Commercial Buildings

January 2003

Objectives

• Review types of commercial hazards– General– Juneau

• Discuss hazards of commercial buildings

• Review FD history and influence

• Apply knowledge

References

• Phoenix Fire Department Symposium

• Captain Dave Boddy/Brian Long

In memory of Bret TarverA unique human being, a loving family man

and an extraordinary Firefighter

September 11, 1960 - March 14, 2001

Gauges

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High

High

Structural Fire Firefighting History:

• The foundation of American Fire Service

• 250+ year history

• Our original history

• Our most enduring and defining activity

Structural Fire Fighting History…the original approach

• Very personal

• Highly emotional

• episodic, dangerous, exciting

• death/injury natural expectation

Our highest and finest tradition (i.e., promise)

• Firefighters will put their bodies between the victim and the incident problem…sometimes sacrificing themselves to be in that position

…Firefighters also (routinely) put their bodies between the

victim’s property and the incident problem-sometimes sacrificing

themselves to be in that position

Structural Fire Fighting History:…such authentic altruistic self

sacrifice creates:• Highly heroic status (inside and outside)

• Very strong risk taking culture

• Positive community support, approval, affection

• Most popular occupation/service

Our basic structural fire fighting approach was established before:• Occupational Safety & Health program

development

• Safety laws, code, standards

• Regulators, safety bureaucrats/zealots, lawyers

Our basic structural fire fighting approach was established before

• IMS

• Risk Management Plans

• Refined PPE

• The ongoing application of Safety SOP’s

Structural Fire Fighting Today:

• Huge historic/cultural momentum

• Highly emotional

• Peer driven

• Highly resistant to change

Structural Fire Fighting Today:

• Very fast

• Very aggressive

• Very skillful

• …still very dangerous

Compare-Special Operations are “new” (since 1970’s)

• Hazmat

• High Angle

• Swift Water

• Confined Space

Special Ops

• Based on scientific/technical information

• Highly rational - de-emotionalized

• Regulated by codes, standards, laws

• zero (0) tolerance for worker injury/death

• strong initial & ongoing safety socialization (and enforcement)

Special Ops based on:

• 1) Proper procedure

• 2) Effective information

• 3) Highly controlled speed

Pretty simple difference

• Structural fire fighting (pre-safety systems) = big losses

• Special Operations (post-safety systems) = no losses

Big Loss =

• 100 + Firefighter Deaths

• 100,000 Firefighter Injuries

Basic Objective

• …do our jobs--don’t get killed

We all now say:

• “No property is worth the life of a firefighter”

Easy to sayEasy to say

Very logicalVery logical

Politically Politically correctcorrect

……we mostly say we mostly say this away from the this away from the firegroundfireground

“No property is worth the life of a firefighter”

• Hard to actually do

• Obligated to act

• 300 year tradition

• Huge momentum (peer driven)

There is currently a gap between what we say we are going to do and what we actually do…we

must now close that gap.

Risk Management Plan

• Risk a lot to protect savable lives

• Risk a little (highly calculated manner) to protect savable property

• No risk for life/property already lost

Offensive/Defensive Strategy Management:

HazardsHazards-- Structural CollapseStructural Collapse-Toxic insult-Toxic insult

-Thermal insult-Thermal insult-Trapped-Trapped-Lost-Lost

ICIC

Safety SystemSafety System-Trained/Fit FF-Trained/Fit FF-PPE-PPE-Equipment-Equipment-Safety SOP’s-Safety SOP’s-IMS-IMS

Offensive/Defensive Strategy Management:

• Basis of firefighter survival

• Strategy management = major responsibility of IC

• IC must connect safety system capability with hazards

Risk Assessment:

OffensiveOffensive

DefensiveDefensive

HazardsHazards

SafetySafety

SafetySafety

HazardsHazards

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44

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WL

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MediumMedium

High

High

HazardsHazards

SafetySafety

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44

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WL

OW

MediumMedium

High

High

SafetySafety

HazardsHazards

Risk Level

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MediumMediumH

ighH

igh

Occupancy hazard based on:

• Life safety

• Fire load- amount, type and arrangement

• Construction- type, age and condition

• Contents

• Fire protection built in

Occupancy Hazard

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Ultra

Ultra

Light

Light

ModerateModerateHeavyHeavy

Mixed OccupancyMixed Occupancy

Mixed OccupanciesMixed Occupancies

Tax Payer

Tax Payer

Mixed Occupancy

Building Size/Area

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44

55Smal

lSm

all U

ltraU

ltra

Med

ium

Med

iumLargeLarge Humongous

Humongous

Building Size/Area: Small

Building Size/Area: Medium

Building Size/Area: Large

Building Size/Area: Huge

Building Size/Area: Ultra

WarehousesWarehouses

MallsMalls

Entry into Hazard

• Direct relationship between the length of attack penetration and the degree of risk

• IC must create “round trip” plan

• Easier to get into hazard zone then get out

• Must create “corridor” to protect entry

11

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5550’

50’400’ 400’

150’150’250’250’80’80’

Entry into HazardEntry into Hazard

IC must build corridor into/out of Hazard zone:

• Hose lines - know how to follow

• Lights entry/exit points

• RIC teams

• Safety Officer(s)

• Accountability System

• Usher/escort/guide crews

Basic Safety Challenge

• The IC must create an operational & Command safety system response that matches the size & nature of the incident hazard.

Remember the basic model:

Safety SystemSafety System

Remember the basic model:

Safety SystemSafety System

Remember the basic model:

Safety SystemSafety System

Remember the basic model:

Safety SystemSafety System

Remember the basic model:

Safety SystemSafety System

Commercial/Residential Dilemma:• We mostly do single family residence fires

• We develop single family operational habits

• Forgiving environment:– basic attack approach– SCBA air management– attack line = exit marker

We take “little habits” into big fires!!!We take “little habits” into big fires!!!

…Dilemma

• We apply our residential offensive fire attack approach to large, complex commercial fires:– too big - too far– size/complexity quickly out performs day-to-

day systems we use– we ID trouble too late– command = too little too late

12

00

1200

cu

bic f

eet

cubi

c fee

t

30’30’

1500 1500 square square

feetfeet

8’8’

50’

50’

8’8’30’30’

50’

50’

4500

45

00

cubi

c fe

et

cubi

c fe

et

1500 sq... ft. Residence1500 sq... ft. Residence

Huge DifferenceHuge Difference

Side D

Most of us have a refined defensive commercial structural fire fighting plan and approach.

Most of us DO NOT have a refined, practiced, safe, offensive

commercial structural fire fighting plan or approach

In commercial buildings we must:

• Describe both our actual capabilities and our limitations

• Practice escalating our regular operational and command systems to “fit” commercial situations

• Start to build benchmarks for commercial buildings

Seem familiar?

The next step