Ch 9. Fighting Fires in Strip Malls

Question 1

______ is the modern taxpayer (111)

Answer 1

The strip mall

Question 2

_______ can be defined as one- and two-story lightweight buildings that house several different businesses under a single roof. (111)

Answer 2

Strip Mall

Question 3

Most strip malls are constructed on _____. (111)

Answer 3

concrete slab floors

Question 4

______ is the key concern at a fire in a strip mall. (111)

Answer 4

Early collapse

Question 5

_____ and ____ are both at fault [for early collapse of strip malls]. (111)

Answer 5

the manner of construction and the fireloads within

Question 6

Access to the rear [of a trip mall] is always a matter of uncertainty. Expect _____, ____, and ____. (111)

Answer 6

steel doors, security bars, and concrete-block walls

Question 7

Access through the rear may be difficult at best. glass is comparatively cheap. If you need to get in, _____. (111)

Answer 7

take out the glass in the front

Question 8

Normally ____ isn’t a key concern at fires involving strip malls. (111)

Answer 8

life safety

Question 9

There isn’t normally any built in automatic fire protection in a strip mall. Standpipes are virtually nonexistent and, unless ____, automatic sprinklers are rare. (113)

Answer 9

required by code

Question 10

You should expect to find _____ in a strip mall if you happen to be responding after business hours. (113)

Answer 10

an advanced fire

Question 11

The exterior load-bearing walls are generally of _____ construction, with _____ being the customary material. (113)

Answer 11

ordinary; concrete masonry block

Question 12

If a strip mall has a brick veneer wall tied to the blocks, they will generally be on the ____ side of the building while the _____ sides will be of concrete masonry units only. (113)

Answer 12

visible; not visible

Question 13

Strip malls constructed of tilt-up concrete normally sit on concrete slabs, and the roof assemblies will be of concrete also. These buildings are tied together with rebar, and are only as strong as the steel, which will begin to fail at a mere _____. (114)

Answer 13

800 degrees Fahrenheit

Question 14

Strip malls with wood exterior load-bearing walls, usually on concrete slabs, tend to be comprised of ______. anticipate early collapse. (114)

Answer 14

the lightest material possible that can pass building codes and manage to hold up the structure

Question 15

_____ and _____ are probably the two most common [strip mall roof] types, in that order. (114)

Answer 15

Wood-truss and steel bar joist

Question 16

As a group, wood trusses lack _____. (114)

Answer 16

mass

Question 17

Pitched roofs on strip malls are generally made of triangular Fink wood trusses and are usually finished with _____. (114)

Answer 17

asphalt shingles

Question 18

____ are used to support flat [strip mall] roofs and will generally be covered with a decking material plus a weatherproof coating of ______.(115)

Answer 18

Steel-bar joists; tar and gravel

Question 19

If you’re unsure as to the composition of the roof of any strip mall, treat it as though it were being held up by _____. (115)

Answer 19

trusses

Question 20

If the cockloft (____ roof) or the truss loft (____ roof) is involved in fire, let the roof vent itself. (115)

Answer 20

flat; pitched

Question 21

_____, _____, and _____ truss roofs can all collapse suddenly, plunging the vent crew into the fire below. (115)

Answer 21

Pitched, flat, and shed-style

Question 22

The connecting points [of steel gusset plates] only embed ____ into the wood, and the steel bends when heated. (115)

Answer 22

3/8-inch

Question 23

[For strip malls], only the _______ can be trusted for topside ventilation. These roofs tend to sag and become spongy when weakened by fire. (115)

Answer 23

true rafter-supported assemblies

Question 24

The floors for most one-story strip malls are of _____. “poke-throughs” and utility raceways present the only concern for extension. (115)

Answer 24

poured concrete

Question 25

Strip malls that have basements usually have _____ floor assemblies. (115)

Answer 25

wooden

Question 26

Newer two-story strip malls normally have _____ or _____ that support the second floor. Older malls have _____. (115)

Answer 26

wooden truss or I-beam joists; true 2” solid joists

Question 27

The strategy for fire involving a strip mall is _______ in conjunction with ______. (115)

Answer 27

an aggressive large-caliber frontal attack; aggressive exposure protection

Question 28

_____ and _____ are key [for fire involving a strip mall]. (115)

Answer 28

speed and coordination

Question 29

A _____ is essentially a closed container with excessive fire loads and a lumberyard for a lid. (115)

