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KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGYou are very correct DE Ed Shadoin with your answer to this question. Wide area incidents require careful coordination and awareness of critical infrastructure, including water, gas, power, and communication systems like cellular, radio, and VoIP. The fire department must collaborate with utility and public service agencies when these systems are disrupted. On-site surveys are essential to assess road and bridge accessibility. Proper staging of equipment within safe zones ensures efficient resource deployment and operational safety. These precautions help maintain situational control, ensure responder safety, and support effective incident management across a large and potentially unstable area.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGFirefighters should prioritize situational awareness and scene size-up, when responding to a wide-area incident, to identify hazards spread across a large or complex environment. Establishing a clear incident command system early ensures coordination among multiple units and agencies. Firefighters should be aware of potential hazards such as structural instability, hazardous materials, downed power lines, and limited access routes. Using sectoring or division tactics helps manage the scene by breaking it into manageable areas.
Communication must be frequent and clear, especially when crews are operating at a distance from one another. Firefighters should maintain accountability through personnel tracking and wear full PPE and SCBA when needed. Maps, GPS, or aerial views can aid navigation in unfamiliar or rural areas. Finally, prepare for extended operations, ensuring access to hydration, rest, and relief crews as needed.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGDE Ed Shadoin, you make some really good points pertaining to access roads in your jurisdiction. Access roads, especially for construction, agricultural, or private use, often come with challenges that can hinder emergency response. Debris, staged vehicles, unauthorized parking, and weather-damaged surfaces can block or delay access. Temporary roads may be poorly maintained or disrupted by ongoing work, while excavations pose safety risks. Final road construction can also interfere with emergency access. Owners must comply with zoning laws, easements, and environmental regulations, especially when building through wetlands or floodplains. These restrictions highlight the importance of planning and maintaining accessible routes for first responders at all stages of a project.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGAccess roads are critical for fire apparatus response, and several restrictions or obstacles can affect their effectiveness. Common issues include narrow roadways, weight limits on bridges or driveways, tight turning radii, dead ends without proper turnaround space, and overhead obstructions like low-hanging wires or tree branches. Poorly maintained or unpaved roads can also hinder access, especially for larger fire vehicles. Gated communities or properties with locked entrances may delay response without proper key access or override systems.
In our zone in South Florida we have some narrow driveways that pass by behind businesses. One in particular is a narrowing one-lane road between a wall and a building in which the Engine and/or Ladder apparatus cannot use. With the new rescues that the department has received, I doubt that these Freightliner chassis could access this road either. In another part of the zone, there is a raised driveway that is at the entrance of a bank. If a apparatus attempts to drive straight up the raised driveway, the apparatus will be high-pointed. For this particular instance, the apparatus must go through the raised entrance at a 45 degree angle.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGI agree with your very thought-out response DE Shadoin. High-rise buildings depend on multiple fire protection systems, especially automatic sprinkler and fire alarm systems. Sprinklers act as the first line of defense, activating with heat to control or suppress fires and prevent spread. They’re placed throughout high-risk areas for maximum coverage. Fire alarm systems use smoke detectors, heat sensors, and manual pull stations to quickly alert occupants and emergency responders. Many systems also include voice communication to guide safe evacuation. Together, these systems play a critical role in protecting lives and minimizing fire damage.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGTwo key fire protection systems used in high-rise buildings are automatic sprinkler systems and standpipe systems. Both, automatic sprinkler & standpipe systems are critical for life safety and fire control in high-rise environments.
– Automatic sprinkler systems detect and suppress fire at its early stages, minimizing fire growth and allowing for safer evacuation. These systems are typically activated by heat and discharge water directly onto the fire area, helping to control or extinguish flames before firefighters arrive.
