VENTING WINDOWS
By Ray McCormack
One of the major fireground functions of a truck company is to ventilate the fire building. Window ventilation, also referred to as horizontal ventilation, provides generally the largest and most direct ventilation of the fire area. At structural fires, vertical ventilation–opening skylights, bulkheads, and scuttles–should be undertaken before horizontal ventilation.
Horizontal ventilation of the fire building increases the survival chances of building occupants by rapidly relieving the fire area of heat and smoke. It also allows engine companies to move more quickly in a less hostile environment and provides multiple entry points for search and rescue. This article discusses the use of hand tools in venting the exterior windows of the fire building. Aerial and portable ladders may be used for additional ventilation.
Windows in the fire area may be vented for two reasons: fire and life.
VENTING FOR FIRE
Venting windows for fire is a coordinated action that necessitates communication with the interior teams. Venting windows in the path of the attack line will give heat and smoke an exit point. The safest method for timing exterior window ventilation of the fire area is through direct communication with the engine officer. Before venting the window, confirm that the attack line is charged and ready to move in on the fire. Even if your position allows you to view the hoseline being pressurized, it is not positive proof that the engine is ready to move in and extinguish the fire.
Premature window ventilation can extend fire to previously uninvolved areas and worsen matters. All engine company members will be wearing SCBA and expecting a certain amount of heat from the fire; waiting a few seconds for a request from the engine officer to vent the windows is the safest approach to take.
VENTING FOR LIFE
Venting for life is performed as part of exterior ventilation, entry, and search (VES) of the fire area. Whereas venting for fire is necessary for engine operations, venting for life is critical for immediate search operations. Venting a window for life can always be justified and need not be critically timed as long as a search entry is performed. When your plan of attack calls for entry and search through a window, remove the entire window and any curtains, blinds, or other items that could impede your egress from the area. A window that a searching firefighter has entered should resemble a framed opening and be devoid of horizontal or vertical crosspieces.
It is safest to have two firefighters perform this operation–one enters and one remains at the window. Certain conditions, such as a fast-moving fire and heavy smoke that`s ready to light up, may force you to abandon your search at that area. Under these extreme conditions, your search may be confined to exploring the floor area below the window for possible victims.
As with all successful fireground operations, communication is the key. Inform your officer of your position and intention to enter that area to perform search. After consultation and before entering the area from the exterior, take into account present fire and smoke conditions and your chances of making a successful entry and, more importantly, a safe exit. Evaluate smoke conditions for color, volume, and pressure. After completing your search, inform your officer as to its extent and result.
WINDOW TYPES
Windows take many forms–large plate glass display windows, residential type windows that encompass many styles and functions, old-fashioned single-pane glass and storm windows, and thermal-pane double glass, which has become the standard for replacement windows. As a member of the truck company, you must have a plan as to the best way to provide safe and effective ventilation for any window you encounter.
TOOLS
Most tools firefighters carry on the fireground will be sufficient for window ventilation. However, the most effective tool combination/assignment is a hook and halligan tool. These two tools will adequately cover the various window-ventilation situations you`ll encounter. The extended reach provided by a six-foot hook is effective for most fireground window-ventilation tasks. It can be used to remove the window adjacent to the fire escape landing or porch roof and from above or below. In addition to providing flexibility when venting from ground ladders, aerial ladders, and tower ladders, a six-foot or longer hook will provide firefighters with a safe working distance when venting large or small windows.
Note: The hook is the only tool that is not carried up a ladder; it`s just moved along the rungs as you climb so that you`ll still be able to climb the ladder safely when taking both tools along.
The halligan is an extremely effective window-ventilation tool. When carrying a halligan to vent a window, your lateral reach will be shorter than when using a six-foot hook; however, your ability to quickly and completely remove a window that is directly in front of you and when working in tight quarters will be enhanced. The halligan provides the heavy striking power needed for removing tough window cross-sections and breaking energy-efficient windows. Modifying a halligan with a chain link welded just above the forked end of the tool and carrying a length of rope will allow you to vent distant windows from above.
GATES AND CHILD GUARDS
The halligan simplifies the task of removing window gates or a child-fall guard. To remove a window gate, attack it from the side opposite the lock. Insert the halligan behind the gate`s mounting screws and pry until they become dislodged. Child-fall protection generally obstructs the lower third of the window. To remove it, simply insert the point of the halligan between the guard and the window frame, pry away one side, and then bend it out of the way. If the child gate is mounted in a narrow window, you might have enough room to strike the adjustable center portion of the fall guard, thereby pulling the screws out of one side of the gate.
VENTING FROM ABOVE
When your assignment is to ventilate the fire area from above your entry point and search will be delayed–if you`re able to get to that position at all–you`ll most likely be operating under “venting for fire” and will have to time the ventilation. You`ll want to remove as much of the window glass as possible to provide for maximum ventilation.
When working from above, try to remove the lower portion of the window to be vented first and then the upper portion. Before you take out any glass, measure the distance from the lower panes to the upper portion of the window. This takes a second to do. Now you`re ready to vent, and you know where to place your tool to remove the maximum amount of glass. By removing the lower pane first, you`ll be able to quickly determine how far up you need to move your hook or halligan to remove the top portion of the window. If the lower pane is removed first and the wind should change, you`ll be able to see the top of the window. However, if you take out the top pane first, it`s unlikely that you`ll ever be able to see the bottom portion of the window again.
