness Is This Week

CMS Deadline For Emergency Preparedness Is This Week

The emergency preparedness deadline is quickly looming over 17 different health care provider types, including hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAH), ambulatory surgical centers, and long-term care facilities. On Sept. 16, 2016, the Centers for Medicare &...