Chapter 2 pp

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Procedures, Pre-Incident

Planning, and Size-Up

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Learning Objectives (1 of 10)

• List the kinds of operations that should be covered by standard operating procedures.

• Explain the importance of standard operating procedures.

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• Discuss the relationship between standard operating procedures, pre-incident plans, and size-up.

• Examine the relationship between standard operating procedures, equipment, and training.

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• Compare standard operating procedures to standard operating guidelines, explaining the role of a “reasonable person” clause.

• Articulate the main components of pre-fire planning and identify steps during a pre-fire plan review.

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• Recall major steps taken during size-up and identify the order in which they will take place at an incident.

• Recognize the relationship between pre-incident planning and construction characteristics common to a community.

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• Analyze construction methods during everyday responses and while surveying buildings under construction and demolition.

• Explain how pre-incident plan information is gathered using pre-formatted forms, as well as methods for storing and retrieving pre-plan information.

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• Examine compatibility issues and usefulness of computer programs in pre-incident planning.

• Construct a priority chart of buildings to be preplanned by occupancy type.

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• List factors to be considered during size-up and briefly define and explain the significance of each factor.

• Demonstrate (verbally and in writing) knowledge of fire behavior and the chemistry of fire.

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• Recall the basics of building construction and how they interrelate to pre-fire planning and size-up.

• Define and explain the difference between occupancy, occupant, and occupied.

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• Explain the size-up process in the chronological order in which information is received.

• Evaluate a specific fire department’s standard operating procedures.

• Prioritize occupancies to be pre-incident planned in a specific jurisdiction.

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• Create a pre-incident plan drawing and narrative.

• Perform an initial size-up based on limited information.

• Apply size-up factors to a fire situation and categorize factors as primary or secondary.

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Overview (1 of 3)

• Fire-ground operations should be outlined in SOPs.

• The better the SOPs, the fewer decisions that will need to be made.

• SOPs, pre-plans, and incident-specific information are important size-up components.

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Overview (2 of 3)

• Incident Action Plans (IAPs) require SOPs and a good size-up.

• Specific building information can be obtained through pre-planning.

• Evaluating an incident and developing an IAP must take place rapidly.

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Overview (3 of 3)

• The IC has time to reevaluate as more information becomes available.– Size-up information and the IAP should

improve.

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Developing Standard Operating Procedures (1 of 4)

• General guidelines used at structure fires or fires in similar occupancies

• Address any operation using a standard approach

• Written specifically for an individual department

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• There is a need for regional planning.

• Take the guesswork out of the fire-ground

• Are necessary for the first-arriving engine company

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• Influenced by: – Types of property to be protected– Resources available– Equipment– Training– Other factors

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• Provide a structure for the decision-making process

• Answers questions of:– Who makes what decisions?– At what level of command?– From where?

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National Incident Management System (NIMS)

• Establishes a command structure

• Describes the roles at incident scene

• Training must be commensurate with SOPs.– NFPA 1500

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SOPs, Equipment, and Training Are Interrelated

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SOPs: Naming Controversy (1 of 2)

• Standard operating procedures, standard operating guidelines, general operating guidelines.

• More important to have written procedures or guidelines than naming.– Procedures are guidelines.– Guidelines become procedures through

practice.

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SOPs: Naming Controversy (2 of 2)

• Solution– “Reasonable person” clause in the

procedures manual– Personnel should act reasonably if

modification of the procedure is appropriate.

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Procedures or Guidelines

• Write them down.

• Train to them.

• Use them consistently.

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Evaluating a Specific Property

• There should be a procedure describing the pre-planning system.

