NFPA 1081 Standard (A) Requi si te Knowl edge.

The sources of water suppl y for fi re protecti on or other

fire-exti ngui shi ng agents, site -specifi c hazards, the fundamental s of fire suppres
Inc ipie nt Indust ria l Fire B riga de M e mbe r 5.3 .5 Perform a fi re safety si on and detecti on systems i ncl udi ng speci ali zed agents, and common sy mbol s
surve y i n a faci lity, gi ven an assi gnment, survey forms, and procedures, so that used i n di agrammi ng constructi on features, utili ti es, hazards, and fi re protecti on
fire and life safety hazards are identifi ed, recom mendations for thei r correction are systems.
made, and unresol ved i ssues are referred to the proper authori ty. (B) Requi si te Skill s. The abili ty to i denti fy the components of the pre-i nci dent
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Organi zati onal poli cy and procedures, common pl an such as fi re suppression and detection systems, structural features, site -
causes of fire and thei r preventi on, the i mportance of fi re safety, and referral speci fi c hazards, and response consi derati ons.
procedures. 7.3.10 Perform a fi re safety survey i n a facil ity, gi ven an assi gnment, survey
(B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to compl ete forms, recogni ze hazards, match forms, and procedures, so that fire and life safety hazards are i dentifi ed, recom -
findi ngs to pre-approved recommendati ons, and effecti vel y communi cate fi nd mendations for thei r correction are made, and unresol ved i ssues are referred to the
ings to the proper authori ty. proper authority.
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Organi zati onal poli cy and procedures, common
causes of fire and thei r preventi on, and the i mportance of fi re safety and referral
A dv a nc ed Ext e rior Indust ria l Fire B riga de Me mbe r 6.1 .2 .1 Utili ze a procedures.
pre-i nci dent pl an, gi ven pre -i nci dent pl ans and an assi gnment, so that the
(B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to compl ete forms, recogni ze hazards, match
industri al fi re bri gade member i mpl ements the responses detail ed by the plan.
findi ngs to pre-approved recommendati ons, and effecti vel y communi cate fi nd
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. The sources of water suppl y for fi re protecti on or other ings to the proper authori ty.
fire-exti ngui shi ng agents, site -specifi c hazards, the fundamental s of fire suppres
si on and detecti on systems i ncl udi ng speci ali zed agents, and common sy mbol s
used i n di agrammi ng constructi on features, utili ti es, hazards, and fi re protecti on
systems.
(B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to i dentify the components of the pre -fi re pl an
Additional NFPA Standards
such as fi re suppression and detection systems, structural features, site -specifi c NFPA 170 Standard for Fi re Safety and Emergency Symbol s
hazards, and response consi derations. NFPA 220 Standard on Type s of Bui l di ng Constructi on
6.3.1 Perform a fi re safety survey i n a facili ty, gi ven a n assi gnment, survey NFPA 472 Standard for Professional Competence ofResponders to Hazardous
forms, and procedures, so that fire and life safety hazards are i dentifi ed, recom Materi al s Inci dents
mendations for thei r correction are made, and unresol ved i ssues are referred to NFPA 600 Standard on Industri al Fi re Bri gades
the proper authori ty.
NFPA 704 Standard System for the Identifi cation of the Hazards of Materi al s for
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Organi zati onal poli cy and pro cedures, common Emergency Response
causes of fire and thei r preventi on, and the i mportance of fi re safety and referral
procedures. NFPA 1620 Standard for Recom mended Practi ce for Pre -i nci dent Pl anni ng
(B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to compl ete forms, recogni ze hazards, match
findi ngs to pre-approved recommendati ons, and effecti vel y communi cate fi nd
ings to the proper authori ty.
Knowledge Objectives
6.3.2 (A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Site drawi ng readi ng, acces s procedures, After compl eti ng thi s chapter, you will be abl e to:
forcibl e entry tool s and procedures, and si te-speci fi c hazards, such as access to • Recogni ze si te-speci fi c hazards.
areas restri cted by rail car movement, fences, and wall s. Procedures associ ated • Identi fy the components of a prei nci dent pl an.
wi th speci al hazard areas such as electri cal substati on, radi ati on hazard areas, • Descri be the advantages of preinci dent pl anning and safety.
and other areas speci fi c to the site if needed. • Recogni ze potenti al scene access restri cti ons.
(B) Requi si te Skill s. The abili ty to read si te drawi ngs, i dentify areas of l ow
overhead clearance, identi fy areas on roadways havi ng l oad restri ctions, i dentify
access routes to water suppli es, i dentify hazardous materi al s l ocati ons, i dentify
Skills Objectives
el ectri cal equipment l ocations (overhead and below grade equipment), abili ty to After compl eti ng thi s chapter, you will be abl e to perform the foll owi ng skill s:
open gates by manual and/or automati c means, ability to forci bl y gai n access to • Conduct a prei nci dent survey.
areas, and the ability to i dentify si te hazards. • Prepare an accurate sketch or di agram.
• Obtai n the requi red occupancy informati on.
• Note any i tems of concern regardi ng occupancy.

Inte rior St ruc tural Indust ria l Fire B riga de M e mbe r

7.1.2 .3 Util i ze a pre-i nci dent pl an, gi ven pre -i nci dent pl ans and an assi gnment,
so that the i ndustri al fi re bri gade member i mpl ements the pre -i nci dent pl an.
 You've been a probationary brigade member for three months. Today, your brigade leader
announces that it is time to review the preincident plans prepared by another crew. You yawn and
wish your brigade had something more exciting to do.

The brigade leader begins by saying, "Let me tell you a story. Two months before you joined us,
we were dispatched to a fire at the equipment maintenance shop long after the day shift had left
for the day. When we arrived, heavy smoke was showing. My first reaction was to begin an
aggressive interior attack. However, the preincident plan contained two red flags: It noted that
the building was constructed with lightweight trusses and that the air-conditioning units were
mounted on the roof. Based on this information, I ordered an exterior attack. Two minutes later,
the roof collapsed.

"If there had not been a preincident plan for this building, we could have lost three brigade mem -
bers that day. I strongly believe that preincident planning is one of the most important things we
can do. There is no doubt in my mind that preplanning saves lives." Suddenly you realize that you
are no longer tired!
1. Why is preincident planning so important to a brigade member's survival?
2. What types of buildings require preincident planning?

Introduction you not on ly kno w where the hyd rants and exits a re, but
Preincident planning gives you the tools and knowledge to also what hazards to anticipate. A preincident plan puts all
become an effective brigade member. Without a preincident that information at your fingert ips, either on paper or in a
plan, you are going into an emergency situation "blind." You co mputer file, when you respond to a fire.
may not be familiar with the stru cture, the locat ion o f Preincident planning helps your brigade to make better
hydrants, or the potent ial hazards. W ith a preincident plan, co mmand decis ions because important in fo rmat ion is
assembled befo re the emergency occurs. At the emergency
scene, the Incident Commander (IC) can use the preincident
info rmat ion to d irect the emergency operations much more
effectively ( Figure 22-1"). Because a preincident plan identifies
potentially hazardous situations before the emergency occurs,
brigade members can be made aware of h idden dangers and
prepare for them.

