Five Minutes in the Street: You're On-Scene-Now What?

You’ve arrived on-scene at a Commercial Occupancy, Type V, wood frame construction located in the middle of the block.

You observe smoke showing from the front door, the occupants were flagging you in as you arrived. You have an active and progressing fire visible through the front window on the Alpha side.

• You arrive with an Engine Company, Truck Company and the Battalion Chief. You can assume the role of any of the Company Officers, including the BC if you’re so inclined to do so…

 Given the series of images, discuss your projected Incident Actions Plan (IAP)
 What are the Risks with this incident?
 Give us your Risk Profile?
 What are either Strategies OR Tactics that will be deployed?
 The Safety Profile and indicators?
 The building is expected to react and perform in what manner?
 Assignments for the companies, teams?
 Resources…?
 Timing?
 Hazards?
 You’re in the street…so tell us what’s on YOUR mind?

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 30, 2009 at 8:37pm

Excellent open-source intelligence work. Have you ever applied to the CIA or NSA as an intelligence analyst? If not, I think you have a second career whenever you wish to start it.

Nice job!

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 30, 2009 at 8:40pm

Jeff, I agree on the vertical vent...if there's evidence of vertical fire spread, then cockloft mushrooming and lateral spread as you noted. With one engine and one truck on scene, the best way to cut down on firespread is to extinguish the fire before it gets any bigger. If there's vertical extension, the truck crew will find it if the VES the Division 2 front room(s).

I'm all about the 2.5 inch handline - we don't need 1.75 inch maneuverability on this one, we need water power, and we need it quickly.

Good post.

Ben

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Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on March 30, 2009 at 8:47pm

Now this is what effective tactical decision-making is all about....

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 30, 2009 at 9:40pm

I'll take your word for it, but I don't recall seeing any downtown jewelers in Type V, just because it's way too easy for burglars to get into them after hours.

Any chance that the "fill-in" was due to a collapse of a previous occupancy from an earthquake?

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 30, 2009 at 9:44pm

Another look at the birds-eye shot shows that the partial Division 2 addition seems to have been added at an existing roof level. I'm basing this on the strip of roof edge visible behind the addition...but admittedly, without a pre-fire walk-through, it's just an educated guess.

The lack of a Side A stair is further indication that we have open interior stairs toward the Delta side of this occupancy. With the fire in the D-A corner, vertical extension it's either a quick knock or "we're going to be here all afternoon".

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Permalink Reply by rfdjumper on March 31, 2009 at 12:01pm

I'm having too much fun being a fireman to waste it working for the federal government. :oP......

Five Minutes in the Street: You're On-Scene-Now What?

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