Ch. 19 - Fighting Fires In Professional Buildings

Question 1

Most professional buildings usually have built in fire protection.
True or false?

Answer 1

False.

Question 2

What tops the list of problems in these occupancies?

Answer 2

Extremely high fire loads and the lack of fire protection.

Question 3

Search operations should be on the IC’s todo list unless what?

Answer 3

Unless the parking lot is empty.

Question 4

What are the three major categories of construction in new office buildings?

Answer 4

1. Wood truss.
2. Concrete.
3. Steel.

In many, the exterior load-bearing walls are made of wood. In such cases, expect platform construction with either trusses or wooden I-beam construction underneath.

Question 5

If the engineers and interior designers have been instructed by the owners to create an office building with a spacious interior, what can be said about the roof?

Answer 5

The roof will be subject to sudden failure.

Question 6

What will you find many modern office building made of?

Answer 6

Tilt-up concrete. The sections are tied together with rebar. The rebar will begin to fail at around 800 degrees F. When collapse occurs, whole sections of wall will be pushed outward. Many of the roof assemblies are held in place by gravity alone.

Question 7

What might be the problem if it seems as if an undue amount of water is required to darken down the flames?

Answer 7

Plastics are no doubt feeding the fire. Some plastics can produce in excess of 12,000 btu’s per pound.

Question 8

What should be suspected if the fire occurs in an abortion clinic or other family planning occupancy?

Answer 8

The possibility of arson and secondary devices.
Park the apparatus away from dumpsters and any vehicle,in which the engine is running and beware of any packages left unattended at the door.

Question 9

What should be the first assignment at the vast majority of fires in professional office buildings?

Answer 9

Attack.

Question 10

What flows are required in these fires?

Answer 10

Greater than 800 gpm may be required if even one-fourth of the floor is involved. Some of these occupancies can have in excess of 10,000 sq ft per floor.

Question 11

Where are aras that need to be checked often in these fires?

Answer 11

The plenum area (suspended ceilings). In a fire you can use the hose stream to blast away portions of the ceiling.

Question 12

What is the doughnut effect?

Answer 12

It can occur in modular office buildings, especially if there is a center-core configuration. Hose streams, especially fog patterns, can push fire back against the exterior walls. If there is no other place for the fore to go, the fire will wrap around the exterior walls of the building, possibly taking hold of the entire perimeter.

Question 13

What about ventilation in professional buildings?

Answer 13

May be difficult or easy. Topside ventilation mist be done with care. If fire enters truss are, use one of two methods. If there are plenty of interior walls, pull the ceilings from below and attack from below. If there are few or no interior walls, let the roof vent itself.

Question 14

What are the two types of building owners?

Answer 14

Those that have and those that don’t have insurance.

Question 15

Describe steel buildings in fires?

Answer 15

If they are subjected to temperatures of 800 degrees F or so, you can anticipate collapse anywhere from one minute ago to five minutes from now.

Question 16

Describe ventilation in concrete buildings?

Answer 16

They generally prohibit topside ventilation. Horizontal ventilation, either positive or negative, will likely be the method to use.

Question 17

Describe the use of backup line in professional building fires?

Answer 17

If they are deployed for the sake of the search team, then they should follow the search team. If the backup line is meant to protect the suppression team, then it the two-thirds rule should apply.

Question 18

What is the one major focus of the RIT at a fire in a professional building?

Answer 18

Collapse.

Question 19

Because of their lightweight composition and often problematic means of access, what other structures are these buildings likened to?

Answer 19

Garden apartment buildings.

Question 20

What is the problem with exposure protection in professional building fires?

Answer 20

Glass only stops about 15% of radiated heat. Aerial devices, rather than handlines, should probably be used to protect the most threatened exposures.

Question 21

What becomes the focus after the all clears have been sounded?

Answer 21

The truss loft. If the roof vents itself, there will be a natural flow upward and outward. The crews will be able to move back, pull ceilings, and flow water into the truss loft to minimize spread.