January 10, 2006
FIREHOUSE.COM NEWS
Francis L. "Frank" Brannigan, author and expert in building construction as it relates to firefighting science, passed away Tuesday morning at his home in Calverton, Maryland. He was 87.
Best known for his book, Building Construction for the Fire Service, Third Edition, Brannigan was a sought after expert who regularly wrote and spoke on the dangers of building collapse when exposed to fire. His general theme was always, "THE BUILDING IS YOUR ENEMY KNOW YOUR ENEMY. KNOW YOUR ENEMY!"
Montgomery County Fire/Rescue responders were called to Brannigan's home, which he shared with his wife, Maureen. They attempted to revive him but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Firehouse.com will continue to update this story today and throughout the week, with reaction from many of the nation's fire service family.
In 1939 he was a founding member of New York’s Fire Bell Club. During World War II, Brannigan directed a naval fire fighting school, commanded a sea-going fire fighting unit, and was a chief in the Army-Navy-Pancanal fire protection organization. He served for years as the Public Safety Liaison Officer of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. He developed programs for fire officers as well as a Fire Loss Management program.
At Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, he developed a model Fire Science Program. He was a member of the adjunct staff of the National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD and The Fire and Rescue Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
"[Frank] provided eternal focus on the issues associated with building construction and the fire environment. The safety of fire fighters was always his focus," Montgomery County Department of Fire Rescue Service Chief Tom Carr said in announcing the death to his department. "Among his many contributions to the fire service, he always worked to get the message out through teaching at Montgomery College among other places, lectures at conferences and other venues, as well as writting articles and books. He was a friend from every perspective and he deeply cared about each of us."
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) published the first edition of his book in 1971, the second edition in 1982, and the third edition in 1992. It showed how to recognize the signs of building collapse before it happens. The book and its message was his mission for fellow firefighters. He was more then willing to sign a copy and he said, "it makes an excellent present for a firefighting friend, loved one, or newly promoted officer".
He has published many articles on building construction in the fire service press, and is the author of Chapter 6-11 in the 17th Edition of the Fire Protection Handbook.
Mr. Brannigan has been honored by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers with full membership even though his degree was not in engineering. For many years he served on various technical committees of the National Fire Protection Association.
Brannigan was the recipient of the Fire Engineering's first Lifetime Achievement Award. One of his sons, Vincent, is a professor at the University of Maryland's Department of Fire Protection Engineering.
For many years Brannigan wrote regular columns for Firehouse Magazine, Firehouse.com, Fire Engineering and other fire service publications, based on his experience and his book subjects.
His wisdom and experience was seen throughout his writing and he used humor ...
"My boss, whose solution for any problem was to shout about firing somebody, wanted to fire them on the spot. I talked him out of it. I could see an appeal to the civil service commission and my writing about the duties of the firefighters Vs the duties of the chief, for civil servants who had never seen a fire, and who as Virginians had been raised on the heroics of Pickett's charge at Gettysburg. Just imagine if the firefighter's lawyer produce this document by such a prestigious organization." And sarcasm ...
"Maybe we should organize a team of U.S. firefighters who show their machismo by not wearing seat belts, to go to Pamplona next year and run with the bulls with fire helmets on so they could be recognized. Our citizens surely would be delighted to see our firefighters beat the Spaniards at their own game." And humility ...
"When a person writes in our field, he or she assumes an air of infallibility and wisdom," this aint necessarily so." I cannot speak for others but I must confess to several really dumb actions which I hope none of you will emulate." What followed were a number of personal stories of professional actions, less then smart. "We could have died heroically down there but the Good Lord is said to look after drunks and idiots." In July, 2000, Brannigan wrote, "When firefighters die in a collapse or flashover we generally hear about it and it is published in Firehouse .com as a [line of duty death] but what about near misses? These are equally instructive and a pleasure to write about. No official organization reports them. The unfortunate thing about then is that the people concerned often feel that they barely escaped the consequences of their own stupidity, and are not anxious to publicize it. If you want to help your fellow firefighters, just send me the story."
In the summer of 2005, with leadership from the IAFC, a Near Miss Reporting system was established for the purpose Brannigan recognized.
Perhaps Brannigan's most profound and complete vision of his mission was stated in "My Reflections on 9-11, Dec. 2001." He wrote:
We must learn to think the unthinkable. When I first postulated at a 1972 National Fire Protection Association meeting, the total collapse of a post-tensioned concrete building under construction, the editor of Engineering News Record published it. The editor of Fire Journal refused to print it saying, "I just can't believe they are building buildings that will completely collapse."
We must go beyond experience, to competent risk analysis. We must learn that fire resistance is at best just a hope, not a mathematical given, as is often assumed.
We must learn that fire resistive buildings are built of components, which may or may not be the equivalent of small units tested to an inadequate standard. The total fire resistance of the structure as built is not evaluated.
We must learn that the failure of a single vulnerable connection can and has precipitated disaster. Fire departments across the country are reevaluating tactics.
I have been in love with FDNY for 75 years. My first line-of-duty funeral was for the eight firefighters who died in the unsprinklered paint room of a spare-no-expense Ritz Tower Hotel in 1932. May they all rest in peace. May their families and friends take comfort in the Biblical verse: "Greater love no man hath than he lay down his life for a friend." How much more loving to lay down one's life for a stranger! "
"He was an icon at MFRI (Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute). Everyone knew him," said Director Steve Edwards. "He was nationally, even internationally known for his expertise in building construction and safety."
"We would pick him up, take him to the class, and take him home," Edwards said. "Sometimes, we'd stop off at a store. Frank was just an outstanding person. He was a wealth of knowledge."
Ron Sianicki Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, was stunned and sadden to hear the news. "He was a legend. He's the one who forged a relationship between the fire service and building construction."
The former Prince George's County Fire Chief said personnel were required to read Branigan's texts before they were allowed to sit for promotional exams. "I'm sure other jurisdictions also made their people read his books. Frank stressed the importance of firefighters understanding building construction. He took that training to the highest level. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take his classes."
Jack McElfish, Chief of Gwinnett County, Georgia Fire Department, was in the first class that Brannigan taught at Montgomery County College Fire Science Department, Radiation Safety in the fall of 1966. "He has always been a mentor to me."
When McElfish went on the become a training officer in Pennsylvania he said Brannigan was only a phone call away. "He was a great person for the fire service, just a great person period."
"He was interested in building construction because nobody else was doing it. Firefighters were being killed and others were dying because no one knew the connection. He took it upon himself, kind of an angle for the fire service. We will never know how many people he saved. They are not statistics. He was a fanatic about not letting people get hurt or killed. He had a passion for it. I don't know who now will carry on that torch. It is a tremendous loss to everybody and a personal loss for me," McElfish said.
Frank Brannigan's life was about helping others. As former student and staff member of the National Fire Academy says, "There is no question the teachings and education by Frank Brannigan saved the lives of many firefighters."
Firehouse.com will update this story throughout the day and week, with comments and reaction to the loss of Frank from many of the nation's fire service leaders, as well as memorial and funeral information as soon as it becomes available.
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