1982 structural fire at the home of Franklin Roosevelt: an oral history

Abstract

The purpose of this oral history was to explore the impact of pre-planning on the 1982 structural fire at the Home of Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site by interviewing Park staff and fire fighters who responded to the fire. The Home is part of the National Park Service and is located in Hyde Park, New York. The 1982 fire is considered to be the event that started the National Park Service structural fire program. The analysis utilized the zoom model which was developed for interpreting life histories (Pamphilon, 1999). The zoom model's analogy of a camera lens allowed the researcher to change focus from a broad or panoramic view to a micro level. The interviews revealed how the participants saw themselves in the larger context of the historic fire. Historic house museums have unique needs. Recommendations from the study included arranging site visits for local fire fighters so that they are familiar with the facility. Parks should develop a disaster plan that is shared with all park employees. Finally, the study suggested conducting oral histories since they can capture the stories of the underrepresented. Oral histories should be maintained in the park archives.