Cutting Fire

Losses

8y Chief Myrle K. Wise Denver Fire Deportment

T1 lJ Ine LOSS experience indicates that large undivided piles, congested storage conditions, delayed fire detection and inadequate protection are the principal contributing factors in allowing lumberyard fires to reach serious proportions. The fire hazard potential inherent in lumber storage operations with large quantities of combustible materials can best be controlled by a positive fire prevention program under the direct supervision of top management.

Due to the highly flammable possibilities of lumber storage, prime consideration must be given to several factors to insure maximum protection from the hazards of fire. The site

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An experf looks ot whqt should be done to prevent ond/or limit lumber yord fires.. Denver's Fire Chief Wise sets out o number of steps lo moke ony operotion more fire sofe.

of the operation must be evaluated to reduce the possibility of fire exposure from adjacent structures or property. Providing adequate separation is one method of accomplishing this protection. Other considerations for the protection of lumberyard exposure include the use of fire resistive or masonry wall construction; automatic sprinkler systems for exposed structures; perimeter piling methods that will provide a tYPe of banier wall using materials of greater thick' ness and green flat piled stock.

In the past ten Years, lumberYards and associated industry experienced a loss of $1,060,000 in just ten fires in the city of Denver. Numerous other smaller losses would bring the total loss to a considerably higher figure.

In 1950, two fires in Quebec, Can' ada, resulted in losses of. $22 million. While both of these fires had their origin in lumberyards, their final ex' tension included 437 dwellings, 7 public buildings and 53 business buildings. High winds and dty weather were significant factors in both fires. In July, 195I, in Kansas City, Mo., 3 tank farms, 2 lumber' yards and numerous other buildings were destroyed by fire with an ensuing loss of $2,372,500.

The lumber industry has indeed recognized the urgent need for quality and constant programs directed at the prevention of fire. However, there must be continuing efiorts to promote more reliable and positive methods of establishing and insuring fire safe plants. The industry does need to step forth and accept this responsibility.

Brush and grass fires present serious hazards to the lumberyard entrepreneur. There is no simple solution to this problem, it requires regular and complete attention from year to year.

Chemicals have provided a generally acceptable means of controlling grass and weeds, but prior to the applications of any chemical, one should be fully aware of any other aspects which may arise from such an application. Several years ago, there was suspicion that a chemical ap' plication together with the heat of the sun and the dry weeds actually combined and reacted to start smoldering fires in the weed growth.

Smoking should definitely be PRO' HIBITED in the yard and storage buildings. o'No Smokin g" signs should be prominently posted in all areas. Management may designate a safe, remote area where employees and visitors may be permitted to smoke.

Any type of open flame heater or open fires should be strictly prohibited. Any necessary storage of flammable liquids should be located in an isolated non-combustible building with adequate security.

All electrical equipment and installations should conform and be maintained in accordance with the provisions of the National Electrical Code.

Prepare Now

Should an emergency occur, it becomes extremely important that the operator shall have pre-planned a program of action.

Immediate notification of the fire department is of the utmost concern. Personnel should have the emergency number readily available and be instructed beforehand as to the proper relay of information. Private fire lines or extinguishers should be available for the possible control of incipient fires. Their location should be clearly identified and they should be maintained in good operating condition at all times.

Fire lanes suitable for fire department operations shall be provided (in Denver) with storage arranged so that no part of the occupied area is more than fifty feet distant in any direction from access bv motorized fire fighting equipment. Fire lanes shall be kept unobstructed and have an all-weather surface sufficientlv strong enough to support fire apparatus and must be of sufficient width to permit maneuvering of motorized fire apparatus. Personnel should meet the fire department and direct them to the best access to the fire scene. Fire lanes and piling boundaries must be designated by some permanent type of identification. Personnel

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90 Successful Years

OW a small lumber yard on San Francisco's waterfront grew into the company that handles northern California's largest selection and inventory of lumber products is the success story of J. E. Higgins Lumber Co.

It began 90 years ago. The West was enjoying one of its prosperous, panic-free decades. The population of Los Angeles had grown to

Il,l83.

