BKINFRPR.RVW "Introduction to Fire Protection", Robert Klinoff, 2007, 978-1-4180-0177-3, U$95.00 %A Robert Klinoff %C 5 Maxwell Dr., Clifton Park, NY 12065-2919 %D 2007 %G 978-1-4180-0177-3 1-4180-0177-5 %I Delmar Cengage Learning %O U$95.00 800-354-9706 www.cengage.com %O http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1418001775/robsladesinterne http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1418001775/robsladesinte-21 %O http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1418001775/robsladesin03-20 %O Audience i Tech 1 Writing 1 (see revfaq.htm for explanation) %P 509 p. %T "Introduction to Fire Protection" The preface states that this text is an introduction to fire protection (intended for students working towards becoming firefighters), explaining and promoting the related jobs. Chapter one outlines the job and training requirements. Various career paths are noted in chapter two. A history of fire protection, along with some discussion of the development of fire-fighting technology, is given in chapter three. Chapter four examines the chemistry and physics involved in fire, and fire-fighting, although the explanations seem to demonstrate a rather superficial understanding. US-based fire-fighting support organizations, both public and private, are listed in chapter five. Fire department resources are catalogued in chapter six, ranging from building facilities, through truck fittings, to hand tools. Fire department administration is slightly different from that of regular businesses (given the life safety priorities), and chapter seven's discussion of various structures is interesting. (The section on communications, however, is disappointingly short.) Support functions are noted in chapter eight, which repeats some of the material from chapter six. Chapter nine points out the importance of training, but is mostly about the recording and administration involved. Chapter ten looks at fire prevention, through inspections, codes, and public education. Although entitled "Codes and Ordinances," chapter eleven is more about liability issues. The examination of fire protection systems and equipment, in chapter twelve, is disjointed, having, for example, an extensive discussion of water supply prior to an outline of the fire suppression agents which require it. (The content on Halon and alarms is limited and disappointing.) Chapter thirteen's review of emergency incident management has some items specific to fire protection, but overall is quite a decent (if generic) exegesis of incident response principles, and could be almost equally applicable to business disaster response. Chapter fourteen closes off with miscellaneous processes involved in emergency operations, many concerning safety. The title is correct: this is an introduction, and probably needs to be backed up with more in-depth material. That the book is a text is evident from the list of questions added to the end of every chapter: unfortunately these tend to be simplistic, and mere checks as to whether the student has read sections and can parrot back the content, rather than testing for full comprehension. copyright Robert M. Slade, 2008 BKINFRPR.RVW