BY ERIC G. BACHMAN
Gathering preincident intelligence of target hazards is critical. The more we know about potential hazards, the safer our personnel will be and the more effective and efficient our operations will be. Most of us are aware of the value of being familiar with a facility’s internal layout—the locations of rooms, processes, utility shutoffs, and hazardous storage areas, for example—but often overlook or fail to realize that exterior hazards—situations and circumstances outside the facility—also can affect the outcome of emergency operations.
An exterior survey, which we will call “a windshield survey,” of a complex/facility is an important component of preincident intelligence. Not knowing about and being prepared for exterior hazards can hamper your mitigation efforts. These hazards may be overlooked if they are not considered in preplanning and training activities.
Gathering preincident intelligence is time-consuming. Before determining internal layouts and processes, conduct a windshield survey—basically observing and evaluating the natural and manmade circumstances outside a target hazard that may influence response activities. A windshield survey may identify key factors from access points to utility installations that could compromise your ability to respond.
Special circumstances or other concerns found during a windshield survey can then be addressed with fire department personnel during station training and with facility personnel during preparedness meetings/tours. Looking at a facility through a windshield by no means constitutes a sufficient preincident intelligence program. It is a starting point and should be used in conjunction with other preparedness efforts.
COMPONENTS OF A WINDSHIELD SURVEY
Following are a few of the aspects to be considered in a windshield survey. Additional factors should be included based on local conditions.
 (1) This door previously was used as a dedicated exit point. New facility owners have blocked it with storage racks. (Photos by author.) |
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Accessibility
What are the means for accessing the facility? Some facilities have a controlled access system. Security gates, for example, may present obstacles to access that must be recognized before an incident. When is the gate secured—after hours or all the time? How is the gate secured? If it is an automatic gate, your department must address this basic and essential response aspect with facility management.
Width and height limitations are other access considerations. Is there a bridge or other feature (train overpass, for example) that may hamper access to a complex or area? If so, how will you adapt your response? This could also affect your apparatus specifications, operating guidelines for specific sites, and the use of other response contingencies.
How many access points are there? It is important to know how they are arranged and where they lead. You must know ahead of time if your apparatus can use them. Is there access around the entire facility or only to certain areas? For facilities with limited access, you will have to know which apparatus you can use and the most efficient apparatus positioning. If the apparatus cannot access an area, operations will be hampered.
Review traditional ingress/egress access points. Changes in occupancy, storage practices, and renovations may prohibit the use of existing doorways. Doorways that no longer benefit the occupancy may be covered, filled in, or blocked by storage racks or other objects. If not identified prior to a response, a fire officer may not realize that the doorway is blocked, especially at night or in smoky conditions where visibility is poor. Attempting to use an unusable doorway will delay and hamper your efforts (photo 1). Note this information in your preincident reports. Not understanding facility access will influence the outcome of an incident and compromise the safety of your firefighters.
 (2) This is the only access to this food-vending facility. The main entrance faces a limited-access highway. Which is side 1? |
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 (5) The grade level at the front of this facility is different from the levels at the side/rear. Note the parking lot. |
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Arrangement/Elevation
This category includes considerations such as the following: How is the facility positioned? How many stories is it? Are there grading changes or unusual means of ingress/egress? If a complex, how are the buildings interconnected? Not knowing these details and not training to operate under such conditions can prove catastrophic in an emergency.
The arrangement of specific buildings may necessitate a department’s standardizing and predetermining reference points. Standard references for access, sides, and floors are necessary for efficiently managing operations. Some departments reference building sides by letters; others, by numbers. Regardless, the system must be standard and be understood by all responders. Identify side references before an incident; some building access points may be confusing or unconventional.
Does Side 1 of the building mean the same thing to everyone? A rule of thumb in my area is that side 1 is the side facing the street of the facility’s address. Ideally, this works; however, this system may not be appropriate for all facilities. As an example, photo 2 shows the rear of a food vending facility. This is the only access to the facility and what the fire department sees when it arrives. The main entrance faces a limited-access highway. So, what would you call side 1—the main entrance that faces the highway or the corner at the rear loading dock area? If the side number reference is not predetermined, this may cause confusion from the start and hamper fire/rescue activities. Do not forget to provide this basic but essential response information to assisting companies.
- Interconnected buildings. A hallway or some other medium may connect independent or special-purpose buildings. How would you manage these situations? Would you consider it one building or two buildings (photo 3)?
- Many accesses. Is the access reference uniform and understood by all firefighters and mutual-aid companies? “Main entrance” could be interpreted in various ways.1 If access points are not clearly identified and disseminated, the result will be fireground confusion and will negatively impact the incident outcome.
