Fires in Abandoned Buildings Flint Fire Department, September 2007
Firefighters Enter Burning Buildings: • Civilian Life Safety • Property Conservation
Fires in Vacant and Occupied Buildings August 2004 to August 2007
Fires at Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Caused: • 64% of burns • 100% of abdominal injuries • 67% of extremity injuries (non-burn) • 75% of eye injuries • 33% of back injuries
Flint firefighters work 2, 620. 8 hours per year Cumulatively, 21 injuries at vacant / abandoned buildings cost the Department over 14 months of a firefighter’s duty hours
Rate of Injury • Flint: 11. 7 per 100 vacant / abandoned structure fires • NFPA National Average: 3. 7 per 100 special structure fires Special structures: Vacant / abandoned buildings Buildings under construction Patterns of Firefighter Fireground Injuries NFPA, Feb. 2007
Sites of Firefighter Injury
1022 Garden Fire: August 30, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an abdominal injury
421 Garland Fire: February 24, 2007 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an abdominal injury
503 West Second Avenue Fire: April 18, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
1451 Davison Fire: May 26, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns
402 East Foss Fire: June 7, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an eye injury
1427 Jean Fire: July 3, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
2622 Forest Hill Fire: July 28, 2006 Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
1021 Wolcott Fire: September 3, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns
1405 Defreest Fire: October 15, 2006 Offensive Attack Two firefighters suffered burns
425 West First Street Fire: October 30, 2006 Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
228 East Taylor Fire: October 30, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns
914 Young Fire: October 30 and 31, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered a back injury
6802 College Fire: November 2, 2006 Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
354 East Russell Fire: November 2, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
2108 West Court Fire: December 8, 2006 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered an extremity injury
2507 Minnesota Fire: January 7, 2007 Scheduled for Emergency Demolition Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns
424 Thomson Fire: March 4, 2007 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns
910 Eighth Avenue Fire: March 12, 2007 Defensive Operations Firefighter suffered burns
209 West Baker Fire: March 26, 2007 Offensive Attack Firefighter suffered burns Building destroyed in subsequent fire on April 18
Only vacant buildings received any type of rehabilitation or repair The Department found no attempts at repair or rehabilitation of any abandoned building after it burned
Demolition Criteria • “When the cost to repair exceeds the current market value of the structure, the decision is made to proceed with demolition. ” taxes. cityofflint. com/bsi. Procedure. htm • Average Vacant / Abandoned House Fire: • 79 years old • State equalized value of $11, 524 • Demolition list: State equalized value $7, 182
Abandoned Building Policy
Definitions: Vacant and Abandoned
Vacant Buildings • A property that has an owner but is currently unoccupied • Reasonable efforts made by the owner to preserve and maintain the value or condition of the house Firefighters made an interior attack to save this property in August 2006
Abandoned Buildings • A property that has no legal occupants and is neglected with no efforts being made to preserve its value or condition. Firefighters made an interior attack in April 2007 to save this property. It had been condemned for demolition in February 2007.
NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement • What is the survival profile of any victims in the involved compartment? • We will risk our lives a lot, in a calculated manner, to save savable lives.
NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement • We will risk our lives a little, in a calculated manner, to save savable property. • We will not risk our lives at all for structures or lives that are already lost.
Occupied and Vacant Buildings • Highest level of risk to save savable life. • Acceptable level of risk to save savable property based on NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement.
Abandoned Buildings • Highest level of risk taken to save savable life • No level of unacceptable risk may be taken to attempt to save abandoned property based on NFPA 1500 Rules of Engagement
Abandoned Buildings • Defensive strategies shall be used to minimize firefighter risk and protect exposures. • Defensive strategies can be used transitionally to control fire from the exterior, followed by interior extinguishment and overhaul if structural and hazard conditions permit safe entry.
Abandoned Buildings • An initial interior attack should not be initiated unless there is a known life in jeopardy or unless fire conditions are incipient or minimal.
