ON FIRE | by MICHAEL N. CIAMPO
We all remember those big gifts we’ve received on holidays, but many of us have probably forgotten about those little ones—the little trinkets or “fillers” that helped us navigate through our daily lives.
- Training Minutes: Lath and Plaster Overhaul
- Training Minutes: The Punch Technique
- Training Minutes: Truck Tricks of the Trade
Trinket #1
Nothing is more difficult to pull open than a wall with plaster and lath with wire mesh embedded in it. If you’re lucky enough to have an ax close by, you can put the blade into the wall and strike it with another tool, cutting the mesh apart, or just chop away at it. That’s fine to do when you have a wall and can reach the area, but what happens when it’s in the ceiling?
Luckily, our cache of tools has increased over the years, with advances in technology. Many firefighters now have cordless tools on the rig, and we rely on them for many things. Calling for the battery-powered reciprocating saw when encountering these walls and ceilings will make it much easier on the firefighters opening up and checking for extension. Simply cut lines in the material a few feet apart, which will create smaller sections to pull open with hooks and hand tools.
If you cut these sections to allow the material to only be attached to two studs or joists, it will make it that much easier to pull it open. Always open up a few bays past the burnt charring to ensure there is no further fire extension. The last “gift” we need a few hours later is the dreaded rekindle.
Although many might think this is the toughest ceiling, we’ll often run into another tough feature: tongue and groove or shiplap ceilings in dwellings. These boards are difficult to penetrate; that’s why it’s important to have a sharp hook to split the boards and begin pulling near the ceiling joist. Many departments have a specialized hook to combat this problem; it allows two firefighters to pull down on the handles to open up the ceiling. You can also use the reciprocating saw to cut the shiplap into smaller sections for easier pulling.
Whenever you begin opening up ceilings and walls, make sure the electrical power is shut off at the circuit breaker box to reduce the chance of receiving an electrical shock while performing overhaul operations.
Trinket #2
Sidewalk hatches are common in many areas of the country. For many, forcing them open can be quite difficult because of the security features attached to the hatch doors. We’ve all seen the additional locks mounted on the outside of the doors, but we won’t be able to see the cables, chains, or pieces of wood that run through the handles on the underside of the doors. Sometimes, it may be easiest to cut the hinges of these hatches and remove both of the panels for access to the basement. There may be times you’ll be able to pry them open enough to insert the saw blade or a cutter in the space to cut the chain or cable.
Once they are open, be aware that you could fall into the area below. Often, there’s a staple ladder (pieces of “U”-shaped metal rods) on the front wall, which is difficult to climb down. If there are wood stairs, make sure they aren’t rotted from the rainwater that falls through the hatch’s seams.
When you climb down the stairs, turn around and face them. In this position, you won’t hit your head on the frame if you are going face first; plus, if they break, you won’t lunge forward and fall. If the fire conditions are severe, you’ll also be able to make a quick exit because you’re facing the right direction.
There may be some type of homemade slide or freight rollers there for sliding stock down to the storage area. They will hinder access into the basement, so try to fold them up, turn them on their side, or remove them for better access. Deploying a folding/suitcase/attic ladder down the opening is another option when encountering stairs or a staple ladder of questionable stability.
Trinket #3
Roof ladders aren’t just used for pitched roof operations, plain and simple! When there’s overcrowding on a fire escape, firefighters may be able to position a roof ladder on the opposite end from the drop ladder to relieve overcrowding. Ensure the ladder sits a few rungs above the fire escape height for an easier transition to and from the ladder. Be mindful that because of its length, the 20-foot roof ladder will be difficult to maneuver on a narrow and crowded sidewalk with an engine company stretching and civilians exiting the building. It may be easier to throw a 24-foot extension ladder (because it’s 14 feet in the closed position) in some situations.
Another situation you may encounter at fire escapes is when you can’t place the roof ladder at the end position. Signage, canopies, ornamental building features, and air-conditioning units won’t allow for this positioning, and now we must think outside the box. If we open the roof ladder’s hooks and secure them to the front railing on the fire escape, we now have another avenue of access and egress.
Prior to climbing the ladder, give it a few tugs to ensure the railings are stable and secure. Fire escapes are exposed to the weather 365 days a year and can have defects, so use caution on them. Resist placing numerous ladder rungs over the front railing; if civilians rapidly walked by it, they could hit the ladder, causing it to slide and fall off the escape. Especially in smoke conditions, with limited visibility, it could be struck and the tip could rapidly slide and fall to the ground. When a fire escape is missing a drop ladder, we could also open the hooks of a shorter roof ladder and place it there.
Sometimes it’s the little trinkets of information that assist us in our daily firefighting operations.
MICHAEL N. CIAMPO is a 36-year veteran of the fire service 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 International Truck Essentials H.O.T. program. He wrote the Ladders and Ventilation chapters for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and the Bread and Butter Portable Ladders DVD and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos.
