Skip to content

Archives for buildling-construction

See all posts in the network tagged with buildling-construction

Always Preplanning

No comments

 

This is a blog post by one of our instructors, Andrew Krato.

 

While in Indy at FDIC my first night on the town I was looking out of my hotel window and I came across this building. What I saw was just a reminder of how important it is to get out and do your building preplans in your district.

What I found was a multi story commercial brick building just like many of theothers in down town Indianapolis and so many other s in my district in Missouri.

Like many other building they all have fire escapes, this building was different because it was missing. This building is setup for the escape and if you look closer at the pictures you can see that at one time one was there. The holes from the mounts can still be seen in the brick and the rust marks from over the years of weather have left its impression on the building. Unfortunately, I was unable to make my way into the building and see what it looked like from the inside. What I can see from the outside is each level has a full size door that exits to the platform.

As in the pictures the platforms and stairs are gone but the doors remain there. From the outside nothing is labeled as do not enter, not an exit or is blocked off from the inside no bars or boards as such. I would hope that from the inside it is labeled or marked or at least secured shut.

As we all know in the smoke or dark a door feels like a door and whether or not it goes toanother room or outside and down 10 floors we need to make sure we have control of the doors, andwe sound before we enter into another room.

Thanks and be safe doing your preplans.

Posted by on May 16, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, FDIC 2012, firefighter-safety-health, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , ,

The Long Stretch and Push

No comments

Take a look at the pictures and think about getting water on the fire to the upper floor and/or making rescues. This building is one that is old and not sprinklered. It sits off of the road and aerial access is extremely limited, almost ineffective.

When looking at this type of building we need to consider the construction type, occupancy, access and egress points and any special hazards. What are our initial resources and what should we have coming on the way? This building is four stories and is a dormartory at a college. The corridor length is 225 from stairwell to stairwell. As you look at the building in the picture, the stairwell on the right is more remote from a parking surface than the one on the left. The elevation that you see in the picture from this side is the same on the opposite side.

There is a basement under this building with tunnels that lead to other campus buildings with limited access and egress where kids sneak away to do what kids sneak away to do. There is a great deal of combustible storage in these basements and tunnels.

Type 3 construction is the type of building we are dealing with and the interior has been altered over the years. There is an automatic alarm system but no standpipes. Water supply is limited; the closest hydrant is approximately 300 feet from where you would likely place first in companies and that hydrant, if laid from, would severely hinder access by other units because of only one access to the campus.

So, here we go……..what are your tactics and why? Watch the video and let everyone know what you would do and why. Use this for discussion purposes and relate it to buildings that you might have in your jurisdiction. Share your thoughts and ideas.

Train hard and we hope to see most of you at FDIC 2012 next week.

 

 

Posted by on April 9, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, FDIC 2012, fire stopping, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, ladder truck/aerial devices, rescues, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Tools for a Purpose

No comments

We have taught a lot of classes and trained extensively on numerous firefighter operations. One thing that always interests me is the choice of hand tools by firefighters. Each has their own preference and favorite, but in many cases when challenged as to why that specific tool is their tool of choice, the answer is not clear to them. Some are bound by the fact that they work on a truck, engine or squad.

 

Some are bound by their riding assignment based on what order they arrive on the scene. In many cases, however, they just pick what they want and what is convenient or easy to carry. This is dangerous and we encourage each firefighter to choose their tool with a purpose in mind.

When choosing your tool some things to consider are what your using it for, will it accomplish your tasks, is it durable and reliable and does it complement the tools of other members. I’m not here to tell you what tool to use, but I have some suggestions for you to consider when picking your too

l –Can you use it for forcible entry or forcible egress?

–Will it get the job your are assigned to do accomplished?

–Will it allow you to perform multiple functions with that tool? Is is versatile?

–Are you familiar and proficient with that tool? Do you train frequently with it?

–Will it complement what your team members are using?

This could be especially important for forcible entry and for being a more efficient team.

Take a look at the pictures and discuss the pros and cons of each tool. For example, I don’t like seeing guys coming off with a close hook. It is good for overhaul, but for forcible entry or breaching walls and getting out of a bad place, it’s not very useful. This is just my opinion. But, I have had firefighters pick that tool because it’s light and easy to carry. Make the tools that are preferred easy to access and train with them. Clean and inspect them on a regular basis. Take care of those tools. Get know their capabilities and their limitations. You have to get your hands on them. Discuss these options as a crew and/or company and share your thoughts. Take care and expect fire. Train hard!

