Dangers of College Rental Properties

Having a college in your response area can be a source of frustration and try one’s patience. For many new college students this is their first time living on their own and fending for themselves. This often brings an increase in nuisance alarms, medical calls following the first big campus party and a host of other calls for service. However, as trying as it may be, it is important not to become complacent. In a study published by the U.S. Fire Administration it was found 94% of fatal campus fires took place in off-campus housing. This is an alarming statistic we should be aware of. As the cost for college continues to increase more and more students will look to live off campus to save money. Knowing the common dangers found in off campus housing and the tactical considerations to take when responding to emergencies at these locations is critical for any department that has a college in their response area.

Typically, off campus housing owned by the college are required by either local or state building codes to have a higher level of fire protection. This is also true for privately owned rentals that are either listed as college rentals or multiple dwellings. The most dangerous of the off-campus housing are the privately owned rentals that “fly under the radar” of local building departments. The legality of these occupancies varies based on the authority having jurisdiction as well as local and state building codes. These rental properties are usually close to campus and were once privately owned single-family homes. Due to this, these occupancies are rented as a single-family rental. The rental agreement is signed by one individual, but in reality, a group of individuals live in this rental and share the cost. Yet, as far as any documentation shows it is a single person renting a single-family home. This is how these occupancies “fly under the radar” and are not required to have the same level of fire protection as would an occupancy listed as a multiple dwelling.

The traditional ways one can identify a multiple dwelling from the exterior does not hold true in identifying these off-campus houses. These are often single-family homes and are kept to look that way from the outside. They have one meter as opposed to multiple meters, which ordinarily could have been used to determine how many apartments maybe present. The amount of cars present could signify how many people live at the location. However, because these occupancies were once single-family homes there often is not the space to park more than two vehicles. The number of vehicles may also be limited per the rental agreement, street parking regulations or just the simple fact that many college students do not have their own car. The photo below is of a college rental that on paper is a single-family rental. In 2021 it had 15 college students living in it.

On the inside of these residences the layout may remain similar to its original design or be completely changed to accommodate more individuals. One of these common changes is making living spaces that would normally be a dining room or sitting area into bedrooms. This might be done by placing temporary wall partitions or like in the photo below, simply hanging a large curtain. This is important to note because at 2am bypassing the dining room to head directly to the second floor to search bedrooms might have you passing a bedroom.

Bedrooms or rooms with doors tend to be created into single room occupancies (SROs). Each SRO will have an individual lock and could house multiple renters in a tight space. Often, each of these doors will have a hasp on the interior and exterior of the door and a padlock is used. When a renter leaves, they place the lock on the outside, when they are home, they can place it on the interior hasp. Land lords do it this way for cost saving reasons as well as to make it easy on the land lord when renters change. In the middle of the night during an emergency it is going to be very difficult for occupants to find a key and then open the door increasing the likelihood of trapped victims. Crews should also consider taking the appropriate forcible entry tools because doors in most home that would be unlocked will need to be forced in these occupancies.

In this particular building the front door had a keyed lock on the inside which if engaged could inhibit occupant egress. The occupant’s ability to evacuate is a major issue in these rentals. Looking back at the exterior photo of the building the third floor has no second means of egress leaving only a very narrow interior staircase to get up and down. This staircase is also challenging for crews to ascend to complete searches or get a hose line in place.

Common areas are often overloaded with furniture in what many would consider abnormal configurations. Clutter is also a major issue. Packing so many people into small spaces it is almost impossible to avoid. Below are a few examples of conditions found in these rentals. In the first you can see a living room packed with couches. During the week they are pushed together to allow for easier travel between rooms, but over the weekends and at night they are spread out and block entrances in and out of different rooms to allow people to congregate and sit. The next photo shows a bedroom that has not only a bed, but a couch coffee table and dresser all packed into the room. This is a common setup in these bedrooms.

The third picture is of one of the SRO bedrooms. As you can see it is packed with stuff. Another thing to note is the amount of electronics plugged in. Here we see an AC unit, mini fridge, TV, and fan. Multiple this by however many bedrooms there are, and we have a huge electrical hazard. Many of these rental properties are older homes and do not have updated electrical systems or service this is something to keep in mind when going on investigations in these types of properties. Areas like kitchens and bathrooms generally remain unchanged and are shared amongst the renters, but again can be cluttered and unkept. All of which makes searching and advancing handlines more difficult.

Another thing to note is within these rentals there is usually a locked area which is the landlord’s space that the renters do not have access to. Typically, this is the basement or utility rooms. This allows the landlord to have storage space as well as keeps tenants from being able to access the buildings utilities. This being said, gaining access to the building’s utilities may not be easy and interior doors leading to the basement, attic or utility rooms may be locked and have a higher level of security than one would expect. Taking all of this into account is important when responding to incidents at these occupancies. Being aware of the obstacles one might encounter on the interior not only increases firefighter safety, but more importantly civilian survivability. Knowing you will encounter multiple locked interior doors, atypical layouts and high life hazards are all important in making tactical fireground considerations.

William Morrissey has 14 years of fire service experience and is a career firefighter with the Arlington Fire District (NY). He began his career as a volunteer with the Washingtonville (NY) Fire Department. Morrissey is NY State Fire Instructor and New York State certified code enforcement official and has a bachelors is psychology.

Remembering the West Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion

It was a typical spring evening with temperature s around 80 degrees on the evening of April 17, 2013 in central Texas. Humidity that evening was low with scattered clouds and 20 mile per hour winds blowing in from the south south east (SSE).

At around 7:30 that evening in the City of West, an explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company plant. An explosion so powered it registered as a 2.1 magnitude earthquake and felt over 80 miles away damaging many homes and school throughout the area. 

At this time, dispatched received a 911 call reporting smoke coming from the West Fertilizer Company plant and at 7:34 PM, the West Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the scene with two engines, a brush trick and tender responding to the scene along with two more firefighters arriving in their personal vehicles. The first arriving unit on scene was at approximately 7:39 PM confirming a structure fire at the plant and deployed an initial attack line (1 1/2 attack line) to extinguish any and all visible fire and to establish a water supply using a 4-inch diameter supply line. Please note, the nearest fire hydrant was more than a quarter mile away from the scene. An initial mutual aid alarm was struck with included an aerial ladder truck and four more firefighters which responded in their personal vehicles.  

Within 12 minutes of the initial arriving unit on scene and 22 minutes from the initial 911 dispatch, an explosion occurred at the plant leaving multiple firefighters down.

Ten first responders were killed in this explosion due to an estimated 40 to 60 tons of ammonium nitrate exploding just outside the city limits.

Five firefighters from the West Volunteer Fire Department were killed in the explosion along with four firefighters from 3 neighboring departments along with one off-duty career fire captain and two civilians who offered assistance to the fire department on scene. 

