Bioterrorism Threat Brings Damper Maintenance To The Forefront

As a company that focuses on smoke and fire damper inspections in commercial facilities throughout the United States, our role has evolved into more than just fire safety, and compliance. Our responsibility has expanded into providing an additional barrier in the event of a terrorist attack.

There is no doubt that the way we looked at the world on September 10, 2001 was changed dramatically with the events of the following day. September 11th changed the way we view national security, global politics, and travel. For those of us in fire safety, facilities management, and code enforcement, it triggered a paradigm shift that affects everything we do today in our daily operations.

The attack at the World Trade Center in New York City brought into focus the importance of operable smoke and fire dampers in the event of a terrorist attack. Nearly 3,000 civilians and firefighters lost their lives when both towers became engulfed in smoke and flames. The United States Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology investigated the World Trade Center disaster and found that had there been operable smoke and fire dampers in the two towers, they "would have acted to slow the development of hazardous conditions on the uppermost floors of the building" in tower one and two, and as a result provided occupants more time to flee the building. Those findings alone exemplify the need for working fire dampers.

One of the most efficient ways for smoke, fire, or an aerosolized biological agent to travel throughout a building is through the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System. With this knowledge, many organizations have addressed the importance of working smoke and fire dampers in their terrorist prevention planning guidelines.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in their publication Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks states "While it is important to understand how the existing building systems function, the systems need to operate per building design." The CDC goes on to provide a list of items to be considered in this evaluation/walk-thru of a building. The list includes items such as filtration, condition of the ductwork, and whether all smoke and fire dampers are functioning, and to check the dampers for "how well they seal when closed." The manual also notes that the responsiveness of the dampers in the event of a CBR (chemical, biological, radiological) attack is crucial.

Other groups such as the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) in their report, Addressing the Threat of Terrorism: Guidelines for Prevention and Response discuss the high likelihood of a fire during a terrorist attack and specifically address the importance of proper installation and regular maintenance of smoke and fire dampers to help combat this threat.

In the July 2004 issue of Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engineering, Larry Felker wrote an article titled "Smoke-Control Systems and Homeland Security." The article's first line is "A building's existing damper system can offer much in terms of protection in the event of an airborne chemical, biological, or radiological attack-or an accident that releases harmful airborne contaminants to the indoor environment."

More groups have addressed the importance of operable smoke and fire dampers in the event of a CBR attack. However, the point is clear, that while smoke and fire dampers are only one component needed to protect building occupants during a terrorist attack - they are an extremely vital component. The question that now presents itself is "How do I maintain everything that I need to with limited time and limited staffing?"

Facility management staff are spread so thin that performing the necessary maintenance is often impossible, particularly performing a detailed inspection. While some are fortunate to have adequate staffing, that is more the exception than the rule. Often times a contractor must step in to assist the facility's staff, and provide the detailed inspection that is needed when dealing with life safety measures. Contractors can also provide third-party certification, something becoming more and more important to organizations from a liability standpoint.

We often hear our government officials state, and correctly so, that in the battle against terrorism that you have to be right 100% of the time. Just that one percent failure rate could be devastating. Our records indicate that the failure rate of dampers is approximately ten-percent. Even one failed damper can have serious consequences.

During the almost doomed Apollo 13 mission, lead flight director for Mission Control Gene Kranz, said to the ground crew at Houston's Mission Control, "Failure is not an option." The same holds true for those of us in the fire protection and building management field, when it comes to the safety of building occupants - "Failure is not an option."

Is that one failed damper in an area where large groups of people congregate, such as a cafeteria during lunch hour? Is that failed damper positioned between floors, and in turn allows the contaminant to spread to additional floors where it could affect countless other people? Is that failed damper outside your office?