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More on Mobile Home Fires: Quick tips for firefighter safety
Earlier this week, I posted some comments from FireRescue magazine's Fire Attack columnist, Greg Jakubowski, on mobile home fires, since they're certainly on our minds following the double-LODD in West Virginia.
I wanted to add a bit more from Greg's fellow Fire Attack columnists, Mike Kirby and Tom Lakamp. They provided the following safety tips:
• Mobile home fires present challenges that are different than standard wood-frame constructed residences. The first difference is the use of weaker construction materials (shells and walls), with paper-thin ceiling and floor coverings and lightweight structural members. The interior finishes are often made of highly flammable materials, usually paneling as opposed to drywall or plaster.
• The small spaces, use of lightweight flammable materials for interior finishes, small room sizes, and larger fire loads compared to available square footage all lead to an increased potential for flashover or rapid fire progression.
• There are also different access problems with relatively small window openings, narrow hallways, and no fire stops. Often entrances are limited or located remote from sleeping areas. This makes line placement and search activities a challenge to responding firefighters.
• Mobile homes generally burn faster than permanent structures. The first firefighters and company officers must make a risk/benefit analysis upon arrival, determining if the fire progression or likely fire progression, coupled with the chance of survival of any occupants, dictates interior or exterior operations. Always be alert for signs of impending flashover and weakened structural elements.
Any LODD is tragic, but they can also be learning moments that drive firefighters to train harder and smarter and enhance their knowledge of building construction and appropriate fire attack tactics. I thank Mike and Tom for sharing their thoughts on the subject.
Mike Kirby is a captain with the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD), assigned to Engine Company 3. He is a 17-year veteran of the fire service with experience in paid and volunteer fire departments.
Tom Lakamp is a 20-year veteran of the CFD. Currently serving as a district chief in Fire District 4, he’s an adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati Fire Science Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in fire science. Lakamp is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.
Shannon Pieper is managing editor for FireRescue magazine.
I wanted to add a bit more from Greg's fellow Fire Attack columnists, Mike Kirby and Tom Lakamp. They provided the following safety tips:
• Mobile home fires present challenges that are different than standard wood-frame constructed residences. The first difference is the use of weaker construction materials (shells and walls), with paper-thin ceiling and floor coverings and lightweight structural members. The interior finishes are often made of highly flammable materials, usually paneling as opposed to drywall or plaster.
• The small spaces, use of lightweight flammable materials for interior finishes, small room sizes, and larger fire loads compared to available square footage all lead to an increased potential for flashover or rapid fire progression.
• There are also different access problems with relatively small window openings, narrow hallways, and no fire stops. Often entrances are limited or located remote from sleeping areas. This makes line placement and search activities a challenge to responding firefighters.
• Mobile homes generally burn faster than permanent structures. The first firefighters and company officers must make a risk/benefit analysis upon arrival, determining if the fire progression or likely fire progression, coupled with the chance of survival of any occupants, dictates interior or exterior operations. Always be alert for signs of impending flashover and weakened structural elements.
Any LODD is tragic, but they can also be learning moments that drive firefighters to train harder and smarter and enhance their knowledge of building construction and appropriate fire attack tactics. I thank Mike and Tom for sharing their thoughts on the subject.
Mike Kirby is a captain with the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD), assigned to Engine Company 3. He is a 17-year veteran of the fire service with experience in paid and volunteer fire departments.
Tom Lakamp is a 20-year veteran of the CFD. Currently serving as a district chief in Fire District 4, he’s an adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati Fire Science Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in fire science. Lakamp is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.
Shannon Pieper is managing editor for FireRescue magazine.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Derrick Daniel on March 6, 2009 at 9:17pm
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Does anyone use piercing nozzles on mobile homes? AKA stabbing the fire to death. Its a technique that I was told about. Not sure how safe I think it is but Ive been told its very effective. By piercing I mean a sharp ended rod type nozzle that is forced through the walls and water is dispursed in a spread pattern. Im sure there are specifics to when this can be used.
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Comment by Luke Summers on February 28, 2009 at 5:15am
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Very good comments and tips. The last 3 mobile home fires i have responded to we were able to keep the fire contained to 2 rooms or less. I have seen many that do go up in a matter of a few minutes. I dont know if its common in other parts but around here there are many places that started out as mobile homes and have now been converted into bigger residences by cutting holes in walls to add on a bigger living room or bed room. I have also seen an older mobile home that has a second floor built onto it. We have had a couple incidents where the home has had two exterior walls, one being the original metal and another being a wood veneer. I do agree you need to make a good initial size up, two of our recent ones had already vented themselves in the room of origin so i kept it pretty well contained within that room. But always watch out......STAY SAFE OUT THERE!!!!
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Comment by Paul Young on February 27, 2009 at 2:35pm
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Opening the windows with a saw is another idea I will keep. Another problem we have faced is the height of the windows in relation to grade level. To remedy this all apparatus now have a "Little Giant" ladder in addition to the normal complement of ladders. They are short enough to be of service. I do like the idea of using a saw to enlarge the opening for VES, taking care that no victims are right next to or under the window in question. Might make for an already bad day worse.
