Brennan Firepics Comments 7

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TOM BRENNAN has more than 35 years of fire service experience having responded to 33,000 fire alarms. His career spans more than 20 years with the Fire Department of New York as well as four years as chief of the Waterbury (Conn.) Fire Department. He has a bachelor of science degree, summa cum laude, John Jay College; Alumnus of the Year Award, John Jay College; chairman of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association and a charter member of the National Fire Protection Association, Fire Service Section. He has delivered courses and seminars throughout the United States and has instructed at the National Fire Academy. He was the editor of Fire Engineering Magazine for eight years, is currently a technical editor, and his column “Random Thoughts,” is a regular monthly feature. He is co-editor of The Fire Chief’s Handbook, Fifth Edition. He is the recipient of the 1998 Fire Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award.

GABLE FIRE

Here is America’s Fire, a private dwelling with fire extended to the third floor attic in a frame dwelling (could also be second floor attic).

The photo is basically reproduced in all districts every year.

So what about this one? If we don’t use it to get some conversation in the back room going, we are just “looking at someone else’s fire.”

This is an easy rolling fire that is at least vented horizontally from the attic space. Perhaps there is vertical ventilation cut into the roof space at the ridgepole, but it cannot be seen here.

The fire appears to be able to be extinguished from the interior. So what are these firefighters doing here with the charged line? Exposure protection, you say! Well, if it is exposure protection, it can be done more adequately and safely from the ground. Funnel vision disappears and a 30-degree pattern is excellent for protection of exposures and a cone of extension prevention for the flame, if that is necessary.

But we both know that these guys will start water in a second into the window opening. It has happened to you and me both too often.

If there is an ongoing firefight from the interior, this handline will wreak havoc on the teams inside and perhaps additionally spread the fire.

Second, they are in the worst position at this structure fire aside from the roof membrane. This is a porch roof covering that is not supported by cantilever and is just hung on the outside wall. There are so many collapses of this structure that we have a few on videotape!

This roof is a fine platform for primary search of rooms in a private dwelling from outside entry. It is not a good platform for an outside stream manned by at least three firefighters.

Nuff said here.

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