We have spent the better part of the last 10 years instructing firefighters and fire officers about the dangers of operating at basement fires. The impetus for this journey was based on experience we gained after being involved in several below-grade fires at which firefighters were seriously injured, disoriented or trapped. At the time there seemed to be a lack of presentations that focused on the specific hazards that confronted us at these incidents, and we felt duty-bound to ensure that our brothers and sisters became better acquainted with and more aware of the numerous operational and command issues they would encounter during these demanding and dangerous fires.
In addition to our efforts, many other outstanding instructors from across the country have jumped onto the basement fire “train” and, during the same time period, developed a wide variety of excellent programs designed to ensure the fire service remains well informed on the subject. In addition to these programs, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Chicago Fire Department and the FDNY have provided us with vast amounts of scientific data and operational intelligence regarding fires in below-grade areas. In looking at this vast amount of notably debated information that has become available to us, one would believe that today’s fire service should be better prepared to make the challenging decisions necessary to implement safe and effective operations at these types of events. However, recent history has shown this may not be the case.
Recent basement fire incidents
While preparing to present one of our basement fire programs at the Utah Winter Fire School this past January, we conducted some research to confirm that we were including the most up-to-date information available on the subject. What we found was that over the preceding several months, an extraordinarily disproportionate amount of firefighters were killed or injured at basement fires in residential dwellings. We have all heard about tragic firefighter deaths in communities across the country, including Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Woodmere (NY), Macon (GA) and now Brandon (SC). What you may not have heard about are basement fires that caused serious injuries or resulted in maydays and rapid-intervention operations in places like Detroit, Burtonville (MD), Sacramento, West Hempstead (NY), Fair Lawn (NJ), Chicago, Kansas City (MO) and, most recently, Methuen (MA). The reasons for these fatalities and injuries included floor collapses, disorientation, flashover and low-air reserves. This acute number of incidents involving fires in below-grade areas was extremely troubling to us and sent up a red flag as to whether the fire service is truly aware of the dangers lurking below us.
“Take proper precaution”
While driving one of our local highways a few weeks ago just prior to one of the many winter storms that pounded the Northeast, I passed by a large electronic message board. Flashes of brilliant light came across the front of my car from at least a mile away. As I got closer, I was able to read the following message: “Blizzard Warning in Effect, Take Proper Precaution.” As I passed by the message board, I began to think how great it would be to have that same flashing sign outside every fire station in the country. Every time we rolled out of the station to a below-grade fire, it would deliver the message “Basement Fire in Effect, Take Proper Precaution.” What a great and potentially lifesaving idea! But as you know, this sign is not going to miraculously appear outside your station. Fighting a basement fire is down and dirty firefighting 101. It is a dangerous and demanding task, and we need to be properly prepared.
While we support aggressive interior basement fire operations when warranted, specifically in private dwellings when the life of those that we have been sworn to protect are hanging in the balance, we also recognize that the fire service as a whole must make every attempt to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities at these incidents. Start your personal process today by taking the time to read and absorb the following key operational components concerning basement fires, and consider using them as your own personal message board.
Size-up
There are two types of size-up that should occur at every fire. First is the command size-up that must encompass a full 360-degree look at the involved structure. If you are the incident commander (IC) and can’t get a full view of the building, then send someone to do it for you. It is impossible for an IC to make safe and effective fireground decisions without full knowledge of the situation at hand. Think about how many times you (or an IC you worked for) pulled up to an incident and calmly gave the “nothing showing,” only to find out that fire was showing from several C side basement windows. If you are in charge and make the required critical task-oriented command decisions in a rapid mode without full information, then you will hurt someone. Gather as much information as possible before setting your strategy and assigning tasks.
The second type of size-up is the personal one that every firefighter should conduct prior to entering the building. Think about it. The IC is standing outside directing operations; you are entering the building trying to make your way down the interior stairway. Whose size-up is more important to you? I would hope that as you were preparing to enter the structure in whatever task you have been assigned, you would take some time to quickly scan critical safety factors, such as access and egress points, extent and location of the fire, smoke conditions, ventilation sites, building characteristics, and construction type. Open your eyes. Don’t let tunnel vision cloud the issue. It takes less than a minute to gather this information prior to entering the structure. To be aware is to be alive.
Incident command
Whether or not you are in a car down the block or in front of the building, basement fires will require the rapid establishment of a stationary command post that is responsive to the needs of the incident. From experience we know these fires are some of the most the most challenging and dangerous incidents we can be confronted with and will unquestionably require an enormous amount of staffing, accurate coordination between operating companies, exceptional communication, and strict control of the fireground. In order to ensure this happens, the IC must take control and accept full responsibility for the incident and the firefighters under their command. If this is you, remember that you wanted the white helmet, so there’s no way to escape that you are in charge. So for the sake of everyone at the incident, act like the IC and make good, solid decisions that will keep everyone safe.
Building construction
What should be easily recognized by now is the fact that basement fires involving lightweight-constructed building components can fail in 6 minutes or less when directly attacked by fire. This has been shoved down our throats time and time again. What don’t we get? Scientific studies and unfortunate firefighter deaths and injuries back up these facts. What we must now also come to grips with is the fact that legacy construction will also fail and collapse. Yes, mass may translate to increased burn time and quite possibly more time inside the dwelling, but any structural building component that has been directly attacked by fire for an extended period of time will eventually collapse. As our friend Frank Brannigan so eloquently noted, “Gravity does not take a day off.”
Proper size-up of the dwelling and reports from interior crews (hook the ceiling at the front door to assess construction type) will provide operating units with this critical information. It will then be the responsibility of the IC to determine if they will risk placing firefighters on the floors above the fire using three main decision making factors: life safety, construction type, and the extent and location of the fire. Remember, in a basement fire, every floor is the floor above. Plan accordingly.
