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scenario #4 -- fire on essex st

Scenario 4-3: Fire on Falco Street
Construction and area
345 Essex St. is a one-family, 2-1/2 story wood frame dwelling built in the early 1900’s. Wood clapboard covers the exterior at the rear while asphalt siding covers sides A, B, and D. The roof is steeply pitched and covered with asphalt shingles. Dormers are located on the B and D sides of the roof. Access to the basement is by way of the interior stairs on the first floor and via an entrance located at the rear.

Time and Weather
It is 1100 on a July day with the temperatures expected to hit 90°. The humidity is high. Wind is blowing to the east at 17 MPH.

Exposures
There are similar wood frame residential structures on both the B and D sides of the fire building. They are fifteen feet from the fire building.

Water Supply
There is a hydrant located in front of the building as well as several others in the area. All are supplied by an adequate water volume.

Arrival Conditions
You are first to arrive and are met by the homeowner who is covered in soot. He states that while soldering pipes in the basement, he started a small fire and that he would not have needed you if he had a longer garden hose. He is not sure where his wife is.
Heavy black smoke is coming from the basement windows and a moderate smoke condition is visible on the first floor as the front door is open. There is also light smoke showing at the eaves.
Response
You are the Officer of Engine 1. The response is two Engines and one Ladder Company. Staffing is an Officer and three firefighters on the Engines. An Officer and three firefighters respond on the Ladder. You hear on the radio that your second-due Engine has been involved in an accident and the first-due ladder company is stuck behind them in the resulting traffic. You will be the Incident Commander until relieved.

1. What is your strategy at this fire?
a. Offensive
b. Offensive-defensive
c. Defensive-offensive
d. Defensive

2. Your first action at this scene is to:
a. Request additional companies to the scene
b. Ask the owner if everyone is out of the house
c. Establish Command
d. Radio the second-due engine to position for attack

3. What would be your greatest strategic concern regarding the weather conditions?
a. High humidity creates ventilation concerns
b. Open interior stairs will channel heat to the upper floors
c. Combustible siding on the leeward side will be threatened
d. Open hydrants may drain the water supply and pressure

4. What would be the primary objective of the first line stretched?
a. Protect the interior stairs and upper floors from upward fire spread
b. Enter from the rear basement door to locate, confine, and extinguish fire in the basement
c. Protect the primary search in the fire area
d. Flow the first floor

5. You receive a report from the Ladder Captain that there is a large timber horizontal member at the floor level inside the wall between the basement and first floor. What is your most significant concern in regard to this report?
a. This is platform frame. Fire spread to the upper floors should be minor
b. This is braced frame. The smoke at the eaves is most likely from a pipe chase
c. This is balloon frame that has been renovated. Expect weakened integrity of structural members
d. This is braced frame. Fire attack on mortise and tenon connections may cause structural failure.

6. Where would you initiate a primary search at this fire?
a. In the basement
b. On the first floor
c. On the second floor
d. On the perimeter of the structure

7. You notice that your Engine Chauffeur has established a water supply at the hydrant in front of the fire building. Comment on this action:
a. Good practice. Pre-connected attack lines can be stretched quickly
b. Poor practice. The front of the building should be kept clear for aerial apparatus
c. Good practice. A deck gun can be used to protect the leeward exposure with a quick continuous water supply
d. Poor practice. The street is too narrow to allow efficient apparatus movement

8. You have a report that there is a relatively heavy smoke condition on the top floor, but no evidence of fire. How would you order this area ventilated?
a. Positive pressure from the upstairs hallway
b. Open any attic louvers available
c. Cut the roof from an aerial device
d. Open the windows in the dormer area

9. Considering the weather conditions, what would be the best action to take to assure the safety of all personnel operating at the scene?
a. Ensure water is available
b. Request additional personnel
c. Increase supervision in the fire area
d. Assign an Accountability officer to monitor whereabouts of personnel

