Trimming a Window

By MICHAEL N. CIAMPO

SEARCHING FIREFIGHTERS often vent windows at fire scenes with a hand tool to remove smoke, heat, and gas, usually working quickly and from inside the structure. Often, these firefighters do not completely remove the window glass because of heavy smoke and poor visibility. As firefighters, we are all taught to clear a window of broken glass shards prior to leaving the fire scene. Many of us refer to this tactic as “trimming the window,” and it is part of a truck company’s salvage duties. This prevents these glass shards from falling and injuring someone after the fire department leaves the scene. In addition, “cleaning out” the broken glass shards makes us look more professional.

However, how professional do we look when a firefighter uses a hand tool on a window and smacks broken glass outward, sending the shards flying like projectiles as the firefighters scatter below to avoid the debris? Unfortunately, unsuspecting firefighters below have sustained serious injuries resulting from our own members’ actions, which in some cases are preventable.

When trimming a window, first size up the situation and ensure that you are wearing proper hand protection and personal protective equipment at all times when operating around glass. Immediately look for loose hunks or shards of glass that you can remove with a gloved hand or with a tool so they don’t fall outward. Also, warn the firefighters operating below over the radio that you are trimming the windows.

Next, size up the window type, which may be single-pane glass, a storm window, a replacement window, a thermal pane window, or a casement window, to name a few. Look for release buttons or tabs on the top of the sash or cross member if present. Normally, they are on the lower window panel at each end of the sash and require a minimal amount of pressure to operate. Prior to using these devices, unlock and raise the window upward about a quarter of its height.

Next, either slide the tabs inward or push the release buttons downward (this releases the upper part of this frame), and tilt the window inward toward you. Be aware that loose shards may fall once you tilt the window; standing at an extended arm’s reach from the tilt will often provide a measure of safety.

You have two options next, depending on the window’s physical makeup. The first option is to lift up one side of the window while pushing the other side down, causing it to disconnect from the frame. The second option is to hold onto the tilted window and push it into the frame on one of its sides and engage the spring-loaded lock mechanisms while lifting or lowering the other side. This will normally release the window panel from the frame assembly. Remember, other installation types exist, and you should always perform an appropriate size-up of the window (photo 1).

(1) Release the window tabs, allowing the sash to release from the frame. (Photo 1 by author; photos 2-7 by Nicole Ciampo.)

Unfortunately, at many fire scenes the windows and frames may become distorted from the heat or bent from being struck by a hand tool and will not operate properly. Plus, the broken windows could be on an upper floor with firefighters still operating below. In these instances, resist the urge to just bang the glass outward, pull it inward, or knock the entire window panel out of the frame. Even when the window’s glass is broken and the window is still working, there is another option available to firefighters that necessitates using a little finesse instead of muscle and brawn.

When dealing with double, triple, or thermal pane windows, look for the rubberized seal, silicone seal, metal and rubber seal, or other materials used to seal the glass into the window panel’s track. Next, use the sharp end of a hand tool, such as the point or fork of a halligan tool or the end of a flat prying tool or screwdriver, to pry up the seal that binds the two pieces of glass. When performing this tactic, it is better to begin prying the seal up in the area from which some of the glass was removed; this quickly releases the seal from the frame (photo 2). Also, striking the track’s edge with a hand tool will bend it over, giving you an access point to remove the seal. Use caution if banging the track; this could release some other shards of glass from the frame.

(2) Use the halligan forks to pry up the seal. This works well if you start in an area that is missing glass.

Once you remove the seal’s initial purchase point, work around the frame, prying or pulling the seal out. Do this with the hand tool or a gloved hand. Remember to work in line with the track to reduce the friction against the track’s sides. You can also place the seal in between the forks of the halligan tool (photo 3). This allows you to rotate the tool in circular motions to remove it (photo 4). Once the entire bottom seal is released, you can pull it into the room. In some instances, this allows the two remaining sides and top seal with glass attached to release from the frame, causing it to fall into the room and not out the window (photos 5-7).

(3) Place the seal between the forks of the halligan.

(4) Rotate the tool to remove the seal from the frame.

(5) Releasing the bottom seal often causes the sides to release. Use hand protection when pulling the seal inward.

(6) Use a hand tool to pull the seal into the building.

(7) Pulling the entire seal and glass into the building can help prevent flying glass from injuring unsuspecting firefighters below.

Although this tactic may take a little more effort than just knocking out the glass, pulling the glass inward, or going around the frame with a tool scraping out the glass shards, it reduces the chances of striking an unsuspecting firefighter operating below. In addition, if the windows still operate, firefighters working inside the structure can place salvage plastic over the outside of the windows. You can stretch the plastic from the top to the bottom of the window. Next, pull the plastic inside the structure and have the plastic overlap the top and bottom window panels. Now you can close the window and use it to secure the salvage plastic in place. This eliminates the need for a staple gun or a hammer and nails to secure the salvage plastic inside the structure.

Editor’s note: For a video demonstration of trimming a window, go to emberly.fireengineering.com and view “Training Minutes—Season 3.”

MICHAEL N. CIAMPO is a 24-year fire service veteran and a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC Portable Ladder H.O.T. program. He wrote the Ladder chapter and coauthored the Ventilation chapter for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos on www.FireEngineering.com.