Townhouse Flashcards
Piggyback Townhouse?
Townhouse consisting of two stacked dwellings (one over the other), each with a separate address and entrance. These occupancies share a common floor separated by a fire wall on that floor.
Over-under townhouse?
Consists f two stacked dwellings (one over the other). These are usually two level occupancies over one level occupancies with entrances on opposite sides
Rowhouse?
Multi-story dwelling attached to at lest two other dwellings. These dwellings may or may not be separated by fire walls. Typically a rowhouse will have a common cockloft under a flat roof.
Duplex?
Two dwellings under one roof sharing a common wall.
Quad?
Four dwellings connected together, under one roof, with separate addresses.
Hybrid Townhome?
Building construction style that can be inclusive of various types of townhouse styles under one roof.
Townhouse construction is typically ________?
lightweight frame using the platform frame method
Townhomes in the 1980s have FR plywood roof sheathing that should be considered?
Unsafe, much of the FR plywood is defective due to early decomposition
Foundation walls of townhomes are either?
Masonry block or poured reinforced concrete monolithic
What are the two standard locks on exterior townhouse doors?
Rim and mortise
Will commercial townhome stairwells be enclosed?
Yes
Fire flow estimate for Townhome?
10gpm per 100sqft of involved area
What situations in townhome fires should cue the OIC to request a second alarm?
- known resuces
- fire in two separate occupancies
- fire on more than one level
- fire in attic space
Back to back townhouse?
Townhouse consisting of two or more occupancies under one roof connected by the side C wall
Typically the first due engine will pull past how many addresses on a townhouse fire?
2 addresses past or stop 2 short
If there is no rear access available the third due engine on a townhouse fire should position?
At the end of the row closest to the involved unit
If there is no rear access for the second truck on a townhome fire where should they position?
Side A in front of the uncovered exposure
If utilizing a soffit attack what handline should be selected?
2 1/2 with a smoothbore
What are the mandatory actions for exterior fires extending into the dwelling?
1) first hoseline is deployed to the fire location on the exterior to perform a quick knockdown in a sweeping fashion. Crews should not flow water into windows or doors due to the fact this might force products of combustion into the dwelling toward the occupants.
2) Once first hoseline is in place and operating effectively, the second line should be deployed to the interior. Crew must inspect the ceiling area and the floor condition at the point of entry.
3) Once fire is knocked down on the exterior of the dwelling, the hoseline may be redeployed to the interior.
4) The coordination of tactics and ops between the first engine and the special service units or additional engine companies must be completed before the special service units can enter the building
What is a Bresnan Distributor Nozzle?
Cellar nozzle
If when the rear door is opened it swings towards the basement door and blocks it or vise versa what should be done?
One of the doors should be removed to aid in the movement of the hoselines and allow better access.
What are the most common scenarios for attic fires in townhomes?
- Fires in the living area or basement that have extended into the structural components and entered the attic via void space
- interior fire that has vented through a window and exposes the vented soffit area
- fire that has originated on the exterior of the dwelling and has involved the siding and exposed the soffit area
- electrical fires that originate from ceiling fans, exhaust fans, and recessed lighting
- fire that has originated in the attic itself by natural occurances, such as lightning strikes
- current or prior work done by roofers, plumbers, and/or painters
What areas of the structure can crews operate in that do not have large dead loads above?
hallways, bathrooms and bedrooms
In the case of the roof burning away what areas should crews not operate in due to high dead loads?
open areas such as foyers due to the long, unsupported span of the truss
While attic fires may require multiple lines to control, how many lines does a cockloft fire typically require?
1 line, unless there is a significant void of several feet
If a new gable style roof has been placed over a cock loft what technique has been proven effective for extinguishment?
application of streams through the gable ends and/or through the cockloft vents or openings made by firefighters
During a wind driven fire if crews cannot make entry what are the three tactics NIST demonstrated with positive results? They involve using an exterior attack:
1) using elevated master streams through the fire room window
2) via portable ladders
3) with a large caliber stream and the wind at the back of the crew
What are the three general areas for turntable placement at townhome fires?
1) If it is a contents fire with an interior attack, place turntable in front of the involved unit
2) If there is an attic fire, place the turntable in front of the upwind exposure
3) For a heavily involved situation that may require use of master streams, turntable of the first truck should be in front of the most threatened exposure. Second truck should be in front of the next most severely exposed unit. If possible, both turntables should be able to rotate back to the original fire unit.
Coordinated ventilation can improve the survivability of victims because it:
- reduces heat and smoke on the interior
- reduces potential for flashover
- allows firefighters to search faster and more effectively
- allows for locating the fire more rapidly
How do you defend a firewall with an elevated stream?
apply heavy caliber streams to the fire side of the firewall to prevent horizontal fire spread to the attached exposure
