1. Salvage, Overhaul, and Fire Cause Determination
Chapter 20
Salvage, Overhaul, and Fire Cause Determination

2. Introduction
Salvage and overhaul operations are not viewed as critical tasks
Not associated with excitement of fire attack, rescue, or ventilation
Firefighters should:
Be involved in fire cause determination
Watch for potential signs and conditions that will assist the fire investigator

3. (A)
(B)
Figure (A) Good and (B) bad salvage operations.

4. Salvage Tools, Equipment, and Maintenance
Fire incidents have a potential loss of material goods
Company officer must “triage” entire scene
Basic premise of salvage operations is to remove harmful atmosphere from material
Always use proper tools
Some operations require complex equipment

5. Salvage Covers Mainstay of salvage operations
Made out of several different materials
Plastics covers have advantage of weight and water resistance
Canvas covers durable; water resistant if treated
Size of cover can vary
Visqueen or heavy plastic used to supplement
Other tools needed: knife or scissors to cut desired length

6. Figure 20-3 Firefighter carrying Visqueen roll.

7. Floor Runner
Made of lightweight canvas-type material for easy deployment
Protects the floor down a hallway or along a traffic area
Important not to damage floors unnecessarily
Customer service makes the difference
Sign of professionalism

8. Figure 20-4 Floor runner in place.

9. Water Vacuum Two basic types Backpack cannot be worn with SCBAs
Worn like a backpack
Larger and moved around on wheels
Backpack cannot be worn with SCBAs
Used to quickly drain catch-alls
Limited capacity: around 5 gallons
Another option is a pump
Submersible pump dropped directly into water
Float-a-pump floats on top of the water

10. Miscellaneous Salvage Tools
Some other tools:
Hammer
Nails
Staple guns
Visqueen can be left with the structure with little cost to the department
Doors and windows need to be secured
Salvage covers can prevent a leak from damaging other items

11. Maintenance of Salvage Tools
After use, tools must be cleaned and inspected
Tools often exposed to hazardous materials
Place damaged tools out of service
Reimbursement for damaged tools should be claimed from property owner’s insurance company
Do not allow debris to spill from salvage cover
Loose fold and roll
Wash cover with soap and water
Drying the cover can be difficult
Inspect cover for holes

12. Figure 20-7 Loose fold and roll.

13. Salvage Cover Folds and Rolls
Covers are either rolled or folded
Available compartment space dictates which method to use
Sprinkle the cover with baby powder and spread with a broom to prevent cover from sticking
Two firefighters are needed to roll a cover
Fold cover neatly like a bed sheet

14. Salvage Operations Safety considerations
Methods of protecting material goods
Stopping water flowing from sprinkling heads
Arranging of furnishings and salvage cover deployment
Water removal
Post indicator valve and outside screw and yoke valve
Sprinkler stops

15. Safety Considerations
Basic goal is property conservation
Salvage group members must be aware of their surroundings
Forcible entry tools may be necessary
One of the most common hazards of salvage work is ceiling collapse
Know what other operations are going on and where they are taking place

16. Stopping Water Flowing from Sprinkler Heads
Several types of sprinkler stops available
Most common is the sprinkler wedge
Be careful not to break head off sprinkler
Wear eye protection and full protective clothing
Lock the ladder

17. Methods of Protecting Material Goods
Can an item be moved more quickly than it can be covered?
If yes, go for it
Patio furniture
Items in garage
Items in the way of fire attack crews should be moved

18. Arranging of Furnishings and Salvage Cover Deployment
Cover item when it is too large or time consuming to move
Two firefighters should deploy Visqueen
Take extra care with breakables
Working with Visqueen is the same as working with folded cover
Consider by-products of combustion

19. Figure 20-11 Furniture arranged for salvaging.

20. Water Removal Water can leak through the floor
Critical to capture, divert, or remove water
If no drain exists, create one
Use salvage covers to create dike
Catch-alls used to contain water
Water chute diverts water

