Buildings that Change the Rules of the Game

By Anthony Avillo

Our work demands that we understand the arenas in which we operate: the structures. If we know how structures are put together, we can understand not only how fire spreads in them and the tactics required to tame them and the fire but also, most importantly, how buildings fall apart under fire. To be inside, on top of, or around the perimeter, especially at the front and in command, and to have an insufficient understanding of building construction is like playing Russian roulette with your personnel. No matter what your rank, a lack of understanding of building construction and its inherent weaknesses is unacceptable and will lead to a tactical breakdown at some point.

Buildings have changed over the years, and the fire service must change with them. We must understand that when the aggressive tactics we were taught are used all the time, the same way, we will eventually put ourselves and our people in a compromising position. We need to recognize when the tactics of old do not fit into the game plan of the building in which we are fighting a fire. Aggressive tactics worked for many years in what some call the "legacy" construction, but this same aggression must now be tempered with a good size-up and an assessment of the dangers these structures pre-sent. First-arriving personnel almost always conduct the initial size-up and assessment. What they do in the first few minutes will make or break the operation. A good decision based on a sound size-up, an understanding of the building's construction and inherent limitations, and a coordinated attack and support operation will usually create a favorable fireground experience. Bad decisions because of the "one-size-fits-all" mentality have resulted and will continue to result in firefighter casualties.