Residential Preincident Intelligence

By Eric G. Bachman

Residential Intelligence Entails understanding the residential types that exist and the challenges they present and using this knowledge to prepare for emergency operations.

Photos by the author

A preincident survey program can help a fire department in many ways. Members can use the information to calculate fire flows, identify the necessary response equipment, and provide for other contingencies. Survey results allow a department to prepare a site drawing that highlights special hazards and identifies access points and utility locations; determine census, hours of operation, and emergency contacts; and identify training and response deficiencies.

When prioritizing preincident survey facilities, it is beneficial to categorize target hazards by type. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101, Code for Safety to Life from Fire in Buildings and Structures-1997, provides the following categories: assembly, educational, industrial, health care, detention and correctional, mercantile, business, storage, day care, and mixed. Another category, and perhaps the most misunderstood in terms of preincident surveys, is residential.

Residential types include one- and two-family dwellings, apartments, hotels, motels, dormitories, and other special housing facilities. Because of high-occupant loads and other special hazards associated with apartment complexes, hotels, and motels, fire departments generally concentrate preincident surveys on these facilities. In most cases, they don’t obtain intelligence on one- and two-family dwellings.

National figures cited by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) indicate nearly 70 percent of residential structure fires occurred in one- and two-family dwellings from 1985 to 1994. Thousands of civilian injuries, hundreds of civilian deaths, and millions of dollars in damages resulted from these fires. And, unfortunately, many firefighters were injured or lost their lives at those incidents (Fire in the United States 1985-1994, ninth edition). While it has been well-documented that one- and two-family dwellings are a problem for the fire service, the fire service fails to ascertain important and sometimes critical information on dwellings and continues to make the same mistakes.

Understandably, many constraints dictate the amount of time a fire department has to fulfill its many duties. Residential intelligence of one- and two-family dwellings may be low on the priority list-if on the list at all. Preincident surveying is a never-ending task. You must constantly monitor facilities for physical and administrative changes. The complexity of a fire district and new development may overwhelm a department. Limited resources may hamper the department’s ability to perform surveys on its larger target hazards. Notwithstanding the addition of hundreds or thousands of dwellings, it is unrealistic for a fire department to maintain a preincident survey of every dwelling in a fire district.

I am not suggesting that a department should survey and obtain a floor plan of every home. Instead, identify dwellings that may present extraordinary challenges. Be aware of what is out there. Houses may present certain tactical challenges such as access or other special hazards, including extraordinary construction.

Residential intelligence is the ability to understand and profit from experience. It entails understanding the residential types that exist and the challenges they present and using this knowledge to prepare for emergency operations. A fire department can improve its residential intelligence despite time and financial constraints. Some approaches for achieving this goal follow.

NEW CONSTRUCTION

The construction phase is an opportune time for observing construction types, building materials, and structural techniques (photo 1). When returning from a call or training, take a few minutes to visit construction sites, and observe the construction features and other potential challenges. You can contact the builder to obtain floor plans, blueprints, and other property specifications. You also can arrange to have the builder meet with fire officials and walk through the structure(s) and identify features that may affect fire safety and suppression operations.

Look for items, situations, and other concerns that may affect firefighter safety and fireground operations. One of the first areas to look at is accessibility for apparatus and personnel. Homes are often built in interesting locations without consideration for emergency equipment access (photo 2). Will the engine company be able to make it down a driveway or go over a bridge? In the case of the house built below grade (photo 3) or on the hillside (photo 4), how can firefighters access the structure? Are there special security measures such as controlled gates or barred windows?

Consider building size and length. Living spaces vary greatly in our first-due area. Homes range from 800 square feet to more than 6,000 square feet (photo 5).

Also consider other construction features related to fireground operations. For example, row houses usually indicate a common void space (photo 6). Do you have similar structures in your area? Do they have common voids?

Check roof types. Are they peaked, multiple, or odd-shaped (photos 7, 8)? Is roof ventilation possible? Will roof construction prevent effective ventilation?

