Preplanning Building Hazards
Editor`s note: For further reference, consult Building Construction for the Fire Service, Third Edition. Page numbers are included after each caption for your convenience.
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(Top) Even in mid-rise office buildings, rubbish accumulations represent a huge fire load and an easy target for an arsonist. As rubbish is collected, the volume increases. Usually, it is stored within the building until removed. If the building is not sprinklered, every effort should be made to get the rubbish storage area sprinklered.
Study the layout of the electrical power system relative to rubbish accumulations or compactors. A rubbish fire destroyed all cables, leaving a high-rise without regular or auxiliary power. City of New York (NY) firefighters do not use the service elevator until command permits, due to the large number of rubbish fires in service elevator vestibules. (Ref. p. 496)
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(Middle) Fluorescent lights and air conditioning make huge floor areas possible in buildings. In my opinion, standpipe outlets on the floor are dangerous. If the fire becomes unmanageable and you follow your line back to the outlet, you are not yet safe. It might be better to take up enough hose to be able to stretch from the stairway and use the inside outlets for overhauling. If inside outlets must be used, I recommend that a safety line be stretched from the outlet to the exit stairway for guidance when it all turns black and seconds count. This also applies to huge warehouses. (Ref. p. 630)
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(Bottom) The hollow clay tile wall was the predecessor of the concrete block. Because of the way this type of wall is built, it may present a major collapse hazard. In any serious fire at which such a wall is present, establish a collapse zone because of the possible weakness inherent in the wall. (Ref. p. 147)
n FRANCIS L. BRANNIGAN, SFPE, a 52-year veteran of the fire service, began his fire service career as a naval firefighting officer in World War II. He`s best known for his seminars and writing on firefighter safety and for his book Building Construction for the Fire Service, Third Edition, published by the National Fire Protection Association. Brannigan is an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering.
