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Fires in Abandoned Buildings

Fires in Abandoned Buildings. Flint Fire Department, September 2007. Firefighters Enter Burning Buildings:. Civilian Life Safety Property Conservation. Fires in Vacant and Occupied Buildings August 2004 to August 2007. Fires at Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Caused:. 64% of burns

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Fires in Abandoned Buildings

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  1. Fires in Abandoned Buildings Flint Fire Department, September 2007

  2. Firefighters Enter Burning Buildings: • Civilian Life Safety • Property Conservation

  3. Fires in Vacant and Occupied BuildingsAugust 2004 to August 2007

  4. Fires at Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Caused: • 64% of burns • 100% of abdominal injuries • 67% of extremity injuries (non-burn) • 75% of eye injuries • 33% of back injuries

  5. Flint firefighters work 2,620.8 hours per year Cumulatively, 21 injuries at vacant / abandoned buildings cost the Department over 14 months of a firefighter’s duty hours

  6. Rate of Injury • Flint: 11.7 per 100 vacant / abandoned structure fires • NFPA National Average: 3.7 per 100 special structure fires Special structures: Vacant / abandoned buildings Buildings under construction Patterns of Firefighter Fireground Injuries NFPA, Feb. 2007

  7. Sites of Firefighter Injury

  8. 1022 GardenFire: August 30, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an abdominal injury

  9. 421 GarlandFire: February 24, 2007 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an abdominal injury

  10. 503 West Second AvenueFire: April 18, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  11. 1451 DavisonFire: May 26, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns

  12. 402 East FossFire: June 7, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an eye injury

  13. 1427 JeanFire: July 3, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  14. 2622 Forest HillFire: July 28, 2006Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  15. 1021 WolcottFire: September 3, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns

  16. 1405 DefreestFire: October 15, 2006 Offensive Attack Two firefighters suffered burns

  17. 425 West First StreetFire: October 30, 2006Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  18. 228 East TaylorFire: October 30, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns

  19. 914 YoungFire: October 30 and 31, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered a back injury

  20. 6802 CollegeFire: November 2, 2006Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  21. 354 East RussellFire: November 2, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  22. 2108 West CourtFire: December 8, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury

  23. 2507 MinnesotaFire: January 7, 2007Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns

  24. 424 ThomsonFire: March 4, 2007 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns

  25. 910 Eighth AvenueFire: March 12, 2007 Defensive Operations Firefighter suffered burns

  26. 209 West BakerFire: March 26, 2007 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns Building destroyed in subsequent fire on April 18

  27. Only vacant buildings received any type of rehabilitation or repair The Department found no attempts at repair or rehabilitation of any abandoned building after it burned

  28. Demolition Criteria • “When the cost to repair exceeds the current market value of the structure, the decision is made to proceed with demolition.” taxes.cityofflint.com/bsiProcedure.htm • Average Vacant / Abandoned House Fire: • 79 years old • State equalized value of $11,524 • Demolition list: State equalized value $7,182

  29. Abandoned Building Policy

  30. Definitions:Vacant and Abandoned

  31. Vacant Buildings A property that has an owner but is currently unoccupied Reasonable efforts made by the owner to preserve and maintain the value or condition of the house Firefighters made an interior attack to save this property in August 2006

  32. Abandoned Buildings A property that has no legal occupants and is neglected with no efforts being made to preserve its value or condition. Firefighters made an interior attack in April 2007 to save this property. It had been condemned for demolition in February 2007.

  33. NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement • What is the survival profile of any victims in the involved compartment? • We will risk our lives a lot, in a calculated manner, to save savable lives.

  34. NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement • We will risk our lives a little, in a calculated manner, to save savable property. • We will not risk our lives at all for structures or lives that are already lost.

  35. Occupied and Vacant Buildings • Highest level of risk to save savable life. • Acceptable level of risk to save savable property based on NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement.

  36. Abandoned Buildings • Highest level of risk taken to save savable life • No level of unacceptable risk may be taken to attempt to save abandoned property based on NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement

  37. Abandoned Buildings • Defensive strategies shall be used to minimize firefighter risk and protect exposures. • Defensive strategies can be used transitionally to control fire from the exterior, followed by interior extinguishment and overhaul if structural and hazard conditions permit safe entry.

  38. Abandoned Buildings • An initial interior attack should not be initiated unless there is a known life in jeopardy or unless fire conditions are incipient or minimal.

  39. Fire Tactics Change: At abandoned buildings where fire conditions are between minimal and heavy.

  40. Tactics at Abandoned Buildings • Incipient or Minimal Fire Conditions: Interior attack if structural / hazard conditions permit safe entry Definition of minimal: Officer’s judgment based on variables of incident

  41. Tactics at Abandoned Buildings • Minimal to Heavy Fire Conditions: Exterior attack first Interior overhaul permitted if structural and / or hazard conditions permit safe entry Definition of minimal and heavy: Officer’s judgment based on variables of incident

  42. Tactics at Abandoned Buildings • Heavy to Fully Involved: Defensive operations only Protect exposures

  43. Demolition Lists • Located in BC truck • Updated monthly

  44. Demolition Requests • Request boarding, demolition, or emergency demolition after EVERY fire in an abandoned building. • Requests are submitted to the City’s Demolition Coordinator by the Battalion Chief. • Do not submit demolition requests to the 911 Center.

  45. What we used to do at abandoned building fires… • Fight it • Forget it

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