Chapter 20

Salvage, Overhaul, and Fire Cause Determination

Introduction• Salvage and overhaul operations

are not viewed as critical tasks– Not associated with excitement of fire

attack, rescue, or ventilation

• Firefighters should:– Be involved in fire cause determination– Watch for potential signs and

conditions that will assist the fire investigator

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20.3

Figure 20-1 (A) Good and (B) bad salvage operations.

(A) (B)

Salvage Tools, Equipment, and Maintenance

• Fire incidents have a potential loss of material goods

• Company officer must “triage” entire scene

• Basic premise of salvage operations is to remove harmful atmosphere from material

• Always use proper tools• Some operations require complex

equipment

20.4

Salvage Covers• Mainstay of salvage operations• Made out of several different materials• Plastics covers have advantage of weight

and water resistance• Canvas covers durable; water resistant if

treated– Size of cover can vary– Visqueen or heavy plastic used to supplement

• Other tools needed: knife or scissors to cut desired length

20.5

20.6

Figure 20-3 Firefighter carrying Visqueen roll.

Floor Runner• Made of lightweight canvas-type

material for easy deployment• Protects the floor down a hallway or

along a traffic area• Important not to damage floors

unnecessarily• Customer service makes the

difference– Sign of professionalism

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20.8

Figure 20-4 Floor runner in place.

Water Vacuum• Two basic types

– Worn like a backpack– Larger and moved around on wheels

• Backpack cannot be worn with SCBAs • Used to quickly drain catch-alls• Limited capacity: around 5 gallons• Another option is a pump

– Submersible pump dropped directly into water– Float-a-pump floats on top of the water

20.9

Miscellaneous Salvage Tools• Some other tools:

– Hammer– Nails– Staple guns

• Visqueen can be left with the structure with little cost to the department

• Doors and windows need to be secured• Salvage covers can prevent a leak from

damaging other items

20.10

Maintenance of Salvage Tools• After use, tools must be cleaned and inspected• Tools often exposed to hazardous materials

– Place damaged tools out of service

• Reimbursement for damaged tools should be claimed from property owner’s insurance company

• Do not allow debris to spill from salvage cover– Loose fold and roll– Wash cover with soap and water– Drying the cover can be difficult– Inspect cover for holes

20.11

20.12

Figure 20-7 Loose fold and roll.

Salvage Cover Folds and Rolls• Covers are either rolled or folded• Available compartment space

dictates which method to use– Sprinkle the cover with baby powder and

spread with a broom to prevent cover from sticking

• Two firefighters are needed to roll a cover

• Fold cover neatly like a bed sheet

20.13

Salvage Operations

• Safety considerations• Methods of protecting material goods• Stopping water flowing from sprinkling

heads• Arranging of furnishings and salvage

cover deployment• Water removal• Post indicator valve and outside screw

and yoke valve• Sprinkler stops

20.14

Safety Considerations

• Basic goal is property conservation• Salvage group members must be aware

of their surroundings• Forcible entry tools may be necessary • One of the most common hazards of

salvage work is ceiling collapse• Know what other operations are going on

and where they are taking place

20.15

Stopping Water Flowing from Sprinkler Heads

• Several types of sprinkler stops available

• Most common is the sprinkler wedge

• Be careful not to break head off sprinkler

• Wear eye protection and full protective clothing

• Lock the ladder20.16

Methods of Protecting Material Goods

• Can an item be moved more quickly than it can be covered?

• If yes, go for it– Patio furniture– Items in garage

• Items in the way of fire attack crews should be moved

20.17

Arranging of Furnishings and Salvage Cover Deployment

• Cover item when it is too large or time consuming to move

• Two firefighters should deploy Visqueen• Take extra care with breakables• Working with Visqueen is the same as

working with folded cover• Consider by-products of combustion

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20.19

Figure 20-11 Furniture arranged for salvaging.

Water Removal• Water can leak through the floor• Critical to capture, divert, or remove

water• If no drain exists, create one• Use salvage covers to create dike• Catch-alls used to contain water• Water chute diverts water

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Figure 20-14 Catch-all end folds.

Post Indicator Valve and Outside Screw and Yoke Valve

• Two types of valves used to shut down a sprinkler system:– Post indicator valve (PIV)– Outside screw and yoke (OS&Y)

• PIV usually located near sprinkler connection for building

• OS&Y valve located on exterior wall or just inside building

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20.23

Figure 20-18 Outside screw and yoke valve.

