Fireground Support Operations (1st Edition)
Chapter 1 - Size-up
"By The Numbers"
NOTES BELOW ALSO INCLUDE THE INTRODUCTION PORTION
NOTICE: STORY-BASED ENTRIES/DISCUSSIONS IN THIS
CHAPTER ARE NOT INCLUDED IN NOTES
- Residential/commercial buildings constructed before the
middle of the 20th
century commonly had high ceilings, some 10 feet or
more, with many having "dropped" false ceilings
installed.
- If a firefighter crawling on the floor of a smoke-filled
Victorian-style residence can touch the ceiling with a
6 foot pike pole, there is
probably a false ceiling in that room.
- With basement fires, smoke on the
1st floor may be relatively cool with no
obvious layering.
- Townhouses are mostly 2-story,
wood-frame, multiple-residence buildings that may or may not have fire walls
separating the units.
- The kitchen and living room of townhouses are typically
on the ground floor, while bedrooms are typically on the
2nd floor.
- Fires that develop on ground floor of townhouses during
sleeping hours are likely to trap occupants on the
2nd floor.
- Horizontal ventilation of most often used with townhouses
due to sleeping area being on 2nd floor.
- Laddering 2nd floor
windows, both front and rear, of townhouses is usually a high
priority.