Ch. 11 - Fighting Fires In Institutional Occupancies

Question 1

Describe the term institutional occupancies.

Answer 1

Facilities in which large numbers of people may be residing under somewhat confining circumstances.

Question 2

What are some quintessential institutional occupancies?

Answer 2

Hospitals, penal institutions, and schools.

Question 3

What is the key problem that arises when fire strikes an institution?

Answer 3

Rescue.

Question 4

What is the primary strategic thrust associated with rescue in institutional occupancies?

Answer 4

Defend in place.

Question 5

What is the primary option to save as amany victims as possible in an institutional occupancy?

Answer 5

Defend in place.

Question 6

Older schools that are still in use today are of what kind of construction?

Answer 6

Ordinary construction. (Lincoln). These are generally more than one story, but seldom exceed four.

Question 7

Older schools usually have what kind of floors?

Answer 7

Old hardwood or poured concrete covered with tile.

Question 8

What kind of construction are newer institutional occupancies?

Answer 8

Class I or II.

Question 9

Where hav esome of the worst loss-of-life fires on America occurred?

Answer 9

Hospitals, schools, and prisons.

For the responder on the first alarm, the ratio of victims to rescuers can be greater than fifty to one.

Question 10

What is it vital that the IC know at a fire involving institutional occupancies?

Answer 10

1. Whether the building is protected by automatic sprinklers and standpipes.
2. The capabilities of the crews available to him.

Question 11

If N IC were to forego a defend in place operation, how many firefighters would be needed to evacuate a hospital wing with forty patients?

Answer 11

Up to eighty. And still no attention would be given to the fire itself.

Question 12

What is the key to defend in place?

Answer 12

Aggressive attack of the fire. All crews must be committed to quick extinguishment and ventilation of the contaminated areas.

Question 13

Searches in defend in place operations will be what?

Answer 13

Minimal. The effort at locating and accounting for the exposed will be more of a triage.

Question 14

Any action that will reduce the time spent on search and feel will do what?

Answer 14

Save life.

Question 15

In institutional occupancies, where are evacuations most likely?

Answer 15

Schools.

Question 16

Where should hose lines be placed during an evacuation?

Answer 16

On each stairway. Throw the hose to the inside of the stairwell and have a firefighter stationed where it crosses in front of the last step.

Question 17

Crews will extend themselves more, or less, in these building than they will in other types of occupancies?

Answer 17

More. Mostly due to the high life hazard.

Question 18

If he has firefighters that know someone associated with the institional occupancy, what must the IC pay particular attention to?

Answer 18

Freelancing and actions that stem from emotions rather than knowledge, experience, and training.

Question 19

If in doubt, do what in fires in institutional occupancies?

Answer 19

Go big.