DFD Lightweight Row Houses

1. Lightweight row house
Strategies for firefighting
Presented by
Assistant Chief Ryan Nuanes
District 6 (North Denver), Denver Fire Department

2. The new north Denver consists of a new
occupancy type that present new and until
now, unseen challenges for Denver
Firefighters.
 The lightweight row house is beyond the capabilities of a 35’
ladder.
 Garages built under residential living units.
 Open stairwells inside private residences.
 Minimal setbacks on property lines, no access.
 Older homes next to large buildings with little separation.
 Streets on hills, that have existed for years, but now have 3
story and above living spaces.
 No fire escapes.
 Multiple story complexes built of a combination of non
combustible lowers and lightweight uppers.
 Architectural designs that hamper firefighter access, and
occupant egress.
 Partially sprinkled buildings.

3. Design Elements – Row houses
 Three story, (-75 feet), closer to 50’ rooflines, with rooftop
decks.
 Lightweight construction in these occupancies, with wooden
TGI’s, and OSB fire stops between units.
 Flat roofs with rubber membranes over fire rated foam (3”
thick).
 Separated unit rooftop decks.
 Partially sprinkled buildings, some units are sprinkled. some
are not, garages appear to not be sprinkled. All of this is
based upon fire code.
 Open floor plans.

4. Design Elements
Beyond a 35’ Ladders reach.
note the grate, preventing
emergency access.

5. Design Elements
Car fires could spread into the
first floor living units, forcing
occupants up instead of out.
Cantilevered construction
creates a place for fire to
penetrate living area.

6. Design Elements
Open Stair wells
The picture is taken from the third floor looking down to the first floor. The open
stairwell creates a “chimney” for fire and smoke to spread. With bedrooms typically on
the third floor, smoke from any fire below will accumulate at the top of the unit, If the Fire
is severe enough, occupants may be forced up into this environment.

7. Design Elements
Property line setbacks
This shows the “front” of the
building, all entrance doors for each
unit are on this side of the building.
Ground ladder placement will be
hampered by inability to set the base of
the ladder back far enough for a good
climbing angle. (side of building)

8. Design Elements
Note the typical North Denver House, If a fire breaks
out in the house, and goes through the roof, the multi
unit building next door is exposed.

9. Consider ways to “crib” the down hill side to make
ladders level.
Design Elements
Laddering concerns

10. Front of the building Back (garage side) of the
building. Note the proximity of
the next building.
Design Elements
No fire escapes

11. Design Elements
Occupants have only one way down, via an open interior stairwell
inside each unit. Rescues from living areas are now a 2nd story (or
greater) issue, with fire department aerials or ground ladders as
the only secondary means of egress from these areas. The 35’ will
reach the window on this third floor unit.

12. Design Elements
Not row houses, but an example of combined
construction now present.

13. Design Elements
Architecture
Note the porch cover, making
laddering to above windows
difficult.
Note the separate units, above
and behind initial units, no
aerial access.

14. Design Elements
Architecture
Parking Cover next to the building,
making windows inaccessible from
ground ladders.
Third story setback, very
shallow angle for a ground
ladder to the third floor.

15. Design Elements
The partially sprinkled building presents
an issue where you may think the unit that
has a fire in it is sprinkled, when it is not.

16. Design Elements
Separate rooftop decks Sliding doors and small windows

17. Design Elements
Lightweight Construction

18. Design Elements
Flat roofs, rubber membrane over foam.
Notice separate decks, 5 foot walls.

19. Tactical Concerns
 Different Tactics must be considered, and
may become standard in these types of
occupancies. The design of these buildings
places great risk to occupants because
there is no way out if the fire is below them.
 With all bedrooms directly below kitchens,
mechanicals, and garages, combined with
open shaft stairwells and lightweight
construction, people will be forced up
higher into the building.

20. Tactical Concerns
 With ladders that are too short to reach
the roof, property setbacks that require
extremely steep ladder angles as well as
doubtful aerial access, firefighters need
to be aware of limited access into a
building not designed to stand up to fire.

