RESIDENTIAL VERTICAL VENTILATION

1. RESIDENTIAL VERTICAL VENTILATION

2. Terminology Roof Report Ventilation Size up S.K.I.R.T.S. Roof construction Ventilation Techniques Center Rafter Louver Ventilation Review OBJECTIVES

3. TERMINOLOGY • Vertical Ventilation • The systematic opening of the roof or existing roof openings (skylights, hatch covers, etc.) for the purpose of allowing heat, smoke, and fire gases to escape from the structure vertically. • Clear the Ceiling • After a ventilation opening is establish within the roof structure the ceiling below must also be breached to allow the heat, smoke, and products of combustion to escape the interior portions of the structure.

4. TERMINOLOGY • Center rafter louver- The center rafter louver can be used on most decking materials. Once the cutting sequence is performed the cut section can be louvered by pushing down on the near side of the panel, using the rafter as a fulcrum. • Dicing- Consists of making a head cut then multiple cuts between rafters in order to make a ventilation opening on roofs that are skip sheeted with 1x4” or 1x6” straight or diagonally placed boards.

5. TERMINOLOGY • Top cut/head cut- The upper most cut (toward the roof peak) that is perpendicular to the rafters in residential ventilation operations. First cut made. • Fireside cut/Outside cut – The vertical cut in residential ventilation operations that is toward the fire and farthest from the sawyer’s direction of egress. Second cut made. • Bottom cut- The lower most cut (toward the eave) that is perpendicular to the rafters in residential ventilation operations. Third cut made. • Inside cut- The vertical cut in residential ventilation operations farthest from the fire and closest to the sawyers egress. Final cut made.

6. ROOF REPORT • Roof report- A report made to the IC from the company officer in charge of roof operations once the roof has been accessed. This report shall include: • Roof type • Stability • Fire/Smoke conditions • Firewall locations • Unusual roof loads • Condition in attic (if known) • Blueprint of building if unusual

7. VENTILATION SIZE-UP Building construction Occupancy type Interior companies inside Where is it needed? Rescue vs. Suppression What type of ventilation? Structural conditions?

8. S.K.I.R.T.S. • Determining Objective Location-Vent Hole • S – Sounding • Locating structural stability and members • K - Known Location • Fire Location on 360 and roof indicators • I - Interior Location • Interior Crews confirming fire location • R - Roof Div Direction • Operations are related to tactical Operations • T - TIC • Determine heat source/Identify roof and members • S - Smoke Indicator Holes • Natural or ones we place

9. ROOF CONSTRUCTION • Conventional • Older homes, Custom builds • Lightweight • Newer homes, Track homes

10. ROOF CONSTRUCTION • Lightweight Uses many structural members Strength comes from the sum of all structural members that are in Tension/Compression Members are much smaller and will fail quicker Since members are in tension/compression with each other, if one member fails, the others will fail very soon after

11. ROOF CONSTRUCTION • Conventional Uses large structural members/Heavy timber. Structural members depend on size for their strength. Size of the structural members dictate the time it will take for failure when exposed to fire and heat.

12. ROOF CONSTRUCTIONLightweight Residential Top Chord Compression Webbing Optional Overhang Bottom chord Tension Metal Gusset Plates “MGP”

13. ROOF CONSTRUCTIONConventional Residential Ridge Board King Post Collar Tie Rafter Ceiling Joist Top Plates Bearing Wall

14. ROOF CONSTRUCTIONPitch and Gable • A pitched roof having a gable at each end connected by ridge board. • 2”x6” or 2”x4” rafters with 16” - 24” spacing. • Strengths: Ridge Board, Rafters at the wall. • Weakness: gusset plates, Mid span of rafters.

15. ROOF CONSTRUCTIONHip • A roof with 4 uniformly pitched sides. • Ridge Board. Valley, Hip, Jack & Common Rafters. • Strengths: Ridge, Valley & Hip Rafters, outside walls.

16. VENTILATION TECHNIQUES Offensive-Heat Hole Offensive ventilation operations should be located as close to the seat of the fire as possible and should be the initial ventilation priority. Offensive ventilation accomplishes three objectives: 1. Saves lives, 2. Improves interior attack, 3. Reduces property damage.

17. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSOUNDING • The preferred tool for sounding and roof operations is the 6’ rubbish Hook. A pike pole or fire axe can also be used but does not provide the same feel and distributed force as a Hook. • When performed correctly a hook will produce 300-400lbs of force when driven onto a roof deck. • When sounding any roof you are checking the stability and integrity of the roof itself but also seeking to locate structural members below. • The pattern for properly sounding shall be to strike directly in front of you then to the left and back to center then to right and continue this pattern as you move across any roof. • CENTER-LEFT-CENTER-RIGHT-CENTER…..

18. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESTINES DOWN • After sounding out area, lead hook spots for sawyer • Hook placed toward roof line • Tines down to feel drop indicating roof line

19. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSECURE RUNNNING SAW • Bury saw straight into roof • Set brake • Leave running • Used to secure running saw on a pitched roof

20. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESNON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS • Due to the noisy environment when cutting ventilation openings the roof team needs to have pre designated non-verbal ways to safely communicate. • To obtain the attention of a Sawyer while cutting the officer should place one hand on his shoulder and give a firm squeeze and hold it until the Sawyer releases the throttle and the chain comes to a stop. • When operating on pitched roof a firm squeeze to the Sawyers leg can also be used. • For safe saw operations it is strongly discouraged to touch, bump, or hold any Sawyer during cutting procedures.

21. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESACCESS/TRAVEL ROUTES • Exterior/Bearing walls • Peaks • Valleys • Hips • Ridge beam • Inall cases these areas should be sounded prior to the teams traveling over them to get to their preferred ventilation site. These roof areas generally have more reinforced construction features than others.Cross country travel on roof should be avoided at all costs due to the greatly increased risk of Firefighter’s falling through the roof. The team should always sound their way to the location for ventilation as well as their way off of the roof.

22. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESLADDER PLACEMENT • Ladder structural construction areas • Peaks/Valleys/Hip/Ridge Beams • Ladder away from the fire • Do not ladder over openings • Minimum 3-5 rungs above roof line • Have a minimum of two ladders in position • Opposite corners if possible • Extension Ladder to match Roof pitch

23. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESMATCH PITCH

24. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESMATCH PITCH

25. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESCENTER RAFTER LOUVER 1 2 Fire side Fire side “ROLL 1, STOP 2” 3 Fire side

26. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESCENTER RAFTER LOUVER 4 Fire side 5 Fire side

27. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESCENTER RAFTER LOUVER Fire side

28. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESCENTER RAFTER LOUVER Fire side

29. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESDICING Fire side Remove 1”x 4” or 6” decking by using a “J” HOOK method.

30. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSHALLOW PITCH • Center Rafter Louver • 1st cut- Find fireside rafter • 2nd cut- Roll rafter and bump next rafter • “Roll 1, Stop at 2”

31. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSHALLOW PITCH • 3rd cut- Fire side parallel cut • 4th cut- Bottom cut, roll rafter and stop at next rafter

32. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSHALLOW PITCH • 5th cut- Ladder side parallel cut • Louver Away • Coordinate with Interior before clearing ceiling • Punch through ceiling

33. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESTOOL SWAP • Tool swap- Used on residential pitched roof operation when the chain saw and hook are passed between the Sawyer and the Officer. The chain saw will always be passed on the fire side of the roof ladder and the hook on the outside of the roof ladder.

34. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSTEEP PITCH RESIDENTIAL • Sawyer first to the roof with hook. Sounds roof and locates ventilation cut site. Followed by FF2 or Officer with chainsaw. • Team performs a tool swap (saw to the working side/hook to the non-working side). • Sawyer, FF2 or Officer places hook into the roof deck to provide footing for sawyer. The upper tine only should be driven into the deck 3-4 feet out perpendicular to roofer just below ventilation cut site. • Sawyer steps out onto roof, not hook, uses the hook as footing while FF2/Officer holds hook across the beams of the roof ladder.

35. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSTEEP PITCH RESIDENTIAL • Sawyer then makes initial cut toward the fire to identify the outside rafter. • Once the outside rafter is identified the saw shall be turned around and the head/top cut is established. The center rafter is rolled and the cut stops at the next rafter (inside rafter) or before cutting ladder.

36. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSTEEP PITCH RESIDENTIAL • The second cut will be the outside cut. Be sure to overlap your cuts twice the thickness of the roof structure to ensure complete cut through. This cut will be from the top to bottom and 3-4 feet in length depending on sawyers reach. • The third cut will be the bottom cut. This cut will begin on the fire side and stop at the inside rafter or before cutting the ladder! The center rafter is once again rolled.

37. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESSTEEP PITCH RESIDENTIAL • The fourth cut will be the final cut. sawyer will step back onto the roof ladder completely. FF2/Officer will remove the hook from the deck and stand by. Sawyer will make the inside cut from top to bottom 3-4 inches from the ladder beam and inside rafter. • Team performs a tool swap (saw to the working side/hook to the non-working side). • Coordinate with interior prior to louvering • Sawyer will louver the ventilation opening away and then clear the ceiling below the opening. • The officer will then radio the interior attack team for an update of their conditions post ventilation.

38. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESEXTENDING VENT OPENING • If the initial ventilation opening is not sufficient and or additional ventilation is required perform a tool swap and expand the original opening. • Can be done on Shallow or Steep Pitch Roofs • Sawyer will use the existing bottom cut as a head cut for the second opening and start by cutting the outside cut from top to bottom.

39. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESEXTENDING OPENING • The next cut will be the new bottom cut for the expanded ventilation opening. The cut will begin on the fire side and stop at the inside rafter or before cutting the ladder! The center rafter is once again rolled. • Sawyer will then step back onto the roof ladder completely and finish the expanded cut by making a second inside cut. FF2/Officer will again remove the hook from the roof and ready for a tool swap.

40. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESEXTENDING VENT OPENING • Team performs another tool swap. • Sawyer will louver the ventilation opening away and then clear the ceiling below. • The Officer will again radio interior attack team for an update on the interior conditions and effects of ventilation. • VENT for Effect! Rescue vs Smoke removal Read smoke Indicators • If no more ventilation is required withdrawal from the roof.

41. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESEXTENDING VENT OPENING Extending Vertically

42. VENTILATION TECHNIQUESEXTENDING VENT OPENING Extending Horizontally

43. VENTILATION REVIEW • Size-up • Communicate with Fire attack team • Read and sound the roof • Building construction/Occupancy type • Interior companies inside • Where is it needed? • Rescue vs. Suppression • What type of ventilation? • Structural conditions?