Factors of the incident

The department did not recognize the hazards associated with the ammonium nitrate

• There was limited pre-planning of the facility

• Rapid fire spread in wood construction commercial structure with no sprinkler system

Post incident recommendations as per NIOSH

Fire departments should conduct pre-incident planning of buildings within their jurisdiction to facilitate the development of safe fireground strategies and tactics especially in high hazard high risk structures

• Fire departments should have a written management plan, use risk management principles at all structure fires and especially at incidents with high risk hazards

• Fire departments should implement and enforce the Incident Management System (IMS) at all emergency operations

• Fire departments should ensure all firefighters wear personal protective equipment appropriate for the assigned tasks

• Fire departments should ensure all firefighters are training to the standards that meet or exceed NFPA 1001 Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications

 We remember:

Firefighter Morris Bridges

Firefighter Cody Dragoo

Firefighter Joseph Pustejovsky

Firefighter Douglas Snokhous

Firefighter Robert Snokhous

Firefighter Jerry Dane Chapman

Firefighter Cyrus Reed

Firefighter Kevin Saunders

Fire Captain Harris Kenneth

Firefighter Perry Calvin

Remembering March 25th A Day of Disaster

March 25th: A day of disaster

March 25th is an essential date in fire history. On this date in 1911 was "The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire" and 79 years later, "The Happy Land Social Club Fire."

Two of the most deadly fires occurred on this date, both in New York City.

TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE

One hundred forty-six young female immigrants perished in the act of negligence. The fire, which broke out on March 25th, 1911, just before 4 pm, was believed to of started in a bin filled with scraps of rags and fabrics by a discarded cigarette. The Triangle Factory occupied the top three floors of the Asch Building, located at the corner of Greene Street and Washington Place in Manhattan, NY. The working areas were cramped and consisted of nearly 600 young women working at the time. The building did have four elevators; however, only one was working at the time of the fire. There were usually buckets of water throughout the factory in case of a fire; however, Mary Domsky-Abrams, an employee of the building, stated that the buckets were empty that day.  

When the fire broke out, one of the managers attempted to extinguish the fire. Panic began to set in once the extinguishment was proven unsuccessful. Workers tried to flee the building, but as mentioned, only one working elevator slowed that down and eventually, the elevator was compromised due to the heat from the fire. Although many employees and managers could escape to the rooftop and flee to adjoining buildings, many young women were met with horrible deaths. Upon arrival, the fire department witnessed employees jumping out of windows, falling to their death. Many employees also decided to jump to their deaths in the elevator shaft, and others burned alive when they came across a locked door.

There was strong evidence of negligence against Max Blanckand Isaac Harris, who owned the Triangle Factory. Despite the evidence, a grand jury failed to indict them of manslaughter. Although too late for the 146 victims of this fire, politicians united to ensure there were rights for factory workers. New York State Legislators created the Factory Investigating Commission, which inspected working conditions in garment factories, chemical factories, and meat packing warehouses.

HAPPY LAND SOCIAL CLUB

Exactly seventy-nine years later, on March 25th, 1990, Julio Gonzalez argued with his girlfriend, which led him to set fire to the social club. Located in the Bronx, NY, The Happy Land Social Club was a popular weekend hangout, often crowded all night.

At approximately 3 am, a bouncer removed Julio Gonzalez from the social club after arguing with his girlfriend, an employee at the nightclub. Gonzalez arrived back at the nightclub at approximately 3:30 am with gasoline. When he returned, he found the stairwell with the only exit and soaked it with gasoline before throwing two matches and going home. Killing 87 people; this was the most deadly fire since 1911. Sixteen months before the fire, the social club was ordered to close due to building code infractions. Happy Land had no fire alarms, the emergency exits, or lack thereof, were blocked by roll-down security gates, and there were no sprinklers. Due to this, some victims were trampled due to a cluster of people in certain areas. Most of the victims perished due to smoke inhalation. Only six people escaped the fire. Among them was Julio Gonzalezs' girlfriend, Lydia Feliciano. She advised the police of her and Julio's argument, which led them to his home, where he confessed to the arson.

Julio Gonzalez was charged with 174 counts of murder, two for each victim, and was found guilty on 87 counts of arson and 87 counts of murder. He was sentenced to 25 years to life; he died in 2016. Immediately following the fire, the New York City Department of Buildings began a crackdown on illegal nightclubs. Laws exist for sprinkler systems, access points, occupancy limits, and emergency exits.

The following links contain first-hand info on the incidents mentioned, including an interview with Ruben Valladares, a DJ at Happy Land. For more information, I encourage you to search for the events online. There are multiple resources packed with in-depth information on the incidents.

Triangle Factory - https://www.history.com/news/triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire-labor-safety-laws

Happy Land - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/nyregion/happy-land-fire-bronx.html

Work Hard - Stay Safe - Live Inspired

Forcing Trident Security Doors

Higher capacity security doors are becoming more and more prevalent in all commercial and now residential homes for maximum break-in protection. The Trident Multi-Point lock provides a multipoint deadbolt locking mechanism with maximum resistance to break-ins. Here's the breakdown of the Trident system. 

1. Instant self-locking deadbolt protection on each close or manual locking

2. 4-point locking system

3. Anti-pry protection

4. Maximum door reinforcement kits - door strengthening bars and lower module reinforcement kit

As firefighters sometimes our jobs are going through the door in order to perform our interior fire operations and it is imperative we have an understanding on how to force this type of door should we have no other option or this is our best option for a quick knock on the fire or a rescue effort.

Let’s force the door 

All hand tools approach - IRONS - Method 1 

1. Starting on the hinge side, using the Adz end of the halligan, gap/crush the door to gain access to the backside of the door by placing the Adz behind the door and begin prying the standalone pin away. By getting the standalone pin out of the way early on will help with the conventional door pop.

2. Now, attack the lock side of the door starting with the top pin followed by the bottom pin and pry them away.

3. From here, once the three pins have been pried away, force the center of the door conventionally.

Please note, this will be time consuming and energy depleting. Have a K-12 or spreaders on hand if need be.

All hand tools approach - IRONS - Method 2

1. Attack the lock side of the door by gaping and crushing the door and start by prying away top pin followed by the bottom pin.

2. From here, once the two pins have been pried away, force the center of the door conventionally.

3. The door should go and entry can be made.

From my experience, these doors have been found mostly on rear pharmacy doors and other businesses with highly valuable goods. The best way to approach these doors is to study their makeup and understand their strong and weak links in order to force them in less time and reduce the amount of strain on the crew forcing the door.

Keep your eyes open and stay diligent out there. 

Until next time, work hard, stay safe and live inspired.

Remembering the Bricelyn Street Fre

It was shortly after midnight on February 14,1995, Valentine's Day where three Pittsburgh firefighters tragically died in the line-of-duty at 8361 Bricelyn Street. This was a fire the fire service and the community would never forget.

The House

8361 Bricelyn Street home sat top of sloped hill in the densely populated residential area of the city causing the front entrance to actually be on the second floor level. The front view of the home only appeared to have two stories while the basement was exposed above grade level and the house now appeared to be equivalent to a four story home. In reality, the first floor was one level above the backyard and one level below the front door.

The home was a single family dwelling that stood approximately 20 feet wide and 33 feet deep and three occupied floors above the partially finished basement.  The interior walls of the residency was made of plaster and lath and the exterior had aluminum siding over asphalt shingles attached to balloon frame construction. The density of the area posed significant exterior exposure problems with the neighboring house to the left was only 27 inches from the incident and the right side was a 12 foot wide yard between the homes. 

The Incident

Engine Company 17 responded to 8361 Bricelyn Street for the reported residential structure fire and were assigned to fire suppression in the basement division of a reported arson fire.  While operating in the basement on the hose line, three firefighters became separated from the other crews after the stairwell collapsed causing the firefighters to become trapped and disoriented in the basement. The three firefighters later died of asphyxiation after running out of air. When found, all three of the firefighters were together in the one room with three other firefighters being rescued from the same room. This caused confusion over the status of the initial attack team.