Answer 29

strip mall

Question 30

In order to stop the progression of fire [in a strip mall], speed is essential, and _____ and ______ are the tools of choice. (115)

Answer 30

deck guns and 2 1/2-inch handlines

Question 31

To achieve the quick knockdown [of a strip mall fire], it is best to _____. (115)

Answer 31

attack from the front

Question 32

Your objective [in protecting exposures at strip mall fires] is to get ahead of the fire up top and _____. (117)

Answer 32

confine it to the smallest area possible

Question 33

For a working fire in a strip mall, use heavy-caliber streams via the fastest avenue possible, then _____ and stop the progression of the flames. (117)

Answer 33

pull ceilings in the exposures

Question 34

[At a strip mall fire] for penetration and reach, opt for _____, either smooth or combination. (117)

Answer 34

Straight streams

Question 35

Why should fog stream not be used at a strip mall fire? (117) (4 answers)

Answer 35

1) could push fire deeper and possibly into the truss loft
2) space is too large to contain the steam for proper cooling
3) may harm viable victims in the adjacent exposures
4) may not allow you to reach the seat of the fire before it is converted to steam

Question 36

You must define the term business hours [at a strip mall] by _____.(118)

Answer 36

the types of occupancies present.

Question 37

regarding ventilation at a strip mall fire, the best-case scenario is one in which _____. (118)

Answer 37

the fire vents itself

Question 38

Unless the fire starts in that area, self-venting fires normally indicate _____. (118)

Answer 38

advanced fires that have entered the truss loft.

Question 39

_____ should be established if fire involves any portion of the [strip mall] facade. (119)

Answer 39

Collapse zones

Question 40

Always consider ______ in fires involving strip malls. (120)

Answer 40

backup lines

Question 41

In a working fire in a strip mall, one specific backup crew should be assigned to the attack team. The backup line should be positioned _____. (120)

Answer 41

2/3 of the way between the point of entrance and the attack nozzle.

Question 42

Once the backup line [at a strip mall fire] has been stretched, the officer assigned to backup should _____. (120-121)

Answer 42

follow the attack line up to the attack officer and check on their safety and progress.

Question 43

Because the fire loads in [strip malls] can be huge, the backup officer should at least consider pulling _____. (121)

Answer 43

a 2 1/2-inch line

Question 44

As always, the backup line should follow the path of the attack line. This ensures that the officer assigned to backup always knows the location of the attack crew, and _____. (121)

Answer 44

it lessens the chance of having opposing lines

Question 45

_____ per exposure will almost always be required for every exposure that has fire in it. (121)

Answer 45

1 line

Question 46

Checking for extension [at a strip mall fire] should be done _____. (121)

Answer 46

at the party wall dividing the two occupancies

Question 47

The BEST thing you can find in the ceiling [when checking for exposure at a strip mall fire] is _____. (121)

Answer 47

a firewall that penetrates to the roofline

Question 48

The worst thing you can find in the ceiling [when checking for exposure at a strip mall fire] is _____. [at which point you move to the next exposure to make your stand] (121)

Answer 48

a raging fire in the truss loft.

Question 49

The _____ will need to evaluate the potential of a strip mall for collapse. (122)

Answer 49

members of a RIT

Question 50

If you encounter rebar [when breaching a party wall at a strip mall fire], use _____ to cut or spread it. (122)

Answer 50

a hydraulic extrication tool

Question 51

When it comes to overhaul in strip malls, there is one operant word to remember. That word is _____. (124)

Answer 51

hydraulic

Question 52

[In a small department’s response to a strip mall fire] the officer of the first-in engine must do 2 things. He must assume command, and he must take steps to _____. (125)

Answer 52

flow as much water as possible, as quickly as possible

Question 53

The primary concerns and thrust of the [strip mall fire] incident are _____. (127)

Answer 53

knock down the fire and quickly check for extension

Question 54

Medium-size department strip mall fire response:

Answer 54

1st E: initial attack
2nd E: augment initial attack or hunt for extension in the most endangered occupancy
3rd E: move to other exposure and look for extension

Question 55

Large department strip mall fire response:

Answer 55

1st and 2nd E: secure adequate water supplies and handlines to fight the fire
3rd E: take a line into the most severely exposed occupancy and pull ceilings
1st T: provide outside vent man to take out windows in the front and forcible entry team in the rear
2nd T: set up in direction of spread and cool the top surface of the roof