BY STUART GRANT AND LES STEPHENS
Every day fire companies work with suspended ceilings above them. At first glance, the ceilings do not seem to be a problem, but all too often firefighters get caught in their traps, and we end up mourning another lost brother or sister. Suspended ceilings are installed in almost every commercial and office building. They are used to lower the ceilings in older buildings that have had air-conditioning added so that the occupant can save money on utility bills. They are installed in new construction to finish out the occupancy space, to hide building defects, and to remodel older construction to make it more modern. These ceilings pose a serious risk in themselves and also in the obstacles hidden above them (photo 1).
 Photos by Stuart Grant. |
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Suspended ceilings are composed of a grid system, the wires that suspend the grid, and a panel that lies in the grid. The grid itself is constructed of galvanized steel, a single sheet of metal formed into a double web design or a “T” shape during processing. This gives the grid a double-wall configuration with a small air space in its interior. This type of design gives the grid strength and durability. The grid is also available in extruded aluminum with a screw system as the method of attachment.
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Armstrong Ceilings, and CGC Inc. (Canada’s leading supplier of ceiling materials), steel grids outsell aluminum grids 2:1. The question for the firefighter is, what is up there? You probably will not know but will have to plan on it being steel.
THE GRID
The grid’s main channel comes in 12-foot lengths; four-foot and two-foot sections span the main channels. Various other lengths customize the grid system for corners, odd shapes, and columns. The grids have an interlock system on the ends that allow them to push together and lock in place once they are inserted into each other. Once they are locked, they cannot be pulled apart without a small tool to depress the latching mechanism. In a rescue situation, this is next to impossible to accomplish. This feature gives the completed system rigidity by interlocking each component to form the completed assembly. Therefore, you have to cut the grid system to remove it.
The metal is usually .015 inch to .020 inch thick and measures 15/16 inch across the “T”; the leg measures 11/2 inches. The wires that suspend the system are zinc-coated steel and are not less than 12 gauge in diameter. They are longer than needed so that they can be twisted back on themselves at least three times to secure them, resulting in a corkscrew format. In a rescue situation, if the wire is removed from itself, it is very hard to feed back through the holes in the grid to remove it. Therefore, the wires must also be cut. The panels that complete the system are made from a wool cellulose material that contains clay, silica, and perlite. The panels will break easily if the system collapses. This adds to the confusion by releasing dust particles that are irritants if they are inhaled, contact the skin, or enter the eye. The particles and partial panels may also hide victims underneath them (photo 2).
HIDDEN HAZARDS
What do these ceilings hide? What dangers do these ceilings pose for firefighters? Out of our sight and above the suspended ceiling is a vast amount of wires, cables, conduits, ducts, and various pipes, including alarm system wires, electrical wires, wires or strapping material to hold up ductwork, and various types of cables (television, computer, phone, security, and fiber optic, for example). Often, in a commercial application many of the wires and cables are run through conduits, which add another component that has to be dealt with if the grid assembly fails (photo 3).
The ductwork for the HVAC system runs in the space between the grid assembly and the roof. The duct system may consist of a distribution box from which the ducts are distributed, rigid and/or flex duct, air registers, and air-return registers. All of these components are out of sight, out of mind until the firefighter becomes entangled in them. It is interesting to note that flex duct has an extremely large quantity of spring steel wire in it. For example, a two-foot section of six-inch flex duct has approximately 40 feet of wire inside; a two-foot section of 14-inch flex duct has approximately 80 feet of wire inside.
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Residential applications may have ducts ranging from four to 10 inches in diameter; commercial applications can range from 12 to 25 inches in diameter. Along with the duct system, the heater and air conditioner may also be in this space; they usually are hung from pipes or angle iron with two to four pieces of all-thread. The hot water heater may also be in this space, as might pipes for the domestic water system and sprinkler system and natural gas distribution piping. As we can see, many hazards and obstacles lie in wait above firefighters’ heads (photos 4, 5).
SIMULATED SCENARIO
The hazards posed by suspended ceilings and what may be enclosed in the void space above them are evident from the following scenario.
“Engine 88 is on-scene with a one-story strip center with light smoke showing from one occupancy in the rear of the building. Give me a full response. Engine 88 will be in command and investigating.”
As the captain and firefighter enter the building, they notice that no smoke is visible inside the store. They proceed to the rear of the store and still find no evidence of fire. As the dispatcher finishes dispatching the rest of the assignment, the captain orders the firefighter to “get a look in the attic.” The firefighter pulls down a panel of the suspended ceiling and finds a faint orange glow in the space above.
“Engine 88 to Dispatch, we have a working fire in the attic. Notify incoming units. Engine 88 will be pulling a preconnect and making an interior attack.”
