On February 18, 2020, the Porterville (CA) Fire Department was faced with fire in a library and the reports of an elderly female trapped inside. During the initial minutes of fire department operations, while searching for the reported victim, two members of the first arriving engine company became disoriented and tragically lost their lives. Captain Ramon Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Lee Jones were first on the scene and rushed into the library to find the trapped.
Read more about this fire in these reports:
This month’s focus is on surviving the commercial building fire. These fires are not as common a response as residential fires. In fact, fires in commercial buildings account for just 7% of the fire problem. In 2017, the U.S. fire service fought 371,000 fires in residential buildings compared to 111,000 in commercial buildings. That equates to roughly one commercial fire for every three residential. We don’t go to a lot of them.
We do routinely go to residential fires, and the tactics used work very well. Firefighters can easily flow and move the 1¾-inch attack line, extinguish house fires using tank water, and search ahead of the hoseline in these compartmented structures. In 2015, the average U.S. house size was 2,450 square feet, easily handled by a 200-foot attack line. But these tactics are not intended for the larger commercial building. A commercial building fire is a different kind of fire that requires different tactics.
A different kind of fire…
When faced with a commercial building fire, consider this:
- SLOW DOWN. These fires typically involve property protection, NOT life safety.
- Focus on size-up and access. Try to locate the best place for line placement.
- Stretch the BIG line. Use higher flows for reach and gpm.
- Stay on the hose. Use a rope if you are searching.
- Control ventilation. The additional air can create conditions that outmatch the flow of the hoselines.
Skill/drill
This month, get out and test how long it will take to get the monitor/blitz fire/wagon pipe flowing. Position a target then respond and stop about 75 yards away from the spot. Dismount, set up your appliance, and get the water flowing to hit the target. Let’s get good at these infrequently used tactics.
Tony Carroll is deputy chief of operations with the Louisa County (VA) Fire & EMS Department.
