Garden Apartment Fires By Capt. David Polikoff

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

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

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.

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…)

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

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

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

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.

Keys to Success cont. From this To this

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roof cont. Stairwell Hatch Flat Roof

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

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

Kitchens Same from bottom to top Fire travel Extension Overhaul

Bathrooms Same from bottom to top Fire travel Extension Overhaul

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

Hallway cont. Foyer Style Most common Enclosed Hallway

Hallway cont. Court Yard Style

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

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

Building Access Down Stairs Shotgun

Building Access Side C Upstairs

Building Access Across a bridge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strategy and Tactics Engine Company Truck Company Rescue Squad EMS Unit

Assume that the 911 call has been delayed!!

Avoid Unnecessary Radio Traffic

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

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

Command Considerations cont. Rescue Squad Utilities Searches Assist truck crews

Engine Company Benchmarks

Truck Company Benchmark

Rescue Squad Benchmarks

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

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

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

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