– Standpipe systems provide firefighters with a water source on multiple floors, eliminating the need to drag heavy hoses up stairwells. Standpipes are often connected to a building’s water supply or a fire department connection and come in three classes, with Class I intended for firefighter use.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGI agree with your answer and description DE Ed Shadoin. Firefighters must understand all aspects of roof construction to operate safely and effectively. Roofs are high-risk areas where fire can quickly compromise structural supports. Recognizing roof types and materials—like trusses, metal, or tile—helps assess collapse risk and identify safe ventilation points. Lightweight systems can fail rapidly under heat, increasing danger. This knowledge improves decision-making, reduces injury risk, and enhances overall operational safety during firefighting efforts.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGDue to the roof being the most vulnerable part of a structure during a fire, a firefighter must be familiar with all the aspects of roof construction. Understanding roof types, materials, support systems, and potential collapse indicators helps firefighters assess structural integrity, choose safe ventilation tactics, and avoid hazardous areas. Roofs can conceal fire spread within voids or truss spaces, leading to sudden collapse if not properly evaluated. Knowledge of roof construction is essential for effective firefighting, ventilation, and ensuring firefighter safety on or beneath the roof.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGThank you DE Ed Shadoin for your educated response. I agree. Pre-stressed concrete systems are more vulnerable to sudden failure because they rely on high-tension tendons to maintain strength. If these tendons are damaged by corrosion, fire, or improper tensioning, the structure can fail abruptly. Unlike traditional reinforced concrete, which allows more gradual failure, pre-stressed systems are less forgiving. Even minor cracks can lead to a loss of pre-stress and rapid structural compromise. Proper design and maintenance are critical to ensure safety.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGDue to relying on high-tension steel strands to maintain their structural integrity, prestressed concrete systems may be more vulnerable to failure than ordinary reinforced concrete in fire conditions. When exposed to heat, these steel tendons lose strength and can rapidly relax or snap, causing sudden and complete failure of the concrete element. Unlike ordinary reinforced concrete, which may fail gradually and provide warning signs, prestressed systems can collapse without visible indicators.
Additionally, the tensioned steel is often under extreme stress, and once compromised by heat, the stored energy can be released violently. This makes prestressed concrete particularly dangerous for firefighters operating beneath or near these elements during a fire.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGYour knowledge in this subject is superior, DE Ed Shadoin. I agree. Steel is a strong, durable, and versatile material with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for efficient, long-span structures. Its resistance to pests, fire, and rot adds to its durability, and its recyclability supports sustainable building practices. However, steel can corrode without proper protection and offers poor thermal insulation, which may impact energy efficiency. It also tends to be more expensive and requires skilled labor for welding and assembly. Despite these challenges, its structural benefits make it a preferred material in many modern construction projects.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGSteel offers several advantages in construction: it’s strong, lightweight relative to its strength, and allows for rapid, flexible design and assembly. It performs well under tension and compression and is ideal for large-span structures. However, in fire service contexts, steel has critical disadvantages.
While noncombustible, it loses strength rapidly when exposed to high heat, potentially failing at temperatures as low as 1,100°F. Steel also expands when heated, which can cause connections to deform or structural elements to push outward, leading to collapse. Additionally, unprotected steel lacks inherent fire resistance and requires insulation or fireproof coatings to meet safety codes. Firefighters must recognize that steel-framed buildings can appear stable yet collapse without warning under fire conditions.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGI agree DE Ed Shadoin, firefighters must understand building collapse mechanisms, especially in masonry construction, to operate safely and effectively. Masonry materials are strong under compression but weak under tension, making them prone to sudden failure during fire or structural compromise. Fire, water, and added loads can quickly weaken these structures. Recognizing signs like cracks, bulging, or spalling helps firefighters anticipate collapse and adjust tactics. This knowledge supports safer decisions in entry, ventilation, fire attack, and rescue, ultimately protecting crews and saving lives.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGFirefighters must understand the mechanism of building collapse in masonry construction because these structures can become highly unstable under fire conditions. Masonry, especially unreinforced, is brittle and prone to sudden failure when exposed to heat, water, or structural stress. Fire can weaken mortar joints, cause thermal expansion, and lead to cracking or wall separation. Parapets, veneer walls, and freestanding sections are particularly at risk of collapsing outward, endangering crews operating nearby. Recognizing early signs of collapse—like bowing walls or falling bricks—allows firefighters to adjust tactics, avoid hazardous zones, and operate more safely. This knowledge is critical for making informed decisions during firefighting operations and ensuring firefighter survival.
KYLE FLEMINGParticipantKYLE FLEMINGI agree that wood has many disadvantages in construction, including its tendency to warp, swell, or shrink due to moisture and its natural defects like knots, splits, and insect damage. That is unfortunate scenario that you described DE Ed Shadoin, because of the collapsing of the building’s roof overhead. Especially with the older homes in South Florida, keeping a keen eye on the construction and the sound the building is making while fighting fire, search and rescue, and salvage & overhaul are very important for the safety of the crew.