Preincident Plan
Preincident planning is the process of obtaining informat ion
about a building or a process and storing the info rmat ion in a
system so that it can be retrieved quickly for future refer ence.
Preincident planning is usually performed under the
direction of a b rigade leader. The co mp leted preinci dent
plan should be availab le to all un its that wou ld respond to
an incident at that location .
The preincident plan is intended to help the IC make
(Figure 22-1) The preincident information is supplied to the IC at the info rmed decis ions when an emergency incident occurs at
emergency scene. t he locat ion ( Fig ure 2 2 -2 ). So me o f t he in fo rmat io n
 Pre i n c i d e n t Planning 645

Tactical Priorities ( Figure 22-2) An ex ample of a

Address: 1500, preincident plan.
1510, 1520
Occupancy Na me:

P replan #: Numbe r D rawings: Revised Date:

02-N-01 1 12/2002
District: Sub zon e:
By: E275A 60208
ACEVEDO
Rescu e Consid erations: Yes ( ) No ( X)

Occupancy Load Day: Occupancy Load Night:

Building Siz e: Best A cc ess:

Knox Box: Knox Switch: Opticom:

NONE NONE NONE
Roo f Typ e: Attic Spa ce: Yes ( ) No ( ) Attic Height:
X X
Ventilation Horizontal: Ventilation Vertical:

Sprinkl ers: Y es ( X ) No ( ) Full ( X) P arti al ( )

Standpipes: Y es ( X) No ( ) W et ( ) D ry ( )
Gas: Yes ( ) No( ) Lp g ( )

Haza rdous M ate rials: Y es ( X ) No ( )

DIESEL GENE RA TOR S

1,000 GALLON TANKS

BA TTE RY ROO M
Brigade M e mber Sa fety Considerations:
ELEVA TOR P I T

P roperty Conservation and Spe cial Consider ations:

VEN TILA TION: AU TO MATIC S MOKE RE MO VAL SY S TEM
3 OFF ICE BLDG S; 2 P ARKING S TRUC TU RES
6 FLRS - 1230 W. WASHING TON S T.
4 FL RS -1500 N . P RIE S T D R .
4 FLR S - P ARKING GA RAGE

would be useful to any crew o r-un it responding to an inci- technology became widely availab le, preincident info rma -
dent at that location. A preincident plan can also be used in tion was often limited by the need to carry hard copy infor -
training activ it ies to help brigade members beco me familiar mat ion in fire apparatus and co mmand veh icles. W ith
with p ropert ies within their facility . computers and mob ile data terminals, info rmat ion such as
The objective of a preincident plan is to make valuable drawings, maps, aerial photographs, descriptive text, lists of
in format ion immed iately availab le during an emergency hazardous materials, and material safety data sheets is easily
incident that otherwise would not be readily evident or eas ily available.
determined . The amount and the nature of the in forma tion It is particularly important to inform brigade members of
provided for d ifferent areas will depend on the size and potential safety hazards. The most crit ical in format ion, like
comp lexity of the property, the types of risks that are pres ent, hydrant locations and life hazards, should be instantly avail-
and the part icu lar hazards or challenges that are likely to be able, with additional data accessible as needed. All of the
encountered . information must be presented in an understandable format.
The use of computers has greatly increased the ability of A preincident plan usually includes one or more diagrams
fire brigades to capture, store, organize, update, and quickly to show details such as the build ing locat ion and arrange-
ret rieve p reinciden t p lann ing in format ion . Befo re ment , access routes , ent ry po ints, exp osures , and hyd rant
this
646 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E

Brigade Member Tips Preincident p lans should also be prepared fo r properties that
have the pot ent ial to creat e a larg e fire o r confl agrati on (a
Preinc ident planning is different from fire prevention. The goal of fire large fire involv ing mu ltip le structures).
prev ention is to identify haz ards and m inimiz e or c orrect them so that Propert ies th at have an increased life safety h azard
fires do not occur or hav e lim ited consequenc es. Preincident planning include:
assum es that a fire will occ ur and com piles information that responding • Power houses
brigade members would need. In many cases, a preinc ident s urvey • Laboratories
identifies the need for a preincident plan updat e or for a fire prevention • Warehouses
inspection. • Flammab le liqu id product ion facilit ies
• Hazardous material storage and waste facilities

De velop ing a Prein cide nt Pla n

The information that goes into a preincident plan is gathered
Table 22-1 Typical Target Hazard Properties during a preinci dent survey. The survey is usually per-
• Fuel storage and power houses • M ult i-st ory struct ures formed by one of the crews that would respond to an emer-
• Laboratories • C afet erias • Assem bly/M eet ing areas • gency incident at the location. This enables the crew to visit
the property and beco me familiar with the location as they
Maintenanc e shops • Production areas • Tank farms •
collect the preincident info rmat ion.
Electric al s ubstations • Mec hanic al rooms • Critical The survey data are co mp iled in a standard p reincident
proc ess areas • Storage structures for hazardous materials plan format and filed by property location in an info rmat ion
and waste • Warehouses management system. The actual p reincident p lan is usually
prepared at the stat ion, where the b rigade leader takes the
time to organ ize the in fo rmat ion p roperly and to create
drawings that can be used effect ively during an emergen cy.
The info rmat ion can be stored on paper o r entered into a
computer system. If the preincident plan is stored on paper,
copies should be made available to brigade members and
brigade leaders who wou ld respond to the locat ion on an
init ial alarm. The plans should be kept in binders or in a filing
system on each vehicle ( Figure 22-3).
The co mmun icat ions center should also have a copy o f
the co mpleted plan so that the d ispatcher has access to the
info rmat ion. In so me large operations, the co mmun icat ions
locat ions or alternat ive water supplies. The locat ion and center can fax a copy to a portable fax mach ine in a co m-
nature of any special hazards should be particularly noted on mand un it at the scene o f an incident.
the diagrams. Info rmat ion about the actual building should
include the height and overall dimensions, type of construc-
tion, nature of the occupancy, and the types of contents in dif-
ferent areas. Additional in formation should include interior
floor p lans, stairway and elevator locations, utility shutoff
locations, and informat ion about built-in fire p rotection sys-
tems. For more information, see NFPA 1620, Recommended
Practice for Pre-Incident Planning.

Target Ha zards
Fire brigades should be able to create a preincident plan for
every ind ividual facility on the property. They should pay
extra attention to propert ies that are part icularly large and/or
where unusual risks are present. These properties are identi-
fied as target hazards ( Table 22-1). Target hazard properties
pose an increased risk to brigade members.
A preincident p lan should be prepared for every property
that involves a high life safety hazard to the occupants or ( Figure 22-3) Copies of preincident plans can be kept in three -ring
p resents safety ris ks fo r respo nd ing b rig ad e memb ers . binders.
 Prei nci de nt Pla nni ng 647

Table 22-2 Information Gathered During

the Preincident Survey
• Building loc at ion • Apparat us acc ess to exterior of the building •
Acc ess points t o t he int erior of the building • Hy drant loc ations
and/or alternativ e wat er s upply • Size of the building (height,
number of stories, lengt h, widt h) • Ex pos ures to the fire building and
separation dist anc es • Ty pe of building c onstruction • Building us e
• Type of occupancy (assem bly, institutional, residential, comm erc ial,
industrial)
• Floor plan • Life haz ards • Building exit plan and ex it locat ions •
Stairway locat ions (note if enclosed or unenclos ed) • Elev ator
locations and emergency c ontrols
( Figure 22-4 ) Computers allow access to preincident plans from any location. • Built-in fire prot ection systems (s prink lers, s prinkler control valv es,
standpipes, standpipe connections )
• Fire alarm syst ems and fire alarm an nunciator panel (part of
Using a co mputer system to develop and store preincident the fire alarm syst em that indicat es the loc ation of an alarm within
plans has many advantages. Plan data can be accessed the building) loc ation
direct ly, through co mputer terminals at fire stations, and • Ut ilit y s hut -off loc ations • Ventilation loc ations • Presence of
through mobile data terminals in vehicles ( Figure 22-4 ). hazardous mat erials • Presence of unusual contents or hazards •
Updating preincident plans is easier when they are stored on
Type of incident ex pected • Sourc es of potential damage • Spec ial
computers. As soon as the master copy is updated, everyone
has access to the new in format ion. There is no need to make resourc es required • General firefighting concerns • R oof acc ess
and distribute new copies.

