Ch 8. Fighting Fires in Garden Apartments Flashcards by Erik Parson

______ are generally defined as 3-story multiple-residence structures, but you’ll come across plenty of 2- and 4-story versions as well. (p. 87)

Garden Apartments

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Row houses, town houses, ans some low-rise, low-income housing fall into this category. (p. 87)

Garden Apartments

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In garden apartments, there are normally __ apartments per floor, with __ apartments per section. (p. 87)

4; 12

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The entire garden apartment complex will consist of similar, if not repetitive, _____. (p.87)

Architecture

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Midsize and large [garden apartment] complexes, described as _________, can be served by a single driveway and group parking lots. (p.87)

4 or more buildings

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With the exception of town homes and some row houses, the individual living units are usually _____. Many of these will have a balcony. (p.87)

confined to 1 floor

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_______ are apt to spend more time at the beach, golf course, and ski resort than at home taking care of the yard. (p.87)

Baby boomers

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Typically, the single main driveway is narrow. Hopefully, the local zoning officials have been cognizant of ______ when reviewing the plans for new [garden apartment] developments. (p.87)

the width of apparatus

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The access to individual units is often poor. Many of these [garden apartment] buildings sit well back from the main drive and have parking lots at a distance, meaning that you may not be able to spot the apparatus close to the front of the building. This ______ . (p.87)

Negates the use of aerial apparatus

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There’s often restricted access to the rear of individual units. Given heavy fire conditions at the front of the [garden apartment] structure, ________. (p. 87)

ladder operations at the rear may be hampered

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The individual [garden apartment] units may be designated by ____, _____, or _____, but sometimes nothing sets them apart from other units. (p. 88)

numbers, letters, or names

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Unless _____ are strong on designating [identifying] [garden apartment] units, there can be as many ways of identifying individual units as there are complexes in the community. (p. 88)

Building Codes

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_____ may lead to water supply problems. Long hose lays from city hydrants located on the main streets may be required. (p. 88)

Lax codes

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Typically, the [garden apartment] occupancies aren’t protected with ______. (p. 88)

either automatic sprinklers or standpipe systems

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The life hazard and fire load can both be high. These [garden apartment] occupancies aren’t noted for wide open spaces. _________ will contribute to the rapid spread of fire and early flashover. (p. 88)

Combustible furniture and floor coverings

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Regardless of their exterior facade, the majority of garden apartments of _____ construction. (p. 88)

Wood

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[In garden apartments], there may be some local differences, and _____ may indicate that a different style has been used; (p. 88)

year of construction

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The essential mode of construction [of a garden apartment] is similar to that of ______. (p. 88)

single-family wood-frame houses

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Some garden apartments built in the East in the 30’s and 40’s have exterior load-bearing walls of _____. Wood joists were tied to the exterior walls by a wooden ledger bolted to the brick or by a corbel. (p. 88)

ordinary construction

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A _____ is a brick shelf constructed in the wall itself. (p.88)

Corbel

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In some low-income housing projects, the exterior walls are of ordinary construction with _______ ceilings and floors. (p. 88)

concrete

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Most of the wood-frame garden apartments were constructed after ________ became more or less extinct, between 1940 and 1950. (p. 89)

balloon framing

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The majority [of garden apartments] have _____ construction. (p. 89)

platform

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Newer versions [of garden apartments] are being made with _____ construction, which pose additional hazards to firefighters. (p. 89)

Truss-frame

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Typically, ordinary-constructed [garden apartment] exterior load-bearing walls can have _______ as a finished exterior, or walls of _____. (p. 89)

painted concrete masonry units; brick veneer

Wood-frame garden apartments can have ____, _____, or ____, or perhaps _____ veneer. (p.89)

wood lap, vinyl, or aluminum siding, or brick

_____ roofs are the exception and not the rule [for garden apartments]. (p. 89)

Flat

______ or ______ with tar and gravel over plywood is common in newer complexes that have flat roofs. (p. 89)

Parallel-chord truss or engineered plywood I-beam

Some low-income housing projects can have _____ roof assemblies with a membrane covering of rubber or tar and stone. (p. 89)

concrete

Most garden apartments have pitched roofs, either ____ or _____. (p. 89)

gable or mansard

Some of the older [garden apartment] types use a true gable roof system with wooden rafters, normally _____, as beams and a single ridge board, normally _____ or larger, that supports the slope. (p. 89)

2X6; 2X6

Newer [garden apartment] roof assemblies are of _______. These are traditionally 2X4 assemblies. Some 2X6 assemblies can be found, but are rare. (p. 89)

truss construction

What is the Prime concern at a garden apartment fire? (p. 90)

life safety

The floors [in garden apartments] are generally of _____ construction, with 2 exceptions.

