Re:Aetna CEO Threatened Obamacare Pullout If Feds Opposed Hu...
by dredmorbius on Wednesday August 17, 2016 @09:30PM
(#12309849)
That actually raises an interesting question: what have the changes in building fire risk been over the past 150 years or so?
Historically, instances of entire cities burning were commonplace enough to be noted: the Great Fire of London (1666), the Great Chicago Fire (1871), the Baltimore Fire of 1904, the Great Fire and Earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco.
The Oakland Hills Fire of 1991 was actually the biggest urban fire in the US since the 1906 San Francisco event.
2. Standardisation. Baltimore and Oakland Hills both saw incompatible hose-hydrant couplings.
3. Building standards. Everything from fireblocks and exits, to sprinkler systems.
4. Replacement of candles, oil lanterns, and gas lighting by electricity. Electrical fires happen, but they're far rarer. The Great Chicago Fire was caused by a lantern.
5. Safety and certification ratings of equipment, appliances, and wiring. "Underwriters Laboratories", the source of the ubiquitous (in the US) "UL" logo, was created by insurance companies.
That is: appropriately collectivising risks can result in reduced overall risk.
Historically, instances of entire cities burning were commonplace enough to be noted: the Great Fire of London (1666), the Great Chicago Fire (1871), the Baltimore Fire of 1904, the Great Fire and Earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco.
The Oakland Hills Fire of 1991 was actually the biggest urban fire in the US since the 1906 San Francisco event.
There's a list of fire-related losses here, though it includes terrorist (9/11) and industrial accident events: http://www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/fire-statistics-and-re...
Among the changes I can think of:
1. Better alerting systems.
2. Standardisation. Baltimore and Oakland Hills both saw incompatible hose-hydrant couplings.
3. Building standards. Everything from fireblocks and exits, to sprinkler systems.
4. Replacement of candles, oil lanterns, and gas lighting by electricity. Electrical fires happen, but they're far rarer. The Great Chicago Fire was caused by a lantern.
5. Safety and certification ratings of equipment, appliances, and wiring. "Underwriters Laboratories", the source of the ubiquitous (in the US) "UL" logo, was created by insurance companies.
That is: appropriately collectivising risks can result in reduced overall risk.