May-June 2011

Fire-ground Size-up: How Many People Are in the Building?

 

By Michael Terpak

More so today than ever before, the fire service is encountering more and more illegal multiple dwellings throughout our towns and cities. The reason for this increased concern is directly driven by the need or want for money. With the economy in a slump, homeowners are creating new and innovative ways to increase their incomes by illegally modifying their homes. In large number, building owners are structurally modifying their homes to create illegal apartments or single-room occupancies; or they are simply allowing additional family members to share their homes, all in attempt to save money and create income. As anyone could imagine, the immediate concerns to the fire service are significant. From maze like configurations, partition or false walls with a room or on a floor, blocked means of egress, locked doors, to an overwhelming number of people occupying the building at all times of the day or evening; Firefighters are not only finding more obstacles and people within these buildings, they are themselves becoming disoriented and trapped at an alarming rate.

As our job becomes more and more difficult, how do we prepare for another unknown? The most constructive way to tackle this challenge is to ask the questions:

What size-up cues might tip you off to the presence of a legal or illegal multiple?

What actions will you take once your suspicions are confirmed?

Legal and Illegal Multiple Dwelling Size-Up Cues:

  • Multiple doorbells on front and side entrance doorways

  • Multiple electric and gas meters

  • Multiple mailboxes (probably the most common visual clue)

  • Multiple satellite dishes accessing numerous windows (see photo below)

  • Cable TV wires accessing numerous windows

  • Oversized/egress windows in attic areas

  • Air conditioners at the basement and/or attic level

  • Skylights serving the attic level

  • Dormered attic areas

  • Interior doors with individual locks: This would be an immediate tip of the presence of single-room occupancies (SRO’s).

  • Numerous partition walls within a normally common/open floor space

  • Fire escapes or exterior staircases to upper floor areas

  • The number of shoes outside the main entranceway to the home (There are certain ethnic groups whose custom requires them to place their shoes outside the home. This might not be an illegal multiple dwelling, but if there are numerous shoes outside the front door, anticipate a lot of bare foot people on the inside.)

Radio reports and visual observations indicating difficulty with room-to-room movement/access, fire extinguishment, and room/floor ventilation and search all in what “initially” appeared to be a room and content fire. Question occupants as they are removed or leaving the fire building.

Illegal basement apartments are the most common concern but often the most difficult to detect from the exterior.

Actions:

  • Immediately inform all members of the concern(s).

  • Ensure members don’t over commit themselves until additional resources are in place.

  • Call for help/transmit an additional alarm.

  • Prepare/advise EMS of a potential Mass Casualty incident.

  • Ladder all sides!

  • Force and search every room/floor.

  • Searches must include basements, cellars, attics, behind attic knee walls, as well as in attached garages and sheds.

  • Ensure hose lines are stretched and supplied on each floor of the building.

  • Have an Incident Management plan that reflects the added areas and resources.

  • Monitor the radio for additional difficulties.

  • Seek frequent progress reports.

  • Conduct periodic PARs (personnel accountability roll calls).

  • Once the incident is under control ensure a thorough secondary of all areas is done.

  • Conduct a post incident analysis of the incident with all members.

  • Follow your department’s procedures regarding any illegal conversions found and the legal actions necessary to correct the same.

Fires in buildings that were not designed to house large number of people or those buildings that have been illegally modified or altered to accommodate the same have injured and killed not only civilians over the years, but many firefighters as well. Being alert and anticipative of the concerns is your first weapon in combating this enemy, the second is immediately acting to prevent a disaster from happening.

Stay Safe!

Chief Terpak is the author of Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics and also Fireground Size-Up. To purchase, return to the Fire Nuggets Bookstore and click on the icons.

 

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