Lessons from the Fireground: Buffalo (NY) Fire Department On August 24, 2009, 45-year-old Lieutenant Charles “Chip” McCarthy and 34-year-old Firefighter Jonathan S. Croom died in an early morning fire after a partial first floor collapse at a mixed occupancy commercial/residential structure.   Basement fires in both residential and commercial occupancies are one of the most […]

Eleven Minutes to Mayday: Lessons from 2008 Resonate Today

“Operational Excellence is achieved through Tactical Discipline, Tactical Patience and Knowledge of our Buildingsonfire” Understanding the Compartment in various types of occupancies and variation of building types lends itself towards the identification and selection of appropriate tactics with corresponding capabilities in the form of sustainable water flow for the expected fire load package. Understanding the […]

Don’t neglect to look at the little things when conducting a Building Size-up and assessment

A large warehouse fire in a 211,000 SF complex resulted from a transformer explosion this morning at the Wix Distribution Center in Gastonia, NC. The building complex was a former textile mill and was built in 1917. Published report indicate that more than 60 firefighters operated at the scene to control the fire. It was […]

Light Weight construction has given way to Engineered Structural Systems (ESS) which in today’s evolving fireground, have an even more extensive array of performance, operational and integrity issues that affect a building’s performance under fire conditions.To unequivocally state that nothing has changed in buildings, occupancies, fire flow delivery rates and demands for increased proficiencies of […]

It’s not about NOT fighting fires, but rather fighting fires smarter.

Here’s the starting line-up of the New 2013 Buildingsonfire Training Programs and Seminars

Understanding the building – its complexities in terms of anatomy, structural systems, materials, configuration, design, layout, systems, methods of construction, engineering and inherent features, limitations, challenges and risks – is fundamental for operational excellence on the fireground and firefighter safety.

NIOSH Report highlights collapse considerations during defensive operations that contributed to FF LODD