Brownstones (construction/fire travel/characteristics)

Question 1

In a brownstone..basement is the..?

Answer 1

FIRST FLOOR

• 3 to 5 stories in height
• cellar
• width 20 to 25 feet
• depth varies to about 60 feet

Question 2

First floor is only floor with…?

Answer 2

2 means of egress

-interior stairway to 2nd floor (parlor) and cellar

Question 3

Second floor is known as…?

Answer 3

PARLOR FLOOR

-main entrance to building

Question 4

Upper Floors, small bedrooms may have only entrance from the hall (front and rear)…these rooms are known as..?

Answer 4

DEADMAN’S ROOM

Question 5

Open interior stair connects…?

Answer 5

PARLOR FLOOR (2ND) To upper floors

Question 6

Access to roof via…?

Answer 6

SCUTTLE

Question 7

Bars often found on both front and rear______windows and iron gates beneath_____?

Answer 7

FIRST FLOOR

FRONT STOOP

Question 8

Normally a REAR entrance from the yard on the ??

Answer 8

1ST FLOOR (basement)

Question 9

In some Brownstone’s, we may need_____to pull ceilings on the 2ND FLOOR?

Answer 9

10 FOOT HOOKS

Question 10

Most Brownstones, do NOT have…?

Answer 10

FIRE ESCAPES

Question 11

These building may have been renovated ….

Answer 11

-absence of stoop (main entrance 1st floor)

CONVERTED TO MD’s: fire escapes added OR sprinklers were installed in the INTERIOR HALLS in lieu of secondary means of egress
-SPRINKLER lines were further extended into individual rooms when buildings were converted to ROOMING HOUSES …
presence of these SPRINKLERs, may indicate absence of FIRE ESCAPE…

• in many instances, these buildings are being utilized as ILLEGAL MD’s with SRO;s or entire families on all floors, with NO FIRE ESCAPE OR SPRINKLERS

Question 12

The___often becomes involved in fire and/or heavily charged with smoke?

Answer 12

SINGLE OPEN INTERIOR STAIR

-IMMEDIATE VEIS of the TOP FLOOR is mandatory and is considered to be one of the most important operations at these fires

Question 13

Cellar fire is peculiar in that there is limited means of…?

Answer 13

VENTING

-COUPLE of small windows at ground level in the rear, opening under a grating near the FIRST FLOOR VESTIBULE ,and possibly coal chute

Question 14

It is a punishing operation for the Engine Company to advance down…?

Answer 14

ONE INTERIOR STAIR

-may be necessary for the Ladder company to cut holes in the first floor (basement), near windows to adequately vent cellar..CHARGE HOSELINE SHOULD E POSITIONED

Question 15

Rear Extensions added on the first floor, may have their own..?

Answer 15

COCKLOFT

-may be 2 -3 stories in height and 10-20 feet deep

Question 16

DUPLEX?

Answer 16

APT. on 1st and Parlor (entrance on 1st floor)
APT. on Upper floors (entrance on Parlor)

-unprotected stairs between floors within each apartment

Question 17

Roof?

Answer 17

majority are flat construction with NO PARAPET IN THE REAR

-access via iron ladder (scuttle), usually found in a CLOSET

Question 18

Cockloft space is approximately..?

Answer 18

2 feet to 3 feet in height

roof pitched toward rear

Question 19

Interior Construction of a Brownstone is basically…?

Answer 19

NON FIRE PROOF

Question 20

Fire is generally confined to original building, however..?

Answer 20

• spread in cellars, due to adjoining beams
• COCKLOFT, deterioration and faulty construction
• yankee gutter/cornice

Question 21

Points of examination inside a Brownstone…

Answer 21

• DUMBWAITER SHAFTS
• hot air ducts/registers
• pocket doors
• large open stairway from 2nd floor to roof/combustible flue
• some have open stairs in rear of the building from 1st to 2nd floor (SERVANT STAIRS)
• transom windows

Question 22

Brownstone interior is ______, while the exterior shall is _____?

Answer 22

COMBUSTIBLE

NON COMBUSTIBLE

Question 23

FIRST FLOOR:

Answer 23

kitchen in rear

dining room in front

Question 24

3rd and 4th floors:

Answer 24

2 BEDROOMS each with hall rooms in FRONT and REAR, off stairway

Question 25

Deadmans Room found in ?

Answer 25

FRONT or Rear

Question 26

Doors at top of cellar and first floor (basement) normally prevent the IMMEDIATE EXTENSION of cellar _____ up the main interior stairs?

Answer 26

FIRES (NOT SMOKE)