Conducting a Preincident Survey

A preincident survey should be conducted with the kno wl-
edge and cooperation of the area supervisor. The supervisor
should be contacted before the preincident survey is con -
ducted. This enables the brigade to schedule an acceptable
time, to explain the pu rpose, the impo rtance of the preinci-
dent survey, and to clarify that the informat ion is needed to
prepare brigade members in the event that an emergency
occurs at the locat ion.
The b rigade memb ers who conduct the survey should
conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to the brigades
mission. A rep resentative of the facility or area should
accompany the survey team to answer questions and provide
access to different areas. Every effo rt should be made to
The same set of basic informat ion must be collected for
obtain accurate, useful info rmat ion. each property that is surveyed (Table 22-2 ). Additional
The preincident survey is conducted in a systematic fash -
info rmat ion should be gathered fo r areas that are unusually
ion, following a uniform format. Begin with the outside of the
large, co mp licated, or where part icu larly hazardous situa-
building. Gather all of the information about the build ings tions are likely to occu r. Most fire b rigades use standard
geographic location, external features, and access points. Then
forms to record the survey informat ion. After the brigade
survey the inside to collect information about every interior
ret u rns to th e stat ion , th ey can use the in fo rmat io n to
area. A good, systematic approach starts at the roof and works develop the preincident p lan .
down through the building, covering every level of the struc-
ture. If the property is large and complicated, it may be nec- Site Dra wing s
essary to make more than one visit to ensure that all the The brigade members conducting the survey should prepare
requ ired in format ion is obt ained and accu rat ely record ed. site drawings, or sketches to show the process or building
layout and the location of important features such as exits.
Many brigades also use digital cameras to record information.
 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A ND P R A C T I C E

fighters should also be familiar with any other

type o f fo rm, map, o r warn ing p lacards that
are used in the facility.
The fo llo wing items should b e ident ified
on the facility site drawings:
• Areas of lo w overhead clearance such as
pedestrian bridges, pipe racks, and utility
lines
• Barriers such as gates and fences
• Points of access into the build ing, part icu
larly if there are mu ltip le ent rances
• Areas on roadways having load restric
tions, such as t imb er b ridg es and bu ried
culverts
• Access routes to water supplies that are
usable year-round
• Hazardous materials locations such as
storage tanks and gas cylinders, satellite
hazardous waste stat ions, and storage
roo ms
• Electrical equip ment locat ions (overhead
and belo w g rade eq u ip ment ) such as
generato r roo ms , large outdoo r
transfo rmer equ ip ment, and equ ip ment
located belo w g rade in a vau lt th at is
accessib le by a manho le cover or g rated
cover
Brigade members should have the following
abilities:
( Figure 22-5) Preincident plan symbols.
• Open gates by emp loying manual and/or
automat ic means using the proper switch
and card keys, o r through bypassing the
It takes practice and experience to learn how to sketch the system manually by pulling a p in in the
required in formation while doing the survey, and then to arm assemb ly
convert the information to a final drawing. In some cases, the • Gain access to areas using forcible entry
area supervisor or plant engineer can provide the survey team procedures as per the facility SOP/SOG
with a copy o f a plot p lan o r a floor plan . • Identify site hazards using placards and other warn ing
The co mp leted s ite d rawing should use standard, eas ily signs as per the facility's site-specific hazard co mmuni-
understood map symbols ( Figure 22-5 and ► Figure 22-6 ). cations program
NFPA 170 Standard jor Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols is an
excellent resource for standardized symbols used by the fire Preincident Planning for
service, engineering drawings and preincident planning Response and Access
sketches. Many fire brigades use computer-assisted drawing Build ing layout and access information is particularly impor-
software to create and store these diagrams. tant during the response phase of an emergency incident. A
Brigade members should also have the ability to read site preincident plan should provide information that would be
drawings. These drawings can p rovide critical safety in for- valuable to units en route to an incident. For instance, the plan
mation. Drawings must be updated whenever remodeling, could identify the most efficient route to the fire building or
equip ment relocat ions, and construction activ ities occur, or process area and also note an alternate route if the time of the
at least on an annual basis, so that they will be cu rrent. Fire day and local traffic patterns would affect the primary route.
Alternate routes should also be established if primary routes
require crossing railroad tracks or other potentially b locked
routes.
When conducting a preincident survey, brigade members
should ensure that the building identificat ion is easily visib le
 Prei nci de nl Pla nni ng 649

• Special hazard areas, such as elect rical substations,

rad iat ion hazard areas, chemical sto rage areas,
and other sit e-specific hazards, must b e th e sub ject
of p reincident p lann ing. W ritt en p ro cedu res for
hand ling an emergen cy in these areas shou ld be
developed.
• Lock out/tag out procedures, PPE requ irements, and
area entry permits should be part of preincident p lan
ning fo r these types of hazardous areas.

Access to the Exterior of the Building

The preincident survey p lan should address access to the
exterior of the area. For examp le, you should consider the
following:
• Are there several roads that lead to the bu ilding, or
just a few?
• Where are hydrants located?
• Where are the fire depart ment connect ions for auto
matic sprin kler and standpipe systems located?
• Are there security barriers that will limit access to the
site?
• Are there fire lanes to provide access to specific areas?
• Are there barricades, gates, or other obstructions that
are not wide enough or h igh enough to allo w passage
of apparatus?
• Are there bridges or underg round structures that will
not support the weight of the apparatus?
• Are there gates that require keys or a code to gain
entry?
(Figure 22-6) The completed drawing should use standard, easily under - • Will it be necessary to cut fences?
stood map symbols. • Are there natural barriers such as streams, lakes, o r
rivers that limit access?
• Does the topography limit access to any parts of the
to save time in locating an emergency incident. If the build ing building?
is part of a complex, the best route to each individual build ing • Does the landscaping or snow prevent access to cer
or section should be clearly indicated on a site d rawing . It is tain parts of the bu ild ing?
impo rtant to consider the fo llowing points before accessing a • Are there adequate turnarounds with in the co mp lex
building: for fire vehicles?
• Security o fficers who have not been trained in the use
of PPE/ SCBA cannot enter hot zones to unlock secure Access to the Interior of the Building
areas. As a consequence, procedures to access The preincident survey should also consider access to the
locked/secured areas of the structure and facility interior of the building. The fo llowing questions are helpful:
grounds must be coo rdin ated bet ween the b rigade • Is there a lockbo x containing keys to the build ing? Do
and the security team. the keys work?
• So me sites have special access challenges owing to • Are key codes needed to gain access to the building?
fences, walls, railcar movement, and t ruck parking. Who has them?
Procedu res to open, move, o r circu mvent these haz • Does the area have security guards? Is a guard always
ards can include go ing over them, through them, and on duty? Does the guard have access to all areas?
around them. • Where is the fire alarm annunciator panel located?
• Whenever brigade members work near truck or train • Is the fire alarm annunciator panel properly
traffic, they must assure that the vehicle will not be programmed so you can quickly determine the exact
moved . Wheel/ rail chocks should be used, and co m location of an alarm?
mun icat ion must be maintained with the driver o f the • Will the fire brigade gain access or wait for maintenance
machinery. employees with keys?
6S0 I NDUS T R I AL F I RE B R I GADE: P R I NC IPL ES AND P R AC T I C E

Type I: Fire Resistive Buildings where the structural memb ers are ot noncombustible m aterials
that hav e a specified fire resistance ( Figure 22-7 ). Mat erials include
concrete, steel beams, m asonry block w alls, etc.

(Figure 22 -7) A Ty pe I building.

Type II: Noncomb ustible Buildings w here the structure m embers are of nonc ombustible m aterials,
but may not hav e fire resistance prot ection ( Figure 22-8). Includes
unprotected steel beams, etc.

( Figure 22-8) A T ype II building.

Type III: Buildings w here the exterior w alls are noncombustible or
Ordinary limit ed-combustible, but the interior floors and walls are m ade of
com bustible mat erials ( Figure 22 -9),

( Figure 22 -9) A Ty pe III building.

Type IV: Heavy Timber Buildings w here the exterior w alls are noncombustible or
limit ed-combustible, but the interior w alls and floors are m ade of
com bustible mat erials (Figure 22-10). T he dim ens ions of the interior
mat erials are great er than that of ordinary c onst ruction (typically wit h
minim um dim ens ions of 8' x 8').

(Figure 22 -10) A Ty pe I V building.

Type V: Wood Frame

Buildings where the exterior w alls, int erior w alls, floors, and roof are
made of c om bustible w ood mat erial (► Fig ure 2 2-11).

( Figure 22 -11) A Ty pe V building.