- Floor references. The fire officer’s reference to floor levels must be standard and mean the same thing to all on-scene. If units are directed to the opposite sides of a building, is the first floor reference consistent? Someone may interpret the first floor as the floor above the ground-level entrance. Another may consider the first floor the ground-level entrance. And the facility may have its own level definitions. When operating at a facility that has elevation and access issues, everyone must have the same understanding of what is meant, or it could prove disastrous.
Elevation maps can benefit your preparedness program. Some facilities may have a tiered elevation with the terrain (photo 4), a significant grading change from the front to the side (photo 5), or other features such as various degrees of slopes. In some instances, a slope may cause one part of the building to be at ground level and another part to be at a higher level. Not knowing or understanding the proper level orientation can jeopardize operations.
Parking is another factor to consider. Many office complexes have limited parking; employees and visitors park wherever their vehicles will fit without regard for emergency vehicle access. Parking practices of concern should be immediately addressed with the facility’s management and possibly the local police department. Preplans should contain notes indicating caution because of patron/employee parking.
 (6) A large fire in this dumpster could quickly spread into the facility or involve the compressed hydrogen cylinder rack (left). |
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 (7) Note exposures in your preplan. A propane storage facility is behind this manufacturing site. |
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External Storage/Housekeeping
Facility housekeeping is just as important on the outside of a structure as it is on the inside. External storage practices should be observed and noted. What materials are being stored outside? How much? For how long? Depending on the type of occupancy, such as a home and garden center, a variety of materials may be staged outside. These materials may block access points, building systems and controls, and fire suppression mediums. The materials alone may not pose a significant threat, but they may become exposures and change the parameters of the incident.
Using the home and garden center as an example, propane tanks, roofing materials, flammable adhesives, ordinary combustibles, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other hazardous materials may be stored outside. These practices may change daily, but the fire department must be aware of exterior hazards such as seasonal materials and that a recent shipment of supplies may be blocking ingress and egress points.
Fleet of vehicles or trailers. After hours, how are the vehicles stored? Are they next to the building? Are they block- ing or compromising access points, utilities, and fire suppression mediums? Are the trailers empty or loaded and ready for the next day’s delivery or shipment? At some facilities, when the trailers are returned for the day, they are staged double deep, obstructing the view of the building for fire officers evaluating fire conditions. This practice also hinders placing ground ladders and deploying hoselines.
Dumpster and other disposal receptacles. Where are they located—away from the building or next to the building? Do any contain hazardous materials or present other hazards? These factors must be considered when responding to a “routine” dumpster fire (photo 6).
Bulk storage containers. Note their locations and contents, proximity to the building or other exposure, and confinement measures. Facilities may use aboveground fuel tanks for various operations. These mediums need to be identified with consideration of ground slope, drainage conduits, and exposures. Although positioned a distance away, an aboveground tank could pose life, environmental and property hazards, depending on the slope and the absence of a confinement system.
 (8) This roof has numerous stacks, piping assemblies, and ventilation units. Consider roof loads when planning firefighting strategy. |
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 (10) Weld plates of precast concrete walls. How would they react in a fire condition? It is important to see how your facilities are being put together. |
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Environmental Issues
Environmental aspects may influence strategies and tactics and must be considered in preincident intelligence. Landscaping and other special aesthetic features may present obstacles for apparatus placement and other fireground operations. A pond, a fountain, or mature trees, for example, may affect access, apparatus placement, and truck company operations that involve an aerial ladder or ground ladders.
Storm water. Rainwater runoff control mediums, such as a storm-water basin, can be a costly and compromising issue when a facility is planning new construction or renovation. The mediums needed to control runoff may be constructed in an area that may compromise apparatus access and initiating fireground operations. For certain occupancies, however, a storm water basin may be beneficial in controlling flow and confining contaminated runoff. All environmental hazards must be identified, and operating around them should be done with caution. Environmental issues often are not described in preincident plans, but their impact can be significant.
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Exposures
A windshield survey may aid in identifying nearby exposures. The disposition of an exposure may cause an incident commander to reevaluate the incident priorities. In most cases when we think of an exposure, we think of what will be impacted if an incident occurs at a certain target hazard. It is important to consider full circle how exposures will affect each other. Will an exposure pose hazards for the target hazard?
