Opinion: Preserve boardwalks with smarter construction
Glenn Corbett is an associate professor of fire science at John Jay College/CUNY and former assistant chief of the Waldwick Fire Department.
AS LONG as there have been seaside boardwalks, there have been fires. Ever since the appropriately named Alexander Boardman placed his first wood planks on the sands of Atlantic City in 1870, a series of fires have erupted up and down the coast.
Over the last 140 years, dozens of massive fires have wiped out stretches of boardwalk, piers and buildings from Long Branch to Cape May. The combination of wind, wood and fire have periodically changed the landscape of our beloved Jersey shore over those many years.
It’s hard to believe that until just before the First World War and the introduction of reinforced concrete, many massive resort hotels dotting the shore — housing as many as 2,000 people in some cases — were constructed entirely of wood. While a few of these gigantic and impressive hotels still exist, virtually all have been replaced.
Atlantic City, which has been hit by some of the largest fires in New Jersey’s history, took proactive action to limit combustible structures along its beachfront. It installed a high-pressure water supply system to provide water to hydrants and special water cannons (a few of which are on display in the Miss America Hall today) placed along the boardwalk.
And, yet, the fact remains that many boardwalks and their associated piers and structures are vulnerable to fire as we saw in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights. Only through the Herculean efforts of the firefighters were the rest of the boardwalk and the structures to the north saved from destruction.
Having studied many fires and other disasters over the years, I’ve seen that there is an understandable desire and push to quickly rebuild. In the case of Seaside Heights and Seaside Park, no one could argue with restoring the livelihoods of so many in these communities hit twice by fire and flood. It’s important, however, to rebuild in a manner that minimizes the potential for future large fires like the one we saw in earlier this month.
While we can’t do anything about winds, it’s clear that we can lessen the chances of allowing a fire to grow to conflagration proportions by reducing the amount of wood used in the reconstruction. The iconic wood planks on which we walk– the whole reason that makes the boardwalk what it is – must be preserved. It’s those boards that make the experience so memorable for millions of people.
The wood substructure underneath, however, must be replaced with concrete and steel (which will also be beneficial for storm surge resistance). Vertical concrete block walls every 100 feet could easily provide built-in fire breaks. For added safety, a simple dry single small water pipe can be run underneath the boards – supplied by a hose from a fire engine during a fire – can greatly assist firefighters by allowing them to spray water on the underside of the boardwalk planks without having to stretch hoses there and waster manpower. Amusement piers and the like should receive similar treatment.
As for the arcades, stands and the restaurants, they should also be constructed of building-code-designated “fire-resistive construction,” also using concrete and steel. They should be fully fire-sprinklered, with fire walls separating each structure. Their roofs must also be built of concrete with gravel roof surfaces.