Posted by on March 14, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, ladders, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, Training, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Get Around

No comments

Here are some more pictures from my A Shift buddies, Jim, Bob and Dave at Florissant Valley Fire Protection District.  These photos show the challenges of just getting into some of our buildings.  It's a lot easier to get a good look at the working mechanisms and traits of these obstacles during daylight and in non-emergent situations.

Take time to know what is behind these doors and grates.  What are they protecting and how secure are they? Is just a matter of prying bolts out of the brick and concrete or are they really seated into the building?  Now is the time to find out.

One note, the pic with the bars is actually a smoking lounge for an adjacent bar. Access is made from inside the building but it looks like a different occupancy.  Don't wait until it's smokey and dark.

Read the doors and try to identify characteristics that can indicate foricible entry challenges.  Do the doors swing out or in? Are the hinges exposed or protected? Is the jamb protected?

These are also important for RIT operations, to read the building and soften it up for interior crews if a company has not already done so.

Stay alert and get out and look around. You'll be surprised what you'll find.

Posted by on March 7, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, exits, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, Uncategorized, VES • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Challenges Everywhere—-But We Have to Get In to See Them

1 comment

Hey, here are some pictures sent to me by a Brother who is going out the DOING the job. The whole job.  He and his crew are getting out and checking on things.  Bob gets IT and thanks for the pics.  These are in his still area and these are buildlings that get inspected and then they go right back to doing this kind of stuff.   We have to be prepared for everything and anything.  Imagine being the RIT and forcing the back door to make access for a Mayday and dealing with the mattresses?  Look at the pictures and just imagine and discuss the challenges that you would face in those situations.  Not to mention patrons trying to evacuate a smoke filled building.

Stay sharp and get out of that chair.  This is important stuff, don't put it off.  I'm a huge proponent of training on line deployment, search, vent, and all the rest.  This is just as important.  Stay safe and keep training.

Thanks to Bob Tresch for the pics and making a difference by sharing.

Jason

 

Posted by on February 17, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, exits, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

More Building Construction for Size Up

No comments

Here is a quick look at a building that offers more than one considering in regards to construction characteristics. The building in the photos is currently a resale shop. This building has been a tack shop, lawn equipment, sold boats and trailers. If you look hard at the front, it has been added onto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The right side of the building was the original and the left was an addition. The front and side walls are wood frame with a brick veneer. As you can see, there is a parapet wall on three sides of the building. Both sides have been rearranged multiple times on the interior to accommodate the occupant of the moment. The original roof was flat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This side view shows some exterior doors and the brick veneer. We can also see the electric service and a boarded up window. This two doors lead to different areas of the building and are not adjoining. You can also see that the parapet wall appears to be very tall and of combustible material.

 

This is the rear view and the most telling about this building. We can see that the back wall is different from the other three walls. The back wall is of block. We can also see that the roof is a lean to type of construction and knowing the history of this building, it is a “rain roof” or “roof over” that covered an old flat roof.

We can also see the parapet wall is brick on the two side walls with support ties. We know that those connections are very likely going to fail during a fire. There is a lot of void space that could be difficult to get to due to the “rain roof” and early collapse of the parapet wall should be expected.

In addition, the importance of the block wall in the back is important for orientation as well. If we get inside and get to a wall that is block, we have a pretty good idea of where we are. We only would know this by pre-planning and/or doing our 360.

These are just a few of the considerations you must think of when presented with this building or one like it. Discuss this with your crews and identify buildings that are similar in your response areas.

Train hard, stay safe, and remember those who have fallen for the lives of others. Please especially remember the families of Chief Kyle Ienn, Firefighter Doug Haase, Chief David Flint, Fire Lt. Kevin West who all left us this week.

Posted by on February 3, 2012 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire codes, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, in-the-line-of-duty • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

High Rise Markings

No comments

If you have a high rise or respond on mutual aid to a high rise district, do you know if they are marked for floor identification? If so, do you know how they corresspond with the interior labels? High rise buildings are marked differently, if at all. In our area the windows are typically marked with a reflective sticker, one on every fifth floor. Where this gets tricky is when the interior floors are labeled differently.

