Roof Work Essential To Effective Attack
features
—Official Louisville Fire Department photos
Many fireground situations deteriorate because prompt roof operations are not carried out. Roof operations include three distinct sets of evolutions:
- Raising and climbing ladders,
- Hoisting tools to the roof, and
- Cutting operations.
These activities require fire fighters who are physically fit and specially trained. Members must have the upper body strength for raising ground ladders. Minimum manning is all the more reason for superior physical conditioning.
Ventilation
The objective of roof operations is to get smoke and heat out of a burning building. Two kinds of ventilation may be carried out in the early stages of the incident.
The first type of venting is to relieve mushrooming conditions. This is a direct life-safety activity for any occupants of the building, including fire fighters. This activity can be carried out by one person. The idea is to use any built-in features of the roof, such as skylights, scuttles or roof stairway doors, that provide a quick means of relieving mushrooming conditions in the building. At some incidents this is all the vertical ventilation that is required.
The second, more-involved, type of roof venting is to relieve the building of tremendous quantities of heat and smoke and to expose the fire. This allows attack lines to penetrate farther into the building and extinguish the fire. In long buildings it may be necessary to “open up” on the roof several times as the engine company keeps moving in.
This second type of roof operation is the one that on occasion doesn’t get done. Both fire officers and fire fighters must understand the critical differences in the nature of these two important fireground tasks. At some incidents it will be obvious that the second type of venting is needed immediately. This is a major roof operation.
Using ground ladders
The easiest way to get to the roof is by aerial ladder. However, many communities across the country cannot afford truck company apparatus, so we will look at ground ladder activities in support of a major roof operation.
The Three Questions
- Is it OK to work on this roof?
- What is my second way off this roof?
- Where am I going to ventilate?
A ground ladder for use in roof operation should have sufficient length to extend the fly section well past the roof line. There are two reasons for this requirement. When fire fighters attempt to cross over the parapet they will have a secure hand hold. It also makes finding the ladder easier in a smoky environment. Be careful of all parapets, for they may be just resting there in place, with the mortar washed away by a hundred storms. Check your ladder for the proper angle before climbing. If the situation permits, use an adjoining building to reach the roof.
If the company officer has received an order to open the roof, he must consider three factors. Some fire officers refer to them as the “Three Questions.”
- Is it OK to work on this roof?
- What is my second way off this roof?
- Where am I going to ventilate?
Is it safe?
When considering whether to work on a roof, the company officer must consider when he received the order to ventilate. How long did it take to get a ladder or other means to the roof? Has the fire dramatically changed intensity? Does the building or the pre-fire plan note anything about roof construction, or more specifically the presence of truss construction? The fire officer may find everything OK, reach the roof, take three spongy steps and go back down. “Professionals don’t take chances, they minimize risks.”
The company officer must think ahead to what the conditions might be after the roof is vented. They will always worsen, many times to the point that the original access to the roof cannot be found. Therefore, everybody on the roof must clearly know what is the second way off the roof. In some incidents a fire fighter can simply go to the next building, but all roofs are not the same height. The only sure way of maintaining a second exit off the roof is to carry a roof rope and life belt.
The company officer must be ready to size up the roof area for the best venting location. However, other exposed buildings, fire conditions and building factors may affect his decision. While the “hot spot” is still the place to vent, it might be a little difficult to cut under a retrofitted air-conditioning unit resting on I beams attached to the bearing walls. If flames are starting to come through the roof, backing off a few feet and cutting where there is good lumber to stand on is advised. Again, any natural openings should be used, especially skylights, as long as they have the size to do the job.
Tools to the roof
If the company officer decides to proceed with the operations, he must consider how necessary tools will arrive at the roof, other than up an aerial ladder. Some simple hand tools can be carried over ground ladders. However, the speed of an operation will be slower as the height of the climb with tools increases. Time of day, weather conditions and physical fitness also affect getting tools up.
A better way is to use a roof rope and hose roller. They should be the first tools up to the roof. Then, while other fire fighters are climbing, one can tie axes, long pike poles, the circular saw and life belts for hoisting.