Preincident Planning materials or other risk factors. The location of other processes
for Sc ene Size- Up or structures that may be jeopardized by a fire in the building
The preincident survey must also obtain essential information should also be recorded.
about the area that is important for size-up (the ongoing Prep lanning fo r process areas should include dike con -
observation and evaluation of factors that are used to develop tain ment vo lu mes, grades that indicate liquid runoff d irec-
objectives, strategies, and tactics for fire suppression). This tions, operat ing p ressures , v essel o r t an k vo lu mes and
info rmation should include the construction , height, area, contents, foam flo w requirements, exposure protection pri-
use, and occu pancy , as well as t he p resence o f hazardous orit ies, and collapse potentials.
 Prei ncident Pla nni ng 651

Fire protection system in format ion is also important for

size-up. The preincident survey should identify areas that are Brigade Member Safely Tips
protected by automatic sprinklers, deluge systems, foam sys- Structures that are being remodeled, modified or dem olis hed are at
tems, clean agent systems or other types of fire extinguishing higher risk for m ajor fires. You should c onsider doing a special
systems, the locations of standpipes, and the locations of fire- preinc ident survey for struct ures undergoing s ubst antial changes
walls and other features designed to limit the spread of a fire. during the construction phase. This will enable you to gather m ore
thorough informat ion for a preincident plan of the completed structure.
The survey should also note any areas where fire protection
is lacking, such as an area without sprinklers in a building
that has a sprinkler system.
Features inside a building that would allow a fire to spread
but are not readily v isible fro m the outside should also be
noted. Unprotected openings between floors, or buildings beams, as structural support materials. This type of construc-
connected by conveyor systems are examples of these features. tion can be found in newer buildings as well as in older build-
ings with extensive remodeling. In many cases, the lightweight
Construction components are located in void spaces or concealed above ceil-
Building construction is an important factor to identify in the ings and are not readily visible.
preincident survey. Two similar-loo king buildings may be A wood truss, constructed fro m 2' X 4' or 2' X 6' p ieces of
constructed differently and thus will behave differently during wood, can be used to span a wide area and support a floor or
a fire. (^ Table 22-3) lists five different types of construction, as roof. A truss uses the principle of a triangle to build a structure
defined in NFPA 220, Standard on Types of Building that can support a great deal of weight with much less
Construction. Building construction is discussed in detail in supporting material than conventional construction methods (
Chap ter 6, Bu ild ing Construct ion . Preincident p lann ing ▼ Figure 22-12 and ► Figure 22-13 ). Lightweight construction is
enables you to take the time that is needed to determine the used in storage buildings, temporary office buildings, and
exact type of building construction and identify any problem many other types of buildings.
areas. Then, if an emergency occurs, the IC can check the
preincident plan for information on construction, instead of Remodeled B uil di ngs
hazarding a guess. Build ings that have been remodeled or renovated present spe-
cial situations. Remodeling can remove some of the original,
Lightweight Constructi on
built-in fire protection and create new hazards. For example, a
It is important to identify whether or not the building contains remodeled building may contain mu ltiple ceilings with void
lightweight constructi on. Lightweight construct ion uses spaces between them. The new construction may have put a
assemblies of small co mponents, such as trusses or fabricated concrete topping over a wooden floor assembly. There may be
new openings between floors or through walls that originally
were fire resistant.
Brigade Member Safety Tips
Lightweight construction is a relativ e term. A struct ure may be
"lightw eight" in comparis on t o other m ethods of const ruction, but its
components are still heavy enough to cause serious injury or death if
they collaps e on a brigade m ember.

Fire Ma rks
Bec aus e lightw eight construction us es truss supports, a floor or roof
may appear sturdier than it act ually is. Two m unicipal fire fighters in
Houst on, Tex as died while battling an early-m orning blaz e in a fast
food rest aurant. The fire burned through t he lightweight wood truss
roof s upports, and t he roof-mount ed air condi tioner dropped into the
building, trapping and killing the fire fighters. The fire was later
determined to be ars on.

(Figure 22-12) A lightweight w ood truss roof assembly.

652 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E

shops, and warehouse space. The building also could be part

of a larger co mp lex that includes offices, power houses, and a
production building. Each area may have very different
characteristics and risk factors.

Occupancy Changes
Bu ild ing use may change over t ime. An outdated facto ry
may be transfo rmed into a office, or an unused warehouse
may be converted into a packag ing bu ild ing. A warehouse
that once stored concrete blocks may now be filled with
foam-plastic insulation or p lastic packaging materials. This
is an important reason why preincident plans should be
checked and updated on a regular schedule. A bu ilding's
current occupancy informat ion must always be determined
during a preincident survey.

(Figure 12-13) A lightw eight w ood truss floor ass embly. Exposures
An exposure is any other building or item that may be in dan-
ger if an incident occurs in another building or area. An expo -
sure could be an attached build ing, separated by a co mmon
If you can conduct the preincident survey during con - wall, o r it cou ld be a bu ilding across an alley or street.
struction or remodeling , you will be able to see the con - Exposures can include other buildings, vehicles, outside stor-
struction fro m the inside out, before everything is covered age, or anything else that could be damaged by or involved in a
over. It is also important to realize that build ings under con- fire. For example, heat fro m a burn ing warehouse could
struction, whether they are being remodeled o r demo lished, ignite adjacent build ings and spread the fire.
are especially vulnerab le to fire. Unfin ished construction is A p reincident su rv ey shou ld ident ify any pot ent ial
open, without many of the fire resistant features and fire exp osures to t he p roperty that is being ev aluat ed. Th is
detection/suppression sys tems that will be part of the fin - should take into account th e s ize, construct ion , and fi re
ished structure. load (the amount o f co mbustib le material and the rate o f
heat release) o f the property being evaluated , th e d istance to
Building Use the exposure, and the ease o f ignit ion by rad iat ion, con -
The second majo r consideration during s ize-up is the bu ild- vect ion, o r conduct ion of heat.
ing's use and occupancy, so it is important to identify these
during a preincident survey. Buildings are used for many dif- Built-in Fire Protection Systems
ferent purposes such as offices, warehouses, plant process The preincident survey should ident ify built-in fire protec-
areas, maintenance shops, and many other pu rposes. For tion and fire suppression systems on the p roperty. These
each use, different types of problems, concerns, and hazards systems include auto matic sprinklers, standpipes, stationary
may be p resent. fire pu mps, fire alarms, and fire detection systems, as well as
For examp le, bu ilding use can help to determine the systems designed to control or ext inguish particular types of
number of occupants and their ability to escape if a fire occurs. fires. So me bu ild ings have auto mat ic s mo ke cont ro l or
Building use is also a key factor in determin ing the probable exhaust systems. Each is covered in det ail in Chapter 25,
contents of the build ing. These facto rs can have a major Fire Detect ion, Protection, and Suppression Systems.
impact on the problems and hazards encountered by brigade
members responding to an emergency incident at the location. Automatic S prinkler S ystems
A building is usually classified by major use. This identi- A properly designed and maintained auto mat ic s prinkler
fies the basic characteristics of the building. Within the major system can h elp cont ro l o r ext ingu ish a fire b efo re th e
use classification, there are occupancy subclassifications that arrival of the fire b rigade. When properly designed and
provide a more specific description of possible uses and their maintained, these systems are ext remely effect ive and can
associated characteristics. play a majo r ro le in reducing the loss of life and property at
Many large build ing co mplexes contain mu ltip le occu - an incident. They also create a safer situation for brigade
pancy subcategories under one roof. For examp le, a large members.
indust rial bu ild ing may have t rain ing roo ms, mechan ical The preincident survey should determine if the bu ilding
has a sprinkler system and what parts of the build ing the
system covers. Note the location of valves that control water
 Prei ncident Pla nni ng 653

Brigade Member Tips that activated the alarm system. In most cases, brigade mem-
bers who respond to the alarm must check the annunciator
Remember that a structure may have m ultiple uses during its panel to determine the actual source within the build ing or
lifetim e or can inc orporate more than one us e within the same comp lex. The p reincident survey should identify what type
structure. of system is installed, and where the annunciator panel is
located.

Speci al Fire Exti nguishing S ystems

There are several different types of fixed fire extinguishing sys -
tems that can be installed to protect areas where automatic
flow to different sections of the system. These valves should sprinklers are not suitable. Most computer rooms are protected
always be open. by clean agent fire suppression systems (Figure 22-14).
In add it ion to the cont ro l valves , sprin kler syst ems Special ext inguishing systems are also found in many indus -
should have a fire depart ment connection outside the build - trial facilities. The type of system and the area that is protected
ing. The fire depart ment connect ion is used to supplement should be identified in the preincident survey
the water supply to the sprinklers by pump ing water fro m a Areas where flammab le liqu ids are stored or used may
hydrant or other water supply through fire hoses into this have sophisticated foam or dry chemical fire suppression
connection. The location o f the fire depart ment connection systems. The locat ion of these systems should be noted on
for the sprinkler system must be marked on the preincident the p rein -cident p lan. Details about the method o f opera-
plan. tion, locat ion o f equ ip ment , and foam supplies should also
be recorded during the preincident survey. More information
Standpi pe Systems about bu ilt-in systems is p resented in Chapter 25, Fire
Standpi pe systems are installed to deliver water to fire hose Detection , Protect ion, and Suppression Systems.
outlets on each floor of a build ing. Th is eliminates the need
to extend hoselines fro m an eng ine at the street level up to
fire level. Standpipes may also be used in lo w-rise buildings,
such as large warehouses. Brigade members can bring attack
hoselines inside the bu ilding and connect them to a
stand-pipe outlet close to the fire, wh ile the engine delivers
water to a fire depart ment connect ion outside the bu ilding .
The location of the fire department connection, as well as
the locations of the outlets on each floor, should be marked on
the preincident survey. The locations of nearby hydrants that
will be used to supply water to the fire depart ment connection
must also be recorded. There may be mu ltip le fire depart ment
connections to deliver wate r to different parts of a large
building. The area o r floor levels served by each connection
should be carefully noted on the p reincident p lan and
labeled at the connection .

