Posts Categorized: Engineered Lumber
Basement Considerations
By seeing all four sides of the fire building we can see if the seat of the fire is in the basement and may allow us a more direct attack from the same level as the fire reducing the chances of floor failure.
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Type V Construction-Wood Frame
We just need to remember the hazards and myths of this type of construction. One is that if one truss fails they all fail. I like to ask the classes that I teach if any of them has seen a house constructed with wood truss systems with a part of the roof burnt off and the rest of it still intact? The answer is always yes.
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What Do You See?
As an officer that will be making the initial decisions on this building you have a great responsibility to know as much about this structure as you can. It will certainly help you to make the best possible decision about your tactics.
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Residential or Commercial Alarm?
Firefighters are falling through floors immediately after entering. Roofs are collapsing much earlier than before. Contents are causing fires to burn faster and reach untenable temperatures much earlier in the fire. The larger area requires the firefighters to search longer and further into a building than in the past.
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Apply the Lessons Learned
Above all, don't let the lives lost at any LODD be lives lost in vain. Learn from their mistakes, but don't be critical, we have all screwed up and been lucky enough to get away with it. Be constructive and train on the recommendations so that you don't repeat history.
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What Is Above You?
By lifting the tiles and breaching the ceiling, we know how far the fire has advanced before committing people into these buildings. The concealed spaces are important for initial fire attack in these situations. It might indicate that the front door is as far as you go.
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Light Weight Strip Malls
As you look at this building you can see that it seems to be a series of stores or spaces in a commercial building. Most likely a strip mall type building.
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Making Sure Beams Fail
Steel will deform and twist and this beam will meet little, if any, resistance during a fire. I understand that a pocket of concrete will not keep this beam from dislodging, but it there is a reason for properly pocketing these beams.
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Making I-joists More Dangerous
This is a weak spot in this floor and will sag. It will fail much faster if contacted with fire.
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More on Light Weight Construction
Check out this article for some great information and links in regards to light weight construction and the hazards that are associated with it. All firefighters and officers need to read this.
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Identifying RTU’s From the Interior
Take care to look above you and identify RTU from the interior.
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What’s Above You?
What is lurking on the roof? It could come crashing down on you.
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Green Roofs
Green construction will no doubt change the way we operate at these buildings.
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More Than Just Floors
Take into consideration what the building is made of before getting on the roof. Is the benefit worth the risk.
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Things Aren’t Always What They Seem
What see is not always what we get. Get a good look from all sides, it might just save your life.
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Engineered I-Joists: Be Aware of Your Buildings
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWMhA2wDTes]
Some of you may have seen this video, but is worth looking at again and showing it to your firefighters, officers and building officials. Take time to look at your subdivisions and know the danger…
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Nice Jeans
This picture was labeled as "safety-fire-training", no kidding. This appears to be some sort of flammable liquids fire training by the looks of the props and their technique.
As we can see, they are wearing standard jeans and long sleeve t-shirt for p…
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Hanging by a Thread
Okay, its not really a thread, but it may as well be. These truss systems are popular for overhangs and porches on commercial and residential buildings. Typically, the top end will sit on a nailed 2x4 or rest on the top of the wall and toenailed into t…
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Oh, The Good Old Days are Gone!
Remember the good old days when your commerical buildings were block and mortar or steel buildings with large dimensional lumber? Those days are long gone and it has made our job that much more dangerous.
When this building is completed, it will likel…
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How Many Does It Take?
Now I don't know exactlly what is going on here, but just from the photo I would guess that they are pushing the limits of this porch. It appears that the building is of an advanced age the possibility of some rotten members are good.
Since there are …
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How to Vent a Field?
There is alot of this kind of construction in Western Europe, but it is becoming popular in parts of the U.S. as well. There obvious concerns for firefighters here. The load itself, having dirt and grass on the roof system, add water, snow or ice and…
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Knights of Columbus Hostel Fire
On this day in 1942, 100 people lost their lives at the Knights of Columbus Hostel in St. John's, Newfoundland. The building was mostly wood construction and had had most of the windows boarded up and barred to meet black-out regulations during the w…
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Kerns Hotel Fire 1934
The Hotel Kerns was built in 1919 and was a brick building that boasted 162 rooms and was a favorite hot spot noted for its bar and cafeteria.
On Dec. 11, 1934 it would turn tragic when the night janitor for and adjacent business noticed flames on t…
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As Brannigan said, “The Building is Your Enemy!”
This is a typical scene in just about every jurisdiction in America. The homes are getting bigger while at the same time getting "lighter" in their construction and make-up. Take the time to go by and look at these buildings while they are being cons…
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Atlanta Winecoff Hotel Fire Remembered
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/2073140320/
http://www.winecoff.org/hotel/
On this day in 1946, 119 people died in the deadliest hotel fire in American history. The 15 story hotel was built in 1913 and was touted to be "fire proof" and was…
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