TB 156 - Hillside Home Structure Fires Flashcards
Successful firefighting operations in hillside homes require:
-Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
-strong command
-continuous size-ups
-well communicated strategy
-effective firefighting tactics.
What are the three general categories of hillside homes?
- Descending (most dangerous)
- Ascending
- Cantilever
Occupancies that are built on a descending slope are the most dangerous because?
The possibility that entry from the grade level into the structure could place firefighters above the fire if it originates on a lower floor.
Cantilever Hillside Homes were originally built in the early 1900’s and were also known as _____ homes.
Stilt homes
Cantilever Hillside Homes can cantilever out as much as ____ to ____ ft over the hillside.
50 to 75 ft
One of the biggest challenges with hillside homes is ACCESS TO LOWER FLOORS FROM GRADE LEVEL.
Specifically, multi-story _______ Hillside Homes are outfitted with an unenclosed interior stairwell that serves all floors, while oftentimes offering NO ACCESS to lower floors from the EXTERIOR.
Cantilever
(Multi-story Descending Hillside Homes may have the same type of unenclosed interior stairwell, but USUALLY PROVIDE multiple portals of entry on sublevels from the exterior.)
What type of hillside home can be handled with similar strategy and tactics utilized for a traditional single/multi-family dwelling?
Ascending hillside home
It is imperative that every attempt is made to conduct a 360 degree survey to determine the FIRE EXTENT and FLOOR OF ORIGIN and to COMMUNICATE this information to other resources BEFORE initiating _________.
interior firefighting operations
In an effort to develop the appropriate level of situational awareness for all responding resources, the first arriving resource shall:
- Give size-up to MFC…
State size, number of floors, and type of hillside home - Prior to advancement of any hose lines, complete a 360 degree survey and announce subsequent size-up to MFC or responding resources the following:
A. Type of hillside home
B. Number of floors
C. Floor and side of building where fire attack lines will be deployed.
If a 360 survey is not possible to accomplish, the first arriving officer will attempt to _______ as much of the building as possible and ascertain all of the required information prior to communicating a subsequent size-up.
visualize
If the building features make it impossible to attack the fire at or below the lowest level of fire involvement, concerned officers should consider utilizing the tactic of “_______.”
Transitional attack
Multi-story Cantilever Hillside Homes that have no doorway access from subfloors, require a risk assessment of how long the fire has been burning. (Offensive vs Defensive)
If an offensive attack is considered as the only means, then it is imperative that a ________ is in place before descending the interior stairwell.
backup fire attack team with deployed hoseline
Although temperatures in a fully developed fire in a room are cooler towards the floor, studies have shown that when fire communicates via an unprotected stairwell, the floor of the stairwell may produce even higher temperatures than at the ______.
ceiling
It is the LAFD practice that any hillside home that has one or more floors below grade with access, be attacked whenever possible from?
a portal of entry at or below the origin of the fire.
Roof ventilation teams need to understand that a premature (uncoordinated) ventilation hole over an unenclosed stairwell may cause an accelerated _______ of superheated gasses and smoke greatly hindering firefighting efforts. ESPECIALLY, if a fire attack team is making an attack where there is fire located on a sub-level and there is no possibility of making entry from an exterior portal below grade.
flow path