Structural
Anatomy™ / Building Construction
The Command Institute at EMAC International
is proud to offer the pioneering Structural
Anatomy™ Series of specialized courses.
This series correlates firefighting skills
with the science of building construction.
It integrates groundbreaking instruction
on structural combat/command risk assessment,
fire dynamics and building performance
for the fire services.
|
|
|
|
These courses
and training programs elevate
the foundation of knowledge of
building construction for the
fire services by addressing critical
issues of fundamental and emerging
command, operational, risk reduction
and technical proficiency…issues
which affect structural combat
fire engagement for occupancies
in the built environment. The
series integrates classical physics
and fire suppression theory,
and traditional fire suppression
operations with cutting edge
perspectives. Our instructors
will provide insights into the
emerging philosophies of command
safety, proactive risk reduction
and visionary structural fire
suppression.
|
|
These essential
courses and training programs
bridge the gap between basic
building construction principles
and the need to expand technical
proficiencies, knowledge of building
performance, stability and inherent
occupancy hazard characteristics.
The courses will provide the
student with a comprehensive
understanding of the interrelated
basis of physics, fire dynamics,
building performance, firefighter
survivability, command safety
and effective risk assessment.
This knowledge is vital to ensure
that personnel and company safety
is paramount during structural
combat fire engagement, and that
the lessons learned from historical
fire events are not repeated.
|
|
|
The Structural Anatomy™ Building
Construction Series of courses establishes the
new standard from which structural fire suppression
theory
will evolve. The courses use case studies to demonstrate
the lessons learned from those events. Those studies
show intrinsic building performance and structural
stability factors along with universal strategic
and tactical protocols that form the constants
in structural combat fire engagement within various
occupancies. The courses examine in detail the
following:
elements of building construction; structural assemblies;
building support and supply systems; and the anatomy
of structures and occupancies. The instructor will
show how those elements are related to time, fire
involvement, fire dynamics and the interaction
of fire suppression efforts. And all of this takes
place
while firefighters are working under the prevailing
theories of strategic command, tactical deployments
and task assignments.
|
The Structural Anatomy™ Building
Construction Series prepares participants
for the increasing challenges and demands
of their future structural combat fire
assignments. These essential training programs
fill in the gap for those who have little
experience under actual combat fire suppression
incidents. They will be able to expand
their opportunities for skill development
in recognition-primed decision-making,
structural anatomy knowledge of buildings
and the effects of fire involvement. Instructors
will use researched fire suppression operating
experiences, close-calls, case studies,
first hand fireground experience and predictable
and constants in occupancy performance
under fire conditions.
|
|
|
|
|
The Structural
Anatomy™ Building Construction
Series is far more than just
a series of offerings on building
construction. The various courses
and programs will provide new
insights for the current and
upcoming generation of firefighters,
company officers and incident
commanders, and will provide
the necessary technical skills,
competencies and proficiencies
required for firefighter survivability.
The series will assist in the
efforts to reduce and ultimately
eliminate contributing factors
in line of duty deaths and
fireground injuries.
|
|
The Structural Anatomy™ Building Construction
Series course offerings can be adjusted and modified
to address local and regional issues of the participants.
This includes anything affecting the pre-planning,
risk assessment, deployment and response, strategic & tactical
operations, command and safety considerations as
well as focusing on specific occupancies, building
types or target hazards.
The cardinal rule of structural
firefighting: No building is worth the life of
a firefighter
and
there is never, ever a routine call...
remember,
everyone goes home.
|
SA 100 - Structural
Anatomy™ for the Command and Company Officer:
Surviving Combat Fire Engagement
A comprehensive presentation of risk-significant occupancies and correlating
construction and structural assemblies and systems that directly influence company
officer decision-making and risk assessment during combat fireground engagement.
Key cue-based indicators and recognition-primed decision making will be discussed,
inherent collapse considerations of structural assemblies and systems, structural
stability and company officer considerations for tactical deployment for enhancing
firefighter survivability.
