OP 024: Firefighting In Buildings II

Question 1

When trying to gather information from outside the building, what should firefighters do?
Seven answers

Answer 1

Gather all information from eye witnesses and the premises owner
Consider the AFA panel to see location of detectors
Look for smoke, discoloration of windows
Use the TIC to look for high temperatures
Feel for hot doors or walls
Characteristic odours can indicate what is burning
Listen for crackling, of which can indicate combustion

Question 2

The volume of smoke produced depends on what three things?

Answer 2

Amount of oxygen available
Amount of time the fire has been alight
Nature of the materials burning

Question 3

What is the weight of attack?

Answer 3

The number of jets, flow settings selected, and size of hose used

Question 4

What should be considered when implementing the appropriate weight of attack?
Three answers

Answer 4

Size and layout of the building
Location and access
Size of the fire, fire development, fire behaviour

Question 5

What is turning over and damping down?

Answer 5

After a fire, checking debris for pockets of smouldering fire
If the fire is a potential crime scene, then debris could contain useful information and should therefore be left as undisturbed as possible

Question 6

What is cutting away?

Answer 6

Removal of building construction objects to try and locate and extinguish an inaccessible fire

Floors - carefully cut out a floor joist with a floor saw
Panelling - remove wall panels
Skirting - remove complete skirting board lengths using axe or spade
Ceilings - removing parts of the ceiling using a ceiling hook