The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "fire alarm" ...
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Addressing 911
It all started with a tip from people on the front lines, and quickly unraveled into a story that has sparked much needed oversight of Ingham County's new consolidated 911 center. The center merged two 911 dispatch centers into one back in June of 2012. In October, a group of first responders approached Reporter Ann Emmerich with alarming concerns about problems within the system. They believed at least two deaths could be connected to delayed response times because emergency crews were sent to the wrong address. They also believed county officials were trying to "cover up" the problems. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Ann Emmerich began digging into records from the 911 Dispatch Center. She obtained documented complaints from the Lansing Fire Department, call logs from the dispatch center, and time stamped recordings of 911 calls. Just days after Emmerich made those FOIA requests, Lansing's Mayor announced he would form a task force to investigate concerns with the County's 911 Center. At the time, there was no advisory board in place to oversee the center. Once officials went public with the formation of a task force, the original board that worked to establish the 911 center was brought back together to begin oversight.
Tags: broadcast; 911; FOIA; 911 center
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"Burning Through Money"
Oklahoma City firefighters claim they are "busier than ever," therefore the millions of dollars made working overtime is justified. The Oklahoman, however, finds that the majority of their calls are false alarms suggesting firefighters are appearing busier than they are to "justify" higher salaries.
Tags: firefighters; overtime; raise; Keith Bryant; Oklahoma Fire Department
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Fire Department Corruption
This investigation revealed that hundreds of commercial building and large apartment buildings in New York City have been allowed to operate with defective and potentially dangerous fire alarm systems despite obvious violations found by Fire department civilian inspectors. This includes some hospitals, schools and department stores. Two inspectors alleged that, because of corruption, the fire department allowed buildings to get letters of approval needed for legal occupancy even with numerous fire alarm safety violations when certain former inspectors, working as consultants or expediters, were hired by the buildings' owners. Because of this investigation, the city council will hold public hearings on these allegations and comptroller William Thompson has turned over information from this investigation to "criminal authorities."
Tags: fire departments; New Jersey; corruption; dishonest hiring; building inspections
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Sounding the Alarm
An extra $274,000 was required to fix the problems created by a $37 million upgrade to the Marion County digital radio system. The switch from analog to digital was not as smooth as hoped because firefighters claimed the transmissions were unintelligible.
Tags: dispatcher; 911; emergency call; International Association of Fire Chiefs; radio; walkie talkie; alert
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Deadly Delay
WTHR investigates how many smoke alarms in American homes "may not activate during the most deadly type of house fire" despite assurances of fire testing agencies.
Tags: fire; fire department; early warning; smoke alarms; homes; safety; house; research; product testing; Indiana
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Fire Alarm
Long Island, the last densely-populated region of the country served almost exlusively by volunteer firefighters, is now paying as much for its small-town service as many U.S. cities do for fully paid departments. In their efforts to cope with waning volunteerism, fire departments here spend extraordinary sums on premium trucks and equipment,travel junkets, enormous firehouses and costly perks- and for paid staff who answer calls, but are hired under every title but firefighter. Despite all the spending, most volunteer fire departments are not getting fire crews to respond as fast as volunteer standards say they should.
Tags: firefighters; volunteer firefighters; response time; perks; fire department budgets
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Alarming Absence
The authors investigated reports that inspectors with the Columbus Fire prevention Bureau had missed or falsified dozens of fire inspections. The inspectors were supposed to make sure new or renovated buildings were safe for the public to occupy. There were missed inspections, allegations of intoxication on the job, and overtime fraud.
Tags: Fire; building inspectors; Columbus Fire Prevention Bureau; Ned Pettis; Ohio Public Records Law; overtime fraud; public safety
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School Safety Checks Spotty
This investigation, sparked by a fire at Wasatch Junior High School in Salt Lake City, found that many schools in Utah lack modern fire safety features. The authors found that the fault lies mostly with fire inspectors, who are often ill-trained or inexperienced. The inspections are inconsistent and do not occur regularly, which is why there are no recorded inspections for Wasatch Junior High School for years prior to the disaster.
Tags: Fire Marshall; inspections; inspectors; state government; education; students; fire alarms; fire drills; safety; firefighters
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School Fire Drills: Sounding the Alarm
This 14-month investigation of more than 700 public and private schools in the state of Ohio revealed that almost a third of the schools failed to comply with Ohio's Revised Code that calls for 10 fire drills each school year. In the past decade, 2,700 school fires in Ohio injured 98 people and caused more than $20.5 million worth of property damage. As a result to this investigation, number of schools failing to comply with the state's fire drill law dropped considerably.
Tags: fire drills; school fires; Ohio school district; fire department; Ohio Revised Code; public schools