But it won’t happen without training. The ground man must be well-trained to tie tools in the middle of a line. He must make sure the saw will start before it leaves the ground and he must be able to identify that the proper blade is attached. Starting the saw on the ground is no guaranty it will start on the roof, but at least it is some indication. The roof team members must be able to secure the hose roller to the edge of the building where otherwise the line would bind. Of course, the top end of the rope must be secured. The ability to improvise on the roof is critical.
The company officer is now ready to begin “opening up” the roof. This artide will deal only with flat roofs. Peaked roof operations are specialized and should be studied independently.
Roof Operation Tools
- Root rope and hose roller
- Lifebelt
- Cutting tools (axes, circular saws)
- Long pike poles or hooks
- Breathing apparatus
The construction of the roof system and the exterior covering material will play a significant part in relation to the speed of the operation. The gasolinepowered circular saw—where available—is the biggest factor in overcoming these construction features.
Roofs are designed to keep out water, whether in liquid form or as heavier accumulations of snow and ice. Therefore, most roofs are built substantially, although in new construction some lighter materials are being used. Preplanning should help pick up these locations, as well as those with metal deck and gypsum roofs. The roof operations described here would occur on either commercial or multiresidential types of buildings.
Wood planking easiest
A roof made with wood planking is the easiest for overall opening. A plywood base requires more cutting using either axes or saws. This extra cutting adds unwanted time to an operation.
Typical roof coverings include tin, shingle, tar and gravel, and coated tarpaper. The depth of these water barriers varies, but they can be substantial. Tin can be cut right through. Tar and gravel can’t be cleaned so it must be cut through. Shingles at times may be cleaned, but numerous layers can be expected. Coated tarpaper must be cut through.
(Both the ax and the saw are important tools and should receive equal attention in training. While the saw is an important labor-saving device, skill with an ax is still a necessity. Remember the ax will always start.)
In this cutting operation, only three sides of the hole will be cut. The cut will be made through whatever the covering material is, if at all possible.
Beginning the cut
The size of the cut should be at least 6 feet long, in line with the rafters and with one rafter visible. This means the sides of the cut run parallel to the inside edge of the next rafter. This technique gives a solid footing and helps to eliminate “bounce” with ax cutting operations. When the third side of the hole is cut, two small triangles are cut in each corner of the top of the hole. These triangles are really just a straight cut across the right angle that makes up each corner. If accomplished properly the wood triangle should fall into the cockloft. These small holes give a “bite” into the roofing system to begin opening the hole.
The triangle may not drop down if the roof has wood rafters on 16-inch centers, as do some older roofs. However, a rap by an ax or Halligan tool should free it from a single rafter. The cut is pulled toward the uncut end. This can be accomplished with pike poles, axes or Halligan tools. Once a rhythm is established, the cut can be cleaned quickly. The hole should be cut and pulled toward the windward side. The objective is one large hole that will do the job instead of several small, ineffective ones. The advantages to this method are its quickness and the way it works regardless of roof covering.
Many fire fighters get bogged down in trying to remove the covering material, but it should be cut right through if necessary. This technique can work a couple of ways. Sometimes when the hole is cut the covering material will become loose and can be picked up and thrown to the side, or it can be folded to the uncut end. Pulling toward the uncut side can pile up both the covering material and the wood at the end. This is an average size hole. A large building with heavy fire conditions could require a 10X10-foot hole for adequate venting.
Open to interior
Once the hole is opened, pike poles are used to push in the ceiling area below. It is critical to open up to the interior of the building. If the interior is not opened, the only area vented is the cockloft. This doesn’t help the engine company trying to move in below and attack the fire or the trapped victims being punished by high heat and toxic gases.
Roof operations are hard physical work, but they play a critical role in making an interior fire attack effective. While some buildings must be written off in any event, many are lost due to heavy smoke and heat conditions that could have been relieved by proper ventilation.
This article has outlined the high points of conducting effective roof operations. For more information, state fire training programs may be a local source of assistance—or contact the writer. The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Louisville Division of Fire with this material.
The material in this article is the opinion of the writer and does not represent official policy of any government organization.
