NFPA Journal - Fall 2021 - 83

AT A GLANCE
NFPA 1700, Guide for Structural
Fire Fighting
Chapter 1 Administration
Chapter 2 Referenced Publications
Chapter 3 Definitions
Chapter 4 General
Chapter 5 Fundamentals of Fire Science
Chapter 6 Fire Dynamics in Structures
Chapter 7 Building Construction and Structural
Considerations
Chapter 8 Firefighting Protective Clothing and
Equipment Characteristics and
Limitations
Chapter 9 Strategic Considerations
Chapter 10 Tactical Considerations for Fire Control
and Extinguishment
Chapter 11 Exposure and Hygiene Considerations
Chapter 12 Fire Specific Tactical Considerations
Chapter 13 Implementing NFPA 1700
firefighters would be operating-
either inside or outside of the fire
structure. In practice, though, using
exterior fire control prior to or during
interior operations is part of an offensive
strategy. In short, the strategy
outlined and defined in NFPA 1700
is based on the incident action plan,
which is based on the size-up.
The guide provides a concise summary
of more than 30 studies that
were conducted to examine firefighting
environments, time to structural
collapse, the capabilities of firefighting
gear, and the effectiveness of firefighting
tactics. Many of these experiments
were conducted with the support of
fire departments in New York City,
Chicago, Phoenix, and elsewhere. In
the studies conducted by NFPA and
the UL Firefighter Safety Research
Institute, technical panels with fire
service representatives from a wide
range of departments worked with
the researchers to add their experience
and keep the research true to the
needs of firefighters in the field.
NFPA 1700 addresses fire dynamics
and building construction in three
chapters: Chapter 5 covers the fundamentals
of fire science, Chapter
6 covers fire dynamics in
structures, and Chapter
7 addresses building construction.
The fundamentals
chapter addresses combustion
and fire dynamics
basics to build a foundation
for applying fire dynamics
concepts on the fireground.
Some of the fundamentals
will be familiar, while others
may be new. Consider the
term " heat of combustion, "
for example. Some fuels
have a higher heat release
rate than others, which can
be based on the chemical
energy stored in the fuel; the
measurement of the amount
of heat released per pound
when the fuel is burned
completely is the heat of
combustion. Polyurethane
foam, commonly used in
the construction of padded
furniture or carpet padding,
has the potential to release twice the
energy per pound of a pine board
when it burns. The heat of combustion
helps to explain why upholstered furniture
made with synthetic materials
spreads fire faster and burns with a
higher heat release rate than furnishings
made with wood, cotton, and
wool. This is the kind of information
covered in the guide that can help
firefighters and fire departments make
better, more informed decisions on the
fireground.
Chapter 6 takes the basics of how a
fire burns and places the fire inside a
compartment to illustrate the difference
between a fuel-controlled fire and a
ventilation-controlled fire. Flow paths
are used to explain how fire and smoke
move through a building. Small differences
in pressure can create fire gas
flows with velocities between five and
20 miles per hour. Special cases of ventilation
flow and the potential hazards
they can present are highlighted. These
special cases include wind-influenced
fires, attic fires, basement fires, and exterior
fires. This information is intended
to provide a connection between fire
conditions inside the structure and what
is observed during size-up.
Chapter 7 provides structural performance
information to aid firefighting
personnel in properly assessing the
impact of the fire on the building
materials and building construction.
Building systems are defined and listed
if they are commonly included in certain
buildings based on the type of
construction.
STRATEGY &
SAFETY
Three chapters address the application
of tactics and strategies. Chapter 9
addresses strategic considerations and
supports the conduct of initial assessments
to determine a strategy, as well
as ongoing assessments to evaluate the
effectiveness of operations. Information
is provided on what to consider in your
initial arrival factors and 360-degree
surveys and how these factors may
affect your strategic decisions. Chapter
10 presents the tactical considerations
for coordinated fire control and extinguishment.
Tactics are divided into
the categories of water (suppression)
and air (ventilation). For each tactic,
information is provided on the objective
of using the tactic, how it works,
the preferred technique, an alternate
technique, and safety considerations.
Chapter 12 addresses science-based
approaches to dealing with specific
structural challenges, including belowgrade
fires, photovoltaic hazards,
vacant buildings, hospitals, and various
forms of residential occupancies.
It is expected that this chapter will
grow considerably in the future, since
a number of research projects were
underway while the guide was being
developed.
Additionally, two chapters directly
address firefighter safety and health.
Chapter 8 provides, among other
things, a summary of the thermal
design limits of firefighter personal
protective equipment (PPE) based
on nine different NFPA standards.
Understanding the protective capabilities
of PPE and the limitations of
other types of firefighting equipment
in various thermal conditions generated
by a fire can help an officer or
incident commander decide on an
incident action plan that will enable
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NFPA Journal - Fall 2021

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