VACANTS Flashcards
Vacant building definition?
structure which is considered to be COMPLETELY unoccupied and all efforts to maintain the building in a livable condition have been abandoned by the owner
-these buildings are typically open, unguarded, lack operating utilities and are not maintained in safe condition
partially occupied- not considered vacant
temporarily unoccupied building –well maintained, while unrented, for sale, under renovation–many PD’S /commercial properties
-to determine if building is vacant, attempt to determine whether building is occupied and assess the buildings current condition and degree of maintenance
Marking?
Square-with X inside
18”x18”
2”lines
LIME YELLOW REFLECTIVE PAINT
Primary markings?
ALONGSIDE FRONT ENTRANCE of the building at a height that is in line with the area directly over the front entrance..markings should be high enough to insure visibility, to achieve this height, a ladder may be required
-DO NOT mark sealed doors or windows, the structure should be marked at locations that are likely to remain undisturbed
RO- roof open, made directly over the vacant building markings in cases when a roof is opened to the degree that there is little need for future vertical ventilation (e.g.. roof has been previously cut or burned away )
FO- floor openings shall be made directly underneath vacant building markings in cases when members determine that floors within the building have holes or openings that may endanger members
Buildings should be marked when FIRST identified as vacant, including during BISP.
ANY COMPANY (not only admin, does not include CIDS) may place VACANT BUILDING MARKINGS…ASAP thereafter the supervising officer MUST NOTIFY ADMIN COMPANY
Company Officers from admin company
- enter in ECIDS
- Forward MEMO to all units and admin BATTALION ADN DIVISION within FIRST ALARM AREA
- When appropriate, forward DOB REFERRAL REPORT , “BUILDING VACANT, OPEN AND UNGUARDED”
- when appropriate, forward a HIGH PRIORITY DOB REFERRAL REPORT citing “ structural stability affected”
Size UP
- Protection of LIFE- MOST IMPORTANT CONCERN during size up…less likely to contain occupants, still imperative to consider the potential for a life hazard
- Member Safety - HIGHEST priority during risk assessment …more risk averse than occupied buildings….FF’s represent the SOLE LIFE HAZARD at an overwhelming majority of vacant building fires
- Structural Stability - serious concern…localized and catastrophic building collapse
- Extension to Exposures - more likely in vacant buildings
Diesel fuel?
- develop slowly at start, progress rapidly
- heat, longer duration than gasoline
- fire of great magnitude
- diesel will ignite more of the combustible materials in the fire area and increase the severity of the fire
Vacant commercial, industrial buildings also typically have large accumulations of rubbish , which may increase fire load and contribute to the spread of fire .
When operating at commercial buildings, members should be wary of stock or porous materials, that have absorbed water from previous fires…added water weight may create an excessive floor load or cause materials to expand and cause a collapse
LIFE hazard in vacant buildings is extremely low AS COMPARED TO OCCUPIED BUILDINGS..still consider the possibility of transient occupants being trapped inside vacant buildings such as homeless people , vandals, workers or children
features in buildings that APPEAR vacant:
- lights in the windows of some apts.
- curtains, windows, plants
- electric extension wires
- OPEN doors or windows, signs of forced entry into building
Weather —prolong exposure to elements can exact heavy toll on stability of buildings …wooden structural members may be rotted from water damage , while expansion and contraction in masonry caused by the freeze thaw cycle can cause walls or parapets to become unstable
TIME- occur most frequently during late night to earl morning 10 pm - 2 am…at this time of night, fires may go unnoticed for longer periods
HEIGHT of building - challenge with moving members, equipment and water to upper floors….building height can can increase collapse potential )3 story wood frame more prone than similar 2 story building
Gasoline
-immediately upon ignition, burn with lighting rapidity with high heat
UNSEALED buildings are more likely to be structurally unstable than sealed buildings for a variety of reason. They also present a higher probability of fire extension to exposures.
Sealed buildings restrict egress for FF’s , making search operations risk
SEPARATE fires intentionally set…one on LOWER floor and another on TOP FLOOR…top floor may attract initial attack with an undetected lower floor fire
- fires set in center and rear of building
- possibility of delayed ignition devices
- large accumulations of rubbish and discarded furniture positioned and doused with accelerant
- Heavy furniture used to block entrances and delay access /blocked egress
-Stairways with treads and half landings constructed of marble present serious collapse…typically found in NLT’S , including H TYPES …MARBLE stairs may be held in place by only a thin strip of 3/4” angle iron at the perimeter of the landing
Arson in VACANT buildings
use extreme caution when using FIRE ESCAPES (bluff: can’t use fire escapes )
when use of fire escapes is ABSOLUTELY necessary, members should be alert to potential collapse danger
be alert to HOLES in floors /roofs…holes going from first floor to top floor (shafts , for demo)
also, by aware of chemical and biological/hazardous materials may have be illegally dump or discarded
Highest priorities of RISK ASSESSMENT (must be performed) is MEMBERS’S SAFETY /LIFE HAZARD
It may be appropriate to implement an INTERIOR ATTACK at a vacant building fire in order to quickly extinguish an INCIPIENT FIRE AND PROTECT EXPOSURES
-INTERIOR ATTACK IS NOT MANDATORY , at many vacant building fires, interior attack may be too dangerous and should not be attempted
risk vs reward , based on these factors:
- SIZE/INTENSITY of fire
- LOCATION of fire
- STRUCTURAL STABILITY
- SAFE ACCESS TO FIRE AREA
- life hazard typically FF’S , slower more cautious approach initiated
- more time than usual must be devoted to the size up of the situation
- IC must minimize member’s interior operational time and maximize their level of supervision
LARGE or ADVANCED fires, primary attack should be defensive exterior attack and focus on PROTECTION of exposures
When a vacant building is HEAVILY INVOLVED ON ARRIVAL, hose streams should be placed between the involved buildings and the MOST SEVER LIFE EXPOSURE
E.G.–fully involved vacant extending to UNOCCUPIED commercial building and also an OCCUPIED dwelling, then FIRST STREAM should be positioned to protect the people, even if commercial buildings is more exposed
When LIFE is NOT endangered in any exposure, FIRST STREAM should protect the greatest AMOUNT of property E.G.-vacant fire is exposing another vacant structure (pD), and exposing (less severely )an UNOCCUPIED COMMERCIAL, protect the unoccupied commercial