wood-joist

[floor exception 1/2] In concrete construction garden apartments, similar to low-income housing projects, the floor assemblies are of ______. (p. 90)

concrete

[floor exception 2/2] Newer garden apartments can have _____ or _____ construction. (p. 90)

engineered wooden I-beam or truss-beam

The majority of garden apartments have _______ supporting the floors. (p. 90)

wooden joists

[as garden apartment subflooring] you will find ____ or ____ inch plywood with a variety of floor coverings above that. (p. 90)

3/8- or 1/2-

In cheaply constructed [garden apartment] units, there may be ____ or ____ rather than plywood as the subflooring. These deteriorate rapidly when assaulted by fire. (p. 90)

particle board or chip board

What state and local entities approve construction plans and should have prints on hand or other references? (p. 90)

building officials

______ contain site drawings indicating the type of construction. (p. 90)

Sanborn maps

Garden apartments tend to be ______. Apartments on the same floor are ______ of each other. (p. 90)

symmetrical; mirror images

It is economical [in garden apartments] to have ______ that run in line from the basement apartment up through the attic, serving both kitchens and bathrooms. (p. 90)

plumbing shafts

The caliber of the _______ will have a great bearing on how easily fire travels through these [plumbing shaft] voids. (p. 90)

drywall taping

Anywhere you find ______ [in garden apartments], you'll find a ready-made avenue for the transmission of smoke and flame. (p. 90-91)

channels for utilities of any kind

Even if backdraft conditions don't exist, intense fire can take hold of the space between ______. (p. 91)

the top floor and the roof

The truss roof assemblies in garden apartment buildings tend to be more stable than those in other types of structures due to ______. (p. 91)

the number of walls beneath them, both bearing and nonbearing.

Even though partition walls aren't _____ walls, they still lend some support to the bottom chord of the truss. (p. 91)

bearing

_____ should be done with caution and only if no substantial fire has entered the truss area. (p. 91)

Ventilation

[Garden apartments] use 1/2-inch drywall on the walls, either ___ or ____ inches on center. (p. 91)

16 or 24

Most building codes call for _____ or ______ in the [garden apartment] attic, cockloft, or truss loft. (p. 91)

firewalls or separations

Unless you observe the [garden apartment] building while it is under construction, you should assume that the fire separations have been ____, often for phone lines, cable TV, or to add insulation in the attic. It's best also to assume that the area _______ after the alteration was made. (p. 91-92)

pierced; resealed

If all of the [garden] apartments are occupied at the time of the fire, the potential is for a minimum of ______ fatalities per section. (p. 92)

Depending on _____, ____, and ____, the risk [for fatalities at a garden apartment fire] may be much greater. (p. 92)

the size of the unit, the season, and the time of day

[In a garden apartment fire], ____ should be a top priority, and conduction these operations will be labor-intensive in the face of heavy fire and smoke. (p. 92)

Using the oriented method of search, it will take a well-trained crew of 3 approximately ____ to ____ minutes to search 2 [garden apartment] units. (p. 92)

5-7

If 1 crew is used to search an entire [garden apartment] section, it will take approximately _____ to ____ minutes and at least 1 bottle change. (p. 92)

30-35

To be effective in searching a garden apartment complex in heavy smoke, you'll need a minimum of _____. (p. 93)

three 3-person crews

If the fire occurs in a single [garden] apartment, you'll need to draw the smoke out ______ and away from the corridors. This is best done with mechanical fans. (p. 93)

horizontally

________ [ventilation] works best [in a garden apartment] if the seat of the fire has been located and an acceptable vent hole for the smoke is available. (p. 93)

positive pressure

If the fire has taken hold of the [garden apartment] attic space, ______ ventilation by way of a vent hole, either man-made or self-venting, is best. (p. 93)

Natural

Sudden collapse _____ a major concern in a garden apartment. (p. 93)

is not

[in a garden apartment], attic areas may collapse down to the ______. (p. 93)

ceiling of the top most floor

[Garden apartment] roof collapses may be _____, but they tend not to bring on total structural failure. (p. 93)

sudden

Any attempt to ven the [garden apartment] attic must be done _____. Well-advanced attic fires will, in time, vent themselves. (p. 93)

caution

[Garden apartment] floor collapse, especially of truss floors or floors on wooden I-beams, tend to be ______. (p.93)

more localized

Normally, if conditions allow for interior attack, _____. (p. 93)

structural collapse won't occur

The main reason that general collapse isn't a major concern in [garden apartments], even with truss assemblies, is the presence of ___ and ____ above and below the trusses. (p. 94)

bearing and partition walls

________ and ______walls tend to restrict total collapse of the truss and they add support to adjacent members. (p. 94)

bearing and partition

[garden apartment] occupants who can't flee by way of the interior hall and stairway may ______. (p. 94)

go to their balcony

As a general rule, those who are screaming the loudest are usually _______. (p. 94)

in the least imminent danger

[in garden apartments] most balconies are supported by _____. (p. 94)

cantilevered beams tied to floor joists

For reasons of safety, teams of ____ should be the rule for operations involving a balcony. (p. 95)

2 and a ground ladder

As always, _____ is your primary concern at a fire in a garden apartment building. (p. 95)

life safety

What dictates operations at a garden apartment fire? (p. 95)

Staffing

If you don't have enough manpower [at a garden apartment fire] to conduct search, rescue, ventilation, suppression and other key operations simultaneously, __________. (p.95)

put out the fire and vent. Look for victims next.

