Strategic Approaches to Fires in Apartments under Construction
STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Any wood-framed building under construction presents a difficult fire problem. Apartments under construction in large complexes, however, present some of the most difficult and unique problems that can be encountered by fire forces.
The most obvious problem is the severe fire spread potential to exposed buildings should a fire occur. From the time that the framing is first erected until the point that the building is enclosed or at least covered with dry wall, it is extremely vulnerable to rapid fire spread. This unprotected framing provides a heavy fireload that is easily ignited by convection and radiation. There is very little, if any, compartmentation, and the openness of the structure creates a rapid and hot fire spread through the complex.
Water supply is the next problem. Because the complex is new, map books carried on fire apparatus may not be up-to-date. Locating hydrants in a new complex without updated maps is a major handicap and can create delays in getting sufficient volumes of water on the fire, thus compounding the problem. Hydrants that are within the complex may also be unreliable. Hydrants may not be supplied with water during construction. If they do have water, it may only be a result of a major supply valve being “cracked” (valve partially opened) to supply enough water for the working crews, but not enough water for fire protection.
Where adequate water supply and pressure are available within the complex, blockage of hydrants by construction materials and/or equipment routinely occurs. The fire officer should be aware of this potential and have a contingency plan available should the hydrant be inaccessible.
Access in general to the complex may also be a critical problem. Large apartment complexes are notorious for narrow driveways and roads that are congested with parked vehicles. Security fences around the complex may limit access to only one or two entrances. Paved roads may or may not be in place. Trenches may block fire apparatus access and restrict hose line advancement. Furthermore, if a fire occurs during the spring thaw or after a rain, apparatus may become bogged down in mud. At all stages of construction, the fire officer can expect to find construction supplies and vehicles congesting access roads.
Buildings under construction also present unique safety hazards to the firefighters. Temporary wiring can present unnoticed electrical hazards.
(continued on page 34)
(continued from page 32)
Commonly used propane and acetylene tanks may explode, producing BLEVEs and flying shrapnel. Stockpiles of materials and equipment on floors increase the fire load and block access for interior operations. Buildings may become unstable quickly and collapse. Fire walls that have their supporting structure consumed by fire are particularly susceptible to collapse. Lack of handrails on stairs and balconies create added hazards for firefighters.
Fire attack planning should be accomplished before the fire occurs. Ideally, the first-due company should be notified by the building department and/or fire prevention officer that an apartment complex is scheduled for construction in their area. The fire company should make frequent visits to the construction site for pre-planning. Where possible, the company officer should work with the construction company to insure that an adequate water supply and ready access to the complex is maintained during all stages of construction. The affected company officer should also keep other company officers in the first-alarm assignment up-to-date on the construction progress and plans. Map books and hydrant locations should also be updated. Multi-company target inspections and on-site drills are very appropriate.
Should a working fire occur in an apartment complex under construction, the first-due officer must consider six major fire attack decisions in his sizeup:
- additional assistance
- search and rescue
- write-off
- apparatus placement
- water supply
- attack streams
Additional help will undoubtedly be required to control a rapidly spreading fire in apartments under construction. This assistance should be called for as early as possible, even en route if the volume of visible fire and smoke is significant. The company officer should remember that it takes longer for the secondand third-alarm companies (or mutual aid) to arrive on the scene than it does the first-alarm companies. Furthermore, it’s always easier to return additional manpower and apparatus to service if not needed than to experience the frustration of having another building ignite while awaiting help.
Search and rescue of possible victims is always a high priority. The officer in charge of a rapidly spreading fire incident in an apartment complex must insure that exposed buildings as well as the fire building are searched. Fortunately, apartments under construction are normally occupied only during daylight working hours by healthy and very mobile construction workers. Yet, exposed buildings must be searched to insure that there are no trapped or injured workers trying to escape.
Write-off is a difficult and frequently delayed decision by company and command officers. The initial command officer (first-due company officer) must predict the speed and direction of the fire spread and direct the attack preparations well ahead of the fire. Large handlines and heavy streams must be operating by the time the fire reaches the predicted positions. This may require the officer to write off an uninvolved building in order to get ahead of the fire, concentrating the attack efforts at that location in order to stop the spread of fire to a greater number of buildings within the complex. The speed of the fire spread, however, can be difficult to accurately predict. Unfortunately, the tendency is usually to underestimate the speed of spread, and the fire often passes the attack position(s) before preparations are completed. If this occurs, it may be impossible to relocate crews to prevent further fire spread.
Apparatus placement is contingent upon access to the site. Where fire apparatus can proceed into the complex, they must be placed in strategically significant positions. Once it’s been determined that a write-off is the best strategy, apparatus should be positioned with the objective of getting ahead of the fire, protecting exposures, and containing the spread. Early arriving apparatus must be positioned so that late arriving apparatus can pass on their way to other strategic positions. This requires a conscious effort on the part of both the company officer and apparatus driver when positioning fire apparatus. Remember too that fire apparatus is an expensive exposure and should not be placed in vulnerable positions. The consequences of poor positioning can range from scorched paint to total destruction.
Water supply will make or break any fire attack operation and is especially critical for large fires. If the first-due officer has maintained a continuing vigil on the construction progress, he will be certain of the water supply within the complex. If, however, there is any question as to the reliability of the water supply within the complex, it may be wise for initial arriving engine companies to lay supply lines from hydrants outside the complex. If this is the case, long supply lines may result. And here’s the “Catch 22″—long lines mean increased friction loss and reduced water volume to the forward pumper. To meet the very high demand for large water supply volume, the incident commander has three choices:
- large diameter hose
- multiple supply lines
- pumper supply lines
Those fire departments utilizing large diameter hose will certainly have an attack advantage over the less progressive departments still utilizing the old 272-inch supply lines. This type of fire demands very high volumes of. water, and large diameter hose will provide them.
Multiple supply lines can certainly increase the available water volume to the pumper. They need to be evaluated with respect to distance and time. When you lay dual lines with a single pumper, you cut your distance laying capability in half. If you underestimate the distance to your assigned position, you may run out of hose. There is nothing more devastating to effective fire attack operations than to have an inadequate amount of hose to reach a good strategic position. If you have other companies laying additional supply lines, it not only takes more time, but cuts down manpower for other critical firefighting duties.
Pumped water supply at the hydrants is extremely effective. Even with small diameter supply hose (2V2inch), output volumes at the forward pumper can be doubled. With large diameter hose or multiply supply lines, still more water will be supplied. This permits the forward company in the strategic position to operate at or near its maximum pumping capacity.
Attack streams are an absolute must at working fires in this type of construction. Large caliber (750-1,000 gpm) appliances should be utilized for exposure protection and fire knock down. Pre-plumbed apparatus guns that can be placed into service rapidly are most effective. Straight bore tips provide more effective reach and penetration than the adjustable nozzles. When utilizing attack hose lines, use 272-inch hose—172-inch lines are useless for the volume of fire encountered. [Two-inch hose lines with automatic nozzles are proving to be effective in applying large volumes of water (300 gpm) with increased mobility.]
Because of limited access, portable master stream appliances may be required to operate in remote locations that cannot be reached with fire apparatus. These appliances take time to set-up, however, and this factor must be considered in determining their positioning ahead of the fire. Elevated streams also require time to be placed into operation. However, they can be very effective with their reach.
Controlling a rapidly expanding fire in apartments under construction is a major challenge to fire officers. When encountering such fires, call for additional help early, get ahead of the fire, and think BIG! Big guns, big hose, and large volumes of water.
