While on the line . . .

[DCurtis 1]

I have been wondering about this for a while now, when you are on the nozzle and you are leading an attack into a building, how do you make sure the floor in front of you is safe? Especially with new constuction materials that dont hold up at well in fire, like the wooden ibeam, and their high probablitily of collapse when exposed to fire. For instance there is a basement fire and you are getting to the basement, there is a fairly heavy smoke condition when you enter and there is a likelyhood that this house has this type of construction, while staying low, what is the best way to make sure the floor infront of you is stable?

Thanks

[CPAGE 2]

Use your legs boy the heel of your boots to feel infront of you kick down and hope it sound sold.

[lad12derff 283]

You should look,feel and listen. Is the floor sagging, water rolling toward you or away.Is the floor spongy? Do you hear anything. Cracking floor joist not just the fire, furniture falling. Do the duck walk with 1 leg forward feeling the floor. Is this new construction cause if it is you can bet your last dollar its a TGI (wood I beam). Know whats going on in your respose area with construction and follow the 5 minute rule brothers if it's exposed for 5 minutes IT WILL FAIL. And we should all assume its been going for 5 minutes. This type of construction will surely start to take the lives of firefighters in higher numbers than we are seeing now so watch your a** and your brothers!!!!!!!

Edited November 27, 2006 by lad12derff

[JustSomeGuy 0]

very good responses so far, I also believe in the 5 minute rule, also in most new construction its not safe to operate on the roof, unless you are in or attached to the bucket. It is really scary to see these houses being built and selling for top dollar but the building expenses getting cheapier and cheapier. I think it was mentioned above but the best thing to do is know your district. Look at what is getting built, new apartments across the street from the the firehouse? New houses being built? New dormers added on? Isn't jacob burns creating a new theater? Get out there and do the walk throughs.

[JustSomeGuy 0]

P.S. maybe this might help to:

http://vincentdunn.com/dunn/newsletters/oc.../FDNYHP_16.html

[TimesUp 148]

So you don't crawl all over the place know were the stairs are before you go in. Look for a side door, the basement stairs should be there. If its a 2.5 story the stairs are probaly on the same side as the front door. If you can Identify the type of house you will know where the stairs are. The rest L-12 covered already. But always get the line in the front door to protect the means of egress. Basement fires take alot of coordination between co's.

[lad12derff 283]

NYS has passed a law to identify commercial structures with a placard. I wish I could find it to attach. It will tell you roof and floors built with truss construction. Large homes with monster roofs and commercial buildings new churches with large roofs. If you don't think conventional lumber can span the roof you are looking at then most likely its truss construction.if you are working a roof and cut your hole and find 24 inches between beams it's truss construction and you better get off first and notify the IC second

[lad12derff 283]

Just to add to ltrob, most new constuction has the basement stairs under the stairs to the 2nd floor. for you to achieve head room you will be going under the stairs that are going up so look as you enter the front door. THE LINE ALWAYS GOES IN THE FRONT DOOR TO PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS EGRESS the second line can go where the IC feels is needed. If it is a basement fire the first line goes to the interior basement stairs to protect the stairs to the second floor the second line protects the first line from the same location the first line went. I think we need to start another topic here cause I am way off course.

[Remember585 815]

Is this what you were referring to?

NYS Truss Sign