Pipin' Hot First Due..30 Minutes or Less
You're taking in Box 4527 for a reported structure fire at a vacant pizza shop. You have a number of reports coming in, reporting large volumes of smoke in the vicinity of the interstate. You have a two and one response along with the Battalion Chief on the initial alarm.
Upon your arrival, you observe the first due Engine Company has just arrived and is starting their 360.
Heavy smoke is evident along the Alpha side (A) and some fire from the Charlie side (C).
Traffic conditions along the highway (Alpha side (A) is heavy. The same is true along the parallel highway on the Charlie side (C). The hydrant was picked up by the first-due engine company as they approached the scene coming up from the Bravo direction of travel (300’ feet).
You are aware that this area has been prone to vandalism by area youths and you observe three bicycles laying in front of the building, BUT no kids around. A civilian who was driving by reports to you he observed one youth running at the same time he observed the smoke pouring out of the building. You transmit a working structure fire…..
What’s your incident action plan (IAP)?
What are your strategic considerations?
How do you expect the building to perform?
Is this building Vacant, Unoccupied, Occupied, Abandoned…?
What kinds of challenges do you have?
What are the safety issues?
What resources are needed?
What conflicting Risk Management Profiles do you have?
More importantly….how much time do you have to get mission critical assignments made and carried out?
I can picture it now the first line in fighting the fire and the second line in crabbing crust, sauce, cheese and making the pizza for the clean up operations.
Get in quick hit and search with thermal imager. If nobody is found quickly and this is a confirmed vacant business, get out. There is not one reason to get killed for a rapidly spreading fire in a vacant building. Exposures do not appear to be an issue, access may be. Looks like 2 1/2" handlines will need to be stretched. Blitz fires and monitors as well. The A/C unit above the fire area will soon be in the building, that is a major hazard. The fire is most likely being fed by the natural gas line. Utilities are a major concern. Mutual aid engines will be needed.
Based upon your assignment of; "Get in quick hit and search with thermal imager. If nobody is found quickly and this is a confirmed vacant business, get out"How are you reading the smoke and how much time are you projecting to "get in quick".
Unless I have a report of persons in the bldg, I'm going strictly defensive. Vacant, abandoned bldg I'm not even going to try to save. The a/c on the roof is coming down soon. I don't like the power lines on side A.These look like they are major transmission lines for the business district First due truck I'm going to set up on C and have them get their stick up. 2nd alarm and power company. The bldg B side looks fire resistant and the wind is pushing away from that bldg. D side exposure of trees right up against the bldg. Main concern is to keep the fire confined to the bldg and not let it get into the trees.
This goes back to the; "Get in quick hit and search with thermal imager...."
We see to have a lot of "good ideas" on the fireground...however the execution of these ideas..or "battle plans" has to be founded on accurate observations, assessment and decision making.. in this case, the smoke is one of a number of mission critical indicators that needs to be assessed. As you stated Mary Ellen... its reading an ominous sign; ready to sdo omething very bad to any crews that are inside....
...so, as I stated..."you observe three bicycles laying in front of the building, BUT no kids around. A civilian who was driving by reports to you he observed one youth running at the same time he observed the smoke pouring out of the building..."What if there's a kid in there somewhere...does this affect your battle plans?
Permalink Reply by FETC on January 17, 2009 at 3:44pm
Vacant - Lightweight Truss - Fire Through the Roof -Smoke Condition - Color / Volume / Velocity - BAD (well it appears bad as this might be a training burn) as every window is out of the structure and firefighters are walking away from the building.
What would I do? Knowing my district would drive alot of decisions, Nice touch on the bicycles, are they there regularly? Given the same windshield view/report on arrival as the picture above, this is a surround and drown, no entry, force everydoor, and look for signs of the kids (if any) if the bicycles are not inreality abandoned property. Use your TIC from the windows and doorways, assure no squatters are squatting today eating year old crusty doe. But Nobody is going in. Protect exposures B and D, and pull a card from my mental rolladex... Remember Texas??? Early morning / Golden Arches? Godspeed brothers.
Besides you have overhead hazards, and the highway dependant on the wind to be concerned with. THIS IS A BORN LOSER -
RISK MANAGEMENT MODEL - HIGH RISK AND VERY LITTLE TO GAIN. Economy sucks and the place is vacant, meaning Pizza Hut packed up shop, may have minimal insurance on the property and NOBODY wants to lease this dump....
My risk management model: Order Pizza from Domino's, ask them to deliver to the former Pizza Hut joint, deck guns, aerial master streams, eat some pie and "Everbody Goes Home"....