By Michael M. Dugan
Photo Brian Bastinelli

A fire in a vacant building has a very low probability of civilian injury or death, but it presents a high risk to firefighters. Therefore, truck members must understand the unique problems associated with fires in vacant buildings, be aware of their department’s related standard operational guidelines (SOGs) and conduct a risk/benefit analysis before commencing operations.

In this article, I’ll address two types of vacant buildings as well as truck company functions during operations in such dangerous structures.

2 Types of Vacant Buildings
There are two broad classes of vacant building. The first is an unoccupied building—a building that’s for rent or for sale but has no tenants at the time. These buildings are usually maintained by the current owner and are secured from intruders, making fire a rare occurrence.

When a fire does occur in an unoccupied building, it’s usually the result of arson due to a burglary or someone stripping the building. The other main cause of fire: someone trying to burn down the building for insurance monies. Either way, the fires are usually set intentionally and, therefore, members must be aware of the potential for multiple points of origin and secondary fires. Secondary fires may be planted to accelerate the fire, and they can trap firefighters who enter the building and advance past the device without noticing it.
Fires sometimes ignite because of the utilities, but even if the fire is unintentional, all members must understand that the risk posed by an unoccupied building is not worth the reward. Too many members of the fire service have been hurt at this type of building, and for what?

The second type of vacant building: one that has been abandoned by its owner and all efforts to maintain it have gone by the wayside. These are the more dangerous buildings for firefighters. The buildings are open to the weather, vagrants, squatters and people who want to strip the building of valuable materials. Thus, the likelihood of fire in these structures is greater than in the previously described unoccupied structures.

Like fires in unoccupied buildings, the fire spread in these buildings can be extremely rapid. There are simply no occupants to call 911 early in the fire. Further, if someone has illegally entered the building and they start a fire, they’ll likely leave without notifying the authorities because they don’t want to be caught. Thus, the first call we get is when fire is visible from the street, and the fire has a substantial headway. Additionally, because they’re open to the elements, these buildings often have numerous holes in the floors and ceiling, allowing for a rapid fire extension.

Truck Company Functions
The truck company has three main functions at a vacant building fire.
First, gain entry into the building for the engine company and its advancing hoseline, and also so you ensure that members operating inside the building have a secondary means of egress. The interior team might have to remove obstructions and clear a way into the building if the team is operating from the interior. They should be alert to the location of the fire and ensure that the fire did not start below them. The interior team should not operate past the fire or above the fire due to the possibility of rapid fire spread. The moving of obstructions might require a lot of effort and manpower to give the engine company a clear path for hoseline advancement. If the interior crew is having difficulty clearing a path for fire attack, the IC must be notified and crews must be removed to a safe are. A safe area in a vacant building will often be outside the building with an exterior attack initiated.

The secondary means of egress from a vacant building will most likely be a ladder provided by member of the exterior team. This ladder, either from an apparatus or portable, must be placed near the fire operations in case members on the interior need to make a quick exit. The window or opening used must be fully cleared, and the location of the emergency egress should be communicated to interior forces. Once a ladder is placed, its location must be communicated to the interior forces and that message must be acknowledged.
The second truck company function: Perform roof ventilation, if required, and only if safe. This operation will facilitate the extinguishment of the fire. Firefighters on the roof may be operating independently of the officer (depending on department standard operating procedures) and must be aware of the risks before they’re cleared to assume the roof position.

The member operating on the roof should sound the roof before they operate on it. Sound can be accomplished by using a 6' hook to check the stability of the roof surface. The hook is used to strike the roof in front and on either side about 4 feet from the firefighter, giving them an idea of the stability of the roof. If the hook goes through the roof or if stability becomes a question, the firefighter should drop down to their hands and knees. This will spread out the firefighter’s weight. The firefighter should back out the way they came on to the roof and inform command of the situation and lack of ventilation. If there isn’t an issue with roof stability, once any required ventilation is complete, the roof team should leave the roof and report to the command post.

Truck members might also be required to conduct horizontal ventilation of the fire building from the exterior. This allows the smoke, heat and products of combustion to be removed from the fire building and interior forces to advance more safely. When assigned the duties of exterior ventilation of a vacant building, one of the most important things a firefighter can do is look for indications of previous fires. This is critical to the current operation and safety of members, especially if they’re on the floor directly above or below the current fire. Previous fires may have already damaged the building, and the IC and interior forces can use that information to make judgments about the current fire attack. Note: During exterior operations, members should not enter the building due to the holes in the floor, especially near windows, and the possibility of fire being pushed toward them by the advancing engine company.

In Sum
Fire operations in vacant buildings are dangerous; therefore, communication and coordination are essential for the operations to proceed safely. Remember: No building is worth the health and safety of a single firefighter or officer.

Michael M. Dugan is a 33-year veteran of the fire service and a 23-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), currently serving as captain of Ladder Company 123 in Brooklyn. As a firefighter in Ladder Company 43, Dugan received the James Gordon Bennett medal in 1992 and the Harry M. Archer Medal in 1993, the FDNY’s highest award for bravery. He was an instructor at the inception of the FDNY’s Annual Education Day and has developed programs currently taught to all FDNY members during the annual event. Dugan is a member of the IAFC Safety, Health & Survival Section. He serves as a HOT instructor at Firehouse Expo and FDIC, and is a regular contributor to fire service magazines. He also lectures at various events around the country on topics dealing with truck company operations, building construction, scene size-up and today’s fire service. Contact Captain Dugan at duganfire@aol.com or visit his Web site, www.NYfiretraining.com.