This is a look at an altered and inappropriately installed engineered i-joist. This happens a lot when pieces don’t fit or changes are made to the original design.
This is a weak spot in this floor and will sag. It will fail much faster if contacted with fire.
I know many don’t do residential inspections, but, if you do, this is something to watch for. In addition, just understand that this type of work is out there.
Be careful and be aware. Stay safe.
Old wire insulators still in use.
This is an old building that still has many old building systems in use.
As you can see from the picture, these wires are still in use with these old ceramic insulators.
These are unique and not seen very often. Some of these old cloth wires are worn and can give you a shock or short out.
Just be aware in these older buildings. For example, in this particular building, there are a lot of places that had obvious signs of water leaks. We know how that turns out when electric is involved.
Stay safe and be careful out there. Take the time to look at the older buildings in your area. There is a lot to see and learn.
This sleeve is something you might run into when doing inspections. Especially if the building has a large amount of data cable running through the place.
These sleeves are filled with a material similar to the fire caulk or fire puddy.
This is secured into a rated wall or barrier and then the cables are run through it.
When the temperature rises and heat attacks the components, the material inside expands, sealing off any path for fire or smoke to penetrate.
The nice thing about this is that they can run new wire or remove old wire without compromising the integrity of the rated wall. There are different sizes that need to be used with maximum numbers of cables.
I recently had someone ask me what this was, so, I though I would post it. This contraption has been around awhile, but is worth a reminder.
Stay safe and be careful.
Painted sprinkler heads will not activate.
Here is one example of why we should have an inspection program that includes remodels.
I know that many times it is like pulling teeth to get engine companies out to do inspections. And in some instances, they are too busy to do them.
But, most places have the time.
This type of head is often seen in residential, assisted living and other facilities that have over night occupants. They may also be seen in some day cares but are not limited to the above mentioned occupancies.
A painted head will not operate as designed and could limit its effectiveness. The end result could be the inability of the sprinkler system to control the fire and allow occupants to have more time to escape.
This head will need to be replaced. The contractor or owner must be made aware that this head must be replaced and all other heads that may look the same.
Stay safe and train hard. Do your inspections, they are important.
Bare Wires Encased in Foam!
This picture shows how someone used Styrofoam as a junction box.
If you look at the wires real close, you see that some have a great deal of copper showing.
Just imagine these bare wires getting hot and then heating that “junction box.”
Look for these unique ways of wiring on your inspections. Sometimes it takes a keen eye.
We would love to see some of the things you find. Send them to sfpdfm@fidmail.com
Keep an eye out for this stuff and make them correct it.
Stay safe and fight the good fight.
Nothing like using what you have available.
This is another case of ingenuity getting the best of us.
Although this is creative, it obviously is not appropriate.
I am sure I will get a reply that the outlet is covered and blah, blah blah.
But, come on, a dish soap bottle. I can respect the creativity, but don’t let a business use this.
This is an electrical fire just waiting to happen. Do enough inspections and you find some great stuff.
Stay safe and share your thoughts and experiences.
Check the panel boxes, you never know what you will find.
Take a look inside the breaker boxes if you get a chance. Especially if something seems “not right.”
These two breakers are melted and still have wires connected. In certain instances they will fail and be overloaded and instead of being removed, get left on the bar.
These are no longer on the bar, but we need to know what, if anything, is powering whatever was connected to these breakers.
Just be aware that if a panel box looks bad, you may need to look a little harder and take off the panel cover.
Be careful and stay safe out there.
This picture is something that needs to be noticed when you are pre-planning or doing inspections.
This is an old commercial building with a large basement. The sprinkler system is down here and there is a huge fire load.
What you are looking at in this picture are the windows boarded up in the basement. These windows exit directly to the outside and the bottom sill is even with the ground outside.
We are taught that when we get disoriented, to get to an outside wall and feel for doors and windows for escape. We might not recognize this as a way out with the plywood over the windows.
Additionally, this is a good example of why you should always have a tool with you when you make the interior. If you did recognize this for what it is, you could breach it and get out.
Remember, we need to train and plan for the unexpected and use sound, basic skills to keep us out of trouble. If we do these things, that is the best way to stay safe and still do our job effectively and as expected by the public.
Stay safe and be careful out there.
Vertical fire stopping is critical for maintaining fire separation.
This is a good picture of vertical fire stopping.
These penetrations need to be appropriately fire stopped in order to maintain the fire separation rating of that floor/ceiling assembly.
This is a large space that was fire stopped and the inspector needs to make sure the materials were UL listed and applied correctly.
Many times, especially with caulking, it is only effective for filling a certain size space but will be used in much larger spaces because the contractor did not read the UL listing for application.
There should be no gaps or spaces for heat and smoke to get through. This kind of material will swell, creating a hard air-tight obstacle for fire and smoke.
Stay safe and fire prevention needs to be everyday. This stuff is your first step to situational awareness.