Information gathered on exposures generally consists of construction type, occupancy, and distance from the target hazard. Do you consider exposures beyond the immediate property boundary? Be aware of special-assembly facilities, hospitals, and schools that may be relatively close. Do you consider how an exposure may be affected? A facility downwind could have air intake/quality issues that may affect their operations, may require sheltering in place or evacuation, or may need to cease operations because of a contaminated water source. Where are storm water drains located? Where do they lead? Where does that small, unnamed stream that is usually dry, except during the time a facility has an emergency, meander to?
When considering exposures, you need to think out of the box for downwind, downstream, and belowgrade conduit destinations. Photo 7 illustrates a small manufacturing facility that has a propane bulk storage facility with rail access at the rear of the property. To the right of the facility is a mixed-use occupancy that has a central station monitoring alarm company with a recreation facility. The recreation center at a given time, especially after normal business hours of surrounding facilities and on weekends, can house hundreds of children. As discussed earlier regarding access, the parking area for the recreation center overflows to the manufacturing parking area, which may affect access. Another twist to this situation is that the recreation center is in another department’s jurisdiction. The first-due fire department to the propane facility may not have intelligence, such as after-hour contact information, on the recreation center. It is important to understand and consider exposure impacts beyond the initial property boundaries.
Structural Features
In addition to the construction type, note and consider preexisting conditions, such as the presence of reinforcing rods, cracked and deteriorating walls, and previous structural repairs. Consider their impact on fire conditions. A preexisting condition could contribute to an accelerated failure. Sometimes when buildings change ownership and undergo renovation, these conditions may be hidden behind veneer material and escape notice unless they were noted originally and transferred to the new company’s preplans.
You may not be able to determine roof assemblies through a windshield survey, but you can see unusual roof types, which should prompt you to find out more about the roof’s construction and loads on the roof (photo 8). You will be able to see roof finishes by going to a higher elevation when possible.
A windshield survey of facilities undergoing renovation can provide valuable information. Construction sites present a whole plethora of constantly changing challenges. Site hazards, including materials and excavation, will certainly influence operations. However, as discussed above, access limitations may come into play. Fencing, debris, and construction vehicles may be placed to reduce or prohibit access around a facility. Look for large machinery (a backhoe, for example) that may block access to a side of the facility, railroad tracks, and ground posts that may affect access, apparatus placement, and operations. Construction types and practices can be identified during renovation as well. The new construction may be different from the type in the rest of the facility (photos 9, 10).
 (14) The FDC (left of utility pole), “FDC1,” is for a nursing home located next to the food service’s access driveway. To the rear of the property |
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Utilities
Note the utility types, including gas and electric service, the locations and accessibility of the service meters, overhead wires, and in-ground transformers. Mark the locations precisely on preincident maps so there is no delay in securing them for an incident. In conditions such as a heavy snowfall, the utility mediums may not be visible. If you know their locations, you will not have to search for them.
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Fire Suppression Systems
The fire department connection (FDC), as part of a sprinkler system, is a valuable operational tool. In many cases when planning a facility, especially if the fire department does not participate in the process, fire department operations are not a primary consideration. Knowing where the FDCs are located is important. Usually, they may not be easily accessible (photos 11, 12). Be sure you have identified correctly the FDC that services the facility you are preplanning. Be cognizant of multiple FDCs; determine which building each supports (photos 13, 14, 15).
Post indicator valve (PIV). The same considerations apply to PIV locations. Do you know which PIV controls which area of the system within a building? Identifying PIV numbers will be important when follow-up meetings are conducted to determine system coverage areas.
Alternate Hours Survey
Consider doing windshield surveys for both daytime (normal business hours) and nighttime (after business hours) operations and practices. Conditions at facilities may change drastically from one period to another (photos 16, 17). As discussed above, access especially may be significantly affected. Comparing operational aspects for the two time periods may reveal other circumstances that may affect operations.
It is as important to gather information on exterior conditions that may affect emergency operations and influence strategic decisions as on interior layouts, processes, and hazards. As noted, some of the exterior conditions may change, whereas others are permanent. You must always be aware of your surroundings and how they may influence your job. A windshield survey has you looking outside of the building walls (the box) for situations that may affect how you operate and manage at emergencies.
Endnote
1. See my article “Preincident Intelligence: A Case Study,” Fire Engineering, May 2000.
ERIC G. BACHMAN, a 21-year veteran of the fire service, is former chief of the Eden Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department in Lancaster County, Pennsyl-vania. He is the hazardous materials administrator for the County of Lancaster Emergency Management Agency. He is registered with the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications as a fire officer II, fire instructor I, hazardous materials technician, and hazardous materials incident commander. He has an associate’s degree in fire science and certification in emergency management through the state of Pennsylvania. He is a volunteer firefighter with the Manheim (PA) Fire Department.