Fire Tactics Change: At abandoned buildings where fire conditions are between minimal and heavy.
Tactics at Abandoned Buildings • Incipient or Minimal Fire Conditions: Interior attack if structural / hazard conditions permit safe entry Definition of minimal: Officer’s judgment based on variables of incident
Tactics at Abandoned Buildings • Minimal to Heavy Fire Conditions: Exterior attack first Interior overhaul permitted if structural and / or hazard conditions permit safe entry Definition of minimal and heavy: Officer’s judgment based on variables of incident
Tactics at Abandoned Buildings • Heavy to Fully Involved: Defensive operations only Protect exposures
Demolition Lists • Located in BC truck • Updated monthly
Demolition Requests • Request boarding, demolition, or emergency demolition after EVERY fire in an abandoned building. • Requests are submitted to the City’s Demolition Coordinator by the Battalion Chief. • Do not submit demolition requests to the 911 Center.
What we used to do at abandoned building fires… • Fight it • Forget it
209 West Baker Two fires within three weeks injured three firefighters
6802 College Fire: November 2, 2006 Scheduled for Emergency Demolition
6802 College • Burned in November 2006: Injured a firefighter • Burned in June 2007: Fire spread to an occupied house at 525 West Alma and displaced a family
2122 East Carpenter • Burned in June 2006 • Burned three times in two days in June 2007 • Burned in August 2007 and spread to an occupied house at 2118 East Carpenter, displacing a family
Fire Service Leaders Speak About Abandoned Buildings
The building being abandoned by its owners is not a high priority in the scheme of things. If some extra fire or water damage occurs within this type of structure, it is preferable to injury or even discomfort to the firefighter.
“The building being abandoned by its owners is not a high priority in the scheme of things. ” “If some extra fire or water damage occurs within this type of structure, it is preferable to injury or even discomfort to the firefighter. ” Fire Officer’s Handbook of Tactics John Norman FDNY Chief of Special Operations Command Former Captain, Rescue 1 Fire Service Author & Instructor
When no other person’s life is in danger, the life of the firefighter has a higher priority than fire containment.
"When no other person’s life is in danger, the life of the firefighter has a higher priority than fire containment. ” Safety and Survival on the Fireground Vincent Dunn Deputy Chief, Retired FDNY Fire Service Author & Instructor
The first-responding officer, as well as the incident commander, needs to make a judgment as to what is at risk – people or property. Historically, the fire service has a poor history of changing risk-taking based upon the people/property issue.
“Historically, the fire service has a poor history of changing risk-taking based upon the people/property issue. ” Excerpt from December 12, 2005 report on the death of a Houston Fire Department Captain at an abandoned building
It is my contention that people are dying because they continue to ignore the lessons which history has laid out as the lesson plans for change. Why then are we still risking our people to save property? Lives I can understand, but property, no way.
“It is my contention that people are dying because they continue to ignore the lessons which history has laid out as the lesson plans for change. ” “Why then are we still risking people to save property? Lives I can understand, but property, no way. ” Harry R. Carter, Ph. D. Battalion Commander, Retired Newark Fire Department Contributing Editor, Firehouse Magazine Author of 7 fire service texts and 1, 500+ fire service articles
When there is no ability to save lives or property, there is no justification to expose fire department members to any avoidable risk and defensive fire suppression efforts are the appropriate strategy.
“When there is no ability to save lives or property, there is no justification to expose fire department members to any avoidable risk and defensive fire suppression efforts are the appropriate strategy. ” NFPA 1500 Section A. 8. 2. 3 Alan Brunacini Chief (Retired) Phoenix Fire Department Past Chairman, NFPA 1500 Committee Chairman, NFPA 1710 Committee Fire Service Author and Instructor
Goals • Reduce firefighter injuries • Reduce frequency of fires in abandoned buildings • Assist in identification and reporting of hazardous abandoned buildings
At abandoned building fires… • Slow down • Risk / benefit analysis • Be safe • See the big picture, not just the fire • Be proactive, not reactive
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