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Klotz on May 15, 2008 at 10:02am

I'll take a shot at is
1. A Offensive However you may need to go defensive depending on the rate of fire spread and condtions.
2. C Establish Command
3. C Combustible siding on the leeward side will be threatened
4. A Protect the interior stairs and upper floors from upward fire spread
5. C. This is balloon frame that has been renovated. Expect weakened integrity of structural members
6. A In the basement
7. C Good practice. A deck gun can be used to protect the leeward exposure with a quick continuous water supply
8. C Cut the roof from an aerial device
9. B Request additional personnel

Permalink Reply by Kurt Callisen on May 16, 2008 at 12:21pm

Here is my take.
1. A
2. the answer to this one is all the above. 1 we need to find out if everone isout.2 we all know that command must be established.3 if we hope to save this house, than we are going to need 3 lines one for each floor. we will need 4 eng. assist companys one for each floor to open the walls, and one for the roof. So call lots of help
3. B because there has to be a search for the wife.
4.A
5.B
6.B
7. B the roof is going to need to be opened so the eng assist company needs room to work.
8. C
9B This fire is going to be very labor intensive, and the heat is not going to help. So call for lots and lots of help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Mike Cervik on May 18, 2008 at 2:28pm

Not quite sure on some of these, but here it is:
1. B Offensive because there is a possibility of rescue, defensive because of the building construction
2. C. Establish command and then start doing the rest of the answers for that question
3. B.
4. B. Take care of the fire and stop the problem
5. B. I'm taking a stab at this one. Don't know much about braced frame construction.
6. D. This can be done with command is doing a 360 of the building. We don't know exactly where the wife is. Maybe she is outside in the back.
7. C.
8. B.
9. B. More personnel

Permalink Reply by Scott Tichenor on May 18, 2008 at 8:02pm

Here is my take on this scenario.
1.B Offensive
2.C Establish Command
3. B
4. B
5. C not sure of the renovation part but it is an early 1900's home
6. B the story didn't indicate that the wife was with him in the basement
7. A often too many times are we fed the idea of saving the front for the truck, however it also depends on if the truck is a rear mount or a mid mount. We almost always leave the front open but our truckies want the table in line with the front door.
8. D if you open the windows in the dormers you can eleviate any smoke from the top floor. I assume that the dormers are not just decoration since it is an older home.
9. B request more personnel

Permalink Reply by Anthony Avillo on May 26, 2008 at 3:23pm

answers
On my way to a BBQ and waiting for my wife and daughters to get reay so figured i would post the answers
Have a safe and happy holiday -- don't drink and drive!!!

1. A Reported life hazard -- get in there
2. C Other answers are things u would do but command comes first
A C 17 mph wind, 15' away, combustible siding -- ripe for big problem if not addressed
4 A keep the fire in the basement is the first objective , line bettween fire and life hazards upstairs
5.. D braced frame construction -- always a concern that fire is attacking the connection points and the consequences of that impingement
6. A search fire area first -- make sure search teams has lifeline and TIC here
7. B Leave the front open for the aerial. Hose stretches, ladders don't. Also, can still use deck gun if properly positoned and have water supply from proper hydrant
8.D no fire in attic yet, start with dormers, cut as a next action if necessary
9. B People put out fires. make sure u have enough when weather extremes are present

The people who submitted answers did pretty well here
Good job
Hope all who didn't submit did well too
new scenario by the end of the week
saty safe out there
aa

Permalink Reply by Scott S Bolduc on February 6, 2010 at 6:00pm

1. my strategy is offensive husband doesn't know where his wife is.
2. establish command
3. Humitity creates vent problems
4 Protect the stairs leading to the upper floors.
5. Ballon frame construction that has been renovated. Expect weak structual members.
6. Primary fire area in the basement
7. Front of the building should be for the ladder engine should pull past the house.
8. If there is no evidence of fire start with dormer window
9. get me more man power

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