Fire Al arm and Fire Detecti on Systems

The primary ro le of a fire alarm system is to alert the occu-
pants of a building so that they can evacuate or take act ion
when an incident occurs. So me fire alarm systems are con -
nected directly to the fire station; others are mon itored by a
dispatch center that calls the fire b rigade when the system is
activated.
In some cases, the fire alarm system must be manually
activated. In other cases, the alarm system is activated auto -
mat ically . A s moke or heat detection system can trigger the
alarm o r it may respond to a dev ice that ind icates when
water is being d ischarged fro m the sprin kler system.
The annunciator panel, wh ich is usually located close to a ( Figure 22-14 ) Many computer rooms have clean agent fire suppression
building entrance, indicates the location and type of device systems.
654 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E

Tactical Information Fire Marks

There are many different categories of tactical information that
can be obtained during a preincident survey and documented
,A privat e water system m ay not be able to s upply both s prin klers and
lit**, m
hos es effectiv ely. A c omm ercial property in Bluffton, Indiana w as
in a preincident plan. This is information that would be of par- destroyed when the responding fire departm ent hooked its pumpers to
ticular value to an IC in directing operations during an emer- privat e tire hydrants. The reduction in wat er flow that resulted rendered
gency incident or to brigade members who are assigned to the building's s prinklers ineffectiv e.
perform specific functions. When conducting a preincident
survey, all of the factors that could be significant when con -
ducting e mergency operat ions at that locat ion should be
considered.
liters per minute, can be calcu lated, based on size, construc-
Considerations for Water Supply tion, contents, and exposures.
During the preincident survey, the amount o f water needed In most industrial plants, the water supply will come fro m
to fight a fire in a structure or process area should be deter- plant or mun icipal hydrants. It is impo rtant to locate the
mined. The water supply source should be identified as well. hydrants closest to the fire area. For large flow rates, it will be
The requ ired flo w rate, measured in gallons per minute or necessary to locate enough hydrants to supply the volume of
water required to control a fire. The ability of the municipal
water system to provide the required flo w must also be
determined. It may be necessary to use hydrants that are
supplied by different water mains of sufficient size to ach ieve
the needed water flow ( Fi gure 22-15).
In areas without municipal water systems, the
water may have to be obtained fro m a static water
suppl y, such as a lake or stream, or delivered by fire
brigade tankers. When static water sources are used,
the preincident p lan must identify drafting sites or
the locations of the nearest dry hydrants. It is also
impo rtant to measure the distance fro m the water
source to the fire area to determine whether a
large-diameter hose can be used and whether
additional eng ines will be needed. The p reincident
plan should also outline the operation that would be
required to deliver water to the fire.
If a tender shuttle (a system of tenders transporting
water from a water supply to the fire scene) will be used
to deliver water, several additional details must be
included in the preincident plan. In particular, sites for
filling the tenders and for discharging their loads must
be identified (►Figure 22-16 ). The preincident plan
should also identify ho w many tenders are needed
based on the distance they must travel, the quantity of
water each vehicle can transport, and the time it takes
to empty and refill each vehicle.
A large industrial co mplex may have its own water
supply system that prov ides wat er for auto mat ic
sprinkler systems, standpipes, and private hydrants.
These systems usually include storage tanks or reser-
voirs as well as fixed fire pu mps to deliver the water
under pressure. The details and arrangement of the in
plant water supply system must be determined during
the preincident survey. This information will be avail-
able fro m the site engineer or maintenance staff.
(Figure 22-15) A diagram showing hydrant locations around a building.
 Prei nci de nt Pla nni ng 655

Brigade Member Safety Tips

Only qualified personnel should shut down utilities.

Brigade Member Safety Tips

The s hut-off of utilit ies should be c oordinat ed w ith operations or
maint enance pers onnel to prev ent an "upset condition" that could
increas e the problem.

other energy sources. These sites, as well as contact infor-

mat ion for the app rop riat e operat ions g roup o r u t ility
( Figure 22-16) The points where tenders can be filled and where they can co mpany , shou ld be included in th e p reincid ent p lan . In
discharge their loads must be identif ied. some cases, special kno wledge or equip ment is required to
disconnect utilit ies. Th is must be noted in the preincident
plan, along with the procedure for contacting the approp riate
The preincident survey should indicate how much water is indiv idual or organ ization.
stored on the property and where the tanks are located. If there Electrical wires pose particular problems. Electricity may
is a fixed fire pump, its location, its capacity in gallons per be supplied by overhead wires or through underground utili -
minute, and its power source (electricity or a diesel engine) ties. Overhead wires can be deadly if a ground ladder or aerial
should be noted. Operat ional instruct ions should also be ladder comes in contact with them. The preincident plan
noted. It is also important to make sure that these in p lant should show the locations of high-voltage electrical lines and
water systems are maintained in good operating condit ion. equipment that could be dangerous. If elect ricity is supplied
One or more brigade members may be assigned to verify proper by underground cables, the shut-off may be located inside the
operation of fire pumps and valves at an incident. build ing or in an underground vault. These locations should
In many cases, the same in p lant water main p rovides also be noted on the preincident plan .
wat er fo r bot h th e sp rin kler syst em and t he in p lant If propane gas or fuel oil is stored on the property, the
hydrants. If the fire brigade uses the in plant hydrants, the preincident p lan should show the locat ions and note the
water supply to the sprinklers may be co mpro mised. The capacity of each tank. The presence of an emergency generator
preincident plan for these sites should note if public, off -site should also be noted, along with the fuel source and a list of
hydran ts shou ld be used instead o f the in p lant hyd ran ts. equipment powered by the generator. Shutting off utilities
could create process complications. Additionally, backup bat-
Utilities tery and/or generator systems may be in p lace to backfeed
During an emergency incident, it may be necessary to turn electrical systems. Prior to disconnecting utilities, operations
off utilities such as electricity or natural gas as a safety mea- or maintenance should be consulted.
sure. The preincident survey should note the locations of
shut-offs for electricity, natural gas, propane gas, fuel oil, and Preincident Planning for Search and Rescue
Brigade members conducting search-and-rescue operations
will need to kno w where the occupants of a bu ild ing are
Brigade Member Tips located as well as the location of exits. The preincident sur-
vey should ident ify all ent rances and exits to the build ing,
The location ot utility shut-offs is as varied as t he layout of struc tures. includ ing fire escapes and roof exits. Muster or evacuation
While some structures may hav e their utility shut-offs outside on a utility areas should be included as well. A large nu mber o f people
pole, other structures m ay have their utility s hut-offs inside in a
may be moving to these areas, and their routes of travel may
mechanical room. It is important to note the location of utility shut-offs
on t he preincident plan in ord er t o prev ent lengt hy delays in s hutting take them into the paths of responding apparatus.
utilities down during an emergency. It is also import ant to note y our In addit ion to conducting a search fo r occupants unable
plant proc edure for shutting dow n power or utilities. to escape on their o wn, search -and-rescue teams may need
to assist occupants who are trying to use the exits. Brigade
me mb ers may need to ass ist o ccup ants des cend ing fire
656 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E ,

Brigade Member Tips

!
Ident ifying the available wat er s upply for a partic ular area is im por tant.
Cons ider the following: • How muc h water will be needed to fight a fire? •
Where are the nearest hydrants loc ated? • How muc h wat er is av ailable
and at what press ure? • Where are hy drants that are on diff erent wat er
mains locat ed? • How m uch hose w ould be needed to deliv er t he w ater to
the fire?
If there are no hydrants, considerations should include: • What is the
nearest wat er s upply ? • Is the water readily available year-round? Does it
freeze during the w int er or dry up during the sum mer? • H ow m any
tenders w ould be needed to deliv er the wat er? • H ow long will it t ake t o
establish a wat er s huttle?

