Lesson Plan 13 Fireground Structural Collapse

Question 1

A detailed prefire plan, combined with ______ ____ _____ _____, _____ _____, and sound judgment will enable command personnel to better protect firefighters from the danger of bldg collapse.

Answer 1

knowledge of bldg contruction, fire behavior

Question 2

Above all, structural collapse stresses the need ____ ________ ______

Answer 2

for prefire planning

Question 3

What must be among the structures surveyed for pre-fire planning

Answer 3

industrial, commercial, institutional occupancies and placed of public assembly

Question 4

Bldg characteristics that should be noted in prefire plans include:

Answer 4

Type of Construction
Size of bldg
Year of construction
Renovations that have taken place and when
Type of occupancy

Question 5

What are the types of construction

Answer 5

Type I (fire resistive construction)
Type II (Non-combustive or Limited Combustible construction
Type III (Ordinary) Construction
Type IV (Heavy Timber) Construction
Type V (Wood-framed) Construction

Question 6

What is included with size of bldg as a characteristic noted in prefire plan

Answer 6

Length
Width
# of stories

Question 7

The prefire plan should include means of ____/_____, features that will aid in ______ ______ to limit fire spread, locations of areas that can endanger firefighters, and locations of _____ _____.

Answer 7

access/egress; vertical ventilation; concealed spaces

Question 8

Most likely to fail under fire conditions are bldgs of _____ _____, ____ ____ construction, and _______ construction.

Answer 8

unprotected noncombustible construction; wood framed; ordinary

Question 9

Lightweight truss assemblies are extremely dangerous to firefighters since these assemblies can fail and collapse after as little as _____ minutes of fire involvement.

Answer 9

7 minutes

Question 10

Ordinary construction can be defined as ______ loads which are carried by ______ and interior loads which are carried on ______, ______, or unprotected ______.

Answer 10

exterior; masonry; wood; masonry; steel

Question 11

In lightweight construction, some pre-fabricated wood trussed are ______ at their ______ by _____ _____ ______.

Answer 11

attached; joints; metal gusset plates

Question 12

Metal gusset plates replace nails and fail _____ _____ under fire conditions because they act as ____ _____ and they are not as _____ _____ in the wood.

Answer 12

more quickly; heat collectors; deeply imbedded

Question 13

Unprotected steel construction, when heated to temperatures of ____ to ______ F, will lose _____, ____, and ______ ______

Answer 13

800 degrees to 1400 degrees; strength, expand, and usually fail

Question 14

A _____ foot section of steel I-beam can lengthen as much as _____ _____ when heated only to _____ F.

Answer 14

100; 9 inches; 1000 degrees

Question 15

For Masonry construction, if stars, plates, or other designs are placed in a _______ ________, they are probably _____ __ _______ which were designed into the original bldg to secure the ____ ____ to the _____ walls.

Answer 15

geometrical pattern; beam end tie-ins; floor joists; exterior

Question 16

Situational awareness- On the fireground, firefighters should be observant not only for _____ __ ______, but for ____ ____ _____ as well.

Answer 16

threats of collapse; routes of escapes

Question 17

List some of the 5 obvious signs of imminent collapse

Answer 17

• Rumbling sounds
• Cracking or bulging walls
• Water or smoke coming through the walls
• Twisted or warped columns/beams
• Floors sagging / pulling away from the walls

Question 18

A ____ gpm stream can deliver a ____ of water per minute and a _____ gpm stream can add _____ ____ in a minute.

Answer 18

250; ton; 750; 3 tons

Question 19

A bldg of ordinary construction that is well involved on arrival, the IC should consider _______ all firefighting personnel within _____ ___ _____ ____ from the time of the initial alarm, if interior crews are not _____ _____.

Answer 19

withdrawing; 10 to 12 minutes; making progress

Question 20

Ordinary construction can fail in as little as ____ ____

Answer 20

17 minutes

Question 21

Collapse Rescue operations should listen for calls for help, the sounding of ____ _____ ____ _____, or ____ ______.

Answer 21

PASS (Personal Alerting and Safety System) devices; radio transmissions

Question 22

In a Collapse Rescue operation, why do we not shut down lines into the bldg.

Answer 22

Trapped FFs may be using them for their own protection.