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## Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics Venting windows is a no-no, since the smoke will likely go into the building. This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it is a guide for the officer in command, who must consider the wind and other factors. The best way to evaluate the overall effect is to make a s...

## Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics Venting windows is a no-no, since the smoke will likely go into the building. This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it is a guide for the officer in command, who must consider the wind and other factors. The best way to evaluate the overall effect is to make a small, experimental opening. Of course, the fire has never heard of the high-high or low-low is a no-no rule. It can vent out any window anytime it wants until we put a stop to it. Be prepared for the consequences if it does. When the decision has been made to use horizontal ventilation, the members doing the job should use caution. If possible, make a small initial hole to see what happens; then, if conditions permit, pull the remaining glass into the building. Using pressure-sensitive tape or contact paper applied to the glass first will hold the larger pieces together and allow you to pull them in. Some buildings have a thin film of Mylar on their windows to act as a sunscreen. This may serve the same purpose as pressure-sensitive tape, and it is already in place. Needless to say, you can't apply tape in the middle of a heavy fire situation. Members operating near the opened windows should use caution to avoid falling out, pushed by gusts of wind. ## Using Elevators Gaining access to the fire area is the second biggest problem in high-rise fires. Usually it involves...