Facade

Incident Commander

Responsible for the following:

1) Assessing structural integrity throughout the incident from progress reports and assessments

(division/group supervisors)

2) Holding sufficient resources of appropriate type staged in reserve as a contingency

3) Designating a Safety Officer early into the incident

4) Prevent personnel from positioning upon or under a facade until structural integrity is established

5) Management of utilities

6) Supervising overhaul and, if needed, implementing fire watch

Facade

Fire Fighting

1) Until structural integrity of the facade is established, access into individual occupancies should be made through a point of entry located away from any facade

2) If a facade must be laddered, an aerial ladder shall be used rather than ground ladders. This should not preclude the use of ground ladders at other locations away from the facade

3) Appropriate topside ventilation is essential and shall accompany any attack effort

Facade

Management of Utilities

1) Gas, Electricity, and Water service in and adjacent to fire damaged areas shall be turned off as soon as possible and the appropriate utility company notified

2) Electrical service shall also be de-energized in the following areas:

a: In occupancies with multiple tenants, de-energize service to any undamaged unit immediately adjacent to a damaged unit

b: Any area in which ceiling was pulled, walls were opened or holes were cut, whether fire was found or not

c: Facade signage, overhead sidewalk lighting or common area use. These "house circuits" may be separately metered and have their own unique sub-panel

Caution: De-energize power to individual mall stores will probably not shut off power to facades

3) Whenever Edison or other power utility is at scene assisting in any way, the Incident Commander shall be responsible for coordinating Edison's actions and assuring that those actions satisfy the incident's objectives

4) Once de-energized, electrical service shall not be re-energized until inspected and/or repaired by a licensed electrician

Facade

Overhaul and Fire Watch

1) The area to be overhauled shall be assessed for structural integrity and other hazards

(consider using fresh crews for initial overhaul)

2) 100% of the facade interior shall be assessed for hidden fire

3) Inspection holes shall be made in order to visualize any area of the facade, attic or confined space in which hidden fire may have extended

4) When necessary, the Incident Commander shall implement a fire watch in compliance with current departmental written standards

Facade

Assessing Structural Integrity

1) Identify the level of fire involvement in and around the facade area. A ventilation heat hole should be placed in the "soft side" of the facade above the roof line in order to visualize fire involvement and to reduce lateral spread

2) Identify type of facade construction:

a: "Add-on unsupported" facades are the most dangerous. They can be both lightweight or conventional construction

b: "Add-on supported" facades are also dangerous. The floor of this facade can fall independently from its roof or the entire unit can separate from the building

c: Unmodified original buildings of cantilevered (unsupported) conventional or truss construction can fail in as little as ten minutes when subject to direct flame contact

d: The safest type is original conventional construction, cantilevered and supported. This type of construction, when subjected to long burn times, becomes unsafe

3) Evaluate other factors

a: Visible signs of heat related stress or deformity, distortion, sag, ETC

b: Consider the added weight of water from hose streams 

Facade

Ladder Placement

1) Optimum ladder placement would be on a side of the structure not complicated by a facade. Ladders shall be placed on a minimum of two sides to ensure roof safety

2) Laddering the Facade itself:

a: If the Incident Commander feels compelled to ladder the building from the facade side, the truck company's aerial shall be used rather than ground ladders

b: The truck shall be placed so as mot to be affected if there is a structural failure. Distance from the building shall be 100% of the wall height, plus ten feet

c: The ladder shall not rest on the ridge or parapet and shall be positioned 2" to 6" above the structure