The Aftermath - Pittsburgh Drill

The fire on Bricelyn Street exposed the fire service for the need to develop rapid intervention team training. At the time, Assistant Chief James Crawford, was a firefighter in Pittsburgh and a member of the RIT assigned to attempt the rescue of the three firefighters. Crawford discusses the difficulty in dragging, pulling and lifting the firefighters from the structure, saying he himself barely made it out during the operation.

Following the incident, Crawford developed a formal RIT program that has spread through the county and is part of the RIC training today which is now known as "The Pittsburgh Drill". The three main concepts of this drill are based on the Bricelyn Street fire: low profile (under), ramp type obstacle (over) and a tunnel (through).

The drill itself requires the four-member crew to work in sync in an order to reach a downed firefighter, package for removal and remove the firefighter through the same manner the crew entered. All of this to be completed in 20 minutes or less. 

The drill emphasizes key areas from that incident such as teamwork, communication, effective use of time and critical thinking.

 May we remember and never forget…

Captain Thomas Brooks - father of two children and a 13-year department veteran

Firefighter Patricia Conroy - first female LODD in the departments history

Firefighter Marc Kolenda - second-generation Pittsburgh firefighter. Engaged to be married

NIOSH Report: https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=484126

Pittsburgh Drill: https://youtu.be/2IUE8CFob7k

Remembering the Bricelyn Street Fire: https://fb.watch/iHqd9rlqa4/?mibextid=v7YzmG

Ground Ladders

ROOF HOPS

What is a roof hop you ask? Take a look at the photo to the left. Don’t worry about the aerial. There are two ground ladders in use and a third on the way to being in use.

At times when your goal is to get to the roof and there is an overhang/porch in the way and you just cant get the right angle with one ladder . By placing a ladder, usually a straight/roof ladder, on the porch roof to help you reach the roof above.

When doing this skill you need to place your first ground ladder in a position that will allow you to bring up two more ladders with ease and not have to move said first ladder. Now climb that first ladder bringing the second one with you. You will also need some type of tool of destruction. Place your second ladder in a position close to where you will be climbing it. Sound your roof and then place a couple of holes even with the foot of this ladder. Place the feet of the ladder in these holes. Now you do not need huge holes here, just enough to fit the foot end of your ladder in. Maybe even straddle a roof rafter. Stand on or give the ladder a good little kick to “set” the feet. While doing this, the third ladder, along with the rest of your tools of destruction, including a chain saw, should be on the way up. Climb the second ladder and place your third, the roof ladder, in a position to work off from. Congratulations, you just completed a roof hop.

GROUND LADDER TRAINING

Training Drills you can do to become better for THEM!

Before we climb our ladder we need it to be in the right position. Now that is an extremely vague statement. The right position “in the real world” is job or task dependent. If you are going to the roof or maybe to a window on the second floor it is pretty basic. The ladder even has a little picture on the side to show you the proper climbing angle. That angle is 75 degrees. Most Firefighters prefer an angle closer to 70 degrees. The grey area comes into play when your objective is a window not quite the “normal” second floor height and you have to decide do I want to make this ladder steep or shallow. This is a topic for another time. Today we will discuss the basic proper climbing angle.

As I said above the ladder comes with a sticker to show you the proper angle. So in training set the ladder in accordance with this sticker. When set to this angle your base will be about 1⁄4 of the working height of the ladder, roughly 6 feet.

Now look at where the ladder is on the building. Going back to your FF I& II days stand at the foot and place your hands straight out. Do you hit the rungs with your hands? Yes good, no oops. Either way, make a mental note of your position. Now climb the ladder. Is this a comfortable angle? Is this ladder in an optimal position to work from? If so, GREAT! If not, why? Step back take a look and see why. Reset the ladder and do it again. Do this until you find the angle tht best fits your task. This angle may be different for different tasks.

Start climbing. Always try to have three points of contact with the ladder. Practice climbing up and down. Do this in gear, FULL GEAR. This makes all the difference in the world. Your gear is heavy and cumbersome, and you have to be used to it in order to be effective.

Once you are comfortable climbing then add transferring on and off the roof or entering and exiting a window. Again, in full gear. Your balance is very different in full gear and an SCBA. Once this becomes comfortable add tools to the mix. Start small with an axe and then add a hook and then add the saw.. Again, practicing transferring to and from the roof and windows. The next tool is another ladder, the roof ladder.

All the above training should be done with at least one other firefighter. Now get out there and train!

http://www.maineiactraining.org/

TIC Differences

If you wanted to look at planets in the night sky, would you use the binoculars you take on a hike for looking at wildlife? Probably not. You would use a telescope so you could see as much detail as possible. You would pick the right tool for the right job. 

This is a picture I took during training to show the difference between two thermal imaging cameras. Which one do you want in your hand when operating on the fire ground? I'd actually want both in with the crew but how and when each one is used will depend on the task. The camera on the left is a situational awareness TIC that can be used to locate fire or egress points. It has a lower resolution and a slower processor. I tend to think of them as a "personal" TIC because they are smaller and can be used in a pinch. The camera on the right is a decision making TIC that can be used to search and for tactical, strategic decision making. It has a higher resolution and a faster processor. I tend to think of these as an "officer" TIC because they provide more information in order to direct a crew's efforts. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the TIC on the left, but you have to utilize the correct camera for the task at hand. They are different tools for different jobs. 

Train with your TICs in different environments and, if possible, realistic temperature conditions. They will operate in different resolution modes and temperature scales depending on the temperature of the environment and it's important to understand how the TIC will react. Know what the icons on the screen are telling you. Understand the color palettes (ignore the spot temp) so you think of temperatures in terms of colors and react accordingly. Also work on your scanning speed and pattern to help prevent lag and optimize how you collect. Make sure you understand the limitations AND advantages of the TICs you use so you can do your job the best way possible. 

Be Smart - Stay Safe!

We Remember: Black Sunday FDNY

January 23rd, 2005.  One of the darkest days in FDNY history. A day the department lost multiple firefighters in two different incidents. Known to first responders worldwide as "Black Sunday."

Bronx: While performing a search during a three-alarm fire, Lieutenant John Bellew of Ladder 27, firefighter Joseph DiBernardo of Rescue 3, and  Lieutenant Curtis Meyran of Battalion 26 became trapped on the fourth floor of a four-story apartment. Due to the increased heat and fire, all three firefighters were forced to jump from the window to the ground. The apartment building was an older building from the late 1920s. The apartments involved were made into single-room occupancies (SRO). Each shares a common bathroom and kitchen. According to the NIOSH report, each SRO had a padlock on the bedroom doors. There was also limited access at the rear fire escape due to a partition with wood framing and sheetrock. In addition, there were no permits issued for construction in the building, and there were also no automatic sprinklers making the construction project a violation of local building codes. In addition to the three firefighters mentioned earlier, Brendan Cawley, Jeff Cool, and Gene Stolowski were severely injured in the jump. Later that day, Lieutenants John Bellew and Curtis Meyran succumbed to their injuries. Firefighter DiBernardo was promoted to Lieutenant in the spring of 2005. Unfortunately, Lt. DiBernardo passed away in 2011 due to complications with injuries sustained on January 23rd, 2005.