• Makes sense to gather information about a facility while visiting– Title III: Superfund Amendments and

Reauthorization Act (SARA) requirement

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Pre-Plans

• Second step of the size-up process• Can take several forms

– Formal: include narrative and drawings– Simple: notations of particular problem

• NFPA 1620: Recommended Practice for Pre-Incident Planning– Outlines development, maintenance and

use

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Recommended Occupancies (1 of 2)

• Assembly

• Educational

• Health care

• Detention and correctional

• Residential

• Residential board and care

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Recommended Occupancies (2 of 2)

• Mercantile

• Business

• Industrial

• Warehouse and storage

• Special outdoor locations, such as transformer sub-stations

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Types of Pre-Plans (1 of 4)

• Complex– Three or more buildings– Shows overview of complex– Used to identify:

• Building and fire protection features• Hazards

– Building numbering

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• Formal– Property with substantial risk– Includes:

• Drawing of property• Specific floor layouts• Narrative

– Could include several plans

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• Notation– Simple notation about a building

• Previous fire damage

– Notations in CAD systems– Exterior marking systems

• State of New Jersey Truss Marking System

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• Training Issue– Could include buildings under construction

or demolition– Interior framework (skeleton) exposed– Could reveal construction

methods/materials

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Pre-Plan Incident Checklist and Drawings (1 of 4)

• Includes planning for special occupancies or type of buildings

• Standard pre-incident plan form– Advantage: Predictable location of specific

information– Disadvantage: Large amounts of “not

applicable” space

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• Detailed format and intuitive drawing symbols are recommended.– Symbols should not require legend.

• Drawings are extremely useful.

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• Include:– Building name– Owner/manager/agent name– Telephone numbers– Emergency contact information

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• Include a tactical consideration.– Provides reminder

• Do not pre-assign companies.

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Pre-Planning Preparation and Time

• Keeping current is as important as creating.

• Revision process is also time-intensive.– Computers help save time.

• Bad information can be worse than no information.

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What Structures Are Pre-Planned

• Decision depends on jurisdiction.• Operational priority list provides

direction.– Life safety– Extinguishment– Property conservation

• Challenging buildings should be pre-planned.

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Modifying SOPs

• Standard method for addressing predictable operational circumstances

• Pre-plans address what is different or unusual.

• Pre-plans are specific, SOPs general.

• SOPs are not always the most effective way.

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Estimating Life Safety Needs

• Buildings with unusual high risk to fire fighters or occupants should be pre-planned.– Nursing homes– Hospitals– Places of assembly– Schools

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Estimating Extinguishment Needs

• Buildings with high fuel load should be pre-planned.– More than two standard pre-connects

necessary– Volume of fire compartment divided by 100

• Buildings with special or hazardous materials present in quantity should be pre-planned.

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Estimating Property Conservation Needs

• High value contents could justify pre-planning effort.– Furs, jewelry, electronic equipment

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Relationship of Pre-Planning to Size-up

• Size-up is a continuous process.– Natural extension of SOP/pre-planning

process

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Analyzing the Situation Through Size-Up (1 of 2)

• Size-up factors are difficult to categorize.– Incident conditions dictate– Life safety most critical– Begins before incident: SOP development

and pre-planning– IC considers what is already known at time

of alarm– Dispatcher relays other information.

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Analyzing the Situation Through Size-Up (2 of 2)

• Upon arrival, IC adds what is known.– Personal observation– Communications with companies/building

personnel– Reconnaissance

• Size-up continues throughout the incident into overhaul.

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Life Safety/Fire Fighter Safety (1 of 2)

• Smoke and fire conditions– Directly related to occupant survival and

fire fighter safety– Primary factors at a structure fire

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Life Safety/Fire Fighter Safety (2 of 2)

• Experienced ICs learn to evaluate pressure, smoke characteristics, and other factors.

• Interior reconnaissance best way to determine fire intensity

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Fire Location• Necessary to successfully combat the

fire• Usually determined on arrival

– Information from Dispatch– Alarm systems– Information from occupants– Visual clues

• Smoke flowing rapidly from an opening may indicate fire is nearby.

