BY FRANCIS L. BRANNIGAN SFPE (FELLOW)
When I was first interested in firefighting, in the 1920s, only two types of window glass were used for store windows, plain and plate. Firefighters were taught windows were the cheapest element of the building and that breaking them made the interior livable for firefighting. Personnel were cautioned to be sure to clean out all the glass.
High-rise buildings were a problem because falling glass could hit occupants exiting and firefighters entering the building. Sheets of glass could plane away from the building. The Fire Department of New York developed methods for removing glass into the building instead of dropping it outside.
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