______ must ensure that provisions are in place to control any occupants who come out of the [garden apartment fire] building. (p. 96)

The incident commander

The ______ is the likely one to handle this strategic concern [of corralling and controlling displaced occupants]. He can provide the occupants with information on what to expect, how to contact insurance carriers, and steps being taken to salvage belongings. (p. 96)

information officer

In almost every [garden apartment] situation, the primary tactic to use is ______. (p. 96)

an aggressive interior attack

Consider lines of ____ to be a minimum even at a room and contents fire. (p. 96)

1 3/4-inch

[at a garden apartment fire], take in the lines along the most direct route. normally this means _____ to the involved section. (p. 96)

through the front door

One of the principles of fire attack is to place initial lines with the intention of _______. (p. 96)

confining the fire to the smallest area possible

Go in and push the fire out. Make sure that an avenue for the fire to follow has been provided. The ______ can easily handle this task. (p.97)

outside vent man

______ can allow for additional fire spread, and it may cost lives or cause injury. (p. 97)

Hesitation

________ is key. In most instances with fires in garden apartments, you should go in as soon as possible and go in big. (p. 97)

Aggressive attacks of sufficient size

When fire is advance, search can be difficult in garden apartments. Give priority to _____ and then _____ in the direction of travel. (p.97)

involved section; adjoining sections

If conditions indicate that there are savable victims in the fire apartment, ______. (p. 97)

start your search there

The maximum number of members that one oriented man can effectively control is _____. (p. 98)

As soon as practical, get someone to the rear of the structure. Often a quick accounting of fire concerns in the rear can help you calculate ________. (p.98)

where people are apt to be throughout the building

Ventilation for fires on lower floors can normally be handled best by ______ techniques using _____. (p. 98)

horizontal; positive-pressure fans

____ is needed by company officers at every fire. (p.98)

focus

Why is focus needed especially for the officer in charge of backup? (p. 98)

Not only must he resist looking for fire to put out, he must also restrain his crew from falling for the same temptation

When a fire occurs in a garden apartment and you've been assigned Backup, your sole focus should be on ______ and ______. (p.100)

the safety of interior crews and providing a constant, unimpeded route in and out of the building.

[garden apartments] Under most conditions, the backup line should be positioned ____. (p. 100)

in the same stairway as the attack line

[Garden apartments] Under normal circumstances, _____ will be the most important area where fire spread must be checked. (p. 100)

the hallway

[garden apartments] When search is assigned, the backup line should ____. (p.100)

shadow the search crew

If the fire is on a lower floor and the search team is on an upper floor, then the backup line must be stretched ______. Under most circumstances, it should be positioned ______, with sufficient slack in case advancement is required. (p. 101)

up to where those members are working; at one end of the hall, at the stairs,

If the backup team needs to shadow 2 search crews, one on one floor and one on the floor above, then the line must be stretched ______. (p. 101)

to the higher floor and with additional slack

This is another advantage to using the oriented method [of search], __________. (p. 101)

keeping the oriented officer in the hallway while his crew searches

________ are enhanced and made easier with the search officer in the hall and the backup officer on the stairs. (p. 101)

Communications

If searches are being conducted on all three levels of a garden apartment, then it's almost a certainty that ______. (p. 101)

2 backup lines will be required.

The [garden apartment] walls will hold in a lot of heat, since drywall is very _____, but once fire reaches the internal structure of the building, it can travel widely. (p. 102)

endothermic

Once drywall is subjected to excessive heat, it begins to give up _____ . When this happens, the paint on the walls will blister and never look the same again. (p. 102)

its moisture

_______ and ______will probably play the greatest role in what should be done first at a garden apartment fire. (p.103)

The extent of fire upon arrival and the fire's location

A ____ should help RIT determine the best location to stage. (p.104)

360-degree walkaround

If the fire is in the front of the apartment, it may be best for RIT to stage at the ______, where access will be easier, safer, and probably faster. (p. 104)

rear

The purpose of the first line must be to _______. Keep the fire out of the hall and then push it out of the apartment. (p. 106)

confine the fire to the smallest area possible

If the initial 1 3/4-inch attack line can't darken down the fire within _____, an additional attack line will be necessary. (p.107)

60 seconds

Large department response to garden apartment fire:

1st E: secure water and pull a line 2nd E: assist with stretch and then pull a 2nd attack line or if conditions are severe, pull a backup line. 3rd E: get a line above the fire 1st T: outside ventilation, forcible entry and initial search 2nd T: ladder the building, topside ventilation, assist in search