Brigade Member Tips

The preinc ident plan should include inf orm ation on how to c ont act
utility companies or plant personnel to shut dow n gas and electrical
service.

( Figure 22-17) An interior floor plan showing the ex its should be

obtained during a preincident survey.
escapes or to place ladders near windows or other locat ions
for occupants to use.
An interior floor p lan should be obtained during a prein -
cident survey (► Figure 22-17 ). Knowing the floor plan of a
build ing can be a lifesaver when the building is filled with
smo ke. It is much easier to understand a floo r p lan when
you can tour a building under nonemergency condit ions. In
large bu ildings, it may be necessary to plan for the use of
ropes during search and rescue to prevent d isorientat ion in
conditions of limited visibility.

Preincident Planning for Forcible Entry

As previously noted, the preincident survey should consider
both exterior and interior access problems. Locations where
forcible ent ry may be requ ired should be ident ified and
marked on the site d iagrams and build ing floor p lan. Making
a note of what tools would be needed to gain entry can save
time during the actual emergency. The location of a lock box
and instructions on obtaining keys also should be noted.

Preincident Planning for Ladder Placement

The preincident survey is an excellent time to identify the
best locations for placing ground ladders or aerial apparatus
(►Figure 22-18^). The length of ladder needed to reach a roof
or ent ry po int shou ld be noted . When p lann ing ladder ( Figure 22-18) C onsiderations for use of ladders should inc lude identifying
placement, pay careful attention to electrical wires and other the best locations to place ground ladders or aerial apparatus.
 Prei ncldent Pla nni ng 657

Brigade Member Tips

Determine where and how ventilation can be accom plished for
different parts of the building.

Occupancy Considerations
Each type of occupancy involves particu lar considerat ions
that should be taken into account when preparing a preinci -
dent plan . Brigade memb ers should keep these factors in
( Figure 22-19) Note ov erhead obstructions, particularly electrical wires that mind when conduct ing a p reincident survey.
might not be visible at night.
Asse mbly Occupancies
Assemb ly venues, such as auditoriu ms and cafeterias, pre -
sent the possib ility th at large nu mbers of peop le cou ld
obstructions that might not be visible at night or in a s moky become invo lved in an emergency incident. Gain ing access
atmosphere ( Figure 22-19 ). to the location of the fire or emergency situation may be dif-
ficult when all of the occupants are trying to evacuate at the
Preincid ent Pla nning for Ventilatio n same time.
While perfo rming a preincident survey, brigade memb ers
should consider what in formation would be valuable to the
members of a ventilat ion team during a fire. For examp le,
Locations Requiring Special Considerations
what would be the best means to provide ventilation? How Preincident p lann ing should extend beyond p lann ing fo r
useful are the exist ing openings for vent ilat ion? A re there fires and other typ es of emergency s ituat ions that cou ld
windo ws and doors th at wou ld be suitab le for horizontal occur in a building. Preincident planning should also antici-
ventilati on? Where could fans be p laced? Can the roof be pate the types of incidents that could occur at other loca -
opened to p rov ide vertical ventil ati on? What is the best tions, such as sto rage tan ks , p rocess p ip ing, elect ric
way to reach the roof? Is the roof safe? Are there ventilators transformers and fuel loading docks, as well as incidents
or sky lights that can be easily removed o r bulkhead doors along highways or railroad lines, or at new construction sites (
that can be opened easily? Will saws and axes be needed to Figure 22- 20) in the facility.
cut through the roof? A re there mu ltip le ceilings that will
have to b e punctu red to allo w s mo ke an d h eat to escap e?
It is also important to know if the HVAC (heating, venti-
lation, and air-conditi oning) system can be used to remove
smoke without circulat ing it throughout the build ing. Many
build ings with sealed windows have controls that enable the
fire brigade to set the HVA C system to deliver outside air to
some areas and exhaust s mo ke fro m other areas. The
instructions fo r contro lling the HVA C system should be
included in the p reincident p lan. Many b rigades d ispatch a
member to place the HVA C system on the 100% outside air
mod e o n each alarm, gen erally reducing s mo ke damag e.
Roof construction must also be evaluated to determine
whether it would be safe to work on the roof when there is a
fire belo w. If the roof is constructed with lightweight trusses,
the risk of collapse may be too great to send brigade members
above the fire. The existence of an attic that will allow a fire to
spread quickly under the roof should also be noted.
( Figure 22-20 ) Preincident planning should als o antic ipat e the types of
incidents that are likely to occur at other locations, such as plant construction
sites.
 VOICES OF EXPERIENCE
" When we arrived on the scene, 50% of the
building was heavily involved in fire, but we
were unsure which chemicals were involved in
the fire and what impact they would have on the
surrounding community."

M y company responded on an automatic aid first alarm

call one night following a report from a passing police
officer of smoke coming from a 30,000-square-foot
warehouse containing pool chemicals. The building had previously been a manufacturing facility witl a
large paint oven, and we were somewhat familiar with it because we had responded to the manufac
turing facility a number of t imes for paint oven fires. The manufacturing company had moved on,
however, and the building sat vacant for a number of years, resulting in the sprinkler system falling
into disrepair.
When the pool chemical co mpany moved in, the sprinkler system was not restored, and no detailed
preincident planning was completed for it. We were, however, aware of the company's presence.
Because our first-due area included both this building and a number of pools, we obtained a booklet
developed by pool chemical manufacturers detailing information on handling spills and fires involving
pool chemicals. We had also studied informat ion about a similar warehouse that had burned in Florida
about 20 years prior and that had resulted in numerous lasting health effects for the fire fighters
involved in fighting the fire.
The warehouse was several hundred feet off of the main road and did not have a fire alarm system.
When we arrived on the scene, 50% of the building was heavily involved in fire, but we were unsure
which chemicals were involved in the fire and what impact they would have on the surrounding
community. Owing to the presence of oxidizing chemicals, the fire was rapidly progressing down the
remainder of the building. When we asked the owner of the building which chemicals were inside, he
couldn't tell us, but we remembered to pull out the pool chemical book. The book indicated that there
were four co mmon pool chemicals, and the owner was able to verify that the warehouse contained
"thousands of pounds" of three of the four chemicals listed in the book. Based on this information, we
were able to develop a plan of attack, a safety and decontamination plan for the brigade members on
scene, and a plan for conducting air monitoring in the surrounding community.
The building burned to the ground as the strategy generally became to protect exposures and minimize
runoff to a nearby creek. All brigade members were required to be decontaminated before the canteen
service was permitted to serve them. More than 1000 residents were advised to shelter in place, and
there were no serious injuries.
Following the fire, the warehouse was rebuilt, this time with a full sprinkler system, and the county
developed a detailed preplan for hazardous materials emergencies involving this location. The current
preplan lists all commun ities, including schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and other targeted occu -
pancies in the area, that could potentially be affected by a fire or release at this warehouse today. While
we had done a limited amount of preplanning for this situation before it happened, having such a
detailed plan would have resulted in a much more effective action plan than our ad hoc plan developed
under duress that night.

Greg Jakubowski
Pennsylvania State Fire Instructor
Furlong, Pennsylvania
 Prei nci de nt Pla nni ng 659

( Figure 22 -21) Electric al transmiss ion lines. ( Figure 22-23 ) Fuel loading/unloading areas.

(Figure 22-21) Ships and w at erw ays. ( Figure 22 -24) R ailroads.

