CENTER HALL WAY (INTERIOR HALLWAY) SOG I. DEFINITIONS CENTER HALLWAY: An enclosed hallway in the middle of a building with units on either side of the hallway. Center hallway construction can be found in both commercial and residential structures such as apartments, hotels, and office buildings. The most common found in Glendale are pre 1933 and large wood frame stucco apartment buildings, three and four stories. SELF-CLOSING (PONET) DOORS: Required in the stairwells of buildings with more than two occupied, residential floors. SPRINKLER ORDINANCE: Retroactively required in all buildings that are four or more stories. PENTHOUSE DOOR: Rooftop access from a stairwell. PRE 1933 NEWER CONSTRUCTION II. OPERATIONS A. KEYS TO INCIDENT RESOLUTION 1. STOP HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL SPREAD OF FIRE • Rapid investigation to determine the location & scope of the incident. • Rapid deployment of the initial attack line to locate, confine, and extinguish the fire. THESE ARE SOG’S NOT DEPARTMENT POLICY 1 • Aggressive coordinated ventilation to support interior operations. • After initial attack line is established, based on fire conditions, pull an additional attack line(s) to back up fire attack with a priority on protecting the hallways and stairwells. ALL ACTIONS ASSUMED OFFENSIVE. DECLARE DEFENSIVE IF APPROPRIATE. 2. PROTECT THE HALLWAY & STAIRWELLS • Center hallways and stairwells can promote rapid fire spread both horizontally and vertically. They can act as an entry, exit, and chimney for the fire. At the same time, they are the access and egress for both the occupants and fire suppression personnel. • Hallway and stairwell (Ponet) doors must be controlled systematically to help isolate the smoke/fire to the floor of origin. • Historically, the majority of fatalities in these structures occur in the hallways from smoke inhalation. 245 LORAINE 245 LORAINE 3. ENROUTE CONSIDERATIONS • Routing considerations (Opposing Trucks, Engines responding from quarters versus anywhere in district, BC2 with an extended response time) THESE ARE SOG’S NOT DEPARTMENT POLICY 2 • Additional resources based on the original dispatch and supplemental information, (many calls, heavy smoke showing, strong winds, fire in the urban interface, explosions, etc…) • Apparatus location and access for additional resources • Water supply • Truck spot (Two or more stories, the truck needs the close spot if possible) • Outside agency resources needed (Gas Co, GPD, GWP, Red Cross, etc.) • All incoming units should hold at the corners/intersections until given an assignment. B. FIRST ON SCENE - SUMMARY 1. SIZE UP: Make a clear and concise size-up that provides a description of the building type, the type and severity of conditions present, the location of conditions and the actions being taken. Size up is a continual process throughout the incident to identify any changes in conditions that would require a change in tactics or strategy for the incident. Example: “E21 on scene of a two story Pre ’33 center hall apartment building. We have heavy black smoke from a second floor window on the Bravo side. E21 is advancing an attack line and conducting a primary search. All additional units hold at the corners” a. If feasible, attempt to do a 360 of the building and provide an updated size-up when appropriate. If unable to make a full 360, consider sending a company to the rear to determine if access/egress is present and to report on conditions. b. Make additional assignments to incoming companies until relieved of command or command is passed. c. On working fires, address Two Out appropriately and verbalize on the radio. Request additional company(s) in order to provide for RIC if unable to assign from the first alarm. If a company is in the IDLH a company needs to be assigned RIC. Two Out is not sufficient for rescue of an entire company. 2. STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION- CONSIDERATIONS: a. Pre 1933 building presents significant challenges and advantages to Firefighters. Challenges: Age of the building, possible wall/building collapse, Ponet doors (if they are present, are they closed?), balloon construction, old standpipes, lime and sand mortar, etc… THESE ARE SOG’S NOT DEPARTMENT POLICY 3 *The presence of Sand-lime mortar contains no concrete and has lost its adhesion ability over time * Advantages: Older buildings were built with true dimensional lumber. Penthouse door possible for ventilation, fire escapes, standpipes, building layout fairly straight forward, etc… b. Center Hall post 1933 Challenges: Newer lightweight construction materials, lightweight construction possibly on the roof, larger buildings, possibly no vertical access to upper floors from the lobby, longer hallways, sprinkler and alarm systems, subterranean parking, complex building layout Advantages: Newer building systems, including alarm, sprinkler and combination