1. Garden Apartment Fires
By Capt. David Polikoff

2. Objectives Discuss construction of garden apartment Discuss tactics
Discuss our rolls and functions on the fire ground
Discuss command considerations

3. Overview Building Construction Layout and Design Box Assignment
Strategy and Tactics
Command Considerations

4. Definitions
Aggressive: moving quickly to accomplish a task. All the while keeping safety of you and your crew in mind. Aggressive firefighting is used in offensive or defensive modes.
Forceful
Hard hitting
Assertive
Unyielding
Attic: a story or room directly below the peaked roof of a building, especially a house.

5. Definitions cont.
Cockloft: structural space above ceiling and below rafters of a flat roof building, often connecting adjacent occupancies and permitting fire to spread laterally, often unseen.
Division: The organizational level that is responsible for operations within a
defined geographic area, or with functional responsibility. Radio designation:
Division xxx (Roof, Basement 1,2,3,4…)

6. Definitions cont.
Group: The organizational level that is responsible for a specified functional
assignment at an incident, e.g., ventilation, salvage, water resources, etc. Radio
designation: “specific function- (e.g., Salvage)”
Poke through: A hole or opening in fire stopping material
VES: Vent Enter Search

7. Key to Success Aggressive Truck and Engine Work Plenty of Manpower
Open walls and ceilings
Bring the correct GPM (min. 150 GPM), hose length and size
Put the manpower in the correct place
Plenty of Manpower
Understand how fire spreads in Garden Apartments

8. Keys to Success cont. Understand how Garden Apartments are built
Kitchens and bathrooms stacked on top of each other from the bottom to the top
Be prepared to stretch hose longer than 200 feet
Preplan your area

9. Keys to Success cont.
Always check the attic/cockloft on any fire regardless where in the building the fire started. Do this to ensure no fire has entered the walls and is traveling to the overhead spaces.

10. Keys to Success cont.
From this
To this

11. Building Construction
New vs. Old
Stack Design
Pipe Chases
Roof Design

12. Construction Buildings are usually Wood frame Brick veneer
Ordinary construction
Multiple buildings joined together
Common attic/cockloft
Lightweight building construction
Roof and floor

13. New Construction Lumber yards in the sky Large open spaces
Large open cocklofts/attics
Light weight building materials
Light Weight Truss Construction
Wooden “I” Beams (with poke through in the web)
Energy efficient
Flammable exterior siding
Vinyl

14. Old Construction Nailed roof systems
Masonry construction (brick and block)
Metal “I” Beams
Sturdy
Not as energy efficient

15. Stacked units Kitchen Bathrooms
Stove vents
Bathrooms
Plumbing drains
Vent stacks
Provides fire spread through convection and conduction
Same floor plan plus or minus bedrooms

16. Pipe Chases Run vertical and horizontal Cut through fire stops
Cut through wooden “I” Beams
Provides avenue for fire and smoke travel
Provides fire spread through conduction and convection

17. Roof Light weight truss Solid sawn wood Fail very quickly
Gusset plates
Built off site
Each component relies on each other
Solid sawn wood
More solid than truss
Solid wooden beams
Sometimes larger than 2x4
Built on site

18. Roof cont. Eaves Loads on roof Plywood Flat Pitched
Direct access to the attic for venting fire
Loads on roof
HVAC
Plywood
Burns very fast as it delaminates
Flat
Pitched

19. Roof cont. Gusset Plates Truss Construction Pitched Roof
Broken Truss Component

20. Roof cont.
Stairwell Hatch
Flat Roof

21. Layout Of Building Side “A” vs. Side “C” Kitchens Bathrooms Hallway
Building Access
Building Size

22. Side A vs. Side C What are the differences Access Laddering
Number of stories
Access
Truck Company
Laddering
Ground
Rear entrance
Terrain

23. Kitchens
Same from bottom to top
Fire travel
Extension
Overhaul

24. Bathrooms
Same from bottom to top
Fire travel
Extension
Overhaul

25. Hallways Side A Enclosed Open Court yard style Foyer style
Typical layout

26. Hallway cont.
Foyer Style
Most common
Enclosed Hallway

27. Hallway cont.
Court Yard Style

28. Hallway cont. Is this old or new construction? Fallout Shelter Sign
Open Stairs no hallway

29. Building Access How does it sit Distance from curb Shotgun (sideways)
Rear facing
Up stairs
Down stairs
Across a bridge
Distance from curb
Pre-connects
Leader line

