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Basement Fires
Basement/cellar fires. As far as I know, most regions of the United States and quite possibly the world have basements. I'm pretty sure they all have fires as well.
So any tips, things to keep in mind, things to do or not to do in the case of basement fires?
So any tips, things to keep in mind, things to do or not to do in the case of basement fires?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Truckie Jay on
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Great topic Adam!
1) 1st due Engine stretch a line to the interior stairway and protects the upper floors. This team that is their sole purpose in life right now. Keep the fire contained to the basement! Sounds easy but this is going to be HOT! A basement fire is going to push smoke and heat up that stairwell in a chimney effect. This team has to know this ahead of time and be prepared.
2) 2nd due Engine stretch a line to the rear basement access, don't horse around get the line there with plenty of hose ahead of time and hit it hard and fast! Remember you have a crew of brothers and sisters taking it on the chin at the top of the stairwell. Use a smooth bore nozzle or straight stream, fog will do nothing but make life more unbearable for the team up top.
3) Before that 2nd due stretches their line a 360 has to be performed to ensure there IS a exterior access point to the basement. If no access is available look in through basement windows to see the extent of the fire. If the basement is really rolling then a defensive from the windows and top of the stairs will have to be utilized to knock it down. If there are no basement windows, READ the SMOKE will have to be used to determine the extent of fire progression in the basement. If it's determined a crew needs to progress to the basement using the interior stairwell. This crew will need to move fast! Remember the chimney effect in the stairwell, it will be cooler at the bottom. So in otherwords, Officers tell your people on the line to suck it up and go!
Per the National Association of Home Builders 92% of all single family dwellings here in Mo have a basement! You want to see how your state ranks up check out slide 13 in this powerpoint training
http://www.woodaware.info/PDFs/I-Joists_FirefighterSafety_0509.pdf
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Permalink Reply by Dave on
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Ya gotta vent them. If you have a line being advanced thru the front, entering the rear will create a problem. Open the rear stair way quickly, take out the windows to the basement giving that heat and crap a place to vent. When advancing down the stairs always face the stairs and go down ass first staying low. Also, basement fires have a nasty habit of saying hello to you in the attic!! So make sure you check the attics and run your hands along the baseboards of exterior walls, kitchens and bathrooms. Dont forget the pipe chase's!!!!
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We are in the same boat! Small basement windows, usually boarded and or security gated. In my area we run into usually two windows on each side of the house for a total of 4....if your lucky! Didnt say it was easy to vent, but you do what you can. Other ideas of venting basements are hole in the floor by windows. I would suggest doing this infront of the advancing handline. Also, gotta use caution when putting holes in the floor, for obvious reasons. On the first floor...i usually like to use a door to enter...but going thru a window to some might be a better photo op!! =)
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Permalink Reply by Padre Pete on
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You guys have the fire well preplaned, fought and out. Good job. The fire aside, this just seems an appropriate time to share a related horror story that happened to a dear friend of a dear friend. This is the scenario: Childs bedroom is in basement. Child is apparently wakened by fire. Father tries to access basement and is driven back by that chimney effect. Outside he breaks out one of those silly damn basement windows and reaches in. He feels childs hand then looses it. Child is lost to fire. NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE ALLOWED TO SLEEP IN BASEMENT THAT DOESNT HAVE ANOTHER EXIT THEY CAN WALK OUT OF. I know I'm singing to the choir here but that is a message I feel compelled to share. Thanks. Keep The Faith.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Box on
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The reason I posted this question was because this past sunday morning (3AM of course) we got toned out for a basement fire. In NJ, it is Illegal to have a bedroom in a basement that doesn't have at least 2 exits. Well of course this was a storage area that had been converted into a bedroom and only had the single exit to the first floor.
Long story short, space heater + pile of clothes = fire. Both parents upstairs were transported with smoke inhalation, the son sleeping in the basement had circumferential 3rd degree burns to his hands and inhalation burns. They intubated him en route to the burn center where he's at in critical condition.
Basically, I completely agree with Padre Pete.
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Permalink Reply by Eric on
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Just to add to what's already posted on here. Go in with a 2 1/2. I'm a fan of the 2 1/2 anyway, but it's ideal for a situation where getting into the basement and knocking down the fire is necessary. I agree with DT and others on the risk a lot to save a lot, risk a litle to save a little and risk nothing to save nothing addage. If you have to enter the basement, the 2 1/2 may be more of a pain than the ol' 1 3/4 but it has a lot more knockdown power (as we all know). To agree with Truckie Jay, go with the smooth bore nozzle. As always, just my opinion.
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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on
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Dave brings up a very good point. Especially in balloon construction, we have to get up in the attack and check for extension while we check all of the baseboards and kneewalls on every floor. Also, you have to vent this thing the best you can. Popping the basement windows may help, but we have to move fast on these kind of fires. Don't vent until the Engine Co is in place and ready to make the steps.
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Permalink Reply by Jesse Garcia on
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Lots of great input. Thanks to all!
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Permalink Reply by Robert Owens on
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A couple things I have observed with basement fires.
First iff the basement has an exterior entrance stretch the first hand line there this will allow you to for go the long hard and dangerous stretch down interior stairs to the basment.
Alot of books and I am sure people will tell you to have a second hand line at the top of the stairs while the crew is advancing in from the exterior basement entrance. This is line is to keep the fire from extending up the stair into the other portions of the occupancy. I have a few issues with this. First if you are utilizing a strait or solid stream fire will not be pushed anywhere it will simply be extinguished so placing a line above wastes resources that could be utilized elsewhere. Second when we are in the begining phases of operations the crew stretching the second hand line has no way of assesing the structual integrity of the first floor. Thus adding the additional weight of hose and firefighters quite dangerous. This point is proven by the massive amount of firefighters we find falling through floors (several this year already).
Search and rescue tactics for victims should be "bullseyed" in these fires by concentrating on the common areas such as bred rooms, doos, hallways, and windows.
If an exterior entrance is not avaliable then I recommend flowing water from a defensive position through a basment window and trying to gain some knock down prior to stretching via the interior stair. While this is going on a search and rescue team can still be concentraiting on common areas while a structual assesment is being performed.
If no one is reported trapped then the defensive posture is the way to go PERIOD imho.
Good discussion thanks for posting.
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Permalink Reply by Michael C. Harrison on
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1st engine inch and a half to the top of the basement stairs secure door and protect truck crew from getting cut off.
2nd engine inch and a half thru the rear basement door and put the fire out.
It there is no rear (or exterior) basement entrance 1st engine inch and a half down the interior basement steps and put the fire out.
Simple, direct and to the point.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Acosta on
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We tried a penetrating nozzle on a practice fire and it worked out well in the early stages of the fire. If not the advice from the others is great. Just don't forget about how hot it is on the stairwell.
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Permalink Reply by Cody W. Nelson on
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Ventilation plays a huge part. But, if you have to attack a basement fire decend the stairs quickly. You don't want to be standing in the "chimney" to long.
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