This high rise has red circle on the corner on the fifth floor window and the 15th floor window. You can see them in the top right hand corner of the windows on the right side. Now, some places will actually put numbers on the windows, but we are going to just address this one method. If you count the windows you will notice that it doesn't add up.

This building has eliminated the 13th floor, thus making the floors on floor off if counting. This is where preplanning comes in.

                                                                                                                      

It is important to know how the outside corresponds with the interior. In some of these buildings the ground floor may be labeled as "Ground" or "Lobby" and not the first floor. In addition, if there are penthouse units at the top they may be labeled as such and not given a numerical label on the elevator panel. On this building the 13th floor has been eliminated. It goes from floor 12 to 14. On the photo below you can see that there is no 13 on the panel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We need to get into these buildings and be familiar with the labeling of floors. The last we want to do is deploy to the wrong floor or take an elevator to close to the fire floor. It is also important when searching for victims, knowing what floor is reported and how the occupants will report floor numbers.

This is by no means the only marking systems, just one method. Get out, know your system and train with it.

Posted by on January 19, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, elevators, fire codes, fire service recall, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, high rise, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , ,

Anatomy of a Basement Fire

No comments

Here is a short video that you can use for a drill or training night. Feel free to use however you like. This is from a recent basement fire and what was looked for and what was done. There are some considerations to think about. This is not everything for all basement fires. Just a simple tutorial. Feel free to add your experience and ideas to this video.

Stay safe,
Jason

Posted by on December 25, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, rescues, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, VES • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Judge Not….

3 comments

I’ve done it and you’ve done it. It is going to happen again and it’s going to happen soon. With every line of duty death the Monday morning quarterbacks come out and tell us all what they should have or should not have done. We preach and teach to learn from these tragedies by understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident. But, what are we doing to make sure that this doesn’t happen?

Our job is dangerous. Worcester Fire Department is a highly trained department and according to some reports I have gotten, fight these types of fires every year. There are some additional factors like high winds and possibly illegal renovations that compromised the structural integrity of the building. Neither of these two factors can be anticipated or controlled. We have a job to do and when we are told that someone is in a building, we do what we can to get to them. As I write this I have not heard confirmation that there was or was not a victim found.

I have no doubt that we could dissect and scrutinize what happened and we would have done this or that differently. We will hear how simplistic it should have been and others pounding the table that we don’t enter buildings that are compromised. Guess what? As soon as that building catches fire it is compromised!

What frustrates me more is that in the fire service many are real good at solving problems after the fact and few try to identify and solve them before they are actualized. It’s not just judging the YouTube video or a line of duty death, no, it’s many things. “That guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.” “That guideline is outdated and inefficient.” “That small time volunteer fire department doesn’t know what they’re doing.” Of course, most of these “kitchen table experts” have no desire to be proactive or to put themselves out there to take the lead on a project to make a positive change.

Sometimes, and I’m not saying this is the case yet, things are not preventable. Sometimes we are going to lose. We hope not, but we are running into burning, compromised buildings to save lives and property. When someone comes to us and is telling us someone is in the building, if we can make a push, we will and we should. This is what we do and why we are here. There is no time to run down a check list to determine if a certain profile is met. We don’t have time to switch our size up decision making. We have to consider the situation presented to us at the time and use our training and experience to do our best to attempt a rescue.

But, if we do want to be Monday morning quarterbacks I suggest a different approach. Take your expertise and knowledge to some less fortunate departments in regards to resources for training and teach. Share your experience and knowledge with these departments and individuals to keep bad decisions being made on the fire ground. I believe that this is the best way to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for others. Whether there were mistakes or not, we can help to prevent those who don’t have resources to perform appropriately on the fire ground.

We recently did a class in a remote part of our state and had two firefighters arrive with some hand-me down gear and SCBA. Neither had worn the gear before and neither had ever had on an SCBA. They stated they had been fighting fire with self purchased boots, gloves and helmets. That’s it. Nothing more. This is still happening. We had to pull these two firefighters aside and walk them through some basics about gear and SCBA operations. We took extra time with them just to teach them basic firefighter skills. They were more than willing to learn and were eager.