Brooklyn: Sometime just before 2 pm that same day, FDNY units were dispatched to a basement fire in a private dwelling. One of the first arriving units was Ladder Company 103. Part of the crew was firefighter Richard Sclafani who was assigned to search the basement. Due to fire conditions changing, firefighter Sclafani became separated from his company during the search. Minutes after being separated, Sclafani was located unconscious and in respiratory arrest. The NIOSH report stated firefighters worked on removing him from the building for 20 minutes. Firefighter Sclafani succumbed to his injuries, and the official cause of death was smoke inhalation and burns. January 23rd, 2005 marked the first time since 1918 that the FDNY lost firefighters in separate incidents.

Following the incident, the FDNY completed its internal investigation, and personal escape systems were purchased for all firefighters. Had the systems been available to the firefighters on Black Sunday, it would have saved the lives of Lieutenants Bellew, DiBernardo, and Meyran and prevented injuries to firefighters Cawley, Cool, and Stolowski. Black Sunday is a day that will be remembered forever in fire history. There is plenty of material on multiple sites providing information. I encourage new and veteran firefighters to remain educated on this day and learn from it.

In 2013, the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation, also known as the Joey D Foundation, was started to help train and equip firefighters in need. I have personally attended the yearly seminar they hold on Long Island. The training weekend is filled with two days of hands-on training followed by a day of great lectures. World-class instructors and firefighters teach all classes and lessons. The foundation raises money to provide fire departments with funding for personal escape systems, helping ensure an incident such as "Black Sunday" doesn't happen again.

NIOSH report for the Bronx fire

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200503.html

NIOSH report for the Brooklyn fire

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200504.html

Photos from firerescue1.com

Cloud Ceilings

Cloud ceilings are not new and have been around for a while. They are, however, becoming more common and more complex. I’ve noticed a trend over the last few years where clouds have increasingly become a regular part of the interior design and the architectural ceilings in spaces where aesthetics are important or it's a "community" space where occupants will gather on a regular basis. These ceilings are also taking many different shapes and sizes and come in a variety of materials. I have, on multiple occasions, had to design sprinkler protection around floating panels of ceiling tiles, sheet rock, open grid ceilings, fabric panels, wood slats, and geodesic patterns. Designing around these ceilings has always been a challenge but the NFPA is providing guidance with the last few versions of Chapter 13.

Historically, the issue was whether or not you had to sprinkler above and below the cloud ceiling. The ceiling was considered an obstruction and guidance was found in the code sections dealing with obstructions that were either less than or greater than 18" from the face of the deflector. Some instances may have required applying the open grid ceiling section as well. In 2016, the NFPA began to address cloud ceilings in Chapter 13 and then again made further, more beneficial, updates in 2019. Cloud ceilings became defined and the rules for determining when the space above the cloud can be considered a concealed space were provided. These sections determine when sprinklers are only required at the cloud ceiling level, and not above the cloud. Basically, the code provides guidance to determine whether or not the cloud is a sufficient heat collector to initiate sprinkler head operation. This decision is based on the size of the cloud, the size of the gaps around adjacent clouds, and the height of the ceiling. There are additional factors such as sprinkler types and construction materials that play into the decision matrix. The NFPA has even provided some suggestions with respect to seismic concerns. Depending on how the cloud is supported and secured to the structure above, you may need to provide some flexibility in your piping system by utilizing elements such as flexible sprinkler drops in order to accommodate the shifting of the clouds in a seismic event.

A sprinkler designer has many challenges and factors to consider when designing around cloud ceilings. The bottom line is that the design must be code compliant to ensure optimum life safety for the building arguments. There are other factors that must be considered such as aesthetics, constructability, and cost. A designer can't just design a system with sprinklers above and below the cloud ceiling instead of doing the work to interpret the code. It's not the correct design and it drives up the cost for the owner. Working with the architect can also be a struggle. They spend time developing a unique design element of the building and the fire protection designer wants to put an ugly sprinkler head right in the middle of it! Both sides have to work together to find a resolution that not only works but is aesthetically pleasing as well. Although this isn't a fire protection designer's priority, it's providing a quality design that keeps clients coming back.

As firefighters, we need to pay attention when we find ceilings like these. We all know the importance of air movement in an active fire and recognizing the flow path is critical to firefighter tactics and safety. These ceilings may mask heat or smoke and delay the identification of the flow path resulting in us working below heated air or smoke (unburned fuel). It is important to know how the clouds are suspended. Are the clouds hung from rods/cables or are they secured to a rigid structure attached to the deck above? The clouds could move around when hit with a hose stream making your attack difficult or could possibly become a hazard if they fall. They could carry significant weight or become an obstacle when advancing the hose line. The clouds may even be an illusion. For example, in the picture on the right, is that a cloud ceiling or are the doors attached to a sheetrock ceiling that has been painted black?

The bottom line is that success starts early. We need to get into buildings and find out what's in them. When we find an atypical element like a cloud ceiling, we have to investigate to find out why it's there, and how it can impact our tactics and safety. Then we must share this info with our crews. Keep your eyes open, ask questions, and talk. Don’t wait until you're involved in a fire event to figure this out.

Be Smart - Stay Safe!

Building Firefighter Development (buildingfirefighters.com)

About the Author
E.J. Henninger has been designing building systems for more than 20 years. He is currently a Senior Engineering Operations Manager working with a team to deliver plumbing and fire protection designs for a wide range of projects. He has also been a volunteer firefighter for more than 10 years and is currently the captain at a rural Fire & Rescue Company with an active role in the training program. E.J. actively supports the fight against cancer through the International Association of Fire Chiefs and his annual Firefighter Relay Challenge. He is happily married to his beautiful wife of 25 years and has three wonderful sons.

AERIAL OPERATIONS. THE AERIAL TRUCK CHECK, PART 2

SCBA & Compartments.

I Like to check the SCBA that I will be using first. This takes place at two different times. The first thing I do in the morning when I get to work is do a quick once over of my SCBA. This is before I relieve the off going shift. Just in case we catch some work before I get to the truck check.

Once I have done my SCBA I move onto the others. We do not have a fully staffed truck, but we do have a solid call company that is relying on us to check these SCBA’s, so we do so as if we are wearing them. We have 3 SCBA’s in the cab and then 6 more in high side compartments.

Once the SCBA’s are done I move to the equipment in the compartments. This includes Hand tools. Making sure they are in good operating condition. Clean, rust free with no cracks, chunks or any other type of damage that will make the tool inoperable. Our Aerial is a Quint..... I know, I know,,, insert stupid jokes here. (yes, we will talk about checking the pump at some point). Back to compartments, there is some engine stuff in our compartments, make sure all this equipment is operable. Depending on the appliance maybe even take it out and hook it up. Checking gaskets, check for any burrs on threads, operability of handles/valves just make sure the equipment is in ready condition.

We carry an assortment of ladder belts. Make sure they are in good condition, no frays, cuts, tears. Is the hardware in good condition and is it adjusted to its largest position to make ready for ease of donning.

The ground ladders! Yup, take them out of the bed. Check for any deformities, on the rails, rungs. Check the dogs/ pawls/locks, pulleys, halyard. Do they need any maintenance? How about cleaning? Our truck collects a lot of dust in that compartment; therefore, the ladders get dirty pretty quick.

