4 Story Older Apartment Building

by Skip Coleman

Mar 6, 2014

Lets go back for a while and practice on some more residential occupancies we all may have. 

The exterior load bearing walls are wood with brick veneer.  It was built about 1900. there are four apartments on each floor. Three stairs serve the building. One of the "A" side, one the "B" and one on the "D" sides as well.  There is no egress in the "C" side. 

All units are believed to be occupied with an unspecified number of occupants.  However, while returning from runs and other trips, firefighters have observed many children playing on all sides of the building.  

There is no floor plan of the building.  A quick scan from three sides of the building as you arrive is your only indication of floor and apartment layout. All apartments have access to two separate stairs for egress. 

The fire occurs at 0630 hours.

The video shows all four sides of the building.  

Your crew (what ever that normally is as it relates to staffing) is assigned Search.  An 1 3/4" line has been taken through the front door by the first on scene crew that was assigned "Attack". Again, your crew was assigned search.   

  • Where would you enter the structure
  • Where would you start your search
  • Where would you search next and so on (Divisions and Quadrants)
  • What method of search would you use
  • Any other pints you wish to make. 

Here is the video. Remember, it shows all sides of the building so give it a few seconds.  http://youtu.be/oszVaNbmX5k

Load Previous Comments

  • Skip Coleman

    Thanks Justin. Good call on removing the victims. Stairs are almost always better than windows. Especially from three or four floors up.

    Mar 15, 2014

  • Skip Coleman

    We will be moving on in a day or two.

    Mar 15, 2014

  • Kevin Dippolito

    Skip,

    We'd arrive with 4 FF's, do a quick 360 and split up - 2 would throw ground ladders and 2 would begin searching. We'd start with the fire apartment on division 2, and after clearing that apartment we'd move to the neighboring apartment on the C/D corner, then the other two on division 2. Assuming the rest of our crew has now joined us, they would be directed to search division 3, starting with the one directly above the fire apartment on the A/D corner. If air management permits, we'd join them on division 3, and hopefully by the time we are done searching division 3 we'd have more FF's to assist with the search and they would take division 4 since our air would most likely be running low.

    Stay safe,

    Kevin

    Mar 28, 2014