4 Loss Control Flashcards
Primary damage
Caused by fire itself and not actions taken to extinguish
Secondary damage
Damage from firefighting efforts and leaving priority unprotected
Loss control was originally done by
Insurance companies and civilian salvage companies
Purpose of loss control
To reduce damage from fire, smoke, water weather, during and after fire.
Loss control should be considered during
Pre planning,
During fires
After fires
When is pre incident loss control planning performed
During regular pre planning
Same basic steps used in all systems to assess and manage loss control risks
Risk Id
Risk evaluation
Plans development
To differentiate them from code enforcement inspections, pre plans are often called
Surveys.
Pre plans or surveys have three purposes
Allow ff to become familiar with building and contents
Gather info for plan development
Inform owners or occupants of anything to be done to reduce loss
During plans, surveys, ffs should look for anything that might increase primary or secondary loss. Note such items as
Life safety hazards
Means for primary and secondary access,egress
Vital processes that should be shut down only if needed
Biohazard, flammable or reactive material
Highly absorbent materials that need to be kept form water
During pre plans ff should note features or systems that can reduce loss
Fire escapes, smoke towers, area of refuge
Automatic fire doors
Built in fire detection suppression systems
Auto smoke vents
Loss control
Practice of minimizing damage and providing customer service through effective mitigation and recovery efforts before during and after incident
Loss control element of plans may specify or indicate the following
Most effective, least destructive means of entry, lock boxes
Most effective evacuation and protect occupants
Vital records kept and how to protect them
Supporting and using fire suppression systems
How to protect building contents from smoke water etc
Because of privacy issues, findings of pre plan surveys must be kept
Confidential
Most important way of limiting primary loss
Extinguishing fire fast
Most important factors of limitng primary loss
Proper size up Effective strategy Adequate on scene resources Effective ventilation Through overhaul
Size up
Ongoing dynamic mental eval process performed by officer in charge to evaluate all influencing factors develop strategic goals and tactical objectives before committing personnel
To prevent primary loss, overhaul should be thorough and detailed but not
Indiscriminate and careless
During overhaul, mental exhaustion can make firefighters more likely to
Miss subtle danger signs like impending collapse
What can help extinguish hot spots more effectively
Class a foam
Other common fire gasses
Acrolein Hydrogen chloride Hydrogen cyanide Carbon dioxide Nitrogen oxides Phosgene
Secondary loss control, considerations may include
Assisting fire attack
Venting
Salvage
Ways to assist fire attack
Gaining entry
Pulling ceilings and opening walls
How to minimize secondary damage while gaining entry
Instead of forcing, try conventional means of opening windows and doors, if safe to do so or possible. Or force with the aim to keep function of the door or window instead of destroying it.
If fire situation allows. Ceilings should only be pulled after
Room contents below have been properly protected.
Effective and coordinated tactical ventilation can limit the spread of
Fire, smoke, heat, secondary and primary damage
Heat in a compartment can be reduced by using controlled bursts or pulses of
Fog streams
If there are sufficient resources, ff should begin salvage operations where
The floor below the fire.
It may be prudent to delay fire attack in certain situations for salvage effort because
Ex: computers and expensive property can be damaged, like underneath the ceiling of an attic fire in an office, salvage first may be prudent. Cost of good and property may exceed the cost of the fire damage
If a piercing nozzle is used to penetrate the attic space from the roof, what effect might it have inside
It may push heat and smoke down on interior crews.
Hall runners
Narrow canvas or plastic sheets or salvage covers to protect hallways.
Exposed contents of a burning building can be protected in two ways
Removal,
Covering
Exposed property should be removed in what order
Closest to fire seat
Most likely path of fire spread
Floor above fire
Many Small items can be removed using
Line of persons like bucket brigade
After fire is knocked down, placing a leaking nozzle or coupling out a window can
Reduce water damage
What can be used with water to reduce overall water damage
Class a foam
compressed air foam system
Water absorbed my materials or objects inside a structure can cause
Shelved or stacks to topple, structural failure, expansion and damage
A building 50x100 ft with 6” of water on the floor will cause an additional what weight to be supported
78 tons
Ways to remove water from a structure
Wipe from horizontal surfaces Construct water chutes and catch basins Mops squeegees scoop shovel, vacuums Portable pumps Breech exterior walls making scuppers Remove toilets, allow water to drain down pipe
Basement water may be pumped out as long as
As ,long as water is contaminated with sewage
Severely Contaminated run off from firefighting must be
Contained to be Deconed later using catch basins, ditches or damming and diking
Post fire loss control operations take two forms
Economic loss control,
Psychological loss control
Before leaving, to prevent looting, vandalism, weather damage, what must firefighters do to a building
Properly secure it
Valuables and monetary items should be turned over to
Law enforcement or IC
Sentimental, personal or family collections should be placed
In a safe protected area
Building owner or occupant me be responsible for securing the entire property if.
There are potential hazards around the building, downed utilities, possible collapse or Holes in floor or ground
If hazards exists. Firefighters should make the occupant or owner aware of them by
Performing a tour of the property if safety allows, and describing the hazards present.
Property should not be released to owner until
Release or receipt documentation is signed
One of the first things ff can do to limit psychological loss
Be aware of where the place debris during overhaul, maybe not in view of owner.
Basic ways to prevent psychological loss
Provide shelter on scene Notify friends and family Provide a phone Transport to temp housing On call chaplains