Next is our PPV Fan and Battery-operated equipment. We have a gas and a battery fan. I run the gas fan in the same fashion I do the saws. Just not as long. Why?? No idea. It’s just what I’ve always done. I check the batteries for their charge operate the battery tools and the battery fan. Also in this area are battery scene lights, they also get operated.

As I continue through the compartments checking that each item is in working order, at times we pick a compartment and clean it. If you rotate this the compartments stay fairly neat and clean.

THE AERIAL TRUCK CHECK

The Aerial device

Now that the tool box has been checked it’s time to move to the aerial device. Depending on the type of aerial you have will determine how you proceed. A straight stick vs a bucket may start out exactly the same but at some point, you will also have to use the bucket controls.

I work on both a straight stick and a bucket, so I start both the same. If not already done, I place the wheel chocks, check your department SOG or manufacturer for recommendations. I place the outrigger pads; I set the outriggers and then check for level. Some trucks do it for you, yeah, not a fan. I feel it takes the skill out of the set. But once you get set go ahead and hit that button(self-leveling) and see how close you are. If you have pins, place them now. Set you truck to your SOG, meaning wheels off the ground, just touching, bulge out of the tires, however your SOG reads.

I move to the turn table and operate the aerial. I rotate it 360 degrees at various heights. I extend and retract and go up and down. It’s actually a process and you need to be cautious and aware of your surroundings. You need to make sure not to hit anything on the truck or around you. Some trucks, age dependent, may not have avoidance systems. YOU are the avoidant system. Pay close attention to your aerial.

Once I am sure all functions work properly on the aerial I turn the aerial device off to one side of the truck, as seen in the photo above, and extend the aerial all the way. I bring the tip close to the ground. I then walk down the aerial device. For this part you should have some idea what you are looking at and for. (This will be a general overview, understand what your department and truck manufacturer call for with lubrication, tightness of the cables and adjustments). Checking for cracks, bends, dents, broken pieces, rungs. I check the cables for tightness and lubrication and lack of rust. At this point I operate the aerial monitor from the tip. If I’m on my aerial with a bucket, we take a ride in the bucket using all the controls including the monitors. I bring the aerial back to previous position off to the side of the truck. I then get off the aerial and walk the underside. I look for all the same items I did walking down the aerial. Depending on the imperfection I may find we can either say we are good to go, or we need to have someone else take a look. You will have to follow your department guidelines for that.

Once I am finished with the aerial device I check the Generator and lights. Next is the pump. I place the truck in pump gear. Then I sit and listen. Does it sound the same as it always does? Yes, good I move on. No, not good and I investigate why. Assuming we are good, I move out of the cab and continue to listen. This is huge, once you learn the sounds of your truck. Some Firefighters can tell how well their truck is running from 100 feet away. They know the sounds and when the sounds change, they realize right away something is wrong, and sometimes know exactly what the issue is.

Now that I’m out of the cab I go to my pump panel and begin to circulate water. Now this is NOT a pumps class, and since there are so many pump types out there, I will be VERY vague. Just understand that each pump will have a similar process and know what your department requires you to do. Our pumps are wet, so we leave the tank to pump and the tank fill open. I then hit my mode button; this places the pump in “pressure mode”. I increase the rpm until I’m circulating at between 60 and 90 psi. We have CAFS (Compressed Air Foam System). I then idle down and then go through the CAFS system. Depending on the day we may flow some water out a discharge or the Aerial Monitors. I then shut the system down, get back in the cab and take it out of pump gear.

This is generally how my Truck Check is performed. Obviously, there is more detail and a lot of truck dependent things to do. The takeaway here is know your truck and make sure it is ready.

Remembering the Maverick Square Fire, Boston, Mass.

In the early morning hours of November 15, 1942, a fire broke out in Luongo's Tap, a restaurant within the former East Boston Lyceum, which quickly escalated to three alarms. The temperature that evening was 12 degrees Fahrenheit with stiff winds. During the incident, the brick wall from the third through fifth floors on the Henry Street side of building collapsed without warning, trapping many firefighters under the rubble. The Boston Fire Departments only white-colored apparatus, Ladder 8, a 125 foot aerial truck was also buried under the rubble.

The Building & Incident

The fire took place in a  five and a half story brick building which housed a liquor store on the first floor and a tavern and restaurant on the first floor and above with the second floor housing a dine and dance café. The fire originated in the ceiling above the first floor kitchen and from there extended throughout the entire building along with an adjourning 3-story building (20ft x 40ft brick building) located on Henry Street. 

The Boston fire Department transmitted a still alarm at 0226 hours for Engine Co. 40 and Ladder Co. 2 to respond to the location. Box 6153 was then transmitted at 0227 hours for Engine Co. 9, Engine Co. 5, Engine Co. 11, Ladder Co. 31 and Acting District chief Jacob Berninger of District 1 to respond on a full first alarm assignment.

At 0305 hours a second alarm was transmitted followed by a third alarm at 0324 hours by District Chief Crowley and Deputy Chief Stickel, respectively. At approximately 0400 hours and without warning the brick wall collapsed on the Henry Street side of the building. Prior to the collapse, it was said to have shown no signs of buckling. Rescue operations began immediately and a fourth alarm was struck at 0420 hours followed by a fifth alarm at 0434 hours by the Chief of the Department Samuel Pope.

In the end, nearly fifty Boston firefighters were injured or trapped in the collapse with six firefighters passing away due to their injuries. The six firefighters who perished in the line of duty that day equaled the record number of Boston Firefighters who died in the line of duty during the Merrimac Street Fire and Collapse of 1898.

We Remember…

Hoseman John F. Foley - Engine Co. 3 Hoseman Edward F. Macomber - Engine Co. 12 Ladderman Daniel E. McGuire - Ladder Co. 2 Hoseman Peter F. McMorrow - Engine Co. 50 Hoseman Malachi F. Reddington - Engine Co. 33 Hoseman Francis J. Degan - Engine Co. 3

Working with the Community: The Importance of Respect & Professionalism in the Public Eye

I recently took my 4-year old son to the doctor to get looked at after running a fever with a sore throat, congestion and a headache over the last couple of days. Being it's flu season along with a high risk of RSV going around, we wanted to play it safe. One of the practices doctors came in the room and was immediately disinterested in being there and would hardly attempt to comfortable a scared toddler when going through the routine exam. Granted I was there as his father, I could only do so much to not get in the way of what the doctor needed to do to check him out. As the exam went on, the vibe in the room went from disinterested to completely annoyed with no attempts to try and work with the patient but rather work against the patient.

As a first responder who has to work with citizens of a community on what they consider their worst day, I was very tuned into how this doctor - who seems new to the practice - was engaging with my son and how the doctor turned a slightly scared child into a now combative frightened child. Both reactions from my son and the doctor are very real human emotions, no doubt about it at all. Now do any of you recall hearing the term, "walking billboard"? Well, that's exactly what this doctor is and exactly what we are as first responders - "walking billboards". How we handle situations, speak and act becomes a direct relation to our department and our personal brand. It goes back to a past article and episode of the "5-Tool Firefighter Podcast", "Re-present Yourself to Represent Your Department". Go check out the article and listen to the episode of the podcast.

Read here: https://www.thefirehousetribune.com/blog/2019/7/8/3ht5o0jqptvrelqj0z93k85v48wanl

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Mw2remzctDyi4aqCGxTOV?si=sPYMIf51RGmyfq5kJA7J7A

It is completely normal to have bad days, long days and days where we simply need a break. Although it is highly important when working with the members of the community we are cognizant of how we are presenting ourselves to them. Thus how we are representing our department to them.