21. Figure 20-14 Catch-all end folds.

22. Post Indicator Valve and Outside Screw and Yoke Valve
Two types of valves used to shut down a sprinkler system:
Post indicator valve (PIV)
Outside screw and yoke (OS&Y)
PIV usually located near sprinkler connection for building
OS&Y valve located on exterior wall or just inside building

23. Figure 20-18 Outside screw and yoke valve.

24. Sprinkler Stops Use sprinkler stops if no valves can be located
A-frame ladder will reach most ceilings
Firefighters must use caution

25. The Importance of Salvage Operations
Can be as important as any actions performed on emergency scene
Make something good out of a bad situation
Preserve as much property as possible

26. Overhaul Tools and Equipment
Process of overhaul is as important as the initial extinguishment
Tools used for overhaul built for following tasks:
Tearing into building
Cutting through floors
Pulling ceilings
Search for hidden fires

27. Common Tools Common overhaul tools: Pike poles Pitchforks
Rubbish hooks
Shovels
Axes
Chain saws
Carry-alls
Wheelbarrows

28. Carry-All 6-foot-square piece of heavy canvas
Rope strung through grommets for handles
Used to carry debris out of building
Used where wheelbarrows cannot be used

29. Overhaul Operations
After fire investigation concerns have been met, overhaul investigations can begin
Look for obvious signs of hidden fire
Thermal imaging cameras find fires and hotspots in areas firefighters cannot see
Observe wooden structural members
Insulation must be removed if area has been breached

30. Overhauling Roofs Long tedious process There can be multiple roofs
Pitched roof may be built over flat roof
Creates two attic spaces
Overhaul nightmare

31. Electronic Heat Sensors
Relatively new way to check for hot spots
Determine where heat is higher compared to surrounding areas
Sensor’s alerting mechanisms differ
Some used to find people through the smoke

32. (A)
(B)
Figure (A) Helmet with thermal imaging camera attached. (B) Firefighter using a handheld thermal imaging camera.

33. Revisits of the Involved Structure
Important to revisit scene of incident
Wise to make additional checks
Good rule is to visit 2 hours after last company or personnel leaves and again within 10 hours
Crews from the next shift can go by the incident
Business owner can hire a security company to maintain fire watch

34. Debris Removal
Removing debris while searching for hidden fires is important
Loose material must be removed and further extinguished
Place material in a pile and lightly hosed down
When material removal completed, cover debris with Visqueen to reduce the eyesore

35. The Importance of the Overhaul Operations
Customer service aspects of overhaul are many
Search for hidden fires
Limit amount of uncovered debris left behind
Leave building in a safe state for owners
Overhaul work is often the only thing owners get to see the result of
Make sure overhaul works in concert with fire investigator

36. Fire Cause Determination Concerns
Be aware of possible clues as to how the fire started
All firefighters should listen to the reported information
All available information should be documented
During response, additional information may be gathered by questioning
Firefighters must ensure that investigator pre-approves removal of any part of structure

37. Preservation of Evidence
Preserve items that seem out of the ordinary
Leave items where they are found and protect and preserve area
Cordon off area
Compromised evidence and areas because of carelessness can lead to legal actions

38. Basics of Point of Origin Determination
Can be a very scientific pursuit
Investigators employ scientific approach
Watch for basic clues
Fire travel the path of least resistance
Determine fire’s starting point and where it spread is the depth of char
Damage can be influenced by many factors

39. Figure 20-26 “V” pattern in a structure fire.

40. Figure Depth of char.

41. The Importance of Fire Cause Determination
Assisting fire investigator should be second nature
Every detail should be noted and passed along
Fire investigators are just another member of the team
Firefighters’ actions can help or hinder investigation

42. Securing the Building
Make sure the building is secure after completing all operations
Some jurisdictions rely on board-up crews or restoration companies
Prior to leaving an incident scene, consider:
Where will they stay or do business?
What are they going to do for clothing?
Do they have insurance?
Does the Red Cross need to be contacted?

43. Figure 20-28 Building that has been boarded up after a fire.

44. Lessons Learned Salvage and overhaul duties are vital
Salvage and overhaul have a direct impact on success of incident
These duties are a great customer service for the homeowner, even if they are never recognized