NASHVILLE -- When working on a top floor fire, the biggest concern a firefighter should have is access. How will they get out if something happens?
Michael Scotto, a lieutenant with the FDNY, said access is always a priority.
“You’ve got to have a second way to get out,” he said, noting it’s better to have too many ladders on a building than not enough. “I don’t want the ladder in the back of the truck 30 yards away getting dirty. I want that thing up against the building.”
Ironically, top-floor fires can be in one-story structures because the only thing between the firefighters and the outside is the ceiling and roof, Scotto said. They are fought the same way as being on the third floor of a three-story structure or the very top of a high-rise. The dangers and considerations are all the same.
Scotto who has been an FDNY firefighter since 1979 and a lieutenant since 1997, said there are actually six sides to a top-floor fire – the obvious four sides of a structure and then above and below the fire floor. Firefighters need to be aware of what’s on the roof, like air conditioning units, solar arrays, chimney, water collection systems and even entire “small houses.”
“I that case, you’re not really on the top floor if you’ve got another house on the roof above you,” Scotto said.
While the building as originally designed can likely handle the load of another building on top of it, it might not when fire has compromised the structure below, Scotto said, noting the firefighters must be vigilant to avoid being caught in a collapse in those situations.
Vigilance is needed in all top-floor fires, Scotto said, adding firefighters need to know when to be in an offensive mode and when to go defensive.
“You have to have a strategy to fight fire,” Scotto said. “And hope is not a strategy.”
When making a decision on whether to fight a fire offensively, occupancy is critical, Scotto said.
“Occupancy changes our tactics and changes how we do business,” he said, noting that bedrooms and other occupied areas, whether they are legal or not, should always be considered in tactical decision making.
When a decision is made to go offensive, firefighters need to keep in mind what is over their heads and fire conditions.
“If you’re not making any headway in the first minute or two, back the hell out,” Scotto said. “There’s no way you’re going to win the battle.”
Ceiling collapses are not necessarily that dangerous, but the wires and other things above could trap firefighters and act like a spider web, Scotto said.
“You can get tangled up and you ain’t getting out by yourself,” he said.
Hoarder situations should always be on firefighters’ minds as they enter attic fires and other top-floor blazes.
“What do you have up in there,” Scotto said. “You’ve got Christmas decorations, Halloween stuff, suitcases, all of Grandma’s old stuff.”
Being situationally aware is important in any top-floor fire, he said.
“When you are working a top-floor fire, you want to know what’s above you because when it comes crashing down on you, you’re going to find out the hard way,” Scotto said.
And today, anything from cell phone towers to park-like settings to large water retention systems with rocks in them to collect rain water for green buildings are just some of the hazards, he said.
Solar arrays are also often found on roofs and not only are they heavy, the can be slick if people step on them. Most importantly, Scotto said, each panel can produce up to 9,000 watts of electricity at three or more amps, which can pose obvious hazards.
Scotto said he is a big advocate in pre-planning buildings so everyone knows what’s on top of them and how they are made before they're compromised by fire.
”Knowing building construction is so important in a top-floor fire,” Scotto said, adding that knowing if the building has balloon-frame construction will have firefighters at least thinking about whether fire may have come from a lower floor while engaged in the firefight. Knowing the style and type of roof and material covering is also important to avoid collapse.
“Lightweight construction doesn’t mean the materials used are lightweight,” Scotto said. “When they come down, they are going to hurt.”
Scotto said it’s always a good idea, if practical, to have a Fire Assistance Search Team (FAST crew) on-scene to help in the event of a collapse or a firefighter in trouble. He recognizes that not every fire department has a staff of thousands like the FDNY, but whenever possible, it’s a good idea to deploy a dedicated crew.
It’s also important to pull the right line for the firefight, Scotto said, noting that a routine room-and-contents fire might be contained with a crosslay handline, but if the fire has extended into the cockloft or roof structure, a 2.5-inch hose would certainly be the better choice.
“If you have any extension, you’ve got what you need,” Scotto said.
When all is said and done, top-floor fires can be challenging and require thinking to resolve, Scotto said.
“It a tactical problem that you have to figure out,” Scotto said. “In the end, if you can say no one got hurt and no one was killed, then it’s a good day.”