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Direction of Travel

• Life safety/fire fighter safety

• Direction of travel– Knowing where fire may spread is

important.– Fire, heat, smoke travel upward via path of

least resistance– Important to know the probability of fire

travel (construction methods, alterations)

2

Ventilation Status

• Key factor in all phases of operation– Venting for life– Vent should pull fire away from occupants

and fire fighters.

• Possibilities can be known through pre-planning.

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Occupancy Type

• Major occupancies should be pre-planned.

• Building use will determine:– Likelihood of occupancy– Number of occupants– Fuel load and type– Value of contents– Other essential facts

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Estimated Number of Occupants

• Difficult at best

• NFPA 101: Life Safety Code– Establishes maximum occupant load per

square foot

• Places of public assembly may have maximum number of occupants posted.

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Evacuation Status

• Estimating number of people still in building is next logical step

• Most buildings do not have occupant accountability system.

• Primary search: only way to assure building has been evacuated– Should be verified with secondary search

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Occupant Concerns (1 of 2)

• Proximity to fire– Pre-plans should show locations of

occupied areas.

• Awareness level– Awake and alert are more likely to hear

alarm– Awareness is directly related to type of

occupancy.

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Occupant Concerns (2 of 2)

• Mobility– Occupancy of building can help determine

whether occupants can escape fire.

• Familiarity with building– People inside a public building are not

always familiar with building layout or alternate exits.

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Primary and Alternative Egress Routes (1 of 2)

• Most will escape unassisted if there is sufficient egress.

• Codes specify egress facilities.

• Pre-plan drawings should show location of all exits.

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Primary and Alternative Egress Routes (2 of 2)

• Many public buildings have areas of safe refuge.– Should be addressed in pre-plans– Must be checked by fire department in an

emergency

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Medical Status of Occupants

• EMS should be requested whenever occupants are still in building.– Medical Branch should be considered.

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Operational Status (1 of 2)

• SOPs provide a standard way of going to work.

• IC must continually evaluate safety and effectiveness of operation.– Determines whether a nonstandard attack would

be more effective

• Safety is the most important consideration.– IC must continually reevaluate for risk

management.

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Operational Status (2 of 2)

• IC must ask:– Is the search being conducted in a systematic

manner?– Are the occupants who are in the most danger

being rescued?– Has the fire been properly vented to control the

fire spread?– Is progress being made in controlling the fire?– Are rate-of-flow requirements being met?– Has salvage been considered?

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Fire Zones/Perimeters

• Area where a specific level of protective clothing is required

• Possibly a safe area where no protective clothing is needed

• Keeps non-response people out of the area

• Should be part of SOPs

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Accountability

• Only accounts for fire fighters, not occupants

• Primary accountability system is NIMS.

• Freelancing must be avoided.

• Required by NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Programs.

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Rapid Intervention

• RIC (Rapid Intervention Crew)– Team of fire fighters immediately available

to rescue fire fighters who need assistance

• Required by NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Programs

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Organization and Control

• NIMS is the acceptable method of organizing an incident.

• All units must be included.

• Must work towards common tactical objectives within strategy

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Rescue Options

• IC first evaluates ways occupants can be removed from the building.– Safest and most efficient option

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Staffing Concerns (1 of 3)

• Primary search– Determined by the following factors:

• Size of the area to be searched• Smoke conditions• Rescue methods available• Condition of the occupants

• Secondary search– Will not involve increased staffing

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• Interior rescue/evacuation– Could be the same required for primary

search– Additional teams may be assigned to

remove victims.

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• Exterior rescue/evacuation– Additional staffing will be needed if ladders

are used.– Most exterior rescues require more

staffing.

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Access to Building Exterior

• Pre-plans should note:– Access points– Street or road access around structure– Aerial access points– Unsafe/inaccessible roadways

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Access to Building Interior

• Forcible entry– Can significantly delay search and rescue

and initial attack– Needs should be noted on pre-plans.