When the elderly woman who fell asleep while cooking dinner and sets the fire alarm off for burnt food on the stove or the little boy who fell out of the tree in his yard possibly breaking a limb, both are calling us at a low moment in their life and need our help. They expect us to have the ability to help them. Granted we are not therapists and cannot console them to the level they may want yet, it is our duty to ensure we treat them with a level of respect and professionalism to hopefully ensure to them we are here to serve you and help you at this very moment.

How we speak, act, and treat those we are there to serve will always have a direct relation to how we are looked at as a person, professional and could quite possibly the light it sheds on our respective department. We made a promise to serve those who call us for help, it is on us to ensure we provide them with a high level of respect and professionalism. Represent yourself in a way it speaks volumes for you and your department.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Aerial Operations - The Aerial Truck Check, Part 1

Here is a look into how my Aerial truck check goes.

I usually start my Aerial truck check by walking around the Truck and checking for any obvious signs of an issue. Any issue, such as scratches dents, paint chips, doors missing, broken glass, you know the obvious things.

The next thing I do is go to the saw compartment. I take each of the gas- powered saws out of their compartment and start them. I allow them to idle outside is a position that they won’t wander off. If you don’t know what I mean here, just start a saw and place it on the ground in front of you. The saw will slowly wander off as it idles. So, place it in a crack in the ground or up against the wall of the firehouse. (NOTE: Make sure it doesn’t vibrate on anything that may become damaged, like paint on the firehouse wall.) I allow the saws to run the entire time I am checking the Truck. When Im done checking the truck, I fuel the saws, check bar and chain oil, and place them in service. The reason I do this with the saws is to allow them to run and get up to temp. It helps keep a healthy saw. Now there is a lot more to the saws here, but this is where I will stop for now.

Next thing I do is pull the truck out of the bay. I am going to check the engine fluids of the truck. Some trucks you have access points to allow you to do this. I prefer to raise the ladder and then raise the cab of the truck. This allows me to get eyes on the undercarriage. I check the fluids, oil, transmission, window washer, and the DEF. I will check Hydraulic oil and the generator fluids at this time as well.

Continuing under the cab, I check the belts, pulleys and anything bolted on the motor. Especially that alternator. I don’t know why but, these have a habit of losing bolts. In our Aerial class one of the things that we do is a truck check before operating the truck. We have found more than once, a loose or missing bolt and have had to send someone to get a bolt to continue the class.

Once the motor and it’s various parts are in working order I move on the exhaust, brakes, and springs. Making sure all are in tact with no “shiny” metal. This usually means there is something broken. Lets hope whatever is broken, let’s say a spring, that it is shiny and not all rusted, if it is rusty this means it has likely been broken for some time and maybe we missed it on our last truck check.

THE AERIAL TRUCK CHECK

While the cab is still up check the back side of the tires for any deformities low tread, bubbles, chunks missing. Remember these are Emergency Vehicles, not a fleet truck. If there are any issues at all document it and bring it to the attention of the proper person. For me it is an e mail to the maintenance supervisor and the OIC for the day.

As we continue under the cab we grab a creeper, if you have one, and begin to roll under the truck. Now with the Aerial up and the cab in the air it should be obvious to others there is a truck check going on, but to be safe place an Out of Service tag on the vehicle to your department SOG’s. This way you ensure that no one will run the truck while you are under it.

Continue to check for obvious issues, again broken springs and other hardware. Check the hydraulic lines, any coolant lines that may run here. Air brakes and the cans in the rear. It’s a good idea to drain the air tanks while you are here, this will remove the moisture from the air tanks and help prolong your airbrake system.

Look for anything leaking fluid. Investigate it. I know some trucks have their quirks but again these are Emergency Vehicles.

Check the inside tires for any issues, check air pressure on all tires, top off to your truck’s specifications.

Next month we will dive into the compartments of the truck and the aerial. Please remember this is just a way to do something and hopefully give you a few tips along the way. My approach is systematic and works for me. It may not all work for you. As always if you have something that may help, drop me an e mail and Ill put in here! Oh and BTW, the saws are still running, make them ready and put em back on the truck!

Benefits of the Kettlebell Swing

Most of our time today is spent in front of a device - TV, smartphone, tablet, you name it. Sure, we can be utilizing these devices to better ourselves but in that same respect they are doing us harm, especially with our posture. Smartphones cause our chests to cave in and sitting at a laptop or a tablet on a desk allow our hip flexor muscles to shorten. During all of this, our muscles on the back of our body become overstretched and weak and our muscles on the front side become overworked and tight. This then causes a muscle imbalance in our body causing our physical performance to decrease.

This type of muscle imbalance can also impact our breathing capacity and as firefighters, how we breath and our ability to have maximum lung capacity is highly important to us especially when under moments of stress (ie. SCBA in an IDLH atmosphere). Due to this muscle imbalance our lungs compress causing us to take short, shallow breaths rather than deep, long breaths into our belly. This type of breathing - deep, long breaths into our bellies - is what we were naturally born to do yet over time from how we sit, stand and utilize our bodies has altered our natural breathing technique.

As firefighters, it is incredibly important our posture is strong on BOTH SIDE of our bodies -  the anterior (front) and posterior (back). By correcting any imbalances and strengthening both sides of the body, we are developing ourselves into strong, battle ready firefighters. Strength on both chains allow for a better ability to wear an SCBA and perform our tasks with it on. Pulling hoselines, raising and climbing ground ladders more effectively also benefit from a strong anterior and posterior chain. The days of a big chest and biceps are long gone and the days of a fully developed, well-conditioned firefighter is the name of the game.

Here is ONE exercise and yes I said one, that will help strengthen the anterior and posterior chains, keep your conditioned and more athletic overall. This exercise is the kettlebell swing.

Here's 6 tremendous benefits of the kettlebell swing and why I use this exercise every week in some fashion.

1. Better Posture. The swing strengthens all of the major muscles on the back side of the body due to the various movements of the upper and lower back and hips. The stronger our posterior chain is, the better our shoulders and hips stay in better alignment and helps prevent injury.

2. Conditioning. Although this is a "strength training" exercise, with high number of reps the kettlebell swing can kill two bird with one stone - strength and cardio. Seeing how many reps of the swing could be performed in one minute is an example of both strength and conditioning.

3. Core Strength. I cannot say this enough, core strength is what holds everything else together for top optimal performance. The core muscles job is to protect the spine from outside forces that try to bend it out of shape. Think about trying to lift a victim out of a window, our core muscles are working to not only help us lift the victim but also protect the spine from a heavy force pushing down on to it. By performing kettlebell swings, it teaches the body to remain strong while the spine is in motion moving into ranges that could be dangerous to the body if not performed correctly or a lack of core strength. Start light and start slow.

4. Power. Forcing a door with the iron takes explosive hip extensions for solid strikes from the axe to the halligan. Swings in a sense will mimic those movements by slowing down when bringing the kettlebell back through the legs and quickly bursting with power through the hips when swinging the kettlebell back up.

5. Grip. Simply holding on to the kettlebell handle and keeping it locked into your hands while swinging it will increase grip strength. Again, grip strength plays a role in utilizing all tools on the fire ground, from cutting a vent hole with a saw to forcing doors to performing an extrication. All require a solid grip on a heavy object while in motion.