SA 101 - Structural
Anatomy™:
Wood Frame and Ordinary Construction - Fire Operations
Escalating trends in firefighter fatalities and injuries, and the decline in
structural fire incidents has impacted the current generation of firefighters
who have limited structural firefighting experience. They will gain an understanding
of inherent construction features and hazards that directly influence effective
risk management and decisive strategic and tactical considerations.
SA 102 - Structural
Anatomy™ of Light Weight Roof and Floor Systems -
Tips for Staying Alive
The inherent dangers of light-weight roof and floor systems contribute significantly
to common causes resulting in firefighter line of duty deaths during combat
fire suppression operations. This program examines construction systems, assemblies
and elements, inherent collapse features and their integrity considerations
during combat fire suppression operations.
SA 103 - Structural
Anatomy™ for the Company Officer:
Surviving Combat Fire Engagement in Residential and Multiple Occupancy Structures
Residential structure fires in single and multiple occupancy dwellings are
never routine. The inherent dangers in these occupancies, along with strategic
and tactical recognition-primed decision-making factors for tactical operations
are presented to enhance operations, management and crew integrity. Specific
construction features, support and assembly systems, building performance and
case studies will be presented.
SA 104 - Structural
Anatomy™:
Floor and Roof Support Systems
The structural anatomy of floor and roof systems examines in detail the structural
support, assemblies and systems types that comprise roof and floor systems
that may be found within various occupancies and structures. Material and assembly
performance, construction techniques, structural stability factors, fire exposure
and fire dynamics affects will be explored. This program will address system
characteristics, risk hazards and operational concerns for all five standard
construction classifications.
SA 105 - Structural
Anatomy™:
Truss Systems Awareness
The inherent structural characteristics, materials usage, performance and supporting
systems for truss construction provides students with a defined understanding
of the truss systems and their stability and expected performance under structural
fire conditions. A detailed examination of truss systems and their various
applications and uses, methods and materials of construction, engineering features
and performance under fire conditions will be presented. Case studies will
reinforce concepts presented to provide students with a greater degree of understanding
and awareness of risk factors for deployment and operations under fireground
task assignments.
SA 106 - Structural
Anatomy™ for Rapid Intervention Team Commanders
The structural Anatomy for RIT Team Commanders provides a comprehensive overview
of strategic engineering features, structural performance, material characteristic
and assembly systems. This overview will support a greater sensitivity and
a heightened awareness of construction features and occupancy profiles to aid
RIT Team commanders with potential deployment and intervention into the various
types of structures and occupancies. Structural floor, roof and wall systems
are reviewed, significant building features are further explored that will
enhance operational deployment for RIT commanders during assessment size-ups,
action plan formulation and intervention as emergency operations dictate.
SA 107 - Structural
Anatomy™:
Fire Behavior and Building Performance
This program explores the classical concepts of fire behavior and its relationship
to building performance during combat structural fire operations. Students
will gain a greater degree of understanding of the physics of fire behavior
and smoke movement, fire loading, and fire suppression effects. They can better
prepare themselves to read and understand smoke conditions, predict with increased
assurance the current and projected growth, magnitude and severity of structural
fires in built occupancies. They will assimilate those indicators with the
recognition-primed decision-making process to develop actions plans for tactical
deployment. Regardless of rank or assignment, this program is a prime stepping
point in understanding the performance characteristics and anatomy of compartment
and structural fires.
SA 108 - Structural
Anatomy™ Ordinary Construction - More than Brick
and Joist
The anatomy of ordinary construction, typically referred to as brick and joist
construction, requires an understanding of significant building features, such
as structural supporting systems and load bearing and load transfer elements.
This will enable students to gain a greater appreciation of the unique systems
that comprise these structures and affect nearly all fire and emergency response
organizations through out the world. These structures can be found in rural,
suburban and metropolitan locations and pose significant risks to emergency
responders who do not recognize and take into account the inherent risk factors
that formulate the basis for safe and effective combat structural fire operations.