• Structure– Conditions always should be considered in

size-up.– Risk-versus-benefit analysis

2

Signs of Collapse

• Failure of a supporting structure

• May occur without warning

2

Construction Type• All members should be familiar with

building types and problems.• Buildings should be classified.

– NFPA 220: Standard on Types of Building Construction

• Type I construction: Fire-resistive• Type II construction: Non-combustible• Type III construction: Ordinary• Type IV construction: Heavy timber• Type V construction: Frame

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Roof Construction

• Killing mechanism

• Precursor to catastrophic collapse– Roof is tied to the walls.– Walls damaged by fire fail.– Roof collapses.

• Truss roofs should be pre-planned.

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Condition

• Previously damaged

• Abandoned

• Pre-fire damage should be considered when determining attack mode.

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Live and Dead Loads• Dead load

– Building and permanent attachments– Heavy roof loads should be noted on pre-plans.

• Live load– Building contents– Important when determining incident-specific

tactics– Should be noted on pre-plans

2

Fire Suppression Water Load

• Weight of the water discharged into the bldg. during suppression operations– One gallon of water = 8.33 pounds– 1,000 GPM = 8,330 pounds/minute

2

Enclosures and Fire Separations

• Type of construction and occupancy– Major clues in determining extension

probability

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Extension Probability

• Directly related to presence of enclosures/fire separations

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Concealed Spaces• Most buildings

– Common attics– Separations often damaged or removed

• Suspended ceilings– Fire can travel through false space.– If space involved in fire, expect rapid

collapse of truss roofs

• Should be part of pre-plan

2

Age of Building• Positive effects

– Older buildings have heavier, more fire-resistive construction.

– Renovated buildings may have lightweight construction added.

• Negative Effects– May weaken with age– Depends on construction materials and

maintenance

2

Height and Area (1 of 2)

• Size can partially dictate total volume of fire.– Rate of flow formulas are based on size of

the fire compartment.

2

Height and Area (2 of 2)

• Height of the building affects:– Effectiveness of aerial apparatus– Number of possible occupants– Type of construction– Fuel load– Other factors

2

Complexity and Layout

• Pre-plan should include a general floor layout.

• Personnel should orient themselves in large, complex buildings.– Relationship to the stairway, street,

standpipe, and other critical landmarks

2

Probability of Extinguishment

• Important to life safety

• Death and injury are greatly diminished when fire is extinguished.

• Key factors in determining fire attack method:– Flow requirements– Extent of fire

2

Offensive/Defensive/Non-Attack

• Deciding an attack strategy is critically important.

• Critical factors change as tactical objectives are achieved.

• The most important objectives are related to life safety.

2

Ventilation Status

• Finding/extinguishing the fire is easier when fire has self-vented.

• Should be vented as soon as possible

• Venting for extinguishment is done to move smoke/heat away from crews.

2

External Exposures

• Should be shown on pre-plans

• Narrative should show nearby structures (not connected), vehicles, and other property threatened by the fire.

2

Internal Exposures

• Parts of the building

• Fire pathways should be identified in pre-plans.

2

Extinguishment Factors (1 of 2)

• Fuel load– Varies as to quantity, type, geometric orientation,

other factors

• Calculated rate of flow– Can the lines extinguish the fire?– Should be pre-calculated

• Number of hoselines– Can be determined once rate of flow is known

2

Extinguishment Factors (2 of 2)

• Water supply– Some systems have limited supply.– Larger systems have multiple supplies.

• Apparatus pump capacity– Specifications should consider available

water supply.– In many cases, pump capacity exceeds

water supply.

2

Manual Fire Suppression Systems (1 of 2)

• Standpipe systems– Best to use on upper floors– Reduces work to advance hoselines– Control valves, pumps, fire department

connections and hose outlets should be shown on pre-plans.

2

Manual Fire Suppression Systems (2 of 2)

• Standpipe systems, continued:– Use of this equipment also should be

explained.– SOPs also should specify hose, nozzles,

and necessary equipment.