6. Go ANYWHERE. It's one kettlebell of cast iron or of sand if you're using a Brute Force Kettlebell. Swings can be done at home, in a park, at the gym or even on shift at the firehouse. Takes up little room and little time to perform a few swings.

If you want to strengthen your entire body, develop explosive power and help reduce the risk of injury implement kettlebell swings into your regimen. Start off slow with a light kettlebell and increase the weight as you develop comfortability in the exercise. Don't forget to get creative as you grow and add in alternating or one-handed swings for unilateral training as well.

Here's a quick video on how to perform the proper kettlebell swing: Mastering the Kettlebell Swing | John Wolf - YouTube

Until next time,  work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Remembering Firefighter Mark Langvardt

On September 28, 1992 Denver Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in a two story commercial occupancy at 0207 hours. Heavy smoke was billowing from the structure with no visible fire showing. As firefighter made entry, they were hit with high heat and extreme smoke with multiple fires in remote rooms across the structure. Engineer Mark Langvardt of Truck 16 was performing truck operations on the second floor when he became separated from his partner. Due to a partial floor collapse of the second floor, Langvardt found himself in a 6' x 11' room filled with filing cabinets and other office equipment with an aisle only 28 inches wide. The room had only one window that was 2o inches wide and a sill height of 42 inches off the ground and covered by a security grate. Engineer Langvardt was trapped and low on air. His ability to break a small hole in the window alerted the incident commander a firefighter was in trouble on the second floor. 

Shortly thereafter, a second alarm was transmitted and a rescue operation was initiated. While firefighters attempted to remove Engineer Langvardt from the window, a second crew was working to breach an interior wall in hopes to remove Mark. Due to the narrow space, height of the sill and weight of Mark in full bunker gear, firefighters were unable to remove Mark through the window. After a 55 minute operation, firefighters were able to gain access through the interior wall and remove Mark from the structure. Engineer Langvardt died from his injuries due to smoke inhalation.

Many lessons were learned from this tragic death and from this was the "Denver Drill" which is now taught around the country for rapid intervention and firefighter rescues. The fire was said to be arson and the arsonist was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

May Engineer Mark Langvardt, Truck 16 of the Denver Fire Department rest in peace.

The Front Bumper Line

An important line but at times overlooked is the front bumper line. This line has many advantages on the fire ground and allows for firefighters to operate for versatility. Each department has its own set of procedures on how to operate at an incident and thus having an option for the front bumper line will greatly increase each departments versatility on an incident.

Here are some advantages to the front bumper line.

Deployed from either side of the apparatus.

By having the advantage of being deployed from either side of the apparatus, it will allow firefighters better operability in stretching lines in various directions.

Nosed in Positioning

Sometimes the engine may need to be nosed in rather than having the ability to pull passed the structure such as operating at the end of a cul-de-sac. In having a fully equipped front bumper line of 1.75" diameter hose of 100 feet or greater, will allow the versatility in some instances on an incident where apparatus positioning is not ideal or limited.

Vehicle Fires and Motor Vehicle Accidents

The front bumper line allows for a quick deployment for vehicle fires since numerous lengths of hose are oftentimes not needed and also provides an ideal protection line when operating at an extrication incident. With extrication and stabilization teams working diligently to extricate a patient from a vehicle, a shorter hose length is ideal for safety and maneuverability on the scene.

Trash Fires

The front bumper provides a quick deployment for trash and dumpster fires rather than deploying a 200 foot cross lay option. For this type of incident, positioning the apparatus head on to the fire will provide the best tactical advantage and quickest means of hose deployment.

Department Preference

Each department has their preferred way of packing the bumper line and many utilize it for a different reason. No matter how it's packed or its initial use, the front bumper line provides another option when determining the weapon to attack the fire. To become proficient at the front bumper line, adequate training on the purpose of the line and scenario based training will help firefighters become comfortable to make this line an option if need be.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Peaked Roof Ventilation

The Cuts

There are many types of cuts, and we will discuss a few. But the main objective is to release the heat, smoke, and toxic gasses. To do this your hole size needs to be big enough to make a difference. Unfortunately, the day of the 4x4 hole is over. This size just doesn’t release the amount of heat needed to be effective. With all the synthetics and plastics in today’s homes, and the rate of heat release these products produce, it just makes sense to make the hole larger. You may not find this in many books, but from my experience and the experience of other like-minded Firefighters I network with; we agree that at least a 4’x6’ hole is the new minimum.

There are many ways to accomplish this size and larger hole. I am a big fan of two cuts. The Louver cut and The Milwaukee cut. Each has their place. Now there are many more to consider but these are the two I am going to talk about.

THE LOUVER CUT

A two panel louvered cut on a residential roof will provide an opening that is about 4x8 foot. Starting at a high point, near the ridge and working your way across the top. Start your cut by plunging your saw into the roof, slide the saw to the left until the resistance is greater. This means you have hit the roof rafter. Now slide the saw in the same kerf cut to the right until that heavy resistance is meet again, now roll the rafter. To roll the rafter, you lift the saw out of the roof material and cut just the sheeting not the rafter. Then as you have gone over the rafter plunge the saw again until the next rafter. Continue this for process. Cut, roll the rafter, cut, roll the rafter, and cut to the rafter. This will give you about six feet in length. Now cut downward toward the soffit, about four feet. If you’re unsure how far four feet is, count rows of shingles. Each row is about six inches. That’s a foot for every two rows. Cut down eight rows. Now work your way back. Same cut and roll method. This time after you roll the rafter, stop. Reach up to the top cut, make a cut from your top cut to the bottom cut. This should be half way between the rafters. Continue working your way back to your roof ladder. Make the last vertical cut and now wait for the word to open up. Punch through with your six-foot hook, the roof material will “louver” on the rafter.

After the cut is made do not forget to punch through the ceiling material to allow for proper ventilation. As soon as the cut has been made, firefighters should evacuate the roof as quickly and as safely as possible.

THE MILWAUKEE CUT

The Milwaukee cut is a great cut that catches all aspects of your roof. It runs from the peak to the soffits. It is usually around four feet wide. To start the cut is just like the start of your louver cut. The only thing I would add is an inspection cut at the top left and right. This becomes important when you are ready to pull the material from the cut. As this allows you to get the hook into the material and pull. I should add that it can be done with a rotary saw as well as a chain saw.

This cut is labor intensive. It can be done with two Firefighters but 3 is optimal. You will need two roof ladders, one on each side of your cut. How you accomplish this cut is up to you. Meaning that you can run two saws or one. But I like the old adage that two is better than one.

Either way, after making your cut across the top and then making your inspection hole, continue the vertical cut all the way to the soffit on both sides.

Climb back to the peak and begin pulling the material from the cut. Again punch through the ceiling material.

The advantage to this cut is in a lot of New England homes there are many voids in the roof area. Especially in Cape Cod style homes. With the attic space above and the knee walls all open this allows you to properly vent the whole structure

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Pitched roof ventilation can be one of the most hazards operations on the fireground, yet it is one of the most important assignments.

There are numerous things to consider when working on a roof. Number 1 the fire is under you! Sounding the roof is a must, know and understand the sound of a solid and a spongy roof. Know that in older homes the ridge and valleys are usually the strongest, but still sounding is a must.

