Toronto Fire Service Standard Operating Guideline for Hazards in Abandoned Buildings PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE HAZARDS CREATED BY ABANDONED BUILDINGS Date Issued: June 20, 2023 Rescinds: March 29, 2019 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-ABAN PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services (TFS) personnel with a guideline for the hazards created by abandoned bui...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE HAZARDS CREATED BY ABANDONED BUILDINGS Date Issued: June 20, 2023 Rescinds: March 29, 2019 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-ABAN PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services (TFS) personnel with a guideline for the hazards created by abandoned buildings. This guideline will provide operational considerations for fires in abandoned buildings. Many of the physical hazards found in an abandoned building can also be found on construction sites, so the same precautions should be exercised. RESPONSIBILITY The Incident Commander is responsible for assessing the strategy and tactics based on the “Rules of Engagement”. The Incident Commander is to ensure there is no free lancing in abandoned buildings. Company Officers will conduct familiarization visits to abandoned buildings in their first run areas as they become aware of them. Hazards found should be communicated to Communications for entry into CAD and to Community Risk Reduction. A District Chief must be assigned as an Incident Safety Officer for any fire operations involving an abandoned building. GUIDELINES 1. Considerations for Abandoned Buildings (a) Firefighters should not be committed to interior operations in well advanced fires in abandoned structures. (b) Identify and document the location of known abandoned buildings in the response area and make the information available to fire crews. (c) Exercise extreme caution and give due regard to fire conditions and all relevant fireground factors prior to committing firefighters to interior firefighting positions. (d) Deploy a charged hose line for each crew if interior firefighting operations are undertaken. (e) Use thermal imaging cameras when they are available and firefighters have been trained on their use and limitations to determine the potential for trapped occupants, the location of the fire and other safety hazards that are listed below: File Code: G-ABAN Page 1 of 2  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE 2. Safety Hazards Abandoned buildings may be deteriorated and structurally unsound. Firefighting near, on, or in such structures may pose significant risks. In fires involving buildings that are known or reasonably believed by the fire department to be abandoned, Incident Commanders should exercise extreme caution and give due regard to fire conditions and all relevant fireground factors prior to committing firefighters to interior firefighting positions. Note: Firefighters should not be committed to interior operations in well advanced fires in structures that are known to be abandoned. If interior firefighting operations are undertaken, a charged hose line should be deployed for each crew. When ordered inside an abandoned building by the Incident Commander Crews must be aware that they may encounter the following hazards: (a) Open shafts (b) Pits and holes - with possible accumulation of water (c) Maze like configurations (d) Limited/obstructed entry and egress (e) Blocked or damaged stairs (f) Structural degradation (g) Combustible contents: fire load (h) Delay in discovery of fire (i) Multiple fire locations (j) Biological hazards (k) Hazardous chemicals ATTACHMENT(S) N/A RELATED SOGS G-RAPI – Rapid Intervention Teams G-EVCF – Evacuation of the Fireground File Code: G-ABAN Page 2 of 2