The last post showed the RTU from the exterior. Most can be identfified that way from the outside or from getting on the roof through a hatch.
But, what if the building is very large and tall? In some instances the make up of the building doesn’t allow for easy viewing of the roof top. The return air can be seen going into the RTU possibly indicating that there is additional load on the trusses.
Just be aware of what is above you. Some of these large buildings will have several of these on the roof just waiting to come crashing down. Follow the duct work and see where it goes. If you don’t see the full unit, it is likely on the roof.
In addition, look at the roof system. Who can identify what the added danger is?
When inside, look for this type of situation.
Take care and stay safe.
When entering a commercial building you need to take into consideration that the roof may be carrying a heavy load.
Although the roof systems are designed to handle the added load under normal conditions, when attached by fire, these roof top units will come crashing down.
The time to find out about what’s on the roof is not during the fire, but during inspections and pre-planning visits. Get familiar with these buildings before it’s dark and smokey.
Stay safe and be careful.
At least 38 were injure and 20 dead after a fire started in the room of a tenant on Jan. 6, 1961. The fire was originally to have been extinguished, but it proved to be a mistake.
There were approximately 150 occupants in the Hotel at the time of the fire and many had jump from upper story windows to escape the fire and smoke.
When the mattress first caught fire from careless smoking, the tenant and a neighbor thought they had put it out. By not calling the fire department, the mattress was not removed from the room and building and it re-lit later on.
The fire marshal at the time, Albert Hayes, stated in the newspapers that the rapid spread of smoke and fire was caused by doors being left open. He began a push to require changes in the building and fire codes to mandate all stairways and corridors to be protected with fire resistant doors.
Another example of a fire claiming lives that could have been prevented. IF they would have called the fire department, which had automatic alarms been installed may have happen, the mattress would likely have been removed.
IF the door to the stairs would have been closed and rated, the smoke and fire spread would not have been as fast and widespread as it was.
Fire codes make a difference. Be thorough and enforce them. It takes only a small event to cause a catastrophy.
Someone thought its was a good idea to put a 2×4 in the door to keep it locked.
But, it will also do a good job of keeping people in during a fire.
If it is dark and people are panicked, that board could cause some big problems.
The board very easily could prohibit people from getting out in an emergency. If you see this, look for other types of locks on this door too. If they are willing to put a board in there, they have also tried other methods of locking people in.
Remove the board and explain why it is dangerous. Be aware of these types of issues on inspection. It could make a huge difference.
Stay safe and take care.
This is when getting out in the neighborhood really pays off. Sure, someone could notify you about this, but it is so much better when you just stumble across something like this.
I don’t know how this was discovered, but some firefighters thought enough of it to snap some photos.
Getting around and looking at your response area is always a good thing. We have found hydrants out of service that we were not notified about, streets that were closed for repairs and new construction that nobody knew about.
This situation is dangerous without being on fire. Notify your fire marshal, chief and dispatch center to get these two properties flagged. It is obvious that the building on the left is in trouble. But, if we have to respond to the sturdy property on the right, the one on the left could still cause us problems.
Be aware and know your response area. Be careful out there.
That's a long way down.
These rear exits are a good ways off of the ground. People trying to make an attempt to exit through these rear exits will find themselves making a huge leap.
This is an issue that should have been addressed during the plan review stage and emphasizes why doing plan reviews are so important.
I would venture to guess that the original plans called for stairs and they just never got put in.
This creates a dangerous situation for those that might have to evacuate this building to the rear. Not only is it a long way down, jumping may cause a person to lose his/her balance and roll right into that water.
If you do plan reviews, make sure you inspect all the way through the project. Don’t let contractors get by with promising to put something like these stairs in before they officially open. Make sure all safety components are installed and in service prior to issuing an occupancy permit.
Stay safe and do those inspections.
Who can identify what is wrong here? It should be pretty obvious and this is one reason we need to look at the panel boxes when we do our inspections.
First, there is not 36 inches of clear working space. But, that is not the kicker.
The great thing here is that the person must have gotten tired of tripping the breaker so he just tied it “Open.”
I have to admit, I haven’t seen this one before, but, you just never know what you will find out there.
This will definately cause an over load and could easily cause a fire. If the breaker is tripping then something is wrong to begin with.
Be diligent and remember the small things count. Check those panel boxes.
Stay safe, train hard.
This is the type of thing you would want to note on an inspection or pre-plan.
If you had a working fire inside this building, getting a view from all sides would be important to find something like this.
This is telling you that this building is already under stress and if attacked by fire it could fail faster than expected.
You might notice smoke pushing from this or even fire. The important thing is to keep it in mind if crews are working inside or even on the exterior.
Just another example of the need to keep your eyes open on inspections, pre-planning visits and on the workers.
The photo was found at brotherhood trainings website. Check them out at http://brotherhoodinstructors.com
As always, stay safe and be careful.
How are we supposed to get out?!
Even if it wasn't blocked, this exit is locked with a padlock.