Use a roof ladder whenever you can. Yes you can walk a pitch of 6/12 or less but err on the side of caution. If you cannot see, meaning heavy smoke conditions, then get on your knees. When you have an SCBA on you have balance issues, add a pitched roof and low to no visibility, this could be a bad combination. Always try to work your way back to your roof ladder. This may not be able to be done 100% of the time but do it as much as you can. Know the signs of a bad roof. Bubbling shingles, smoke slithering from under shingles or through metal roofing. Any sags in the roof or in between the rafters. Understand building construction, especially roof construction. Understand what types of roofing material is on the roof, how many layers of shingles and sheeting material. If you are unaware of the construction type, then cut inspection holes. This may save you some time and may even save your life.

Mother nature is always messing with us. From snow to sleet to freezing rain. Be aware of these conditions and take appropriate actions. Use of a roof ladder even on a low pitch is a good start. Some type of striking tool, should already be in your tool selection, to break away the ice, maybe add a shovel as well.

Get out in your community and see what’s out there! Because you don’t know what you don’t know!

For more, check out Ryan Johnston and MAINE-IAC Training. www.maineiactraining.org

Follow Ryan on Instagram @maineiactraining

Importance of Proper Apparatus Positioning

As the old saying goes, "so goes the first line…so goes the rest of the fire"! With that being said, firefighters must remember this. How we position our apparatus is just as important as how we attack the fire, if not more important. It is imperative the engine company chauffeur and officer know the hose lengths on both the preconnects and static lays. The positioning of the engine is the first tactic done for a proper and strong initial fire attack. Same goes with the truck positioning. Proper positioning of the structure puts the truck at the best advantage for maximum scrub of the aerial for roof operations.

 Positioning an apparatus sounds simple but isn't as cookie cutter as one may think and oftentimes this small step could be misapplied on the fire ground. A miscalculation in the positioning of the apparatus may seem like a minor error in judgement but is also one that is almost impossible to fix and can make or break a scene. How we position our apparatus of any kind, is to do one thing - provide us with the BEST tactical advantage for fire ground operations.

When do we determine or decide where apparatus are positioned on the fire ground?

In short and for starters, during our pre-plan phase or as we could say, the pre-incident size-up. Yes, during this time we look at building construction, potential hazards, understanding interior space, stairwell locations and fire department connections but it is also the best time to consider apparatus placement or at least have an idea of where they will go based on the many factors of the structure.

Here's a few tips to keep in mind when determining apparatus positioning on the fire ground.

• Apparatus positioning should be set up for your best tactical advantage on every call, not just fire.

• Know the area you are responding to.

• Listen to how other apparatus are responding in (direction to the scene) to avoid confusion when arriving.

• Know your apparatus inside and out.

• If you are the truck company, know the engine company role and their best position for the initial stretch

• If you are the engine company, know the truck company role for their best position for aerial setup and maximum scrub. The FRONT of the build is ideal.  

• Train on positioning parallel with your strategies and tactics training.

Keep these tips in mind and train on positioning the apparatus at every scene. Do not park them at the scene.

Until next time, work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Remembering the Deutsche Bank Fire

On August 18, 2007 a fire broke out at the former Deutsche Bank which was directly across the street from FDNY Engine 10 and Ladder 10 Firehouse. Otherwise known as the Ten House around 3:40 in the afternoon. The fire began on the 17th floor of the New York City building and soon thereafter became a seven alarm fire, was currently under demolition as it is at the site of the World Trade Center.

The building which originally stood at 41 stories was reduced to 26 stories after demolition crews removed the upper floors. At the time the fire broke out, the crews working on the demolition were in the process of removing asbestos. The fire was caused by a workers careless smoking which is in violation of the building's safety rules. The fire spread throughout the floor and affected ten floors of the remaining structure. Due to the work taking place in the building, protective polyethylene sheets which are made to prevent the spread of asbestos was draped throughout the floors, causing the floors to become a make shift maze for firefighters. The other danger these sheets present to firefighters is the buildup of smoke being trapped within these sheets. Further, since this building was under demolition, there was no functioning standpipe system for fire suppression crews to work off. This forced firefighters to raise hand lines from the street to combat the fire.

The building was not inspected since March of 2007 and was required to be inspected every 15 days. The seven alarm fire burned into the evening hours before being extinguished. There was an estimated 45 engine companies, 30 ladder companies, 3 rescue companies, 19 battalion chiefs, 4 deputy chiefs and numerous staff on scene.

115 firefighters were injured with 46 needing required medical attention. Two firefighters lost their lives this day on the 14th floor from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.

May we always remember,

Firefighter Joseph Graffagnino - FDNY Ladder 5

Firefighter Robert Beddia - FDNY Engine 24 

May they rest in peace.

Remembering the Waldbaum’s Supermarket Fire

The incident

At 8:39 a.m. on August 2, 1978 four FDNY companies and 1 battalion chief was dispatched to the Waldbaum's Supermarket on 2892 Ocean Avenue and Avenue Y in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn for a reported fire. Engine 254 entered through the front door and began advancing hose to the mezzanine section of store while additional firefighters were sent to the roof to for ventilation.  At this time, only light smoke was in the building. Within 10 minutes at 8:49 a.m. an "all hands" signal was sent out as Engine 276 arrived and reported fire in the walls of the second-story extension that was still under construction. The initial engine on scene (E254), began fire suppression in the mezzanine ceiling where they reported high heat and little smoke.

Shortly thereafter, a second alarm was sent out and three ladder companies (169, 153 and 156) were on the roof making cuts through the bowed rain roof which sat near the center of the building. These companies found very little smoke and did not realize the fire was under the main roof of the structure. Ladder companies 169, 153 and 156 then began to make cuts near the edges of the building which was found to  vent great deals of smoke. Interior firefighters at this time were working to pull the drop ceiling to gain access for the roof firefighters to put water onto the fire they could see from the roof.

At 9:16 a.m. a loud noise from inside the structure rang out and a wooden roof strut had collapsed. With 24 firefighters on the roof, it was reported the roof collapsed without a sound. Six of the firefighters fell onto the tin ceiling and managed to escape the structure. All of the firefighters survived although some with serious injuries.

With more smoke inside and outside of the structure, a third alarm was sent out. Firefighters were still working on the roof, rushed to the edges of the building for safety. As conditions began to worsen inside, firefighters were now searching for survivors of the roof collapse and by this point Chief James O'Malley had ordered all firefighters to evacuate the structure. A few moments later, the entire roof collapsed. Two firefighters were found on the floor of the structure and four others trapped under the roof.  

The Building

The Waldbaum's Supermarket was a 15,000 square foot facility that appears to be a one-story building from the exterior. Inside there was a mezzanine used for offices. The building itself was constructed of masonry bearing walls and a wood-truss roof system. An additional one-story structure was being built as part of the renovation project. The ceiling was a complex structure all to itself of several layers with an interior drop ceiling installed to conceal the original tin ceiling followed by a flat roof supported by timber trusses and an exterior 'rain roof" to assist with drainage and water runoff.

Let us remember

Lt. James E. Cutillo of Battalion 33

Firefighter Charles S. Bouton of Ladder 156

Firefighter Harold F. Hastings of Battalion 42

Firefighter James P. McManus of Ladder 153

Firefighter William O’Connor of Ladder 156

Firefighter George S. Rice of Ladder 153