2

Automatic Fire Suppression Systems

• Sprinkler systems– Primary tactic involves letting the system

do its job.– Control valves, pumps, fire department

connections, and hose outlets should be shown on pre-plans.

• Sprinkler system becomes the first line of defense.

2

Property Conservation

• Third operational priority– Seldom takes on urgency of life safety and

extinguishment– Information about property value and

location should be pre-planned.

2

Salvageable Property

• Nearly every property has some salvageable property.

• Can be included in pre-plans

• Property also may have non-monetary value.

2

Location of Salvageable Property

• Residential settings: throughout the building.

• Other settings: may be concentrations.– Computer rooms

• Pre-plans should identify these locations.

2

Water Damage (1 of 2)

• Water used a primary extinguishing agent

• Some quantity of water will be in a building.

• Water will migrate through openings.

2

Water Damage (2 of 2)

• Prefer to use built-in features to evacuate water

• If property can not be moved, common practice is to cover it.

2

Smoke Damage

• Can infiltrate entire building

• Common pathway is upward

• Most damage occurs on upper floors.

2

Ventilation

• Best way to reduce damage

• Materials that absorb smoke more susceptible to damage

• Can be overdone

• Damage should be limited to what is needed to achieve tactical objectives.

2

Staffing: Total Versus Needed (1 of 6)

• IAP will require resources.

• Exact number may not be known.

• Approximations need to be made.

• Staffing is the most important and difficult resource to obtain.

2


• 11 to 13 fire fighters for safe fire attack– Working fire– Multi-level, single family dwelling– One or two hoselines– Life hazard– Limited areas to search

2


• More staffing necessary if:– Size and complexity of property increases– Additional hoselines needed

2


• NFPA Fire Protection Handbook– Suggests guidelines for high, medium, and low-

hazard occupancies and rural operations.

• NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments (14–15 personnel)

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• Additional staffing needed for:– Searching large areas– Physically removing victims– Larger rate of flow requirements– Areas beyond a fixed water supply

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• IC must match incident requirements with available resources.– Offensive/defensive decision can be made.

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Apparatus: Total Versus Needed

• Total apparatus versus apparatus needed– Defensive operations = apparatus intensive

2

Staging/Tactical Reserve

• SOPs should address staging.

• Small incidents = one engine company/one truck company

• Larger incidents = larger tactical reserve

2

Utilities

• Water, gas, electricity, other– Residential gas or fuel supplies can be

shut down if necessary.– Utility company personnel are better

equipped.– Pre-plans should show the location of shut-

offs.

2

Time of Incident

• Time of day (likelihood of occupants being present)

• Day of week (occupancy varies on different days)

• Time of year (weather conditions)

• Special times (holidays)

2

Weather

• IC should consider extremes.– Extreme heat/cold– Could require additional REHAB stations.– Humidity is important during heat

extremes.• Increases fatigue factor• Can affect smoke movement

2

Size-Up Chronology (1 of 5)

• SOPs and pre-incident plan– Done well in advance– Play a significant role in the IAP– Give the IC a head start

• Shift/day/time– IC should consider factors at time of duty

2


• Alarm Information– Time-of-day factor– Dispatch information

• Building location/address• Fire location• Fire intensity • Occupant status

2


• En route– Dispatcher– Companies arriving on scene

2


• Visual observations at the scene– Initial IAP based on visual information and

reconnaissance from companies– IC must determine if current IAP will

accomplish desired objectives.– Quality and quantity of information will

increase with time.

2


• Overhaul– Should be planned and deliberate– Caution should be taken to avoid injuries.

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Summary (1 of 2)

• The IC’s job is simplified by:– Establishing procedures in advance of an

incident– Identifying target hazards– Developing pre-incident plans

2

Summary (2 of 2)

• A safe and effective IAP can be developed by:– Having this information available– Completing a thorough size-up