Changing Directions - Attic, basement, and exterior fires

Much of the energy expended in promoting, discussing, and opposing Modern Fire Attack (MFA) methods regards the use of exterior streams for controlling fires in structures, an understandable focus given the rather revolutionary, and therefore controversial, nature of the research findings.（简而言之，发现从外面涂水的情况要比我们相信的要多得多，而且危害要小得多。）在这场辩论的噪音淹没,所以speak, have been several more specific, but no less remarkable, water application directional recommendations that were also supported by the results of these studies.This post will focus on circumstances that benefit from an alternative approach - literally - for fire extinguishment.

Attics, basements, and the outsides of structures are settings in which fires demonstrate some unique, but predictable, behaviors, requiring appropriately unique, but logical, tactics for their control.Not surprisingly, given that I am including this topic in the Modern Fire Attack (MFA) series, the fire dynamics studies have produced guidelines that are not necessarily those we have been taught and practiced for decades.此外，与使用外部流在地面上，第二，偶尔还在地面上的内部火灾不同，这些燃烧仅作为一个仅作为一个option为了启动火灾攻击，该路线最快时要使用，这些设置的建议旨在默认方法，在大多数情况下应遵循。没错：当这些领域之一出现大火时，研究人员并不仅仅找到了我们其他方法;他们已经确定了ideal方法。Though deviations from these new tactics are appropriate when circumstances dictate, they represent water application最佳实践。Not only did the studies point out that our previous tactics did not necessarily provide the effects we expected or believed, but new insights were provided that supported a shift to methods that are more likely to result in improved effects.（请注意，当火灾处于高级状态时，以下讨论和建议适用。这些或任何设置中的初期燃烧几乎总是可以通过任何提供最直接访问的方法来管理。）

Attics

(Reference:https://ulfirefightersafety.org/docs/attic-final-report-online.pdf）

The space beneath the roof of a dwelling, regardless of its volume, is typically engineered for natural ventilation, with cooler air flowing in through the soffits, warming after entering the interior space, rising up along the underside of the roof deck, and exhausting out the ridge, roof, or gable vents.This circulation is designed to remove water vapor from within the living space and prevent its condensation, but also unintentionally promotes fire extension into the attic, especially from an outside fire.尽管如此，这种基线空气流不足以支持结构构件在封闭的隔间中的无限燃烧，即使山墙和屋顶通风口失败，更不用说任何内容。Fires in attics therefore typically and quickly become ventilation-limited, even more so than lower levels of a structure that have more windows and doors.打开屋顶或山墙只会增加燃烧速度，随后的热量产生和结构性恶化，同时没有任何好处。（正如我之前指出的那样，通风h ***爆发的令人印象深刻的火球代表了条件恶化，而不是改善。What is occurring in those instances is that heated, over-rich gases are suddenly being introduced to a sufficient supply of fresh air, resulting in almost explosive combustion.通风燃烧室的消防员没有释放热量；他们正在创造更多。）

在这些情况下，战术通风不仅是挑战，而且熄灭也是如此。研究人员注意到，屋顶甲板的下面可以代表典型阁楼中可燃物表面积的50％以上，并且润湿整个这些表面是确保完全熄灭的必要条件。但是，即使可以从阁楼的山墙末端播放水，afters也通常会阻止其到达所有燃烧区域，因此需要采取不同的方法。从更积极的角度来看，如果违反了上层天花板/阁楼地板，我们以前对火势向下延伸的恐惧至少部分地揭穿了，因为发现除非流动，否则热，火和烟雾将保留在阁楼中路径是在向下的方向上创建的，通常需要从上方加入风，并将燃烧产物从低层开放中迫使燃烧产物。(Yet another reason to avoid cutting roofs.)

Putting all of this new knowledge to practical use, from水应用的角度，the recommendation is that the extinguishment of attic fires should be undertaken from below, either from the interior through the top floor ceiling/attic floor, or from the exterior by playing streams into the soffits.Through ceilings, piercing nozzles can be used for initial knockdown, but punching through a small h*** and introducing a straight or solid stream will have a similarly beneficial effect.Once the compartment is cooled, all burning surfaces must then be wetted, a tedious, but necessary, chore.从结构内部，一种技术是去除顶部天花板/阁楼地板的纵向部分，从而形成一个“槽”，可以从该槽中将溪流定向到每个after空间中。When possible, this access should be parallel to, and directly beneath, the ridge line, which frequently coincides with the location of the upper floor hallway.以这种方式打开阁楼也加快the removal of any combustible insulation or other contents, which can be shoveled/swept from the attic floor and down into the hallway below.或者，更令人痛苦的是，可以沿着与山脊线平行的外墙去除天花板的部分，以使溪流进入每个after绕的空间。

从结构的外部，摩擦水进入拱腹，可以沿着该空间的被动通风的路径，沿着屋顶甲板的底部到达山脊。Streams so directed will also rain down upon any burning contents and other structural members.Accessing the soffits can be a challenge, whether due to distance from the ground on anything but a one-story structure, or the use of solid wood coverings in older construction, but, once achieved, offers a route for wetting between each rafter.如果还没有融化，则具有轻巧，穿孔覆盖物的现代建筑可以更容易地去除。

因此，对于阁楼大火，研究人员提供的“新方向”是通过下面或新创建的开口通过顶部天花板或拱腹，然后有条不紊地弄湿了屋顶甲板的整个底面，并有条不紊燃烧的内容。在一个艰苦的过程中，消除打开屋顶或山墙的需求的潜在好处是释放以前曾致力于这些努力的机组人员。The result is a process that has demonstrated benefits and reduced hazards, a winning combination.

下一部分：地下室和外部火

MJC

The author can be reached at markjcotter@comcast.net