SPECIFICATION FLYERS ON HOMES FOR SALE

Homes for sale are other sources of information. Realtor specification flyers list room sizes, utility types, and other special features. Sometimes these flyers are placed in a box attached to the “For Sale” sign. The flyer generally includes a photo of the house, specifications, and sometimes a floor plan. If you are returning from a call or training and see such a flyer, take it back to the station and review it. The information it contains is useful for preincident surveys and discussions in tabletop exercise scenarios. If an item listed on the flyer is unclear or unusual, call the realtor and ask for a tour.

OPEN HOUSES

Realtors often schedule open houses for new and model homes. Why not take some time on a slow Sunday afternoon and do a walk-through? It may be best to contact the realtor ahead of time and state your intentions. Realtors may request that you arrive at a time when prospective buyers are not present, to avoid their concern that something may be wrong with the house because the fire department is there.

REAL ESTATE PERIODICALS

Real estate sections of newspapers and real estate magazine giveaways often review homes and provide descriptions, photos, and drawings. They also list open houses. Take a few moments to review the list. You may want to tour some in your first-due area.

INTERNET

Fire departments with access to the Internet may consider reviewing home pages of realtors, builders, and developers. Some provide home specifications on-line. Developers often provide on-line maps of new developments, which you can include in preincident surveys.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE SURVEY

Consider conducting a Special Circumstance Survey among residents. One way to do this is to mail with your annual fund drive solicitation or newsletter a survey form requesting specific information regarding the contents or “unique situations” in the home. Some things you might identify are home-based businesses that can present problems during suppression operations or the presence of a physically or mentally challenged resident in the household. Ask for specifics on the disability. Another discovery might be storage-for example, of an automobile collection or exotic animals. You can also use this information in training programs.

Not everyone will reply to the survey. And keep in mind that even if residents do not disclose special circumstances, an extraordinary hazard could still be present.

While you’re gathering such information, use the opportunity to improve your department’s visibility in the community as well as public relations. Curious neighbors will ask why you want such information. Your response will improve their sense of safety and perception of the fire department. They may even invite the fire department to tour their home.

OTHER WAYS TO GATHER INFORMATION

Other ways to gather preincident intelligence on one- and two- family homes include the following:

Establish a good working relationship with your local planning board, which reviews and maintains records containing valuable information on new construction. Ask to be a part of the review process so that you can voice fire service concerns. In our fire district, a developer was planning cluster housing that incorporated a village-type setting. After reviewing the layout, we found that the proposed road widths and other access dimensions would prohibit certain apparatus from entering. We were able to state our case and reach a compromise. Had we not been part of the planning process, we would have been unprepared for an emergency in that development.
The building department is another valuable source of information. If one exists in your district, ask the code officials to consider allowing fire officials to attend inspections and plan reviews.
Get out in the community and physically view what you are protecting. Nothing can take the place of hands-on experience. By experience, I do not mean after the fact, when an emergency occurs. I mean taking tours, actually placing apparatus and advancing hoselines and the like to ensure effectiveness. Contact property owners, tell them your concerns, and ask for permission to take measurements or possibly practice apparatus and equipment placement.
Maintain a good relationship with special residential service organizations. These organizations provide in-home care and supervision of persons with mental or physical challenges. These group homes look just like any other home but may have special considerations for fireground operations. Ask for a layout of such a home, including the general areas and the degree of the residents’ impairments. Identify these residences and include them in your preincident intelligence program.

USE MAPS TO ILLUSTRATE HAZARDS

An important response tool is preincident intelligence mapping. Residential maps are as important as industrial and commercial target hazard maps. Make sure they specify addresses and water supply locations. Residential maps should also include natural hazards that may affect access and fireground operations, including mature tree lines and elevation variances. Also indicate man-made hazards such as narrow driveways, bridge limits, and utility mediums. Whether computer-generated or hand-drawn, residential intelligence maps are a necessity.

Do not become complacent about preplanning residential dwellings. Preincident surveys and residential intelligence are as important for one- and two-family dwellings as for other high-risk target hazards. The information is available; you just must take aggressive steps to obtain it.