As the two exit the building to stretch a handline, the driver points out to the captain that the smoke from the roof is getting worse. The two reenter the building and again make their way to the rear of the structure. As they near the area where they had discovered the fire, the captain opens up more of the ceiling as the firefighter directs the stream into the attic above. Almost instantly, the entire ceiling assembly crashes down on them. As the two men fight to free themselves, they quickly realize they are entangled in a web of wires, cables, and ceiling grid. The harder they fight, the worse the situation becomes.
“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Engine 88 to incoming units, the ceiling has collapsed, and we are trapped in the rear of the building.”
TOOLS
If this should happen in your department, how would you remove yourself or your fellow firefighters from the entanglements of a grid system and the dangers that lurk above it? The first thing to consider is the type of tools needed to remove this material from around our people.
In tests conducted with various types of wire cutters at the Garland (TX) Fire Department, Dallas (TX) Fire-Rescue, and Plano (TX) Fire Department and during training at Collin County Community College, we found that a pair of side-cutting pliers featuring a hot-riveted joint, induction hardened cutting blades, and precision hardened metal approximately 9 to 10 inches long performed best. These wire cutters are used to cut the zinc-coated wires that hold the grid system in place and the other wires and cables that may have fallen around the firefighters. It is important to have this type of heavy-duty wire cutter because of the amount and thickness of the material that may have to be cut.
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During the testing—done in a clear setting so that firefighters, who were donning their gloves, could see—many smaller and nonhardened cutters became dull or pitted after only a few cuts. These cutters could cut only a few wires at a time; the heavier-duty wire cutters were able to cut up to six wires per cut. Some wire cutters and multi-pliers actually broke at the connection point. Tests were also performed using “tinner’s snips.” While new, they cut several pieces of wire; after a few turns, however, the wires became bound in the blades of the snips (photo 6).
We found that no one tool would work on all of the material. The heavy-duty wire cutters would not cut the ceiling grid but would only crimp and mash the grid material (photo 7). Therefore, another tool must be used to cut and remove the grid assembly. The tool that worked the best was a pair of compound action snips that had nonslip serrated jaws or “tin snips.” These snips cut through the grid material with relative ease. What was noted was that firefighters tried to cut the material using three different cuts. Even thought they could see, none of the cuts lined up, and a twisting motion was used to actually separate the grid. This would be impossible in a hot, smoky, dark environment.
We found the following method to work best in a dark environment: Near-perfect cuts were made each time if we first cut the leg of the “T” its full length. Next, we bent the top of the “T” slightly and ran the jaws of the snips along the bend. Make your cut along the bend; the grid will be cut in half with only two cuts (photo 8). Of course, this needs to be practiced during company training so that the procedure becomes second nature.
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These two types of tools, which can be carried by every firefighter, proved to perform the best when cutting and removing all of the components of a ceiling grid assembly and the associated hazards above them (photo 9).
As the RIT/FAST teams are established at incidents, they must size up the type of building and its construction features. On recognizing that a building may have a ceiling grid system, it may be beneficial for them to equip themselves with a battery-operated reciprocal saw with a metal cutting blade along with the above-mentioned tools.
PREPLANNING
As we go to work in the buildings in our communities, we have to evaluate the building construction and the building components inside them. The next time you go on a response, on inspections, or even to buy the evening meal, look above you and make a mental note of what is up there. Remember that the ceiling grid system hides many other hazards above it and that losing the integrity of the ceiling can pose entanglement hazards for firefighters. Your survivability and that of your crew may depend on your knowing how to extricate yourselves from these hazards. Having the right tools available also impacts the survivability rate.
The best scenario is not to get in a bad situation in the first place. We have to get into good habits when entering the structure. Tactics you might want to consider are to lift up a panel and push it to the side to check for fire extension or any type of smoke condition. This will also let you know if there is more than one ceiling and the height above that ceiling. Remember that a suspended ceiling can collapse in an entire section and that merchandise racks and furniture may not keep it off you. In one documented case, a firefighter inside a burning commercial building was entrapped in the HVAC ductwork wires. Firefighters were using their multi-pliers to cut the wires, and the multi-pliers broke at the connection point. Unfortunately, they did not make it out.
We must learn from those who have gone before us so that their deaths will not have been in vain. Beware of the suspended ceiling grid and the associated hazards above it. As we go to work inside structures, we should ask, “What is lurking above us?”
STUART GRANT, a 25-plus-year veteran of the fire service, is a battalion chief with Dallas (TX) Fire-Rescue. He is a master firefighter and fire instructor with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. He teaches at Collin County Community College in McKinney, Texas, and the Texas A&M University Municipal Fire School and has been an instructor and speaker at FDIC. He is completing his bachelor’s degree in fire administration.
LES STEPHENS, a 12-year veteran of the fire service, is a captain with the Garland (TX) Fire Department. He is a master firefighter and fire instructor with the Texas Commission of Fire Protection. He teaches at Collin County Community College and at Texas A&M University Municipal Fire School. He has an associate’s degree in fire protection.