While at the hardware store the other day, I noticed the condition of this means of egress door.
It is blocked with a display case. As you can see from the photo, the panic hardware is not accessible and can barely be seen.
A closer look shows that even if the exit was accessible and did not have the display case in front of it, it is locked.]
There is a slide bolt that is padlocked on the exit door. So, even if it wasn’t blocked, you would never get out.
A firefighter that might be lost and was following a wall looking for doors and windows could come across this door and still not be able to escape.
These are the things that we need to bring to the attention of the business owners. Typically, once they understand why the door needs to be accessible and not bolted, they remedy the issue.
Be diligent and do inspections. These issues could mean the difference in people getting out of a fire or emergency. It could also mean the difference in how a Mayday is resolved.
Stay safe and be careful out there.
This is an interesting picture. How many inspections have you been on where a room was so full of stuff that you couldn’t get in to look around.
That may be what happened here. A hoarder comes to mind too.
I also like that “everybody” wants to see what is going on. I can just see this fire getting going and starting to work it’s way out of that room with smoke and gases filling that corridor.
This is an extreme example of why we need to do inspections and enforce fire codes, but it is a good illustration of how bad it could get if we don’t do our job in regards to prevention.
Stay safe and be careful. Stay warm too, it’s a balmy -1 this morning in Missouri.
Here is a picture of a roof with slate tiles for the roof covering. Nothing really to note here, right?
Looks like an area had been repaired or replaced but is still the same slate tile, right?
The slight color difference is probably from being newly installed or repaired. But, would it look any different at night? In the rain? How about snow covered?
The truth is, those different colored panels are solar tiles for solar enegry. Yes, they are energized and could cover an entire roof. If your wondaring, yes, they come in different colors too.
These solar panels aren’t that new to building contruction, but they always stuck out like a sore thumb. Now, with new technology, companies are able to make these panels “blend in” and look very much like the rest of the house and roof.
If you pulled up on one of these houses would you know how to operate safely on this roof?
What is the primary concern with these types of roofs?
Post your experiences and/or ideas about this new challenge that we will all someday see.
Stay safe and be careful out there. Train hard and often.
As I was searching for more information on green construction and fire supression tactics associated with that constrution, I came across this article.
This is a very informative article that touches on how the new Green Code can and will affect the fire service and fire protection systems. It doesn’t really cover tactics in dealing with fires in these buildings, but there is some really valuable information provided.
There is a link to another site that speaks on some of the suppression issues involved with green construction. It discusses the role that fire sprinklers have had in reducing greenhouse gases associated with building fires and the reduction in materials needed to rebuild after a fire. Again, not a lot on tactical considerations for firefighting, but interesting stuff none the less. The link is at http://www.green-fire.org/
Take a look and let us know what you think about this. I found it to be very interesting and speaks on issues that I had not considered before. I will keep looking for more information and posting when I find it, on green construction.
Take care and stay safe.
Let's put the TV here, we don't really need these anyway.
You may have to look hard and wide to find the emergency systems during your inspections.
This occupancy decided that the television was more important than the emergency lighting.
Things will get pushed in front of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations and of course exits. If the place is pretty junked up, take some extra time to find these items and ensure that they are freed from obstacles.
Be safe and stay warm out there, most of are freezing.
On this day, in the early morning, in 1950 a fire broke out in the Mercy Hospital in Davenport, IA. The fire was noticed by a night nurse making rounds when she noticed smoke in the courtyard and then found the St. Elizabeth mental ward in flames.
All of the victims that were trapped, 65 in all, were mentally ill and most unable to make valid attempts of escape.
The rooms were secured with wire mesh and bars for keeping the patients in their rooms and the ward. The screams of women could be heard as rescue attempts were made, but due to the progression of the fire, most were futile.
One nurse was able to get some of her patients out of the building and re-entered to try to rescue more, but never made it back out.
There were a total of 41 people who died that cold night. The building was not sprinklered and was suggested to be so by the fire chief a year earlier.
Candy wrapper, one of many items that can be foun inside your sprinkler/standpipe connections.
Many jurisdictions have adopted ordinances that require locking caps on FDCs which greatly reduces the probability of tampering. Otherwise, ask the property owners to frequently check these connections.
Things such as rocks, bottles, balls and anything else that will fit in them have been found. These objects will limit water flow and reduce the effectiveness if not make it non-functional for fire protection.
Stay safe and make sure to know where these are during your inspections and pre-planning.
Engineered I-Joists being used in construction of roofs.
We have been learning about these engineered i-joists over the last several years and we know about the dangers of falling through floors that seem to be intact.
As you can see, these building components are also being used for roofing systems. We are already careful because of the history of light-weight truss systems, but I can see the same problem with these i-joists.
Just remember, the houses are getting bigger and lighter and they are burning faster. Situational awareness and a strong understanding of the risk vs. benefit theory is a must.
Keep you and your people safe and get to know what is being built in your area.
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