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Comment by Allen Howard on February 26, 2009 at 7:29pm
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One little addition- in our area (I'm sure it's not like this anywhere else) some mobile homes are powered by illicit means. Loads of fun when you become the ground after someone says the power's dead!!
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Comment by David Gray on February 26, 2009 at 6:16am
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Quote"Comment by Ed Laugesen 22 hours ago As with the last post I feel that a comment is desperately needed. While I agree with a lot of what has been stated, I will once again say that the persons adding comments really need to take a second look. Most of the conditions I am seeing are for manufactured homes built pre 1975 of which there are probably a lot still around. HUD which took over construction certification of all manufactured homes in the mid 70's required and still do reguire that there be a minimum of one escape window or sliding window of a size large enough for personal escape during an emergency. The building materials have evolved also and most us lumber for exterior walls that are of the same size or larger than conventional homes along with dry wall for most if not all interior walls. Ceilings have been constructed with sheet rock or regular thichness celletex for many many years. The last comment was on the spot, large hose streams and an agressive attack to save the contents not involved in the fire. I suffered a fire in a 114 year old home built by my Grandad and was shocked at the damage done by the Firefighters themselves in extinguishment. $2000 in fire damage along with $4000 in Firefighter damage with apparenty no concern for any personnel belongings in the home or for un-necessary damage to antique windows etc. "Quote
I agree with your statement that Firefighters need to be more efficient about attacks when it comes to protecting the homeowners property. This is why the NFPA has mandated Salvage and Overhaul training for all firefighters FF1 and up. I have been on numerous mobile home fires and recently we had two that were suspicious in nature.. we actually got asked by the FireMarshal wether some of the damage was fire related or did our operations cause it. Always remember guys, some one is watching, it may be the public or it may be some one a little higher rank than you.
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Comment by CHIEF NORMAN on February 25, 2009 at 12:12pm
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WELL THESE ARE ALL GOOD COMMENTS POSTED, OUR DEPT JUST HOSTED A HANDS ON FIREFIGHTER TRAINING EVENT WITH FIVE DIFFERENT DEPTS INVOLVED, ON A DOUBLE WIDE HOUSE TRAILER...EVERYTHING WAS INCLUDED FROM SMOKE MACHINES TO RESCUE RANDY'S....I CAN SAY THIS, THE WAY SMOKE REPALES THREW A HOUSE TRAILER, YOUR INITIAL SIZE UP IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN YOU ARRIVE ON SCENE, AND YOUR INCIDENT COMMAND SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION TO MAKE AN INTERNAL ATTACK OR NOT, BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE DEATH TRAPS, EVEN WITH AN AXE AND MAKING AN EXIT THRU A WALL....I WOULD RATE A HOUSE TRAILER IN THE TOP FIVE (5) WORST STRUCTURES TO BE IN TO DO AN INTERNAL ATTACK...BUT AS WE ALL KNOW HERE EVERY SINGLE FIRE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE NEXT...SO HATS OFF TO YA BROTHERS AND BE SAFE OUT THERE....
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Comment by Ed Laugesen on February 25, 2009 at 8:02am
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All firefighters should think "How would I feel if this were my home on fire" then taylor their actions to fight the fire and truly minimize the damage, not just go in and rip it all out cause they are tough guys. Think about the trauma that has already occured and the total loss of personnel belongings (Things that can never be replaced)
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As with the last post I feel that a comment is desperately needed. While I agree with a lot of what has been stated, I will once again say that the persons adding comments really need to take a second look. Most of the conditions I am seeing are for manufactured homes built pre 1975 of which there are probably a lot still around. HUD which took over construction certification of all manufactured homes in the mid 70's required and still do reguire that there be a minimum of one escape window or sliding window of a size large enough for personal escape during an emergency. The building materials have evolved also and most us lumber for exterior walls that are of the same size or larger than conventional homes along with dry wall for most if not all interior walls. Ceilings have been constructed with sheet rock or regular thichness celletex for many many years. The last comment was on the spot, large hose streams and an agressive attack to save the contents not involved in the fire. I suffered a fire in a 114 year old home built by my Grandad and was shocked at the damage done by the Firefighters themselves in extinguishment. $2000 in fire damage along with $4000 in Firefighter damage with apparenty no concern for any personnel belongings in the home or for un-necessary damage to antique windows etc.
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Comment by Mark Klaene on February 25, 2009 at 12:29am
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all true statements, no questions mobiles are fire traps , but don't drop offensive attack just based on this alone. Our last mobile fire we cut it off with an aggressive interior attack midway down the trailer. Yes the trailer was a total lost but the renter salvaged a ton of personal items form the bedrooms in the back. In this case with no rental insurance this was a good save . Admittedly the trailer was less than a mile from the station so response time was quick even for a volunteer department, but it does show there is still value to be gained by aggressive thinking and smart firefighting. Cut it off from inside with high flows , move out for mop up. Likely the structure is gone with any mobile fire but you might still save some valuables, and many that live in mobiles may not have a lot of valuables or insurance.
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