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Company Drill: Standpipe Operations

This is a great drill from a great Brother and friend, Lance Peeples of the Webster Groves Fire Department in St. Louis County. Look for more great material from Lance in the future.

Daily Drill 1: Standpipe Operations

“The Daily Drill” is designed to spark discussion about operational issues in YOUR fire department. To do this we use photographs or videos depicting fire operations in other fire departments. We do not know the exact circumstances in which our Brothers in these fire departments are operating. Photos or videos are not intended to embarrass our BROTHERS and SISTERS but rather are intended to provide US with learning opportunities relevant to OUR specific operational framework. DON’TFOCUSONWHAT THEY’RE DOING…FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WOULD DO! Stay safe!

Watch the video below and answer the following questions:

1. Using the National Fire Academy Fire Flow Formula, what gpm would be required to extinguish a completely involved 500 square foot apartment fire?

How large of an undivided floor area is often found in high rise office buildings and what fire flow would be required there?

2. Under previous editions of NFPA 14 what was the minimum psi required to flow 500 gpm at the most remote riser?

3. What is the target gpm you are attempting to flow from your standpipe hose and nozzle combination? What psi must be available at the standpipe operation to supply that hose and nozzle combination in order to flow your desired attack flow?

4. The operation depicted showed using 4” supply line into the fire department connection. What is the working pressure limit of LDH used in your department? What is the elevation head pressure in a 30 story building? Are standpipe operations usually high flow or high pressure operations? Is using large diameter hose in FD standpipe connections a good idea?

5. What is the diameter of hose used in your standpipe pack? Is it an automatic/constant flow fog/smooth bore tip? What nozzle psi is required for its designed flow?

6. Will rust, scale, and other debris commonly found in standpipe systems pass through an automatic fog nozzle? Will rust, scale and other debris usually pass through an 1 1/8” smooth bore tip?

7. Can fire department pumpers ALWAYS be used to increase available pressure on the fire floor? What about damaged or missing FD connections? Pressure reducing and restricting valves? Missing piping or excessive head pressures?

8. At the One Merdian fire in Philladelphia on February 23, 1991 what was the length, diameter, and nozzle type (including psi/flow requirements) of the standpipe kits used by the fire department? Did this setup work? Why or why not?

9. What were the names of the Brothers that died at One Merdian that tragic day?

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Posted by dc802 on November 29, 2012 • Filed under: buildling construction, fire sprinklers, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, high rise, historic fires, in-the-line-of-duty, line-of-duty, major-incidents, mayday, RIT, scba, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, Training, training-development • Tagged: company drill, Lance Peeples, standpipe operations, webster groves fire department

High Rise Markings

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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.

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Posted by dc802 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: company discussion topics, company training, fire training, high rise fires, high rise marking systems

Storage in the Stairs

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We know the importance of inspections and identifying hazards in the buildings that we serve and respond to. This is just a simple reminder of one hazard that depending on it's location in the building, can be missed.

Combustible storage under stairs or in the stairwell can cause some serious problems. Even in sprinklered buildings this is a hazard.

The pictures you seeshows a pile of combustible storage in the stairwell and under the stairs in a hotel. You can also see that this is in the means of egress area next to the exit door.

Smoke from a fire from these combustible materials can make the use of the stairwell almost impossible and access for firefighters difficult. Occupants are expected to use the stairs during a fire and a large mass of people filling a smoke filled stairwell is disastrous.

This building also is equipped with standpipes in the stairwells, so making that connection would be difficult for fire crews trying to make the connection.

Keep an eye on your buildings and explain this situations to your crews to impress the importance of inspections and mitigating these hazards before they become problems.

Train hard and stay safe.

Jason

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Posted by dc802 on June 25, 2011 • Filed under: administration-leadership, command-leadership, fire codes, fire sprinklers, fire-prevention-education, fires, high rise, inspections, situational awareness, size up, training-development • Tagged: building inspections, combustible storage, fire codes, fire inspections, standpipes

Standpipe Crowding

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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

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Posted by dc802 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: building codes, fire department connection, high rise operations, inspections, large area buildings, pressure reducing devices, standpipes, water supply

Fire Service Books

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This is a little off the beaten path for me and my blogs, but it is something that I have been paying more attention to lately. I have been laid up from a hernia repair and have been reading and doing a little research for other projects and it occurred to me that I utilize the same three books on a regular basis.

No matter what level you are at in the fire service, you should be building a decent sized library of fire/emergency related books. This is one more method to staying sharp and on top of your game. Having quality information to turn to for those forgotten tricks of the trade or to remember a characteristic of a certain type of construction is paramount and makes you a better firefighter.

Here are the three books that I use on a regular basis and why.

1. “Building Construction for the Fire Service,” 3rd Edition, by Francis L. Brannigan.

This book was one I got during the mid 90′s for a college course and I have it highlighted, marked and it is never too far from my grasp. The great thing about this book is that it has never gotten outdated. The information is still relevant and insightful. This is definitely one book that should be on your shelf.