Similar planning should be done for bridges, tunnels, and information that would be valuable during an emergency
many oth er lo cat ions where co mp licated s ituat ions cou ld incident. This includes chemicals or hazardous materials that
occur. are sto red o r used on th e p remises, st ructu ral cond it ions
Oth er special locat ions th at wou ld requ ire p rein cident that could result in a bu ild ing collapse, industrial processes
planning include: that pose hazards, high-vo ltage electrical equip ment, and
• Gas or liqu id fuel trans mission pipelines confined spaces. Preincident plans warn brigade members of
• Electrical transmission lines ( Figure 22-21) potentially dangerous situations and could include detailed
• Ships and waterways ( Figure 22-22 ) _______ instructions about what to do. This info rmat ion cou ld save
• Fuel Loading/Unloading Areas ( Figure 22-23 ) the lives of brigade members.
• Railroads (► Figu re 2 2-24) Brigade members who are conducting a preincident sur-
vey should always loo k fo r special hazards and obtain as
much information as possible at that time ( Figure 22-25). If
Special Hazards the info rmat ion is not readily available, it may be necessary
One of the most important reasons for developing a preinci- to contact specialists fo r advice o r conduct fu rther research
dent p lan is to ident ify any special hazards and to prov ide before co mplet ing the p reincident p lan.
( Figure 22-25) D uring the preincident surv ey, look for special hazards ( Figure 22-26) M SD S doc ument.
and obtain as much information as possible.

responders to take offensive act ions to control and stop the

release, and to take other act ions in the hot zone.
The presence of hazardous mat erials presents special chal lenges to
Detailed requirements for co mpetencies at each level can
brigade m em bers. Improper st orage of chemic als in a warehouse in
Phoenix, AZ res ulted in a fire that ov erw helm ed the sprinkler system. be found in NFPA 472, Standard for Professional Com petence oj
Brigade members were not able to apply enough water to control the fire Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents. Response plan
before it destroyed the warehouse. An NFPA Fire Investigation Report is requirements for hazardous substance release are specified
available on this fire. in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120(q ).
Many jurisdictions require a co mpany that stores or uses
hazardous materials to obtain a permit. They may also require
that hazardous materials specialists conduct special inspec-
Hazardous Materials t ions. If th e quant it y o f h azardous mat erials o n hand
A preincident survey should obtain a complete description of exceeds a specified limit, federal and state regulations also
all hazardous materials that are stored, used, or produced at require a co mpany to provide the local fire depart ment with
the property. This includes an inventory of the types and current invento ries and Materi al Safety Data Sheet
quantities of hazardous materials that are on the premises, as (MSDS) documents ( A Figure 22-26 ). Fire brigade leaders
well as info rmat ion about where they are located, how they should ensure that the required info rmat ion has been pro-
are used, and how they are stored. The app ropriate act ions vided and is up -to-date.
and precautions for brigade members in the event of a spill, Brigade members should expect to encounter hazardous
leak, fire, or other emergency incident should also be listed. materials at certain types o f facilit ies, such as chemical
Brigade members responding to a hazardous materials plants, waste areas, production facilit ies, power plants, and
event must be train ed to th e level o f expected response maintenance areas. Brigade members should always be alert
actions. Most codes or standards require training at the First for hazardous materials.
Responder Awareness Level. Th is awareness level limits So me facilit ies put placards on the outside of any building
response actions to identify ing the hazard and act ivating that contains hazardous materials. The p lacards should use
response actions, but prohibits the responders fro m taking the marking system specified in NFPA 704, Standard System
action to mit igate the incident. for the Identification of the Hazards of Mater ials for Emergency
By cont rast , b rigad e member t rain ing at the First Response.
Responder Operat ions Lev el limits response act ions to So me hazardous materials require special suppression
defensive act iv it ies, such establishing cont rol zones, site techniques or ext inguishing agents. This informat ion should
security, and controlling hazardous material releases fro m a be noted in the preincident p lan. The plan should also con tain
remote lo cat ion . Train ing at the Techn ician Level allo ws contact informat ion for indiv iduals or organizations that can
provide adv ice if an incident occurs.
 Prei ncident Pla nni ng 661

Fire Prevention Techniques • Housekeeping p ract ices

• Chemical storage areas
Fire Safety Surv eys • HVAC systems
Fire safety surveys are used as a fire p reven t ion too l. A • Fire protect ion equip ment and systems
fire safety survey d iffers fro m a preincident survey in that it • Elect rical trans mission and distribution systems
focuses specifically on identifying hazards and code vio - • Structural co mponents of the facility
lat ions. The goal is to ident ify and eliminate hazards and • Maintenance of process and/or p roduction equ ip ment
vio lat ions before they beco me a safety or code v iolat ion • Other site-specific areas identified by the facility
issue. At the completion of the fire safety survey, the form is
By using a site-specific survey form or checklist, the brigade returned to the brigade leader for review and filing. Any haz-
member can conduct a fire safety survey of the facility searching ards that are found are reported immediately. The supervisors
for hazards such as blocked or locked exits and exit corridors, who have the responsibility and authority to mitigate each of
blocked or missing fire protection equipment, improper these hazards should be notified as per the site-specific pro-
storage of combustibles and flammables, electrical hazards, cedure. Depending on the size and organizational structure of
and improper housekeeping. the facility, the individual responsible for maintenance may
receive the report about the hazard and then have staff mem-
Conducting a Fire Safety Survey bers correct the hazard. In other facilities, the report may go to
A team o f brigade members who are p roperly equ ipped and the engineering or safety department. The facility manager
trained in the site-specific process should conduct fire safety may or may not receive the report in cases where the hazard
surveys. Team members may schedule the survey during was mitigated quickly and at litt le or no cost.
normal production hours or, in some cases, during off hours.
The survey team shou ld p repare in the fo llowing ways: Fire Safety Inspect ions
• Assemble and rev iew any pert inent docu mentation , Fire safety ins pections are based on the NFPA fire codes for
such as maps, floo r p lans, prev ious incident repo rts the type of occupancy (such as co mmercial o r manufactu r ing
and survey repo rts, p reincident p lans, and blan k sur facilit ies) and for the type of hazard (such as flammab le
vey checklists. liquids o r co mbustib le dust).
• Gather the equip ment needed , includ ing any PPE A site-specific checklist or a fire safety survey should be
needed to enter all areas of the facility, survey forms provided to the inspector so that all known hazards in the
(hard-copy or electronic versions), flashlights, radios, facility will be inspected and so that each inspection can be
cameras, and measuring tapes. documented. Th is checklist should be designed so that it
• Develop a schedule o r p lan o f act ion that the survey guides the inspector through the facility in an orderly man ner,
team will follow, thereby allowing team members to covering all indoo r and outdoor areas. It should also move
save time and be mo re p roductive. the inspecto r th rough a p roduct ion pro cess fro m beg inning
• Notify the appropriate facility supervisors of the date to end.
and time when the survey will be conducted in their Co mmon fire h azards fo und in indust rial facilit ies
depart ment. include, but are not limited to , the fo llo wing prob lems :
The fire safety survey should begin with the exterior of the • Improper storage and housekeep ing of o rd inary
facility. Using the survey checklist, the team should assess combustibles
all parking areas and yards, outbu ildings, fuel/chemical • Improper storage of flammable and co mbustible
storag e areas, p ip in g and tan ks , fire protect ion dev ices liquids
such as fire hydrants and fixed mon itors, electrical stations • Improper housekeep ing associated with dusts, metal,
such as transformers and substations, and any other and plastics
facility-specific outdoor items listed in the survey checklist. • Incorrect storage and use of chemicals
The survey should then move to the roof of the facility. • Imp roper use of elect rical and heating equip ment
All roofs should be checked for the general condition of the • Lack o f maintenance and testing of fire protection
roof, ch imneys, p ipe racks, tan ks, fixed fire p rotect ion systems
equip ment , roo f vents, access by ladder o r hatch es, and Preventing these hazards can best be accomplished by
other relevant issues. instituting strict inspection guidelines that include sending a
Moving indoors, the team should survey the facility's written report to the b rigade leader, the safety or env iron-
basements, mezzan ines, att ics, and storage roo ms . Th is mental depart ment manager, o r the supervisor responsible
assessment should also include the areas between the ceiling for the facility where the hazards were found.
and the roof and abov e all p roduct ion -floo r-level o ffices. Hazards that are deemed to be dangerous to life safety
The interior survey checklist should focus on the following must be corrected immediately by the inspector when possi-
issues: ble o r by others th rough the not ificat ion o f maintenance or
662 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E

housekeeping staff. A hazard correct ion not ice should be occupancy the facility falls under. Other NFPA codes, such as
used to document the find ings. A written plan of co rrect ion NFPA 54, National Fuel Gas Code, and NFPA 79, Electrical
is then produced and returned to the app ropriate o ffice as Standard for Industrial Machinery, can be used to measure how
soon as the hazard is corrected. well the facility meets these standards.
Fire safety inspections are more detailed than fire safety Facilit ies that do not have t rained inspecto rs on s ite
surveys in that they may include prefire p lans for a particu lar should work with their local fire serv ices, insurance co m-
facility o r p rocess. Such inspections may also be used as a pany rep resentatives, and others to develop a site -specific
comp liance tool to help the facility meet the requirements of fire inspection p rocess and forms or checklists.
NFPA 101, Li fe Sa fety Code, as it app lies to the type o f
 Prei nci de nt Pla nni ng 663