The point is this: let’s put our efforts into training and teaching firefighters to operate safely instead of beating up departments, officers and firefighters after the fact. Can we learn from these tragic events? Absolutely! We should learn lessons in a constructive manner from not just tragic events, but from every call we run. There is always something to learn whether things went well or not so well.

Train, be tolerant and make a difference in a positive way. Stay safe and thanks for reading.
Jason

Posted by on December 11, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mayday, news, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, vacant building fires, ventilation, VES • Tagged: , , , ,

Balloon Frame Construction: From the Inside

2 comments

This short clip show balloon frame construction from the inside. With Engine House Training, LLC this summer, we had the opportunity to hold a class in this building. It was going to be torn down and the interior wall coverings in most of the house had been removed. That exposed the balloon frame construction characteristics that we so often speak of but seldom have the chance to see.

Use this however you like and share it.  Hopefully, this will help someone to better understand the meaning of balloon frame buildings and to ensure proper tactics are used with these structures.

Keep training and pass on your knowledge to others. Share the gift.

Posted by on November 18, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire stopping, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, trusses • Tagged: , , , , ,

Firefighter Mode for Elevators

3 comments

Okay, here is a short video on firefighter mode for elevators. Remember that each jurisdiction should check with their buildings and operational guidelines. This video may not be the only way to operate certain types of elevators but it is indicative of most in our area.

It was asked of me to mention the "HOLD" position.  This position in most elevator cars allows the crew to place the key in the "HOLD" position and exit the car without it getting recalled to the lobby.  When the crew gets back in the car they need to turn back to the "ON" position and take full control of the car again.

The "BYPASS" position is at the lobby control.  This can be used to put the elevator back into normal operation if the alarm system has not reset.  This should be done only after it as been determined that the alarm activation is a malfunction or service related.

Hope that helps.

 

Train hard and thanks for reading.
Jason

Posted by on November 1, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, elevators, fire service recall, firefighting-operations • Tagged: , , , , ,

Apartment Fire Considerations

2 comments

This is another video I put together. I have been getting positive feedback on this format, so I will continue to do this.

We are addressing some concerns and challenges with apartment fires. This building is of the garden apartment style but this same type of building can be a stand alone as well.

As always, this is not the only considerations when looking at apartment fires. Follow your guidelines and get out to your response areas to become familiar with similar buildings.

Until next time, stay safe and ring those bells tomorrow and say a prayer for all of the fallen and their families.

Posted by on October 15, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire stopping, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, rescues, search, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Reading the Building: Just a Glimpse

2 comments

As you may know, I am playing with a different format. It wont be all of the time for every blog, but something a little different. So, here is one based off an article that I did. Please be patient as I work with this. Hopefully, it will enrich your blog reading.

Thanks, and let me know what you think.

Posted by on September 29, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, rescues, RIT, search, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Legacy Building Considerations: Old School Buildings

1 comment

We are trying out a new format for our blog. We will use this when it is effective and appropriate. Let us know what you think.

As always, train hard and stay safe.

Jason

Posted by on September 16, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, inspections, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

One Aspect of the 360

No comments

I understand that all buildings, for various reasons, will not get a 360 performed on it during a fire. But, for those that we do get to job around, we need to understand what we are looking for.

I recently spoke with an acting officer and asked him what he was looking for when performing a 360. His answer was "fire."  I asked what else? The answer came, "ways in."  We need to make sure we are taking advantage of the information being made available to us while we are circling the building.

This post is going to focus on some basement indicators.  The pictures shown below are just examples of things you might see when making the round.  Keep in mind that at night you need to take a hand light.  For example, the wood behind the basement windows below may not be noticeable with shining a light in the windows on the way around.

        

We must pay attention to what we are looking for when conduction the 360. As you can see, we may be faced with some very challenging situations.  Not only do we need to be aware during the initial arrival, but the RIT will need this information as well.

As always, follow you own operational guidelines and train hard.

This and other topics will be discussed during one of my presentations at Fire Rescue International 2011.  I am presenting for the Company Officer Development track and hope to see you there.