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Son Frqncisco's J. E. Higgins Lumber Co. celebrotes 90 yeors of success . . . still o fomily business, il hos survived fires, wors qnd depression firm hos unique 135,000 b.f, dry kiln to hondle speciol drying problems os well os the lorgesl hordwood invenlory West of Chicogo.

Out in the woods. the Shay Logging Locomotive and the Dolbeer donkey engine were revolutionizing the business of getting timber to the mill. For the first time, San Francisco B"y ship. builders were launching more vessels porrered by steam than sails, mainly for hauling lumber from north coast ports.

Some of the timbers for those ships came from the waterfront yards of Allen & Higgins Lumber Co., founded in 1883 by Frank Allen- and J. E. Higgins, Sr. With faith and not much cash, the adventurous pair had decided to buy the remains of a lumber yard that had been hit by fire.

Through a war or two and financial ups and downs, the firm grew, only to be leveled by the San Francisco fire-quake of 1906. Within four days, the yard was open again and amidst the ashes, helped rebuild the city.

Allen died soon after, and in 1908 Higgins purchased full interest. The name was changed to J. E. Higgins Lumber Co., but the company retained its long-standing motto of "A Lumber For Eoery Purpose." .' of the firm that still bears the founder's name.

From the forests of the world, Higgins imported quality woods. Some of the specimens, such as Hungarian ash and rare African mahoganies, wound up in the showplaee Higgins mansion, still standing in Alameda.

"Grandfather Higgins was a distinguished gentleman, but tough when he had to be," recalls Jack Higgins, vp.

The continuing success of the company through more wars and depressions was proof enough that J. E. -sr. could be tough. But most of his business associates didn't realize that he was also a recognized expert and collector of Oriental art.

His son, J. E. Higgins, Jr., began getting splinters in his hands in 1912, stacking lumber in the yard at 6th and Bryant streets. He became president L0 years later when the senior Higgins retired, and was responsible for the rapid growth by acquisition and merger in the l92os.

The firm has always been a family business. James W. Higgins, another grandson of the founder, is today's president.

His father, the late Ward Higgins, w€ts vp. when the yard was moved in 1940 to its present location near the Bayshore Freeway.

Since that time, the company has installed a re-manufacturing mill that includes moulders, a woods matcher, resaw and straightJine ripsaw.'With branches at Sacramento and Union City, the firm boasts 20 acres of yardspace, including five acres of buildings.

The new dry kiln at Union City is unique. With a eapacity of I35 thousand board feet, it can handle the special drying problems found in many different species of hardwoods and softwoods.

It takes more than 50 Higgins people to process the orders for 300 different varieties, sizes and grades of wood products that come in every week. The company maintains the largest assortment and inventory of hardwoods west of Chicago.

Fire struck again in 1969, when the San Francisco yard lost half its lumber inventory and several buildings. A new headquarters building was soon erected and, in the Higgins tradition, is a showcase of wood.

From its three yards, Higgins sends a fleet of 15 trucks, 5 trailers and 2 carriers to serye dealers in all of northern California

Over the years, Higgins has supplied lumber for some of the statens landmark buildings, including Hearst's castle at San Simeon, the Flood Building and San Francisco's new St. Mary's Cathedralitself a structure risen from the ashes of the original.

OOD produat manufacturers and disiributorg timber growers and housing industry officials at the National Forest Products Assn.'s Tlst annuai meeting received assurance from the Nixon Administration that governfiierit action has been taken and will be continued in the future to try to reiieve the wood supply crisis.

Johrr C. Sawhill, associate director for naiural resources. Office of Management and Budget, told the May 13-16 meaing in Washington, D.C., that, despite skepticism in some quarters) the Forest Service definitely will irtcrease the National Forest timber s:iles program from last year's l0 billion board feet to Il.8 billion this year. Monthly targets have been set and periodic reports will be issued to measure progress, he said.

Herbert G. Klein, Preident Nixon's director of comrnunications and longtime friend, urged thai tJre Watergate affair be put in "perspective" and that the nation 'concentrate its attention on such matters as maintainine the peace, developing the econom| and improving the standard of living. He predicted President Nixon would emerge "stronger than ever.t'

To halt inflationary trends, Klein said, the nation's supply of commodi-