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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 23, 2009 at 8:54pm

Tony and Chris,

Since no one else has taken a stab at this, here's my thinking...

Walk-out basements have contributed to several high-profile firefighter deaths in the U.S., including at least two multiple LODDS. Two factors are at work with the WOBs...the fire appears to be at ground level from the front, with fire on that level, so firefighters go interior to fight the fire without realizing that there is a basement level below them. The second factor is that a lot of these fires appear to be 1st story fires, when in fact what you see is vertical extension from a basement fire. So, you go in the apparent 1st-story front door, the floor gives way, and you fall into the basement fire.

RIT from these situations is complicated by the fact that the RIT may be looking for you at the level that's the "1st floor" from the front, when in fact, you're roasting one level below.

The long-span truss is a feature of a lot of new lightweight construction in the U.S. Typical lightweight trusses aren't designed to bridge the large open areas found in "great room" construction or open "one-room living spaces where the kitchen, dining room, breakfast nook, den, and entry hall are all one large open space. (My home has this design) The builder overcomes this by building long "sandwich" beams consisting of overlapping dimensional lumber - 2 x 6 inch boards are common. The ends of the boards are staggered so that the joints aren't all in the same place. This adds strength an solidity to the construction...but it may be a false sense of security, due to the adjacent lighweight trusses over the narrower parts of the open area. The beam may also serve as a horizontal anchor point with trusses that would normally run from Side B to Side D instead running half the distance from Side A to Side C while anchored to the "sandwich" beam in the center. In this case, the sandwich beam runs B to D.

I'd recommend the "further investigation below" instead of attacking through the front door. Even if the fire isn't in the basement, you will be attacking through the cooler, cleaner air in the basement and your interior crew won't take an unnecessary beating.

Ben

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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on March 23, 2009 at 9:30pm

If I see a pool nearby and I can get a truck to it, I'm using it. I will fill it back up as soon as the fire is out. But to try to get a quick water supply and fast knockdown, that pool is mine!!! LOL

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on March 24, 2009 at 12:25am

Thanks Ben

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Permalink Reply by Moose on March 25, 2009 at 12:44pm

Thanks Ben, but one question for you. Isnt that what size-up is for? When the officer arrives he/she should be doing a 360 degree walk around the building looking for these signs and more, if you do the proper size-up there is no way you could miss a fire in the basement, or any building construction info. Just an honest question for you, I respect you and your posts here on the Nation and am not disrespecting you in any way.

I just think that with proper size up you can spot basement windows or the walk out basement and direct your crews accordingly.

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on March 25, 2009 at 11:40pm

I follow this. But. A big but. Our size-up doesn't usually include the '360'. We tend to attack what we see initially then take the sizeup further. One reason is that our houses tend to be totally fenced - often side gates are locked as well. This would mean that a full 360 of the premise can be time consuming, too much so.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 25, 2009 at 11:54pm

In a structure this size, the 360 may not be done immediately, because the 1st engine approaches from Side A, sees the fire, assumes that the visible floor is the ground floor, and enters through the front for fire attack.

This may create a situation where the company not only misses the fact that they're over a basement fire, but they may not have a clue about how huge the house actually is. That can lead to disorientation and crew seperation - the recipe for a disasterous outcome.

Even if the 360 is done immediately, if there is not 100% communication between crews, you may have a crew in the basement from the rear stating that they are on Division 1 and a crew in the 2nd floor from the front also stating that they are on Division 1. That creates confusion, which can also contribute to disastrous outcomes.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 25, 2009 at 11:58pm

Tony,

I understand the problem you're talking about. One way around this is to have a 2nd or 3rd due unit go to the rear so that there are eyes on the rear of the fire.

My department normally has at least two additional chief officers on any working fire in a structure. On the large ones, the 2nd or 3rd chief goes to the rear so we have eyes on 360 degrees of the fire, even if fences, decorative plantings, or terrain prevent an actual walking 360.

What you don't know about the building can kill you.
Walk-out basements are one of those killers.

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