Doll House fire behavior, Birmingham Fire and Rescue

Summary

In this engaging training session, fire safety experts demonstrate the effects of flow path, flashover, and backdraft in a specially designed training house. Through a series of controlled experiments, the instructors show how ventilation and airflow influence fire behavior, highlighting the dangers of uncontrolled smoke and flame spread. They emphasize the importance of understanding fire dynamics, reading smoke, and the critical role of communication and coordination during fire attacks. Using simple but effective props, they stress the significance of suppression before ventilation, providing crucial insights into modern firefighting strategies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Firefighters need to be able to read smoke, control airflow, and understand fire behavior to avoid accidents and fatalities.
• 😀 The design of the makeshift house is used to demonstrate flow path, flashover, and backdraft in real fire scenarios.
• 😀 The Venturi effect is a critical concept in controlling how smoke travels between rooms in a fire scenario.
• 😀 Modern building materials like OSB (Oriented Strand Board) are more prone to failure during a fire, which affects firefighting strategies.
• 😀 Injuries and fatalities in firefighting can be attributed to a lack of experience, which new recruits need to overcome by learning fire behavior.
• 😀 The importance of ventilation in controlling fire is emphasized, but the key is to first focus on suppression before opening any vents.
• 😀 Flashover is a deadly event, and it can occur multiple times during a fire, making it crucial for firefighters to control air and suppress fire quickly.
• 😀 Vertical ventilation is demonstrated with practical effects, showing how air and smoke can be controlled by opening the attic and using fog nozzles.
• 😀 The primary objective in firefighting is controlling the air and preventing the spread of volatile smoke that could lead to flashover.
• 😀 Training with realistic props, such as the $16 box setup, provides valuable lessons on reading smoke, understanding fire dynamics, and coordinating firefighting efforts.
• 😀 The process of reading smoke, controlling ventilation, and executing a coordinated attack is essential for fire safety and survival in modern firefighting tactics.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the makeshift house prop used in the training session?

The makeshift house prop is designed to demonstrate fire behavior concepts such as flow path, flashover, backdraft, and the Venturi effect. It provides a hands-on environment to teach recruits about fire dynamics and firefighting techniques.

What modifications were made to the original design of the prop?

The original design was modified by adding slides and changing the hole size. A doorway was created instead of the standard 8x8 hole to experiment with airflow and the Venturi effect, which influences smoke movement and fire behavior.

What is the Venturi effect, and how is it applied in this training?

The Venturi effect refers to the principle where air speeds up as it passes through a narrow opening, creating a pressure drop. In this training, the effect is explored by modifying airflow between rooms to observe how volatile smoke behaves and how fire spreads.

Why is understanding fire behavior and controlling the flow path crucial for firefighter safety?

Understanding fire behavior and controlling the flow path is vital because it helps prevent firefighter fatalities and injuries. By managing ventilation and smoke movement, firefighters can reduce the risk of flashovers, backdrafts, and other dangerous situations.

What role does the ‘neutral plane’ play in fire behavior, and how is it demonstrated in the prop?

The neutral plane is the level where hot gases and smoke stop rising and cooler air begins to descend. The prop helps demonstrate this by showing how fire and smoke move within confined spaces, allowing trainees to understand how temperature and airflow affect fire conditions.

What is the significance of the second flashover, and why is it more dangerous than the first?

The second flashover is more dangerous because it occurs when fire conditions have escalated and the structure is highly pressurized. It is harder to predict and manage, leading to increased risk for firefighters if ventilation is not controlled properly.

What happens when the ventilation is overdone or poorly managed in this training?

When ventilation is overdone or poorly managed, the fire can become more intense, leading to flashover or backdraft. The prop demonstrates how improper air control can cause explosive fire behavior, reinforcing the importance of coordinated ventilation and suppression efforts.

Why is it important for first arriving units to be able to read smoke quickly?

It is important for first arriving units to read smoke quickly because it allows them to assess the fire's progression, determine the size of the fire, and decide where to apply water or ventilation. This helps avoid dangerous situations like flashover or backdraft.

What does the prop demonstrate about vertical ventilation, and how does it affect the fire inside the structure?

The prop demonstrates vertical ventilation by showing how smoke and heat escape through the roof. While vertical ventilation can help clear smoke and gases, it also demonstrates how the fire can continue to burn if enough heat and oxygen are present, emphasizing the need for proper timing and strategy.

How does this training help firefighters develop their decision-making skills on the fireground?

This training helps firefighters develop decision-making skills by providing them with real-world scenarios where they must assess fire behavior, communicate with incoming units, and decide on the best actions to take, such as ventilation or suppression, based on the evolving situation.