30. Building Access
Down Stairs
Shotgun

31. Building Access
Side C
Upstairs

32. Building Access
Across a bridge

33. Building Access
200 feet pre-connect lines will not get there

34. Building Size Small older building Large newer construction
Small hallway
Small entrance
Large newer construction
Long hallways
Large lobby area
One building

35. Our Box Assignment Minimum of 26 people
5 Engines
2 Trucks
1 Rescue Squad
1 EMS unit
Behind the “8 ball” from the dispatch

36. Apparatus Placement 1st Engine secure water supply
Side A
2nd Engine complete water supply for 1st Engine
3rd Engine secure 2nd water supply
Side C
4th Engine complete 3rd engines water supply

37. Apparatus Placement cont.
5th Engine
Uncommitted
1st Truck Side A
2nd Truck Side C
Rescue Squad don’t block engines or trucks
EMS Unit Don’t block incoming units or hydrants

38. Crew Assignment 1st Engine 2nd Engine 3rd Engine Size up side A
Fire floor attack fire
2nd Engine
back up 1st engine Protect exits
3rd Engine
Size up side C
Attack fire floor above or most threatened exposure

39. Crew Assignment cont. 4th Engine 5th Engine 1st Truck RIC Uncommitted
Report to the IC
1st Truck
Ladders Ladders Ladders side A
Open up, vent and search
Report to the fire floor

40. Crew Assignment cont. 2nd Truck Report to the floor above the fire
Ladders Ladders Ladders Side C
Report to the floor above the fire
Open up, vent, search
Rescue Squad
Search, utilities assist Truck with opening up
EMS Unit
set up aid station become part of rehab

41. Strategy and Tactics Engine Company Truck Company Rescue Squad
EMS Unit

42. Assume that the 911 call has been delayed!!

43. Avoid Unnecessary Radio Traffic

44. Engine Company Arrive on the scene Crew Placement
ENSURE A WATER SUPPLY!!
Leave room for the truck
Most ladders come off the rear of trucks
Pull past the address, or stop short if truck is coming from opposite direction (you can stretch hose not ladders)
Initial command Mode
Investigative
Attack
Crew Placement
Aggressive
Initial hose stretch
Leader line
Size of attack line should be based on the amount of fire
Protect the interior stairs
Work with the Truck Company

45. Engine Company cont. Size up Where is the smoke coming from
1st floor and/or roof line
Color of the smoke
Smell of smoke (food vs. working fire)
Circle check
Nothing from front what about the rear?
Rescues
Front and/or rear

46. Engine Company Size Up cont.
Where is the fire going
Building construction
New or old
Interior status report ASAP
What you have
Are you getting it
Do you need more resources

47. Engine Company cont. Hose line placement Lines 3 and 4 1st line
2nd line
3rd line
4th line
Lines 3 and 4
consider another way into the building (ladder into window)
But avoid:

48. Engine Company cont. opposing hose lines
fighting fire from an apartment into a hallway; may jeopardize the stairwell
Drivers
Ensure the hose is smooth from the engine to the entrance of the fire building
Monitor radio
Assist Truck driver with ladders

49. Truck Company Placement on the fire ground Type of apparatus
TDA (tiller)
Rear mount Stick
Rear mount Tower
Mid-Ship Tower

50. Truck Company cont. Crew placement Tasks Ground ladders Forcible Entry
Search
Vent enter search (VES) may be a consideration for heavy fire conditions
Get walls and ceiling opened up
Ensure there is a charged hose line
Check the Attic/cockloft
Overhaul

51. Truck Company cont. Aggressive work
Quickly, but with purpose
Get the place open for the engine
Get the place open (ventilation)
Get ladders in position to effect rescues (VES if applicable)
Make the building ready to enter
Bring the proper tools (all the time)
Open walls and ceilings
Windows
Doors

52. Truck Company cont. Size Up Same as Engine Company Give status report
Ladders
Where
Cover all sides
Drivers work together
What size
Where is the fire/where is it going

