Fire Chief Chris Kaufmann
June 27, 2014
Vehicle Fire Scenario
At approximately 9:55 AM on June 27, 2014, St. Tammany Fire District #1 received a call of a vehicle accident at an intersection on South Range Rd. One of the vehicles traveling through the intersection was struck in the side by another vehicle. The occupants of both vehicles were able to exit safely prior to one of the vehicles erupting into flames.
Responding units are Engine 17, Tender 17 and Battalion 2.
Personnel Assignments:
Incident Commander – Captain Lester Schellinger
Pump Operations – Joshua Musselman
Fire Attack – Firefighters Matt Lato
Water Supply – Captain Ryan Gaudin and Fire Operator Stan LeBlanc
Safety Officer – Battalion Chief Dave Pellerin
Vehicle Fires Facts Sheet
- In 2013, there were 48 vehicles fires resulting in 1 fatality and over $287,000 in damage
- Through June 15, 2014, we have responded to 20 vehicle fires resulting in $60,800 in damage
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) from 2007 – 2011:
- U.S. Fire Departments responded to an estimated average of 229,500 vehicle fires
- Caused an average of 328 civilian fire deaths and 1,426 civilian fire injuries
- Resulted in $1.4 billion dollars in direct property damage
- One out of 10.5 fire deaths results from vehicle fires
- Four percent of fire-related firefighter injuries each year result from vehicle fires
What to do if your vehicle catches fire?
- Exit the vehicle and maintain a safe distance
- Call 911
- Do not attempt to retrieve personal items from the vehicle
- Do not open the hood or trunk if you suspect a fire under it, air could rush in and enlarge the fire causing injury
- Be aware of vehicles that use an alternative fuel source, they could release flammable or explosive vapors
