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Ten Minutes in the Street: Trick or Treat
An assignment was made for an Engine and Truck company to investigate a report of smoke in the area. The first-due engine company arrived at what appears to be a vacant house consisting of a large 2-1/2 story wood frame structure. Upon arrival, there was light smoke evident from the upper eaves on the Charlie side, but nothing pronounced. The officer did not provide a complete radio transmission of arrival conditions, instead choosing to investigate further. A 360 was not conducted. The Engine Co., is a four person staffed engine, with a mix of experienced and newer personnel.
The Truck Company arrived and the Officer transmits for a full structure alarm response. The Engine Company pulled an 1.75 inch attack line and made the decision to go in dry with it, while investigating further. While they are in the structure, the conditions in the upper roof appear to deteriorating with darker smoke, increased intensity and volume.
You are (either) the second-due Engine Company or the first arriving Command Officer. What are you going to do? Command was just being implemented by the Truck Company Officer. The building has all the indication or being vacant or at best “unoccupied”. It appears somewhat run down and has missing windows from what you can see on the Alpha side.
• What are Strategic parameters for this incident?
• Is this an interior or exterior operation?
• What is the projected risk and safety profile of the incident right now? In 10 minute?
• What is the risk to the three person engine crew operating inside?
• Would you initiate a primary search assignment, based upon conditions observed once you have the balance of the alarm assignment on scene?
• How will the build perform under extending fire conditions?
• What do expect to happen shortly in terms of fire behavior and structural stability or fire extension?
• What are the concerns for operations at vacant or unoccupied structures?
• Do you have special policies and procedures for operations at vacant or unoccupied structures?
• Resource needs for this size structure?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on
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Chief;
You have got it RIGHT....
I loved that fact earlier that someone picked up on the flame scars on the columns...In real life it is often the less-obvious details and maintaining situational awareness that are the most mission critical aspects and play a large part in survival when things start going really bad, really fast....
Thanks Ben....
BTW..."some" of my secret is out....
Chris
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Permalink Reply by Michael Rocke on
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Thank you sir
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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OK, since no one else mentioned another Chris Naum detail, there are two ground ladders placed to the exterior of Division 2. The one to the right was apparently used for horizontal ventilation, then left in place. It should have either been removed or alternately placed for secondary egress.
Do you have any additional photos to show more detail?
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Your 10 minutes have now elapsed....what's your plan calling for now? Is the first-due engine crew out?...is your IAP ready to address the rapidly changing conditions?...
BTW...the first-due Truck Company did place the ladders...good eyes Chief...
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I know it's been said before, but is anyone else thinking "Ladder Pipes
R Us" if this is urban or suburban, and "Tanker Task Force" if it's rural?
We need to save the ground ladders, too. The aluminum will eventually melt.
The ground ladder on the right needs to be removed from the Division 2 exterior porch with the structural awning. Otherwise, the window air conditioner in the Div. 3 window immediately above will potentially fall on the firefighters who are assigned to remove the ladder.
Another, and more extreme option is "Urban Renewal With FIre". If this is a frequent site of nuisance fires, particularly if there's an absentee owner that we can't find, or that is bankrupt and can't remediate the property, maybe we just let it burn to remove the future hazard. I'd need more information before I'd commit to that choice.
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I'm thinking we should see some Safety-ish running back and forth to the engine, firefighters without full gear, and a propane torch to prevent those dreaded Hay BLEVES before we can draw that conclusion, Chief.
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Good point, Jay, and very likely, especially if this is either in a semi-decayed urban neighborhood or maybe a rural bed-and-breakfast conversion.
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Nice job, chief. Excellent focus on the highest priorities and the most likely incident progress.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Dukes on
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A couple other things that we may have already assumed, is this is probably going to be a somewhat drawn out incident. Be thinking about starting up rehab. I would also want to contact the utility company to have power cut off at the pole if there is still a service line run to the structure so that you don't end up with a live wire on the ground when the structure burns to that point. If as some have suggested, and you decide to let it burn so that it can't burn again, you will want to think about contacting public works to provide some sort of heavy equipment(backhoe) to deal with the mess and help spread the materials out after they burn for overhaul.
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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on
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Surround and drown baby!!! Surround and drown!!!!
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