Strategy and Tactics Chapter 5

NFPA 1500 and Reporting

• The annual report for on-duty FF fatalities is published annually.
• NFPA 1500 defines an occupational injury as an injury that occurs during the performance of duty.

History of NFPA 1500

• The first edition of NFPA 1500 was adopted in 1987.

Safety Factors

• The most important safety factor at the scene of a structure fire is situational awareness.
• The leading cause of on-duty FF fatalities at structure fires is stress/overexertion.
• FF fatalities are 2.5 times higher in manufacturing occupancies compared to residential occupancies.

Air Supply and PPE

• Low air alarms should sound during a working structure fire when the air supply reaches 33%.
• Modern PPE allows FFs to make a closer approach to the fire.
• An air cylinder rated for 30 minutes usually provides an air supply for 20-25 minutes under strenuous work conditions at a working structure fire.

Incident Safety Program

• The most important element of the incident safety program is the safety officer.
• The single most important ability the fire officer must acquire is decision-making.

Occupancy Factors

• The factors that determine the probability of a structure being occupied include time of day, season, and type of occupancy.
• The NFPA categorizes vacant structures as those with no occupancy for 30 days.

Structure Fires

• Flashover occurs when the heat from a fire causes all combustible materials in a room to ignite simultaneously.
• Unintentional venting occurs when windows break, and wind blows toward a vent opening.
• In larger buildings, the risk to FFs increases due to more complex layouts, longer response times, and higher hazard occupancy.

Trusses and Roof Ventilation

• A truss can lose its load-bearing capacity due to damage, decay, or burning.
• Solar panels on roofs hinder ventilation and can cause FFs to trip or fall.

Fire Dynamics

• Fire reports and experiments confirm that fire dynamics are complex and unpredictable.

Basement Fires

• The recommended approach for fire attack in a basement with walk-out doors available is to use the walk-out doors for access.

UL Study

• A UL study indicates that standard measures are not sufficient to test a floor's stability.

Building Evaluation

• The collapse potential of a building is considered based on factors like construction type, age, and damage.

Coordinated Venting

• Coordinated venting aims to create a clear escape route for occupants and FFs.

PPE and Hot Zone

• The hot zone is the area where FFs are operating, and PPE is required.
• The general rule for the fire perimeter distance is to keep unauthorized people at least 300 feet away from the scene.

Command Post

• The command post is located outside the hot zone, where PPE is not required.

NFPA 1710

• The NFPA 1710 defined turnout time for EMS response is 90 seconds.
• The travel time defined in NFPA 1710 for full high-rise alarm assignment is 4 minutes.
• The preburn time is dependent on the time of arrival and the initial response.
• The turnout time starts when the alarm is received according to NFPA 1710.
• The defined turnout time for fire or other special ops response is 80 seconds.
• The maximum travel time defined in NFPA 1710 for the 2nd company with a minimum of 4 personnel is 4 minutes.

ISO Formula

• The ISO formula 1.7 x distance + 0.65 represents the travel time for firefighting responses.

Safety and Rehab

• The primary purpose of establishing an accountability system on the fire ground is to ensure all personnel are accounted for.
• The recommended signal for emergency evacuation is a whistle or air horn.

RIC and IRIC

• The recommended crew size for RIC is 2-4 personnel according to NFPA.
• The primary role of IRIC is to provide rescue and treatment for downed firefighters.

Firefighter Safety

• The worst scenario from a firefighter safety viewpoint is a multi-story building with a basement and no safety features.
• Ordinary solid materials must undergo pyrolysis to release vapor fuel.

Safety Officer

• The safety officer cannot be the accountability officer, as it creates a conflict of interest.

High-Rise Operations

• The primary task of lobby control in high-rise fire operations is to control access and egress.
• The role of the second RIC in extended operations is to provide backup and relief.

Thermal Protective Performance (TPP)

• The minimum TPP value for protective coats and trousers is 35.
• A TPP of 35 provides protection against second-degree burns at near flashover temperatures for 17-20 minutes.

Rehab and Prehydration

• The recommended prehydration guideline for firefighters is to drink 16-20 ounces of water 1-2 hours before incident response.
• Rehab can be divided into phases, including cooling, rehydration, and rehabilitation.
• Informal rehab usually involves providing water, electrolyte-rich drinks, and snacks.
• Rehab should be provided according to NFPA 1584, which recommends rehab every 20-30 minutes or when a firefighter's heart rate exceeds 180 bpm.
• In cold weather conditions, rehab should provide warmth, dry clothing, and hot beverages.