systems, multiple stairways for access and egress, magnetic self-closing fire doors, possible penthouse door, magnetic self closing doors 3. COMPANY ASSIGNMENT - CONSIDERATIONS a. Designate Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta for exterior sides of the structure. b. Passing Command – (see policy included in addendum) c. Company Operations: Splitting the crew is defined as accomplishing two different tasks in the IDLH at the same time. Although conditions may require splitting the crew, such as roof top ventilation while affecting an immediate need rescue, the tactic is not advisable when adequate resources are available and conditions dictate. For example: Two story center hall with a person in the second story window with heavy black smoke emanating from the window all around the individual. Two to the roof for a heat hole while two put up a ladder and perform a rescue. Advantages: Multi-tasking, quickly establish the scope of the incident Disadvantages: Personnel accountability, lack of supervision by Capt. d. Designate Divisions for each floor based on fire conditions. If the first floor is parking and the second floor is numbered in the 100’s or single digits, make sure all companies understand you are attacking the fire on the “first floor living”/ second floor. (Indexing) e. Anticipate a common attic when making assignments (if applicable). f. Size up and Company assignment example: THESE ARE SOG’S NOT DEPARTMENT POLICY 4 T21 on scene of a large, four story center hall apartment building. We have fire from one window on the third floor Bravo side. T21 will be ventilation and investigation E21 your assignment is Fire Attack E25 your assignment is to check for extension on the fourth floor. T26 your assignment is search and rescue E22 your assignment is to bring an additional hand line to the fire floor and assist with fire attack. You’ll be assigned to E21. E21 do you copy you’ll have E22 working with you on the third floor? nd Verdugo, dispatch a 2 alarm, staging to be at… OR E21 onscene of a large, four story center hall apartment building. We have fire from one window on the third floor Bravo side. E21 will be fire attack and primary search. Verdugo, dispatch a second alarm, staging to be at… T21, I’m passing command to you. 4. COMMUNICATION – CONSIDERATIONS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS THE CORNERSTONE TO SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS!! COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE CLEAR, CONCISE, AND DIRECT!! a. Communicate benchmark priorities ASAP • Location and scope of the fire (Split the crew??) • Victim or victims found (how many and what you’re doing or need) • Primary search – All Clear or not and what you’re doing or need • Secondary search – All Clear or not and what you’re doing or need • “Knock Down” b. Good communication between companies assigned to ventilation and interior companies is imperative particularly during defensive strip operations. 5. RESOURCE – CONSIDERATIONS a. Request adequate additional alarms/resources early when needed. (GPD, GWP, AU, etc.). Make additional requests such as another full alarm assignment. Try not to piecemeal additional resources, if possible. THESE ARE SOG’S NOT DEPARTMENT POLICY 5 b. Try to anticipate needs and request resources based on the current conditions and incident potential. 6. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS a. MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS Communicate any changes in fire conditions, construction challenges, rescue that could lead to a change in tactics or strategy. b. CONSIDER WEATHER HAZARDS Wet surfaces, wind affect on fire and horizontal spread c. AVOID OVERHANGS, MANSARD HAZARDS Do NOT stage personnel underneath and monitor for fire involvement. Extreme caution should be used whenever laddering near any power lines THESE ARE SOG’S NOT DEPARTMENT POLICY 6 d. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Contents that may escalate the fire, toxicity, etc. e. TRIGGER POINTS Offensive (vs.) Defensive, Attic involvement, Building degradation, etc. C. TACTICAL OBJECTIVES – REVAS (Rescue, Exposures, Ventilation, Attack, Salvage) RESCUE 1. OBJECTIVE: The protection of life through Search & Rescue coupled with a quick, aggressive coordinated interior fire attack and ventilation operations. 2. PRIORITIES: a. RESCUE: HIGHEST FIRE GROUND PRIORITY: Be prepared to initially request multiple companies in anticipation of a major rescue operation. Initiate primary search ASAP (Priority being the unit involved, units above and adjacent units.) • Based on conditions, initial actions may be to control & improve conditions/atmosphere via fire attack and ventilation. • Stairwell doors to hallways above the fire floor must remain closed as much as possible to prevent spread of smoke/fire into these hallways. • Depending on building construction and fire location,