Sprinkler Stops• Use sprinkler stops if no valves can

be located• A-frame ladder will reach most

ceilings• Firefighters must use caution

20.24

The Importance of Salvage Operations

• Can be as important as any actions performed on emergency scene

• Make something good out of a bad situation

• Preserve as much property as possible

20.25

Overhaul Tools and Equipment• Process of overhaul is as important

as the initial extinguishment• Tools used for overhaul built for

following tasks:– Tearing into building– Cutting through floors– Pulling ceilings– Search for hidden fires

20.26

Common Tools• Common overhaul tools:

– Pike poles– Pitchforks– Rubbish hooks– Shovels– Axes– Chain saws– Carry-alls– Wheelbarrows

20.27

Carry-All• 6-foot-square piece of heavy

canvas• Rope strung through grommets for

handles• Used to carry debris out of building• Used where wheelbarrows cannot

be used

20.28

Overhaul Operations• After fire investigation concerns have

been met, overhaul investigations can begin

• Look for obvious signs of hidden fire• Thermal imaging cameras find fires and

hotspots in areas firefighters cannot see• Observe wooden structural members• Insulation must be removed if area has

been breached

20.29

Overhauling Roofs• Long tedious process• There can be multiple roofs• Pitched roof may be built over flat

roof– Creates two attic spaces– Overhaul nightmare

20.30

Electronic Heat Sensors• Relatively new way to check for hot

spots• Determine where heat is higher

compared to surrounding areas• Sensor’s alerting mechanisms differ• Some used to find people through

the smoke

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20.32

Figure 20-22 (A) Helmet with thermal imaging camera attached. (B) Firefighter using a handheld thermal imaging camera.

(A) (B)

Revisits of the Involved Structure• Important to revisit scene of

incident• Wise to make additional checks• Good rule is to visit 2 hours after

last company or personnel leaves and again within 10 hours

• Crews from the next shift can go by the incident

• Business owner can hire a security company to maintain fire watch

20.33

Debris Removal• Removing debris while searching

for hidden fires is important• Loose material must be removed

and further extinguished• Place material in a pile and lightly

hosed down• When material removal completed,

cover debris with Visqueen to reduce the eyesore

20.34

The Importance of the Overhaul Operations

• Customer service aspects of overhaul are many– Search for hidden fires– Limit amount of uncovered debris left behind– Leave building in a safe state for owners

• Overhaul work is often the only thing owners get to see the result of

• Make sure overhaul works in concert with fire investigator

20.35

Fire Cause Determination Concerns

• Be aware of possible clues as to how the fire started

• All firefighters should listen to the reported information– All available information should be

documented

• During response, additional information may be gathered by questioning

• Firefighters must ensure that investigator pre-approves removal of any part of structure

20.36

Preservation of Evidence• Preserve items that seem out of the

ordinary• Leave items where they are found

and protect and preserve area• Cordon off area• Compromised evidence and areas

because of carelessness can lead to legal actions

20.37

Basics of Point of Origin Determination

• Can be a very scientific pursuit• Investigators employ scientific approach

– Watch for basic clues

• Fire travel the path of least resistance• Determine fire’s starting point and where

it spread is the depth of char• Damage can be influenced by many

factors

20.38

20.39

Figure 20-26 “V” pattern in a structure fire.

20.40

Figure 20-27 Depth of char.

The Importance of Fire Cause Determination

• Assisting fire investigator should be second nature

• Every detail should be noted and passed along

• Fire investigators are just another member of the team

• Firefighters’ actions can help or hinder investigation

20.41

Securing the Building• Make sure the building is secure after

completing all operations• Some jurisdictions rely on board-up

crews or restoration companies• Prior to leaving an incident scene,

consider:– Where will they stay or do business?– What are they going to do for clothing?– Do they have insurance?– Does the Red Cross need to be contacted?

20.42

20.43

Figure 20-28 Building that has been boarded up after a fire.

Lessons Learned• Salvage and overhaul duties are

vital• Salvage and overhaul have a direct

impact on success of incident• These duties are a great customer

service for the homeowner, even if they are never recognized

20.44