What's Behind the Rack?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bricault (ret) on September 24, 2010 at 4:22pm

-Hey this looks like perfect placement. What's the problem??? Hahahaha.
-Most likely the only way this would be caught is by a company doing a pre-incident inspection or notice the condition on a call. The FMO may catch it on a building/occupancy inspection but like most communities the FMO is very short staffed compared to the number of occupancies to look at.
-Either way it would be immediately referred to and addressed by the FMO who has the authority to inspect commercial occupancies and enforce all applicable building and fire codes. Citations and fines would be issued.
-In Albuquerque the FMO also has the ultimate authority to close down any occupancy/building and lock it out until compliance is achieved.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Wilk on September 25, 2010 at 6:59pm

The conversion of hose drops in warehouses/big box stores came up at the firehouse the other day. The final questions were whether we would use them? Do we know if they are tested? If we do use them and conditions start to change, we can not follow the hose line out of the building. Under smoke conditions, will we be able to find the hose drops? I think it would be safer and faster to lead out from the engine.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Jacobs on September 28, 2010 at 10:02pm

This is a big building. Stretching from the rig is great...have you preplanned the lengths needed? Would you not use a standpipe in a high rise? If nothing else, these hose connections are great for mop up since this is a sprinklered building.

Make sure you get all the built-in fire protection you deserve.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Hoevelmann on September 29, 2010 at 7:20pm

Great points, thanks for the input.
Tom Jacobs said:

This is a big building. Stretching from the rig is great...have you preplanned the lengths needed? Would you not use a standpipe in a high rise? If nothing else, these hose connections are great for mop up since this is a sprinklered building.

Make sure you get all the built-in fire protection you deserve.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Hall on April 6, 2011 at 10:44am

 

Has the business changed?  Was the system designed or changed to fit for the current fire load and occupancy?  Forcing yourself to be working in or near these racks puts you at greater risk with the weight and fire loads they carry. We are there to save lives at put out a fire, but once it is determined that no life hazard other than our own exists these racks are still a hazard zone.  We must come up with a safer and more effective plan of attack.  Even after the fire is out the hazard of collapse still exists.  If you already have an engine hose deployed and in use don’t monkey with what is already working by going to the standpipe for mop up.  Reduce the size of the last length of hose at that point.  I don't think these should ever be used for fire attack they leave you with no point of refuge, path to escape, or path to be found by RIT if conditions rapidly change.  Most times theses standpipes have PRDs designed to restrict the flow for a 1 1/2" hose.  Hose that we should not used by us because its reliability can be in question and the needed GPMs may not be available.  If you have preplanning, good incident analysis, situational awareness and a good size up you should find an entrance and escape path nearest to the fire. An engine lead out will provide you your hose line to get out of the building.

In cases where the standpipe is the only option as in a high rise with stair wells that is what we must use.  If that fails we may have to go well below the fire floor or create our own stand pipe through use of our ladder pipe.   So with that being said if we have to use it and have a point of refuge not having the luxury of an exit hose line connected directly to the engine to find our way out it’s the right application.  I know I have checked my equipment.  I can’t say the same thing for a hose drop standpipe including the additional risks and hazards associated with using a hose drop on the fire floor. I believe that it is a golden rule to only lead out from an engine for ground floor level and basement fires.

Jim Wilk said:

The conversion of hose drops in warehouses/big box stores came up at the firehouse the other day. The final questions were whether we would use them? Do we know if they are tested? If we do use them and conditions start to change, we can not follow the hose line out of the building. Under smoke conditions, will we be able to find the hose drops? I think it would be safer and faster to lead out from the engine.

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