In high-rise apartment houses, window ventilation is usually accomplished from the apartment above. Prior to removing any glass from the fire apartment windows, open the window above. If the wind blows inward, do not undertake window ventilation without notifiying the IC. If the fire apartment is a corner unit, remember that wind conditions can be radically different from one side of the building to another.
In high-rise office buildings, window ventilation is a command function and should not be undertaken unless ordered. The only exception is when it is a life-saving measure.
VENTING FROM THE SIDE
When venting windows from an adjacent position, such as a porch roof or a fire-escape landing, vent the window farthest from your escape route first, and then work backward. Remove the upper portion of the selected window first. Doing this will cause all the heated smoke to rise, and the lower portion of the window will still be visible. If you remove the bottom section first, the venting smoke will most likely obscure the upper part of the window, increasing the odds of incomplete glass removal, which will result in limited ventilation.
DISPLAY WINDOWS
Display windows generally contain plate glass, which breaks into large and heavy pieces and is extremely dangerous to work around. To remove large ground-level display type windows, you must operate from an area of refuge. All additional personnel must stay clear of the danger zone until all the glass has been removed. Do not leave pieces of plate glass hanging from above. Take the time to properly trim the glass from its frame if there is any chance that firefighters will be traveling under it.
Except for a portable ladder, the safest way to remove a ground-floor display window is to use a heavy-duty six-foot or longer hook. Swing the hook into the mid-level portion of the window on the side nearest you. Hold the hook with the hook head pointing downward, and keep your hands above the point of impact and outside the window frame so that when the glass starts to fall, your hands will be remote from it. If you feel the hook being pulled away from when the glass breaks, let go of the hook. Don`t fight the movement of the glass. The height and weight of the falling glass can cause severe injury or death if it were to strike you.
VENTING FROM BELOW
Often firefighters vent windows from a position below the window. Again, due to smoke travel, vent the upper portion of the window first. Make sure that you`re able to reach the full height of the window with your hook. This type of window ventilation is an operation that greatly exposes firefighters to possible injuries from falling glass.
When venting a window from below with a portable ladder, the same procedure applies–top pane first, then the lower pane. To lessen the chance of injury when dropping a ladder into the window, release your grip on the ladder as it strikes the glass so that any glass that slides down the beam of the ladder will miss you and fall to the ground.
When using a hook to accomplish window ventilation from below, choose one that provides a long enough reach. In some cases, a 10- or 12-foot hook may be required. Don`t stand directly below the window when hitting it with the tool. Stand on either side of the window and several feet out from the building line. Strike the top portion of the window, and pull down with the hook to remove the maximum amount of glass in one motion. Repeat the procedure for the lower half of the window.
When venting a window from below, try to reduce your profile as the glass breaks by leaning into the ladder. Never look up. If other firefighters are standing below the window you`re taking out, warn them and wait until the area below is clear.
ADDITIONAL VENTING TIPS
When you`re working above or below the window, plan the removal around the direction of the wind. If you can`t readily determine the wind`s direction, break out a small portion of the window first. As the smoke travels through the opening, work backward from the direction in which it`s moving, and you`ll be able to remove all the remaining glass without the smoke`s obscuring your visibility. (When a casement or slider window is adjacent to your position, take out the remote panel first and work backward toward yourself.)
If the window has an air conditioner and is not going to be used for entry and search, just remove the remaining exposed glass and leave the frame crosspieces intact. If you must use that window for your entry and search, attempt to push the air conditioner into the occupancy. Yes, you could end up pushing it on top of a trapped victim. However, if you attempt to remove it to the exterior by letting it fall to the ground and it strikes someone, it could prove fatal. If you attempt to remove it to the outside, additional wood or steel supports attached to it to prevent it from accidentally falling during use will make your job much tougher. In addition, if the electrical connection to the air conditioner doesn`t break, it could end up hanging precariously out the window and interfere with good ladder placement and your exit from the room.
Window ventilation is a critical factor in successful fireground operations. Although window ventilation doesn`t take a long time to complete, doing it efficiently will maximize the amount of removed glass and increase ventilation. Proper window ventilation saves lives and allows us to extinguish the fire more rapidly. Many civilians don`t understand why we “break all those windows.” Improper venting of a fire building decreases the survival time of those inside and causes firefighters to work harder as conditions do not improve. When venting windows, try to work from the windward side. By following these steps, you`ll be better able to remove glass more safely in a shorter period of time while providing maximum ventilation. Wear all your gear, including eye protection, and stand clear of any falling glass. n
Endnote
For additional information on thermal-pane windows, see “Energy-Efficient Windows in Multiple Dwellings,” Tom Kennedy, Fire Engineering, Jan. 1991, 14.
RAY McCORMaCK is a lieutenant and 14-year veteran of the City of New York (NY) Fire Department, assigned to the 16th Battalion. He has a bachelor`s degree in communications from the New York Institute of Technology and is a New York State-certified fire instructor and P.A.D.I. certified in advanced scuba diving.
