Austinfd Commercial Structure Tm

Front 1

-Opened Structure: Has Sufficient number of windows and doors.
-Closed Structure: Does not have sufficient number of doors and windows.
-Prolonged Zero Visibility: Lasting longer then 15 minutes.

Back 1

-Life safety is always #1.
-After incident priorities:
1. Confine fire to small area.
2. Protect exposures: internal + external.
-Roof ventilation may be high-risk, but is often the best method of venting a commercial structure.
-Loss of large warehouse of strip center has a direct economic impact on the community.

Front 2

-Size-up
1. Officers and personnel be aware of location, arrangement, contents, and fire protection features.
2. Requires recognition of the need for additional information for subsequent action.
3. At least 1 company to the rear, usually 2nd aerial apparatus.

Back 2

-Residential Fires: majority of firefighter fatalities
- Commercial Fires: majority of Multiple firefighter fatalities.
- Lulled into false sense of security because of protection systems.
-Systems may fail because:
1. absence of interal system.
2. inappropiate systems for
the application.
3. lack of maintenance.
4. improper response by the occupants. -Fighting a fire in an enclosed commercial structure is One of the Most Dangerous.

Front 3

Modes of Operation: Offensive mode is assumed at structure fires.
1. Cautious Interior Assessment:- Attack team enters with a thermal imaging camera and charged hoseline, and attempts to locate fire without penetrating deeply into structure.-After fire is located:
1. Aggressive interior attack.
OR
2. Repostion and do Short Interior Attack.

Back 3

2. Short Interior Attack: - advancing handlines to the seat of the fire using shortest distance from exterior. - Could use existing windows, doors, or wall breaching. - This increases firefighter safety by minimizing distance between exterior and seat of fire.

Front 4

Fire Attack:
- One of most important steps toward incident stabilization is pumping to FDC's.
- If IC determines fire can be controlled in the incipient stage, you can delay augmenting sprinklers.
- After sprinklers, confine fire to occupancy of origin.
- Common tactic is cut-off lines.
- Deck gun or RAM for a blitz attack, followed by evaluation period.
- Direct stream from RAM or handline from doorway into ceiling space before entry:
1. Stream will cool metal.
2. Drop ceililng tiles will be dislodged and allow access to void spaces.
3. Visual reference should be made with a TIC before entry.

Back 4

Water Supply:
1. Large water supply is best using a reverse lay, and pumping from the hydrant.
2. Commercial structures are often on a "looped" main, so locate a hydrant on the street.

Front 5

Inside Truck:
- Position in front of structure.
- Forcible entry is usually TOP priority.
- Ensure firefighters can:
1. enter structure.
2. advance to the fire.
3. have secondary egress out of structure.
- Large open spaces: Use personal search lines tethered to hose line or main search line. This helps prevent firefighters from becoming lost, and facilitates egress.

Back 5

Outside Truck:
- Position for roof access from the side or rear of structure.
- Consider leaving the driver with apparaturs to begin raising ladder.
- Utillity Control.
- Additional Forcible Entry is TOP priority.
a. Open the rear doors.
b. Take power tools with you.
- Assess roof construction, roof conditions and need for vertical ventilation.
- Open the roof near a wall instead of directly over the fire. This is safer.

Front 6

Exposure Protection:
- PPV fan can be used to "pressurize" uninvolved area and slow fire spread.

Back 6

Accountabililty:
- Is maintained by each firefighter knowing who they report to and each supervisor knowing who reports to them.
- Most effective means is by using AFD Accountability Cards.