Re: MOUNT WASHINGTON BURNS

[Ben Gore <ben@hrdent.com>]

Peter Murray wrote in part:

> - so why not build an on-site aux with diverse
> power/antennae in a separate building 50' away? It's not as though a tall
> tower is necessary.....


If they were to consider such an installation, I would hope that they would
construct it a little more than 50 feet away. In the circumstances like 
that which
occurred today, it is likely a building 50 feet away from the one 
burning would start
burning also. A fire service tactic called protecting exposures would 
apply to
buildings this close together, but with 74 MPH winds keeping a fire from 
spreading
to closely-spaced buildings would be quite difficult, even if you could 
fight the fire.
It would make more sense to install redundant facilities on opposite 
ends of the summit.

Like others, I find it difficult to believe that there were no other 
life support
systems in place at the summit. After all, generators are mechanical and 
subject
to breakdown.

-Ben