TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME STRUCTURE FIRES

Question 1

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

There are over 400,000 hillside structures in the City, including platform homes, multi-story pre-fabricated homes, custom homes, apartments and commercial buildings.

Answer 1

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Question 2

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

There are three general categories of hillside homes. They are

1. ) Descending Hillside
2. ) Cantilever
3. ) Ascending Hillside

Answer 2

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Question 3

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Descending Hillside Homes are built to provide an opportunity for multiple floors and are most often built on the downslope (descending) side of a roadway.

These types of multi-level structures offer one full story at street level and usually one story or more below grade.

Occupancies that are built on a descending slope are the most dangerous because of the possibility that entry from the grade level into the structure could possibly place firefighters above the fire when the fire originates on a lower floor.

Answer 3

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Question 4

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Cantilever Hillside Homes were originally built in the early 1900’s.

These homes were one story and typically utilized wood construction and heavy timber wood supports tied to the original foundation.

Later generation stilt homes were built on a concrete or wood foundation and utilized steel poles to support the entire home which could cantilever out as much as 75 feet over the hillside.

When a fire is located on sub level floors, it can create one of the most dangerous environments in structural firefighting.

Answer 4

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Question 5

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Ascending Hillside Homes are built on the upslope side of the roadway.

Answer 5

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Question 6

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Prior to the advancement of any hose lines, complete a 360 degree survey of the building to further assess the incident, and announce the additional information in a subsequent size-up.

Type of hillside home

Number of floors (above or below grade)

Location, nature, and extent of fire

Floor with the lowest elevation of involvement

The floor and side of building where initial fire attack lines will be deployed

Answer 6

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Question 7

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

It is the LAFD practice that any hillside home that has one or more floors below grade with access shall be attacked—whenever possible—from a portal of entry at or below the origin of the fire.

If the building features make it impossible to attack the fire at or below the lowest level of fire involvement, concerned officers should consider “________” with limited and focused application of water streams from the exterior, directly through windows with visible fire showing.

If an offensive attack is considered as the only means, then it is imperative that a backup fire attack team has a hose line in place before descending the interior stairwell.

Answer 7

softening the target

Question 8

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Location of the fire, coordination and communication with fire attack and conditions on the interior are the highest priority in determining placement of an initial heat hole to accomplish vertical ventilation.

may opt to provide a ventilation hole over the stairwell.

Answer 8

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Question 9

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Roof ventilation teams need to understand that a premature (uncoordinated) ventilation hole over the unenclosed stairwell may cause an accelerated flow path of superheated gasses and smoke—greatly hindering firefighting efforts.

Fire suppression lines must be in place before ventilating the unenclosed stairwell.

Answer 9

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Question 10

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

A ventilation hole over the interior stairwell should only be initiated after the fire attack team has descended the stairwell to the fire floor and communicated the progress of the attack. This is one of the most significant tactical decisions in a descending hillside home event. The impact of creating an accelerated flow path resembling a chimney—to a fire attack team advancing down an interior stairwell—could be devastating.

Answer 10

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Question 11

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Careful consideration should be given to opening the front door on grade level is that when a fire is located on a sub-level; there could be an additional flow path created by natural ventilation. If fire attack companies are opening doors on the sub-level simultaneously, an extremely dangerous environment is being created within the structure. The mixture of cool air and super-heated gasses from one level to the next can create flashover conditions on the floors above.

Answer 11

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Question 12

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

When engaging in fire attack on a descending hillside home, fire attack, backup fire attack, and all other interior resources shall utilize a common portal of entry until water has been applied on the seat of fire.

Answer 12

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Question 13

TB 156 HILLSIDE HOME

Any occupancy having a floor at street or grade level would become the first floor or Division 1. The next level below grade would become Sub-Level 1 and sequentially below that floor would become Sub-Level 2.

abbreviated form as Sub 1 or Sub 2

Answer 13

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