Henderson Fire
After the Fire is Out - A Guide to Coping with Fire Loss
Understanding Firefighting Operations
If you were home or arrived home as the fire department began working to save your home, you might have been confused or concerned about certain things the firefighters were doing. Often, windows are broken intentionally by firefighters, or holes are cut in roofs or ceilings. This can lead to confusion or misinterpretation on the part of those who witness such actions. Let us restate the fact that the primary mission of the fire department is to save lives and protect property.
With this in mind, there are some things that have to be done to prevent the spread of fire or lessen the damage done by smoke and heat. One of these things is to ventilate the area that is being affected by the fire and/or smoke. When firefighters do have to cut a hole in a roof or break windows, they are doing so to preserve property or to ensure firefighter safety. It is done in a systematic way that will best facilitate the entire fire suppression operation.
Ventilation can be done in many different ways. One of the more common ways is to let the smoke naturally remove itself through openings that have been created by the fire department, or sometimes with a little help from mechanical methods such as powerful fans set outside the building that will force the smoke and toxic gases out of the structure. You may also have noticed that there are small holes in the walls or in ceilings that do not seem to benefit ventilation. These holes are made to check for extension of the fire into any void spaces that may exist in the home or apartment. By checking for extension of the fire, the firefighters are reducing (if not eliminating) the chance of a rekindle occurring. A “rekindle” is when it is thought the fire is completely extinguished, but in reality, there may be hot or smoldering embers in hidden spaces of a building. These hot embers can smolder for hours and increase the chance that the fire could start again.
In years past, rekindle was not an unusual event. By checking for extension in the hidden spaces of your home, the chances have been considerably reduced. However, there are instances where this situation still occurs, even with the best efforts to stop it. It is not unusual for the building to have a residual odor of smoke in it. If there is ever any visible smoke, any sounds of “crackling”, or if the walls or ceilings are warm to the touch, do not hesitate to evacuate the building and call 911 to have the fire department determine if a rekindle has occurred.
Rest assured that the City of Henderson Fire Department is well trained in the area of firefighting, rescue and life safety operations. If you have any questions about the procedures used at a fire scene, please do not hesitate to call us for clarification.