Given that October is Fire Prevention Month, it seemed a good time to check in with Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin J. Cochran, a firefighter for 32 years who oversees Georgia’s largest fire department. Atlanta Fire Rescue’s more than 1,000 firefighters responded to 72,000 calls in 2011, most concerning medical emergencies. But there were still plenty of house fires in that mix, most of them caused by human carelessness. “It takes only 30 seconds for a small fire to get completely out of control,” said Cochran, who spent part of last week handing out thousands of free batteries to residents to keep smoke detectors in working order.
Q: What is the main cause of house fires?
A: The primary causes in Atlanta are smoking and cooking. That is the national trend as well. We usually say the leading causes of fires in residences are men, women and children.
Q: Is there something about Atlanta’s housing stock that makes it particularly susceptible to fire?
A: We have a lot of vacant properties, from single-family dwellings, even apartment complexes, that can be used by homeless citizens or people who want to do mischief who use all kinds of alternative heating methods that are not safe. We have a lot of old houses that use the space heaters that are not very safe for families.
Q: Doesn’t the smoke kill more so than flames?
A: Smoke spreads quicker than flames. It can lull residents into a state of sleep where in some cases they cannot be awakened even by smoke alarms. The carbon monoxide in the smoke is a great contributor to that sedation effect.
Q: How long does it take smoke to kill you?
A: Depends. Some materials are more toxic than others. Small children and senior citizens are more susceptible to the effects of smoke. So is someone who is not in good health.
Q: So how do you prevent house fires?
A: If you are smoker, you need to make sure your cigarettes are adequately extinguished. Don’t leave your stove unattended. Beyond that, every residence needs to have a working smoke alarm that is tested at least twice a year. We encourage every family to have an escape plan in the event of a fire.
Q: What does an escape plan entail?
A: A floor plan of the house. Locations of smoke alarms. It involves a discussion about what happens if a fire occurs at certain times of the day and the safest, quickest exit and meeting location outside.
Q: What is the most common misconception about firefighters?
A: That we are all men. We work very diligently to recruit women (Atlanta Fire Rescue has 40 women firefighters). Another misconception is that all we do is fight fires. Since fires are trending down because of all of our fire prevention efforts over the years, we have an upward trend in emergency medical services calls.
Q: Did you always want to be a firefighter?
A: Since I was five years old growing up in Shreveport, La. I was living in an alley of shotgun houses and Miss Mattie’s caught on fire. I watched in amazement when the Shreveport firefighters came and I fell in love with what firefighters do.
Q: What is the best thing about being chief?
A: I am privileged to work with men and women who have a strong commitment to serve their community and are willing to help people even if it costs them their lives. I am the chief servant of an organization of servants.
The Sunday conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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