Occupancy Types and Fire Safety

• The incident commander must consider the building's occupancy type as part of the size-up process.
• Different occupancy types require different strategies for life-safety, extinguishment, and property conservation tactics.
• Occupancy types include residential, industrial, and assembly, among others.
• Codes and standards are written with a focus on the special hazards presented by the occupancy.
• Occupant load is defined as the total number of persons that might occupy a building or portion thereof at any one time.
• Assembly occupancies include places of worship, eating and drinking establishments, sports arenas, convention centers, and theaters.
• A primary challenge in managing an incident in an occupied assembly building is removing people to the outside or to a place of safe refuge.
• Places of worship often use open flames and tend to be overcrowded on religious holidays.
• The fuel load and flame spread rate vary by the assembly classification.
• Pre-incident planning and special tactical considerations are required for places of assembly.
• Places of worship and eating/drinking establishments are prone to fires due to various factors.
• Old Gothic-style churches are particularly vulnerable due to concealed spaces and heavy bells.
• Delayed notification and exposure problems can exacerbate the situation.
• Large open spaces in places of worship can make extinguishing fires difficult.
• Eating/drinking establishments are at risk of overcrowding, which can block exits in case of a fire.
• Many tragic fires have occurred in these establishments in the past.
• Firefighters must quickly confine the fire while protecting exits.
• Alternative exits should be identified and considered during pre-incident planning.
• Panic is not the primary cause of deaths in nightclub fires; lack of proper fire protection is.
• Extinguishing or confining the fire is the most effective means of saving lives.

Take this quiz to test your knowledge on the different occupancy types and the strategies required for life-safety, extinguishment, and property conservation tactics. Learn about the various challenges and risks associated with places of worship, eating and drinking establishments, sports arenas, convention centers, and theaters. Explore the importance of pre-incident planning and special tactical considerations required for managing an incident in an occupied assembly building. Test your understanding of codes and standards written with a focus on the special hazards presented by the occupancy, occup