53. Truck Company cont. Ventilation PPV vs. Natural When to vent
Type needed
Vertical or horizontal
Coordinated with interior crews
PPV vs. Natural
When to vent
Where to vent
Drivers monitor the radio

54. Rescue Squad Unit placement Crew Placement
Does it need to be up front?
Crew Placement
Tasks
In a position to ensure all the searches are done
Sometimes the whole building
Utilities
Support Truck crew
Ladders
Vent

55. Rescue Squad cont. Size Up Bring the proper tools (all the time)
Same as Engine and Truck
Bring the proper tools (all the time)
Open walls and ceilings
Windows
Doors

56. Rescue Squad cont. Rescue Time of day Size of building
Type of occupancy
Fire conditions

57. EMS Unit Unit placement Crew Well away from the front
Don’t block hydrants
Allow room to leave if you must
Crew
Set up Aid Station
Be the 2 out if designated (must be certified)
Full PPE and SCBA
Assist with hose stretch
Assist with laddering
Assist with vent

58. EMS Unit cont. Size Up Same as Engine Report changing conditions
Report location of Aid Station
Become part of Rehab.

59. Command Considerations
Establish Command
Ensure PSCC announces your command and location
Utilize Site maps or preplans
Get them from your stations in your Batt. In advance
Ensure all units are in correct position per SOP
Call for RID

60. Command Considerations cont.
Decide on incident action plan
Offensive
If decision is made to go offensive Allow crews to get in place and do the job
Get updates ASAP

61. Command Considerations cont.
Offensive cont.
Ensure RIC is in place
Set up appropriate Group/Sectors
Set up appropriate Divisions
Defensive
Ensure exposures are covered first
Establish collapse zones.
Limit exposure damage
Ensure all sides are covered
Set up appropriate Groups/Sectors
Get up dates often

62. Command Considerations cont.
More manpower
Taskforce
Extra alarms
Establish appropriate Groups/Divisions
Get this done quickly
When referring to exposures use terminology set forth in Policy 20-02/NIMS (Exposure Axxx)
Maintain accountability
Use your Groups/Divisions
This will reduce radio traffic

63. Command Considerations cont.
When giving orders ensure the receiving unit understands the order
Have them repeat your order back to you
Ensure your Group/Division Supervisors know who is assigned to them.
Ensure you get progressive reports continually
Ensure SOP’s are followed
Ensure there is minimum unnecessary radio traffic
Use other talk groups or Nextel to get info from PSCC

64. Command Considerations cont.
As incident grows utilize other talk groups
Maintain a sense of duration in relation to fire volume and type of construction
Older Construction
Last longer than new
May sustain longer firefighting operations
Line placement
1st to the fire floor
2nd back up 1st line
3rd floor above (consider other entry than front door)
4th to attic/cockloft (consider the 5th Engine)

65. Command Considerations cont.
Ensure crews operate aggressive
Ensure all crews have/use proper tools
Hand tools
PPE and SCBA
Engine crew
Using correct size line(150 GPM or more)
Ensure to get interior up-date ASAP
Truck crew
Open up
Vent
Ladders all over

66. Command Considerations cont.
Rescue Squad
Utilities
Searches
Assist truck crews

67. Engine Company Benchmarks

68. Truck Company Benchmark

69. Rescue Squad Benchmarks

70. Review Building Construction Layout and Design Box Assignment
Strategy and Tactics
Command Considerations

71. References Used Street Smart Firefighting by Robert C Bingham
Building Construction for the Fire Service 3rd Edition by Francis Brannigan
Fire Officers Hand Book of Tactics 2nd Edition by John Norman
Truck Company Operations by John Mittendorf
Montgomery County Safe Structural Firefighting Policy 24-07
Strategic and Tactical Considerations on the Fireground by James Smith

72. Photos Courtesy of The Firefighters Page Firehouse Magazine
Kentland Vol. Fire Dept.
Laurel Vol. Fire Dept.
Capt. Derrick Anthony
Beltsville Vol. Fire Dept.
Station 15 B Shift
Shawn R. Fitzpatrick Station 15

73. Questions/Comments