21. Tactics
Engine companies –
 Must be aware of aerials, and the placement of them BEFORE committing
to an exact location. Look for places that a Truck Company could park and
put the aerial in service. If possible let the Truck choose their spot first.
Aerial placement is critical.

22. Engine Company
 When the location of the fire is visible, The first in engine should lay
to the fire side of the building.
 If the fire location is not known, it may be necessary to visually
confirm the location (officer) before Laying in, or choose the closest
plug from their direction of travel, knowing that they may end up not
being in the ideal position to stretch a hand line.
 The Second In Engine should be directed to Lay-in on the opposite
side of the building, to establish a water supply, and to have hand
lines available if the fire is located too far from the first engine’s
position.
With engine companies on the
street (right) side, as well as
the left (alley) side, one or both
will be able to utilize a pre-
connected line for initial attack.

23. Engine Tactics
 Based upon conditions found upon arrival, the 300’ 1 ¾ pre-connected
line should be the engine officer’s first thought. This in no way is a
substitute for an engine officers judgment, the situation dictates the line
selection.
 The 1 ¾ 300’ will provide an engine company the greatest chance of
success, because of its length, speed of deployment, and
maneuverability. Remember these buildings were built on one or two
city lots, floors and stairs are tight!
An engine company chose to
utilize 300” of rope to simulate
a hose line, they advanced it
from the alley into the middle
unit, top floor. This action gave
them the knowledge that they
can make the middle of the
building, top floor with a well
placed engine.

24. Engine Tactics
 The second line should be another 1 ¾ 300’ pre-connect pulled from the
second in engine on the opposite side of the building.
 This critical piece of the puzzle, now gives us an attack line capable of
making it to the fire (theoretically) anywhere it could be.
 The third in engine must be listening to radio chatter and try to figure out
who has the best shot at the fire, engine 1 or engine 2, they should put
themselves on whoever's plug that is, and immediately progress to that
attack engine.
 The third in engine should pull a 2 ½ line off the static bed, no shorter than
300’, taking with them a nozzle and a gated 2 ½ - 1 ¾ - 1 ¾ gated wye.
 The 2 ½ can be utilized as the back up line if necessary, or can be staged
with the wye to drop more lines into the building.

25. Engine Tactics
 Engines are likely to encounter a situation where occupants
have evacuated up to the roof of the building, meaning that
advancement of the line up the stairs could place occupants
on the other side (above) of the fire from the attack.
 Firefighters from other (Truck) companies may be above the
fire as well, communication is key.
 Engines may have to conduct primary searches as they
progress up into the structure, due to the small square
footage, and truck companies deploying above the fire
initially.
 Engine companies on back up lines must do their best to
advance the initial line, before they place their hose into
service, there is a high probability that secondary hose line
will pin the initial line to the floor. This is not the fire for
competition, or trying to steal someone’s fire.

26. Engine Tactics
Small stairwells
Small floors – quick engine company primary as
you go. Smoke and heat should be above you,
until you find the fire, making rooms visible as
you progress upwards.

27. Truck Company Tactics
 The first in truck company, must anticipate and try to position
the apparatus for aerial placement to the roof.
 With 35’ ladders, the only fire department made access to
the roof is the aerial, even if its placement is remote from the
fire, it should be thrown for secondary means of egress.
 Consider pulling into the alleys of these buildings, as access
their may be better.

28. Truck Company Tactics
 Based upon conditions present, the first thing necessary may be to
ladder a window / balcony for a rescue. As previously mentioned,
occupants may very well be trapped above the fire.
 In situations where exterior rescues are not present, the truck
company must make a choice to either:
 Go in with the engine crew.
 Ladder the unit and Vent –Enter –Search.
 Force entry into the adjacent unit, utilize their stairs and proceed to
the roof, then making access from the top of the fire unit.
Each has its own advantages and disadvantages

29. Truck Company Tactics
Starting a primary on the first floor
Advantages:
 Firefighters are not operating above an uncontrolled fire.
 Hose line protection for interior crews.
Disadvantages:
 Slow search due to amount of firefighters in stairwell.
 Redundant, due to size of floors, engine companies can do a quick
primary.
 Occupants are likely to either have self evacuated down (where an
engine company would find them) or:
 They evacuated up, and are in peril due to smoke / heat conditions.
 Unable to start meaningful ventilation early enough.