Also, at this level, members should be thoroughly familiar Fire safety inspections are also important to facilities'
with the facility's programs fo r Hazard Co mmunications insurance rat ings and costs. Facilit ies that do not conduct
(OSHA 1910.1200), Hazardous Waste Operat ions and the required testing and maintenance of their sprinkler sys -
Emergency Response (OSHA 1910.120), and Process Safety tems, for examp le, may not be covered by insurance if they
Management o f High ly Hazardous Chemicals (OSHA suffer a loss. Likewise, a facility may not have its insurance
1910.119), as well as all other OSHA programs with which policies renewed if it fails to meet NFPA codes.
the facility is required to co mp ly.
 Ready for Review H e av y ti m b e r c o n st r u ct i o n Buil di ngs c ons t r uc t ed w it h
nonc om bustible or limit ed -c om bustible ext erior w alls and int erior
walls and floors m ade of large dim ension com bust ible m at erials. Als o
Preincident planning enables a fire brigade to ev aluat e layout and known as Ty pe I V building c onst ruction. H o ri z o nt al v e nti lat i o n
loc at ion inf ormat ion as w ell as the c ondit ions of t arget haz ards T he pr oc es s of m ak ing o pe nings s o that t he s m ok e, heat, and
before an emergency. gas es c an esc ape horiz ont ally from a building through openings s uc h
as doors, windows, etc. HV A C syste m H eat ing, v ent ilation, and air
Preincident plans m ust be syst em atic ally gathered, recorded,
updat ed, and it must be m ade av ailable to mem bers of the brigade c onditioning s yst em in large buildings.
Lightweight construction The use of small dimension
who might respond t o that loc ation.
m em bers s uc h as as 2' x 4' or 2' x 6' w ood as s em blies as struct ural
The brigade leader takes t he inf ormation c ollected from t he prein- supports in buildings.
cident surv ey and fire s afety s urv ey t o creat e a preincident plan. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) A form, pro vided b y
The brigade m ember con ducting the preinc ident s urv ey s hould manufact urers and com pounders (blenders ) of c hemic als, c ontaining
prepare sk etc hes or draw ings t o not e the lay out and loc ation inf orm ation about chemic al c om position, phys ic al and c hem ic al
inform ation. properties, healt h and s afety haz ards, emergency res pons e, and waste
dis pos al of the mat erial.
The brigade m ember conducting the fire s af ety s urv ey will foc us
Noncombustible c onstruction Buildings where the struc-
spec ific ally on ident ifying haz ards and c ode violat ions.
tural m em bers are of nonc ombustible m aterials wit hout fire resist -
The preincident plan pr ov ides t actic al inf orm ation to t he I C anc e. Als o k now as Ty pe II building c onst ruction. Or di n ary
during an em ergency. co nst r uct i on B uildings w here t he ext erior w alls are
Brigade m em bers s hould tak e int o acc ount the specific considera - nonc om bustible or limit ed -c om bustible, but the int erior floors and
tions of each type of occupancy w hen creating a preincident survey. walls are made of com bustible m at erials. Als o k now n as Ty pe III
building c onst ruct ion.
Preinc ident plans s hould als o prepare for incidents that could oc c ur
Pre i nci d e nt pl an A w ritt en doc um ent res ult ing f rom t he
in locat ions like airport s and s ubways. gathering of general and det ailed informat ion t o be us ed by
res pon-ders for det ermining the res pons e to reas onable antic ipat ed
Hot Terms emergenc y incidents at a spec ific f acility.
Prei nci de nt su rvey T he proc ess us ed t o gat her inf orm at ion t o
dev elop a preinc ident plan.
C onf la grati o n A large f ire, oft en inv olv ing m ult iple st ruct ures.
Size-up T he ongoing obs ervat ion and ev alu ation of factors t hat are
Draftin g sites Loc at ion w here an engine c an draft w at er directly
us ed t o dev elop objectiv es, strat egy, and t actics f or fire suppression.
from a static sourc e.
Sp ri nk ler syst e m An aut om at ic fire prot ect ion s ys t em des igned
Dry hydra nt An arrangem ent of pipe t hat is perm anently c onnect ed to turn on s prink lers if a f ire occ urs. Stan d pi pe syste m An
to allow a fire brigade engine to draft water from a static source.
arrangem ent of piping, v alv es, and hos e c onnections installed in a
Expos ure Any pers on or property t hat m ay be endangered by struct ure t o deliv er w at er f or fire hos es. Stati c wate r su p p ly A
flames, sm ok e, gases, heat, or runoff from a fire.
w at er s upply t hat is not und er pres sure, such as a pond, lak e, or
Fire alarm annunciator panel Part of the fire alarm system
stream. Target h aza rd Any oc c upancy t y pe or f acility t hat pres ent s
that indic at es t he s ourc e of an alarm w it hin a building.
a high pot ent ial f or loss of lif e or s erious im pact t o t he c om pany
Fire l oa d T he w eight of c om bust ibles in a fire area or on a floor
res ulting from fire, ex plosion, or c hemic al releas e. Ten de r s huttle A
in buildings and struct ures including eit her c ont ent s or building
m et hod of trans port ing w at er f rom a s ourc e t o a fire s cene using a
parts, or both.
num ber of m obile w ater supply apparatus. Truss A c ollection of
F ir e re si sti ve c o n st r uct i o n B uildin gs w her e t he s t ruc t ural light w eight st ruct ural c om ponents joined in a t riangular c onfiguration
m em bers are of nonc om bustible m at erials that hav e a s pecified fire
that c an be us ed to s upport either floors or roofs.
. resistanc e. Als o k now n as Ty pe I building c onstruct ion.
"Fi re safety in spe cti on An ins pect ion bas ed on t he NF PA f ire Verti cal ve ntil ati o n T he proc es s of m ak ing openin gs s o t hat the
code for the type of occ upanc y (such as com mercial or m anuf acturing sm oke, heat, and gas es c an esc ape v ertic ally from a structure. W o o d
facilities ) and for the type of spec ific hazard (suc h as flam m able fra me c o n st r uct i o n B uildi ngs w h er e t he ex t erior w alls, int erior
liquids or c om bust ible dust ). walls, f loors, and roof struct ure are m ade of w ood. Als o k nown as
Fire safety s urvey T he proc es s of identif ying haz ards bef ore an Ty pe V building c onstruct ion.
inc ident tak es plac e. F or ex am ple, ac cess ability of doors, storage of
com bust ible or flam m able m aterials and electric al equipm ent are all
cons idered during this process.
 Your brigade leader has directed your brigade team to conduct a preincident
survey on a new building that was built in your plant area. The building is a new
cafeteria. It has a rated occupancy capacity of 500 people. Your leader has con-
tacted the building manager and has scheduled a time to meet with a representa-
tive and walk through. Up to this point, you have studied preincident surveys, and
this is your first opportunity to participate in the development process.

1. Whic h of t he f oll owing piec es of inf orm ation s hould 2. W hic h of the f ollowing is not inform ation obtained
be gathered during t he preincident survey? about the fire prot ection syst em for preincident
A. Acc ess points t o the exterior and interior of the planning for scene size-up?
building A. Areas t hat are protected by aut om atic sprinklers
B. Hydrant loc ations B. Location of st andpipes
C. Floor plans C. Loc ation of firew alls
D. Building loc ation D. Loc ation of pull st ations
E. All of the abov e

During your survey, you note that the structural members are made of steel and are not protected by a
fire resistive coating. While speaking with the building manager, you find that the building will also be
used for large meetings and presentations.

3. W hat ty pe of c onstruct ion is this ? 4. What w ould be t he c lass ific at ion of t his building?
A. Fire R esistive A. Institut ional
B. Nonc om bustible B. Com m ercial
C. Ordinary C. Public Ass em bly
D. Heavy Timber D. Industrial