Jason

Posted by on August 21, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, exits, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, mayday, rescues, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Ordinary Buildings and Considerations

2 comments

Looking at these pictures shows us a building of ordinary construction.  These are usually older buildings and the building we see is typical of many downtown areas.  This particular building has storefronts on the main level with multi-family units above.

            

 

What are the main characteristics of ordinary construction and how do they relate to fire operations?

What are some problems we face with this type of building in many downtown areas that will cause us concern?

What are the challenges with apparatus placment, not just with this buildling, but with many small, downtown buildings?

What are our challenges in regards to exposures and how do we address them?

 

These are just a few issues we face with this type of building. It is important to be prepared for a fire in this type of occupancy.  It will be challenging, especially late at night when that upstairs is occupied and as you can see, access is not necessarily fast.

Share your thoughts and experiences and as always, train hard and thanks for reading.

Jason

 

Posted by on August 6, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, RIT, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

The Daily Drill: Part 3-Forcible Entry

1 comment

Here is another great post from my friend Lance Peeples of the Webster Groves Fire Department in St. Louis County.  Thanks Lance and now for some fire-thinking to occur.

 

Review the following videos and answer the questions:

 

 

 

1.  Who is assigned the “Irons” or “Bar” position on your first alarm assignment?

 

2.  List EVERY tool the forcible entry (FE) firefighter (FF) should carry when he dismounts the apparatus for an alarm investigation at a multiple dwelling.

 

3.  Are these tools mounted near the riding position of the FE FF?

 

4.  Who is the FF on your first alarm who is designated to use the axe to drive the halligan while the FE FF holds the halligan in place?  What tools should he or she carry?  Are they mounted immediately adjacent to that riding position for quick access?

 

5.  Will a Rabbit tool (hydraulic forcible entry HFT) work on a door with angle iron shields?

 

6.  How would you defeat an inward opening door with angle iron shields that cover the entire length of the door?  What if another piece of angle iron (or a “U” channel) was attached to the door frame and thus prevented placing the fork of the halligan between the frame and the angle iron attached to the door?

 

7.  Is it acceptable to attack the hinge side of an apartment door in a multiple dwelling?  Why or why not?

 

8.  At multiple dwelling fires is it standard practice in your department to force an adjacent apartment door before forcing the fire apartment door?  What might be an advantage of doing this?

 

 

9.  Will a Rabbit (HFT) tool work on outward opening door?  What does an outward opening door in a multiple dwelling suggest to you?

 

10.  What do bolt heads projecting through a door suggest?

 

11.  Should the fork bevel be against or away from the door?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of each position?

 

12.  Some departments order halligan tools that are longer than the standard 30” length for increased leverage.  What is a serious disadvantage of longer tools?

 

Posted by on July 28, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry • Tagged: , , , , ,

Basic Tactical Considerations

7 comments

This post is just a simple challenge of tactical considerations.  The photos that are posted show a single-family house that had fire venting from the C/D corner when first units arrived.  The first in crews could not make the entire hallway on the first push do to intense heat and smoke.

The smoke was banked almost to the floor even with the fire venting from that corner bedroom.

What are some considerations that must be looked at with this fire?  What would be your next plan of action?  Why ist there so much heat and smoke with the fire venting the exterior?  What is your size up?

Share your thoughts and answers with everyone and use this as discussion with your crew.  

As always, train hard and stay safe,

Jason

Posted by on July 23, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, fires, search, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized, vent, ventilation • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Standpipe Crowding

3 comments

We have discussed standpipes in the past, but I think it is worth mentioning again. Standpipes in large and high rise buildings are our water source. It is important to know the location of these devices and to ensure that they are not obstructed.

In addition we need to know and understand if they have pressure reducing devices and how that affects our operations.  Study up on these systems and know how to adapt and trouble shoot the stand pipes in your area.

The picture shown is a stand pipe in a hotel. I went to ice in the hotel I was staying in and this was right next to the ice machine.  I didn't measure it, but this standpipe would be very difficult to connect to. Additionally, if we did get connected with hose only, there would certainly be a kink at the coupling, further reducing our pressure.  

This might be a time when we would try to put an elbow on the connection prior to connecting our hose.  However, I think that with this particular standpipe connection, it would be a stretch just to get the elbow connected as well.

