1 / 22

Building Construction Hazards for Today’s Fire Service

Building Construction Hazards for Today’s Fire Service. The Contemporary Fireground. Michael O’Brian, Fire Marshal Brighton Area Fire Department (MI). Overview. What is the Contemporary Fireground? What does it Look Like? What are the concerns to us? How are Buildings Built this way?

ipo
Download Presentation

Building Construction Hazards for Today’s Fire Service

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Building Construction Hazards for Today’s Fire Service The Contemporary Fireground Michael O’Brian, Fire Marshal Brighton Area Fire Department (MI)

  2. Overview • What is the Contemporary Fireground? • What does it Look Like? • What are the concerns to us? • How are Buildings Built this way? • Practical Component

  3. The Contemporary Fireground • Built to meet demands of housing market • May be existing commercial structures • Lofts • Changes from old properties

  4. Construction Techniques • Lightweight wood truss • Less Mass and more connections • Unique built systems to be “green”

  5. Changes to Existing Structures • The Loft Design • Renovation and face lifts may lead to odd fires for the fire service

  6. Big Buildings Result in: • Longer Travel distances • Increased need for air management • Standard hoselines will need to be extended • Possibility for lost or missing firefighters • Difficulty in searing under heavy smoke conditions

  7. Monte Carlo Fire

  8. What Does it Look Like?

  9. Our Concerns • Lightweight Trusses • More Concealed Spaces • More Connections based on Engineering • More BTU’s due to materials and occupancy • Unique features such as green roofs

  10. Truss • test

  11. Higher BTU’s on a fire • More Plastic equals higher BTUs • More BTU’s require more GPM • Allows for connections to weaken faster

  12. Fires When Under Construction • Lack of systems (standpipes, sprinklers, alarm) • Missing or incomplete fire walls and separation systems • Lack of fall protection • Missing or incomplete egress systems • Limited access or water supplies

  13. Green Construction • Sealed buildings • Garden style or grass roofs • Unique roofing systems

  14. Redundant Systems • Buildings may include • Back-up power from generators or battery supplies • Increased dependency on mechanical and electrical systems • Technologies for surveillance and suppression • Increase in computers and locking arrangements

  15. Why Build This Way? • Reduced cost of construction • Demand by buyers for unique features • Engineered materials designed to reduce demand on resources • Open Spaces

  16. Involvement in Code Process • NFPA or ICC • Firefighter view point is critical in changing codes • Provides perspective on buildings under fire conditions

  17. Wrap up Review

  18. Practical Component

  19. Review NIOSH LODD Reports: (Included in CD-ROM under this segment) • Investigative Report #F2007-07 “Volunteer Fire Fighter Dies After Falling Through Floor Supported by Engineered Wooden-I Beams at Residential Structure Fire – Tennessee” • Investigative Report #F2007-08 “Career Fire Fighter Dies When Trapped by Collapsed Canopy during a Two Alarm Attached Garage Fire – Pennsylvania” • Investigative Report #F2008-06 “Volunteer Fire Fighter and Trapped Resident Die and a Volunteer Lieutenant is Injured following a Duplex Fire – Pennsylvania”

  20. Additional Resources on Building Construction hazards (Included on CD-ROM under this segment) • NIOSH Alert - “Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Working Above Fire-Damaged“ • NIOSH Alert - “Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Structural Collapse” • NIOSH Alert - “Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters Due to Truss System Failures”

More Related