Students will learn to recognize when changes have been made to a structure
that have altered its original use and performance. They will learn to identify
inherent structural collapse features, age and deterioration, as well as renovations
and alternations in occupancy, and use and structural configuration. Instructors
will use numerous case studies incorporating operating experiences and the
lessons learned from numerous line of duty death incidents to provide the student
with the necessary knowledge to conduct effective recognition-primed decision-making
and size-up. Students will be able to develop action plans to support strategic
and tactical assignments. Ordinary construction and the study of its anatomy,
is truly more than just brick and joists.
SA 109 - Structural
Anatomy™/ Building Construction:
Residential Construction
A detailed examination of residential construction, building materials, methods
of construction and technology, inherent structural deficiencies and architectural
features that provide the layout and configurations that form the “bread
and butter” of most emergency service responses. These structures contribute
to a significant number of LODD’s and injuries to firefighters and emergency
responders annually. The current generation of residential construction and
occupancy usage poses significant hazards and risk to firefighters, company
officers and incident commanders. The structural anatomy of residential construction
provides the needed edge in awareness, knowledge and principles to engage safely
in residential compartment and structural fire incidents.
SA 110 - Structural
Anatomy™/ Building Construction:
Balloon Frame Construction
The balloon framed structure, predominantly built up thru the early 1950’ s
are prevalent throughout the United States in an extensive variety of sizes,
configurations and occupancy usage. The unique fire and smoke behavior characteristics
that contribute towards rapid fire travel, high risk occupant hazards, exposure
and significant fire extension concerns continue to challenge deployments to
structural fire incidents. These factors coupled with the building’s
structural stability risks and inherent combustibility require a balanced understanding
of these construction features, typical floor plan configurations and expected
hazards.
SA 111 - Structural
Anatomy™/ Building Construction:
Garden Apartment and Townhouses
A comprehensive examination of the anatomy of Garden
Apartment and Townhouse layouts, construction techniques,
features and arrangements. In many areas of the country,
garden apartment and townhouses, comprise a significantly
higher share of the residential settings. The challenges
posed by these multiple occupancies are significant in the
areas of rapid fire extension, structural performance, fire
affects on occupants and firefighters, and typically are
resource intensive under structural fire conditions. The
structural anatomy of Garden Apartment and Townhouse construction
provides the needed edge in awareness, knowledge and principles
to engage safely in Apartment and Townhouse compartment and
structural fire incidents.
SA
112 - Structural Anatomy™/ Building Construction:
Fire Resistive and Non-Combustible Construction
A focused analysis and examination of Fire Resistive and Non-Combustible Construction
through the use of case studies and operating experience. Students will learn
the elements of construction, materials, structural systems, performance and
integrity factors and features which contribute toward high stakes risk assessment
and fluid monitoring of these structures during incident operations. Enhanced
insights into material performance, fabrication, assembly and construction
provide familiarity in applying these construction and material methods to
the occupancies within your jurisdiction.
SA 113 - Structural
Anatomy™/ Building Construction:
Commercial and Retail Structures
Commercial and retail structure fires are typically not the most common of
incident responses, but are the most deadly when operating under structural
fire conditions. The scale and layouts of these occupancy types, construction
features, fire loading and stability factors create significant risks to all
personnel operating at these incidents. These types of fires include many variables
such as construction techniques, materials and support systems, coupled with
the factors of occupancy, use, arrangement, built-in protection systems, and
degree of fire loading, age, alterations and renovations. Commercial and retail
structure fires continue to have an adverse impact on most deployed resources
within the areas of command, control, resources, suppression capabilities,
safety and tactical deployment. This class will provide the needed edge in
awareness, knowledge and principles to engage safely in commercial and retail
compartment and structural fire incidents.
