Chapter 11

Question 1

111

What type of fire is the most deadly and punishing?

Answer 1

basement fires

Question 2

111

What are the limitations that basement fires present to firefighter operations?

Answer 2

1. Ventilation- the smaller windows means ventilation is more difficult.
2. Access and Egress are through one stairwell

Question 3

112

Basement vs Cellar

Answer 3

Basement is a space that has at least part of its room space below ground level.
Cellar is the space below the basement completely below ground level.

Question 4

112

What are the types of access to basements?

Answer 4

either internal via stairs or external as in walk out basements, or a combination of both.

Question 5

112-113

What is a construction feature that makes basements dangerous?

Answer 5

basements are not normally finished out, that means the the underside of the first floor structural members are directly exposed should there be a fire.

Question 6

112-113

What could you expect to find in basements?

Answer 6

Anything, from unfinished areas used as storage to fully finished out rooms or apartment. In the northeast you can expect to find mechanical systems such as heating/cooling units, fuel oil storage tanks, electrical service panels and so on.

Question 7

113

What is the basic problem when it comes to all basements

Answer 7

Access and egress

Question 8

113

What is contributing to a trend in basement fire that see firefighters fall into basements?

Answer 8

lightweight construction and unfinished basements that allow the fire instant access to structural members that have a documented history of early failure in fire conditions.

Question 9

114

Signs that you have a basement fire, with no external obvious clues. (4)

Answer 9

1. The heat while searching is oppressing w/ no direction.
2. Its hot everywhere around you, hard to determine where to go
3. TIC may show thermal differences on the floor, may not
4. Hot and smoky not able to find fire, may be below you.

Question 10

114

What is a way to check for basement fire from the exterior early in a fire?

Answer 10

check basement windows for signs of smoke

Question 11

114

What is a reason that basement fires more likely to cause localized collapse?

Answer 11

They is usually a delay in noticing the fire since the basement is sealed off from the rest of the house, especially at night. Basements are mainly used as storage so they are less likely to have smoke detectors. So given they can burn longer unnoticed with exposed structural elements that may be lightweight construction= localized collapse.

Question 12

114

What may grayish white smoke coming from everywhere indicate?

Answer 12

basement fire

Question 13

115

In their part of the country basement fires are so important/common that most places have ____.

Answer 13

A plan (a specific person/SOP mandate) for someone responding to the incident to check the basement for signs of fire.

Question 14

115
When encountering a basement fire what are the priorities? (2)

What are locations you are likely to find the basement door? (3)

Answer 14

We need to confine, control and extinguish.

1. Maintain integrity and protection of the rest of house by controlling basement door (usually located behind the main stairs).
2. Announce location/ condition of door and stairs
3. directly behind the stairs that lead to the 2nd floor
4. Near the kitchen
5. Rear and/or side entrances sometimes lead to both into the first floor and split to provide access to the basement.

Question 15

116

What should Ladder companies do at a known basement fire? General (3)

Answer 15

• First priority find the stairs to the basement, notify engine/command status of stairs (tenable or untenable)
• untenable: fire has control of basement, we must stay and hold stairs
• tenable (and with line nearing our position): make access to basement to further search for fire/victims.

Question 16

117

What should the first Ladder company do a known basement fire with no fire at top of stairs?

Answer 16

Coordinate with Command and Engine company about conditions. If approved to search ahead of Engine move quickly down stairs they are a chimney. Work with Engine crew once they arrive in a coordinated manner to complete search.

Question 17

117

What should an Engine company do a basement fire? (3)

Answer 17

1. Be combat ready to pull hose before the fire, and self congratulatory
2. Coordinate with the ladder company and Command, and other engine companies already on scene and later arriving.
3. Goal is isolation and extinguishment

Engine companies should have proper recognition of basement fire and structure access.

Question 18

116

What should first in Ladder do with fire at the top of stairs? (5)

Answer 18

Door control is first step to confinement - while waiting on the engine company

• If no door steal one from another place and use it
• Use water can to control fire until engine arrives.
• If additional basement opening known, call for another company to use that entrance for search. Once the engine company arrives Ladder company can continue search in rest of house.
• If no additional access points follow engine down stairs and search after area has been extinguished. Portable ladder may be used to strengthen interior basement stairs.