3/31/2000

RESIDENTAL
STRUCTURE
FIRE
 3/31/2000 Scenario
Building: Single family residence
Time: 2200 hours
Dispatch Report: Report of a garage fire at

a residence
Weather: Clear with full moon
Unknown if occupied
Personnel & Equipment: 3 engines (or 2
engines and aerial), 1 squad or utility,
command vehicle. 16 crew
 3/31/00
STRUCTURE
FIRE REPORT
I.C. performed quick size-
up on south, east, and
north sides of residence

I.C. Reported:
Smoke and flames showing at the garage window on the
south side of the structure.
Smoke coming from around the edges of the closed garage
door.
The I.C. had a
crew (victim &
FF#1) standby
with a charged
1 ¾” line.
When the I.C. attempted to
open the garage door
Burning gasoline ran
down driveway from
underneath the garage
door.
The I.C. received 3rd degree burns to his hands. He was
wearing gloves at the time.
I.C. kicked one side of
the garage door in.
While the crew quickly knocked down most of the fire in the back of the
garage and then moved onto the yard.
The I.C. directed the team
to enter the structure and
conduct a search. They
were also to open some
windows to vent smoke

The team (victim & FF#1)

encountered heavy black
smoke. Using a left hand
search, they checked a
closet and then
proceeded up the stairs
to the second floor.
 The team searched bedroom 1
& 2 with FF#1 manning the
nozzle and Victim searching
each room (yellow).
A Lt. (green) from engine
2 was directed to follow
the line in and help with
the search. He found the
team shortly before
Victim finished searching
bedroom 3.
FF hitting garage fire reported:
water mixed with burning gas
running down driveway, spot
fires throughout the garage, and
thick black smoke obscuring
back of garage.
 Crew sent for primary search of
first floor and vent by opening
windows. Broke dinning room
window and reported heat
greatly intensified
Positive pressure fan
placed in doorway after
second crew entered the
bldg.

Lt. upstairs turned toward

stairway and saw glow at end
and felt heat building rapidly
FF at garage reported glow in
back of garage and was
concerned of pushing fire onto
crews. Was told to shut down the
line.
 Second crew feeling extreme
heat after breaking window,
backtracked and exited the front
door
The Lt. on his knees, took the
nozzle had to turn, pulling the
hose around his mid-section and
opened the nozzle toward
the stairs. He lost pressure
almost immediately.
Because of intense heat building
and no nozzle pressure, the crew
retreated toward the master
bedroom. The Lt. attempted to use
the radio but no answer.

Line still shut down

 Lt. decided needed to
follow hoseline back to
exit. This was never
communicated to the FFs
but Lt. felt they understood
what he wanted them to do.
When reached the stairs,
the FF in front stopped
because of intense heat
coming up the open
stairway.

A third crew was sent in and

reached the first set of stairs
but were at the end of their
hose length.

Hose still shut down

 Lt. grabbed FF and pushed
him down the stairway and
followed. Both exited the
building.

The third crew heard someone

falling down the stairs, but
never saw who it was. They
saw fire moving up the stairs
from the basement.

Line still shut down

 Third crew had to drop to
their bellies because of
extreme heat. They applied
a straight stream down the
stairs to the basement and
then went to fog stream to
protect themselves from
the heat and them retreated
from the building.

The Lt. asked the I.C. if the

second FF has come out behind
him (the Lt.) and was told no.
The I.C. immediately ordered a
PAR.

Line still shut down

2 FFs were ordered to search outside the building for the
missing FF. They reported back that they didn’t find the
victim but fire was showing on the back side of the structure.
 A fourth crew was directed
to reenter the building to
search for the victim who
might still be upstairs.
They reached the stairs but
felt “spongy”. They found
the first crew’s hoseline
but when opened would
lose pressure and only
squirt 3 feet. The crew
applied water down the
stairs to the basement with
the line they brought in.
They then heard yelling to
exit the building and they
exited.
Hose still shut down
Crew sent to extinguish
fire at back of building
 RIT team of 2FFs
yelled into window
of BR 1 (window
had been broken by
firestream) with no
answer. Moved to
window of BR2, and
broke window. They
thought they heard
a PASS device and
entered BR 2. They
searched and to
Hallway and then to BR1. One of team spotted a light on floor
of Master BR. Entered Master BR and located light and
helmet . They then found victim in corner and removed him
from the building via BR 2
 CAUSE OF DEATH:
SMOKE AND SOOT
INHALATION AND ACUTE
CARBON MONOXIDE
INTOXICATION
 VICTIM EXPERIENCE

• 8 Years part time fire fighter

• 2 Years full time fire fighter
• Certifications: Fire Fighter I & II,
Driver/operator, EMT, EMT-IV
• Had received Fire Academy
Flashover Training
 PERSONNEL & EQUIPMENT

• Engine 1: Capt., Lt., E/O, 2 Fire Fighters

• Engine 2: Lt., 2 Fire Fighters
• Engine 3: FF (Acting Officer), E/O, 3
Fire Fighters
• Ambulance 3: Lt., 2 Fire Fighters
 RECOMMENDATIONS
• Establish and implement written standard
operating procedures regarding emergency
operations on the fireground.
• Ensure that the Incident Command
conducts a complete size-up of the incident
before initiating fire fightinf efforts, and
continually evaluates the risk versus gain
during operations at an incident
 RECOMMENDATIONS CONT.

• Ensure that fire fighters conducting a

search above a fire take safety precautions
to reduce the risk of being trapped.
• Ensure that a separate Incident Safety
Officer, independent from Incident
Commander, is appointed.
• Ensure that Incident Command always
maintains close accountability for all
personnel at the fire scene.
 RECOMMENDATIONS CONT.

• Ensure that a Rapid Intervention Team

stand by with equipment ready to provide
assistance or rescue.
• Consider providing fire fighters with a
Personal Alert Safety System (PASS)
integrated into their Self-Contained
Breathing Apparatus.
• Ensure that the Incident Commander be
clearly identified as the only individual
responsible for the overall coordination and
direction of all activities.
 RECOMMENDATIONS CONT.

• Ensure that the Incident Commander

maintains the role of director and does
not become involved as a laborer.
 DISCUSSION ITEMS
• Venting a structure and Positive Pressure
Ventilation.
• Using a hoseline in confined or narrow
areas.
• Communication at a fire scene.
• Need for initial and continuous observation
of all sides of a structure during a fire.
• Need for fire fighters in a structure to know
the layout of all rooms entered and where
they are at all times.
 DRILLS SUGGESTED

• WHERE WAS I? (KNOW WHERE YOU

WERE AND ARE.)
• HOSE HANDLING IN NARROW AND
CONSTRICTED AREAS.