30. Truck Company Tactics
Typical first floor. Picture taken
from garage looking into the
first floor entrance.

31. Truck Company Tactics
Vent , Enter, Search, Third floor.
Advantages:
 Firefighters are immediately creating a secondary means of egress.
 The Truck company is placing themselves in a location where victims
are likely to be found (bedrooms).
 Assessment of conditions on upper floors is faster.
 Ventilation is immediate (albeit more dangerous for everyone).
 Quick search.
Disadvantages:
 May draw fire up into unburned areas faster.
 Firefighters are operating in an environment of above a fire in
lightweight construction.
 Rescues down ladders will be labor and time intensive.
 Discipline and coordination is a must, and Firefighters aren't the
best at either.

32. Truck Company Tactics
VES options can be
cumbersome.
Each separated portion is a
unit, Make sure you are
entering the fire unit for VES.

33. Truck Company Tactics
Utilizing an adjacent units stairs to the roof:
Advantages:
 Firefighters will be able to get to ambulatory victims the fastest, as
smoke and heat will have drove them to the roof.
 Vertical ventilation would be extremely fast by opening or breaking the
patio doors found on the small room at the top of the stairwell.
Disadvantages:
 May draw fire up into unburned areas faster.
 Firefighters are operating in an environment of above a fire in
lightweight construction.
 To effect rescues of the most critical victims (non ambulatory), truck
companies would have to come down the fire units stairs (chimney).
And under heat and smoke conditions, conduct a primary search
above the fire.
 Any victims found would have to be carried up across the roof, and
then down the adjacent units stairs.

34. Truck Company Tactics
Roof top separators, requiring
a “little giant” ladder.
Access points to the third floor
from the small room on the
roof.

35. Truck Company tactics
Second in Trucks
 Aerial operations are doubtful, but may be possible, again go
for the roof.
 If ambulatory victims are on the roof, The first thing that you
should do is force entry to the adjacent unit, take a little giant
for rooftop walls, and head to the roof.
 Coordinate vertical ventilation through the patio doors,
consider taking a saw, (knowing you have 3” foam under the
roof), rope and hand tools.

36. RIT Company tactics
 Ladders, ladders, ladders.
 35’ to the third floor windows, preferably
one in the rear, and one in the front (off
the first and second truck).
 24 / 28’ ladders to second floors, again
opposite sides, all windows.
 Commanders consider 2 RIT’s, one on
each side, depending upon the building
length.

37. RIT Tactics
Make sure you are laddering the right unit
for RIT operations. In this example there is
only one window per floor, per unit.
Look for advantageous places to get guys
out! (Small balcony second floor right). In
this example there are multiple windows
on different floors.

38. Best Practices
 Without having a fire in these buildings, best practices are
theoretical, however with knowledge and training on these
buildings a plan can be formed.
Overview of make or break decisions
 Quick deployment of hose lines from both sides of the building.
 Aerial placement
 Engines working together to get the initial line in place, before a
secondary line.
 Vent Enter Search Operations, provide the best chance at
saving lives of occupants
 Coordinated attack, disciplined truck crews in regards to VES
operations, closing doors, etc, Disciplined engines, with hose
line operation, quick search as you go operations on lower
floors.
 RIT Crews laddering and making heads up calls on places we
can get our people out, passing information to all units.

39. Recommendations
 When Truck 12 is replaced: order a truck
capable of housing a 50’ ground ladder.
 Consider a tiller truck as the
replacement, for the access and storage
for greater size ground ladders
 Have all partially sprinkled building
FDC’s labeled at the FDC