Main Street Memo: Fire Cut Beams

Fire cut beams

By Joe Pronesti, Chris Tobin, and Alexis Shady

This month features a new training bulletin examining an aspect of building construction that may impact firefighter safety and firefighting operations. Download the bulletin as a PDF here.

This bulletin concerns “fire cut” beams or joists, which are commonly found in Type III buildings built before the mid-1930s.

JOSEPH PRONESTI is a 31-year veteran of the Elyria (OH) Fire Department, where he is a shift commander. He is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Executive Officer program and a lead instructor at the Cuyahoga (OH) County Community College Fire Academy. He is a contributor to fire service publications and sites, including Fire Engineering, FireEngineering.com, and FirefigherNation.com.

CHRISTOPHER TOBIN is a firefighter assigned to St. Louis (MO) Fire Department Rescue 2.

ALEXIS SHADY is a firefighter/paramedic with the Richmond Heights (MO) Fire Department.

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