Life safety
Our own life safety and that of your fellow firefighters should always be the number one priority at every incident you respond to. This should be recognized and practiced each and every time you leave the comfort of the recliner. To improve the level of safety of the interior crews, ICs should ensure that the proper safety network is in place; this includes rapid-intervention crews, sector officers, safety officers and accountability officers. Having these extra eyes on the incident will improve safety and ensure critical information is not overlooked.
The next priority is the people who may be inside the building. On arrival at a basement fire, members will make valued determinations on potential victims and their survivability based on a number of fireground factors, including the occupancy, extent and location of the fire, time of day, and several other occupant indicators, such as vehicles in driveways, garbage/trash at the curb, or direct witness information.
Below-grade fires place both firefighters and potential victims in grave danger for a number of reasons. Normal primary search practices (truck before the engine) are usually not viable because entrance into the basement typically requires control or extinguishment by the engine company prior to gaining access. This may lead to a delay of the primary search of the fire floor. Additionally, fire and other products of combustion will rapidly spread to every floor in the structure, requiring additional companies to ensure that coordinated primary searches of every level are being completed as quickly as possible. Remember, the entire building is being compromised by fire and you are on the clock.
Ventilation
Ventilating below grade areas is a challenging process. Ensuring that the ventilation is done in coordination with the engine company push is even more problematic. Limited ventilation points, reduced window sizes, window mounted air conditioning units, security bars, lack of proper staffing, and ventilation flow paths are all critical factors that have to be included in the ventilation decision making process. Venting too early may lead to the increased possibility of flashover and the engine being overtaken by fire. Venting too late may increase the probability of a backdraft situation and will definitively impede the movement of the attack line to the fire area. Bottom line is that the engine company is going to need some type of ventilation in order to advance on the fire. The key factors guiding the completion of this mandatory task are finding the most effective location(s), timing it properly, and coordinating the operations of the involved companies.
Engine companies
While truck companies typically get all of the glory, it is the work of capable, experienced and proficient engine companies that have the greatest effect on any fire suppression operation. The quicker and more efficient an attack line is stretched and flowing translates to the interior environment being controlled more rapidly, which in turn improves firefighter and occupant safety. This is typically not a difficult process to complete when a fire is on the first floor or above. However, it becomes extremely difficult when the fire is in a below-grade area and the engine company has to advance the line through the structure, locate the basement entrance and move down the stairs.
Regardless of where the fire is located, the most important element of attacking any fire in a private dwelling is placing a line in between the fire and the interior life safety problem with the main priority being the protection and rescue of trapped occupants. Basement fires will require the deployment of multiple interior lines to support this goal while at the same time controlling and limiting fire extension throughout the dwelling. Ensuring adequate levels of resources are available on scene to deploy these lines is an assignment for the IC.
In today’s modern fire environment, the amount of water (gpm) available to apply to a fire has never been more critical. All too often we hear of engine companies being overwhelmed by fire or unable to make an offensive push due to the lack of an adequate fire flow. While it is a given that the size and length of attack lines, nozzle types, and hosebed setups will vary from one department to the next, it is important to ensure that your department is delivering a fire flow that is suitable for the task at hand and at the same time provides ample protection for interior crews. In a recent assessment of our nozzles and hose setups in Brewster, we found our fire flow to be inadequate for the environment we would be operating in. I suggest you analyze your own. You may be surprised.
The primary tactical objective for an engine company at a basement fire is pretty basic: Stretch an attack line, flow water and extinguish the fire. How this is accomplished (transitional, offensive or defensive attack) is a fiercely debated issue that will be deliberated for many years to come exclusive of this article. When an IC is ready to make this critical strategic fire extinguishment decision, three key factors that we have already discussed should be included as fundamental components of the process: life safety, building construction, and the extent and location of the fire.
While the dynamic nature of a basement fire does not support the rapid development of concrete solutions to on-scene problems, an IC would be well served by incorporating into their plan these three key elements as well as some recognition-primed decision-making (been here before) and a degree of common sense. This will help them develop a plan that will support a safe and effective operation.
Conclusion
There are times when some of our fire service colleagues will ask us why we continue to teach a class that, in their own narrow opinion, has “run its course.” In answering them, we always point to the chronic number of firefighter deaths and injuries that continue to occur in basement fires year after year. This usually stops all further discussion.
Just take a look at what has occurred since this past November. No department has been safe. It is an inventory of the very best and brightest of our nation’s departments, consisting of experienced, seasoned and veteran firefighters and ICs. Big or small, volunteer or career, urban, suburban or rural, each has suffered the effects of these dangerous and dynamic incidents.
This article is a condensed review of what we consider some of the more critical strategic and tactical considerations facing firefighters and fire officers at basement fires. It in no way fully encompasses the issues you will be confronted with and the decisions that will have to be made on the fireground. However, we do believe that preparation is a key element of reducing and optimistically eliminating firefighter deaths and injuries at these events, so we urge you to take the time to read and share this valuable and well-timed information with your fellow colleagues.
Robert Moran
Robert Moran is chief of the Brewster, MA, Fire & Rescue Department. In 2011, he retired as fire chief of the Englewood, NJ, Fire Department after a 26-year career. Moran holds a master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, is a certified public manager, and has a chief fire officer (CFO) designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence and the Massachusetts Fire Service Commission. He serves as an instructor for Barnstable County, MA, Fire Academy, an adjunct instructor for Kean University and the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety, and a task force leader of the Barnstable County Technical Rescue Team. Moran and his training partner, John Lewis, operate Jersey Guys Fire Service Training.