Know your buildings and their systems. Prepare for these types of problems and come up with solutions before you have a fire. Thanks for reading and train hard.

Jason

Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, high rise, inspections, situational awareness, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

The Door to Nowhere

4 comments

We have all been taught to control the door. I have watched countless firefighters try to kick in doors, bulldoze their way through them along with every other tactic that does not include a set of irons.  Here is one reason why control in forcing doors is so important.

This door is in a city hall that my son was practicing in. The area that the door is in used to be a balcony that goes all the way around the gym with two doors that lead to the main floor of city hall.  Over the years, as they ran out of space, they began to make office space on that balcony.  

The door is almost always locked and access to this area is likely to be searched during a fire.  The hazard here is obvious, but the lesson for any situations: control.

By using proper forcible entry techniques with a set of tools, you can control the door and be cautious about what is behind it.  A fall from this door could be disasterous. We have to be ever diligent to master the basics.  A lack of basic forcible entry skills could result in a Mayday and RIT situation which makes a hazardous situation even more so.

Be smart, know your area and train hard. Master those basic skills and require it of your crew if your the boss. Stay safe and thanks for reading.

Jason

Posted by on June 12, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

What’s Your Take?

1 comment

I spend a lot of time looking at buildings and thinking about "how would I do this or that" and what kinds of challenges would exist should a fire happen.  It drives my wife nuts! You know what I mean? You go to an establishment or an event and you are looking around for exits, sprinklers, fire alarms and just the general layout of the building.

It is good for us to identify these different characteristics on a frequent basis. Even if it isn't in your area, I believe it keeps you sharp. It's like practicing all of the things you have learned in your head.  Granted, you aren't manipulating a tool or pulling a line, but you can do all of those things in your head.  What would you do with this type of door? How about this wierd little addition and the ventilation problems that it poses? These are all considerations you can do any time and any where.

Here a few pictures from a recent trip to Nashivelle, TN.  We were walking back from LP Field after the half-marathon and this building was right next to the pedestrian bridge we were on.  I stopped and started taking pictures and thinking. Of course I got behind and my wife had to explain to everyone else in the group that I was a just a wierd firefighter who does this all of the time.

Take a look and share what you see and all of the different considerations and challenges that could be recognized during a fire in this buillding.

Take care and train hard.

Jason

Posted by on May 12, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forcible entry, inspections, mayday, rescues, RIT, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Where Goes the Second Line?

No comments

We all know that it is easy to fall into a rut when it comes to training and even operating at what is labeled the "routine" call. Especially for those that are in suburban, mostly bedroom communities.  

If your like most of the country, you pull past the house to get three sides, stretch a pre-connected hand line and make entry into the front door.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?  And, more times than not, this works just fine.

However, sometimes the bigger issue becomes where to take the second line? What apparatus does it come from and what size should it be?  What about the length?

For most single-family, single story homes, line placement becomes mundane and we get a bit complacent.  The second line many times gets pulled from the same rig as the attack line and goes in the same door as the attack line.

Again, I prefer a seconday apparatus for the back up line, but in most house fires the front door is appropriate for the back up line too.  Of course, it all depends on what is taking place and many other variables as well.

One of the biggest problems I see quite often is on two story house fires.  The first line goes to the fire up stairs and the back up line is at the door.  One of the primary concerns is the integrity of those stairs.  That second line needs to go to the stairs to protect the egress for the crew operating on the second floor.

The same has to be done if you have an attack team on the first floor and a search team on the second; a line needs to be deployed to the stairs.  We must protect that  egress point.  In addition, note changing conditions to the search team and the attack team.  Maybe the fire has spread or can't be found by the attack team and your observations are important.

What are your operational guidelines for the back up line?  Share you experiences and thoughts.

As always, stay safe and train hard.

Jason

Posted by on April 23, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, rescues, RIT, search, situational awareness, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Basement Rescue Video

4 comments

Here is a great video of some basement removal techniques.   This is another video from Dale Pekel, who looks like he may have gotten a promotion? Dale?  Anyway, these props are able to be used for multiple drills and Dale is very generous with how to build them.

