This was 19 years ago! It was recorded by Michelle Labor from Newportville Fire Company using a Super 8 camera. I was the IC on the call and it was fire in the attic that broke through into an inaccessible area of the attic. The FF messed up and tried to walk across the roof and fell through. It was the first RIT deployment in Bucks County. The FF suffered minor burns and a bruised ego. It was also my first call as Chief. Howard McGoldrick
Roof or Vertical Venting Does Not Work as Imagined. It only risks lives, damages the roof and helps to burn it off. A house is Not a chimney and can't work like one. Too many "Dampers" like ceilings, floors, walls and doors! The real reason it doesn't work is that the fire that was smoldering in the attic has now been fueled with fresh air and has erupted into an inferno which creates an enormous amount of pressure in that confined space. The hole they cut cannot release all that pressure so you have now created a Cork in the top of Your chimney. Heat from below can't escape Through the tight ceiling to get into the attic and the pressure wouldn't allow it even if there Was a hole in the ceiling. "Find what is burning and put water on it! If you can't see it, find it and put water on it. If it gets hot along the way, cool the ceiling gasses with a spray of water. If the smoke is thick, open the upper sashes of the floor you are working on." Most importantly, THINK don't just Follow what instructors Tell you.
This was 19 years ago! It was recorded by Michelle Labor from Newportville Fire Company using a Super 8 camera. I was the IC on the call and it was fire in the attic that broke through into an inaccessible area of the attic. The FF messed up and tried to walk across the roof and fell through. It was the first RIT deployment in Bucks County. The FF suffered minor burns and a bruised ego. It was also my first call as Chief.
Howard McGoldrick
Lessons learned:
ALWAYS sound the roof and have a radio on you!
Also, why was this recorded on what I'm guessing was VHS camcorder FFS!!!
Meatball!
Roof or Vertical Venting Does Not Work as Imagined. It only risks lives, damages the roof and helps to burn it off. A house is Not a chimney and can't work like one. Too many "Dampers" like ceilings, floors, walls and doors! The real reason it doesn't work is that the fire that was smoldering in the attic has now been fueled with fresh air and has erupted into an inferno which creates an enormous amount of pressure in that confined space. The hole they cut cannot release all that pressure so you have now created a Cork in the top of Your chimney. Heat from below can't escape Through the tight ceiling to get into the attic and the pressure wouldn't allow it even if there Was a hole in the ceiling. "Find what is burning and put water on it! If you can't see it, find it and put water on it. If it gets hot along the way, cool the ceiling gasses with a spray of water. If the smoke is thick, open the upper sashes of the floor you are working on." Most importantly, THINK don't just Follow what instructors Tell you.
JB91710 Didn't know you lived in Bucks County JB