Francis L. Brannigan

This new window has been cut into an existing wall. No steel lintel was installed. The window frame is now a structural element supporting the brick wall.

My brain probably resembles a hard drive that is heavily loaded and has not been defragged. A number of people have said they'd like to pick my brain about the World Trade Center (WTC) and high-rise buildings in general. Here are the pickings.

For further reference, consult Building Construction for the Fire Service, Third Edition (BCFS3). Page numbers, where applicable, are included after the caption

A Tech Hotel is a fortified windowless building containing switches, servers, routers, and computers for telecommunications and Web-hosting tenants. They are high-security structures.

Never again! In the wake of the World Trade Center, we are left with many thoughts-thoughts of friends lost, thoughts of devastated families, thoughts of the tremendous impact on so many lives for so many years to come

"Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes, and seeing them gratified. He that labors in any great or laudable undertaking has his fatigues first supported by hope and afterwards rewarded by joy."-Samuel Johnson

HELP! The World Trade Center disaster was the largest structural collapse in recorded history. Such a catastrophe warrants a fire investigation of the same magnitude so that the lessons learned can prevent future high-rise building disasters. E-mail your Call to Action NOW!

Firefighters might use this cantilevered supermarket canopy for access to a fire on the roof.

Fairfax County, Virginia, had a fire that started on a rear deck of a townhouse and communicated to exposures on both sides.

BY FRANCIS L . BRANNIGAN, SFPE (FELLOW) Editor's note: For further reference, consult Building Construction for the Fire Service, Third Edition (BCFS3). Page numbers, where…