These two techniques are great and you can see that one must be comfortable and well trained in the use of the SCBA. Confidence comes from continued use and training.  You must master the basics and know your tools like the back of your hand.  This allows you to perform the more advanced tasks without worrying about the simple things because they become second nature.

Train hard and stay safe. Thanks Dale for another great video.

 

Jason

Posted by on April 14, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, rescues, RIT, scba, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Basement Considerations

No comments

With the recent posts about the anniversary of the Colerain-Township LODD from 2008, I thought I would provide some thoughts about basements and some of the things we can do to better prepare.

It recent years it seems we hear a lot about firefighters being killed and injured in residential fires where the basement was involved.  There are a few reasons for this including changing building construction as in the use of engineered i-joists and the heavy fire loads that we have in basements.  In addition, most houses with basements don't just use them for storage anymore. Basements are used as active living spaces increasing activity, heating and electrical demands that were not always present in the past.

One thing that we can do to help prevent some of these issues is to know what we are dealing with.  Probably one of the most important tasks a fire officer can do when arriving on the scene of a residential fire is to complete a 360 walk around of that building.  This gives us information we cannot obtain by darting for the front door.

By seeing all four sides of the fire building we can see if the seat of the fire is in the basement and may allow us a more direct attack from the same level as the fire reducing the chances of floor failure.  We are also able to see hazards that impede our egress if a quick escape is necessary.  It gives us an idea of our options for ventilation and fire control.

The pictures show some of the hazards that we can find and keep mind of during our 360.  Exterior stair wells are altered and secured causing us difficulty making an egress.  This is a perfect time for the first due officer to relay these findings to the next due or the RIT crew.  These other units should cut locks, open bulk heads and make sure the egress points of the basement are accessible.

Additionally, we need to know the characteristics of the buildings in our still area.  This is a picture of a house that is approximately 50 years old and the stairs to the basement are in the garage.  Not knowing this could put our initial attack team at risk by searching the main level while fire is burning under them increasing the chances of a failure.  Some of these homes have no outside exit and we must protect the stairs for the basement crew just like we would for a crew that ascend to a floor above us.

Take some time to look around your area and discuss these issues with your crew.  Prepare your newer members for that thermal layer as you descend the stairs into a basement.  We all know what that first experience is like.  Train hard and don't forget to do that 360, it may just save your life.

Train hard and stay safe,

Jason

Posted by on April 8, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, engineered lumber, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, i joists, line-of-duty, rescues, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Kitchen Suppression Dump Test and Suggestion

4 comments

Some devastating fires have occurred in commercial cooking establishments.  We all know the history of fast food restaurant fires and the toll they can have on a fire department if the fire is not found early.

Kitchen suppression systems are designed to activate to limit the effects of a grease fire in these establishments. It is important to note that when these fires occur and the system is activated, the return air should shut off and the hood vent should activate if it is not already on.

When these systems are designed they are equipment specific. Meaning that the flow points are determined by the type of cooking appliance and its location under the hood and suppression system. Moving or replacing any appliance requires reevaluation of the system and could mean an alteration to keep the system adequate.

As you can see in the picture, the appliance shown has wheels.  This could create a problem in the future when the ownership wants to move things around a bit and could be detrimental to the effectiveness of the system. One suggestion is to adopt a local ordinance that requires these wheels to be removed or locked. I have seen it both ways and it is up to your jurisdiction on how to do that.

Secondly, you want to ensure that the suppression system is hooked into a monitored fire alarm system or on a direct dial alarm system.  We, the fire department, want to know if this system activates.  Even if the system puts the fire out, there is a possibility of fire being pulled into the vent duct. If there are any penetrations or gaps in that duct, fire could smolder above for a long time or it could be burning the uncleaned grease.  We also want to make sure that if that system activates it gets put back in service appropriately and prior to cooking commencing again.

In the video it shows a "dump" test where we make sure that the correct amount of product is being flowed and that all utilities are shut off with the activation.

I know this is not a tactical post, but it gives you a little insight of why these systems are important.  I may not have touched on all of the aspects of these systems, so if you have additional comments or suggestions, please feel free to comment.

Thanks, stay safe and be careful.

Jason

Posted by on March 31, 2011 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire codes, fire-prevention-education, firefighting-operations, fires, inspections, kitchen systems, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,