Make sure you look at the “Tactical Considerations” in the chapters that give some ideas on how to apply the lessons to firefighting tactics.

2. ”Collapse of Burning Buildings: A Guide to Fireground Safety,” by Vincent Dunn

This book has a great deal of content that is covered in Brannigan’s book but more directly applied to the collapse of these buildings. Chief Dunn goes into great detail how these buildings collapse and the problems that different types of collapses cause.

The illustrations are great examples for those that need some visual help and you can apply this information immediately as a firefighter and fire officer. This book is a great tool to have company discussions with. Sit down with your crew and pick a chapter or topic and start playing out scenarios in your jurisdiction where these dangers exist.

3. “Safety and Survival on the Fireground,” by Vincent Dunn.

This book is everything firefighting. Just about anything that you want to know about firefighting is in here. The great thing is that the information is short, to the point and easy to apply to situations.

Keeping these books and others within reach is a good way to stay engaged. These resources gives you valuable information at your fingertips when you need it. It is also a good way to pass on information to others and to have meaningful conversation about “fire stuff.”

Stay safe and keep your mind on the task at hand, becoming a better firefighter.

Other places to get books for the fire service:

These are just a few, if you know of others, please let us know.

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Posted by dc802 on February 4, 2011 • Filed under: backdraft, buildling construction, command-leadership, fire stopping, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, fires, forcible entry, heavy timber, high rise, i joists, search, self rescue, situational awareness, size up, training-development, training-fire-rescue-topics, trusses, vacant building fires, vent, ventilation, VES • Tagged: books, building constrution, collapse of burning buildings, francis brannigan, know the enemy, learning resources, safety and survival on the fireground, training, vincent dunn

Hose Deployment

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What hose stretch would you use?

Here is an example of store fronts that are off of the street. This is like an alley that runs parallel perpendicular to the main streets.

In most cases, these have a tax payer on the main level and residential units on the upper floors.

You can see that hose deployment is a priority and should be picked carefully. The wrong choice could be very detrimental. This brings up a good question: what type of hose loads do you use and deploy for non-traditional lays?

How long are they and what other uses are they good for? What sizes and configurations do you use? Where do you keep these loads and how are they loaded?

We have to remember that the atypical fire requires atypical tactics in some cases and the norm of pulling a 1 3/4 inch cross lay or speed load just isn’t going to get it done.

Train hard and be careful.

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Posted by dc802 on September 3, 2010 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, high rise • Tagged: hose deployment, hose lays, hose loads, hose stretches, off street occupancies

High Rise Hose Tips

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This video gives some very specific tips for folding and using your high rise pack. Take the time to watch this, it has some really good ideas.

Have a Happy and Safe Easter.

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Posted by dc802 on April 4, 2010 • Filed under: command-leadership, firefighting-operations, high rise, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: high rise, high rise fires, high rise hose, high rise training

False Exterior Walls

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Do you see anything different here?

I was out of town most of this past week for class and noticed this building on the first morning I drove in.

The first morning they had only installed the wall to the “r” in Performing. The second day I realized that I needed to snap a picture of this to share.

This false wall is about four stories tall and covers the entire length of the building.

What challenges do you see?

As you can see, this wall definately would challenge any rescue efforts were there victims in the windows.

Not only will it hamper rescue efforts, performing ventilation or suppression from this side of the building would be challenging at best.

The frame of the false wall is set off of the building wall at a distance of approximately two feet. That is just a guess, but operating ground ladders here is almost impossible.

Interior crews would need to know that this side is limited access and egress because of the wall. It will certainly challenge our strategies and tactics should an incident happen here.

This is one good example of why you need to get out and see your area. Know what’s going on and get involved. As a crew you can preplan this building by just parking out front, take a picture or two and go back and have a discussion about how you would operate at this building.

Stay safe and be careful.

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Posted by dc802 on April 3, 2010 • Filed under: buildling construction, command-leadership, exits, fire codes, fire-rescue-topics, firefighter-safety-health, firefighting-operations, forceable entry, high rise, situational awareness, ventilation • Tagged: building characteristics, building codes, building construction, building inspsections, company training, false wall, fire codes, fire inspections, fire training, rescue efforst, situational awareness, strategies, tactics

High Rise Deployment Stretch

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Here is a good video of stretching from a standpipe to the fire room. It looks like a good way to control the hose and to reduce kinks prior to charging it.

Let me know what you think and if you have some other ideas or drills that you use.

Stay safe and be careful.

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Posted by dc802 on March 30, 2010 • Filed under: command-leadership, fire-rescue-topics, firefighting-operations, high rise • Tagged: high rise fires, high rise hose stretch, high rise tactics, high rise training, hose stretch

Fire Flows for High Rise Packs

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Here are four great videos showing you the differences in the kind of nozzles and set ups for high rise firefighting. If you don’t know about or visited the Brotherhood’s site, you really are missing out on some great stuff. You can also become a Facebook Fan and get regular updates.

Enjoy the videos and visit the Brotherhood regularly.