SA 114 - Structural
Anatomy™/ Building Construction for the Safety Officer
The Safety Officer requires an acute and discriminating set of skills and knowledge
of building construction to base incident operational decisions and recommendations
to the Incident Commander or Command Teams. Responsibilities for the Safety
Officer include monitoring and measuring the performance and stability of a
given occupancy during combat structural fire engagement or while operating
in a non-fire suppression operation within a structure or at a compromised
or collapse scene. This program provides crucial insights and examines key
operational elements of various building types, occupancies and construction
features to enhance or expand the Safety Officer’s recognition-primed
assessment and decision-making process to support safe and effective incident
operations.
SA 115 - LODD
and Close Calls:
Structural Collapse Incidents Operating Experience
The class features a highly dynamic and thought-provoking examination of significant
LODD and close call case studies and incident events involving contributing
or causal factors resulting from structural collapse operations. An examination
of the lessons learned that can limit or preclude similar events will be discussed.
Methods for integrating these lessons into operation experiences for enhanced
training will be presented.
SA 116 -Structural
Reconnaissance for Initial Company Operations
This course features an examination of methods and techniques for cue-based
risk assessment and profiling. Students will learn critical reconnaissance
techniques to identify inherent and distinctive building construction hazards
and challenges that may affect initial company operations. The course will
emphasize cue-based risk assessment, size-up profiling, structural reconnaissance
techniques, occupancy risk assessment, and structural and construction systems
profiling. Students will see how these factors have a direct relationship on
initial company structural fire operations, firefighter survivability and the
incident management decision-making process. The presentation will identify
the methods and techniques to implement effective structural reconnaissance,
company safety and integrity, and will provide indicators to enhance the performance
of successfully completing fireground assignments for suppression, search,
and rescue and tactical support functions.
SA 117 - Strategic
Risk Assessment and Size Up for the Incident Commander
What are the key incident indicators that an effective incident command must
identify, evaluate and act upon in a timely manner? This program examines key
risk assessment and size-up elements that contribute to the strategic decision-making
process. Students will gain an understanding of recognition-primed assessment
and evaluations and the decision-making process for rapid and accurate problem
identification, assessment, prioritization, and subsequent assignment or determination.
SA 118 - Structural
Collapse During Fireground Operations - What You Don’t
Know WILL Kill You.
Structural fire suppression operations can be challenging tasks unto themselves;
however, a compromised or collapse event during combat fire engagement can
significantly affect the stability and command management of suppression operations
requiring significant changes in the incident action plan. Recognizing subtle
or obvious precursors to collapse, inherent construction assembly factors and
structural integrity indicators will reduce risk factors and contribute toward
safer operations.
SA 119 - Building
Construction Risk Assessment for Structural Firefighting
Operations
An examination of current trends and methods in building construction. The
course will emphasize the return to basics approach to occupancy risk assessment,
structural and construction systems, and their direct relationship on structural
firefighting operations, firefighter survivability and the incident scene decision-making
process. Escalating trends in firefighter fatalities and injuries, and the
decline in structural fire incidents has impacted the current generation of
firefighters who have limited structural firefighting experience. They will
gain an understanding of inherent construction features and hazards that directly
influence effective risk management and decisive strategic and tactical considerations.
This program examines crucial construction elements and occupancy types and
correlates building construction performance toward combat structural fire
suppression operations.
SA 120 - Principles
of Structural Collapse for Rapid Intervention Teams
The Principles of Structural Collapse for Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT) provides
a comprehensive overview of strategic engineering features, collapse profiles,
mechanisms, structural collapse performance, material characteristics, and
assembly systems. This overview will provide RIT members with a greater sensitivity
and awareness of the interdependent collapse elements of construction and occupancy
profiles. This will aid them with coordinated deployment and intervention into
the various types of compromised structures and occupancies. The course will
review inherent structural collapse considerations, collapse phases, operational
considerations, floor, roof, and wall systems factors. Other significant building
features are further explored that will enhance operational deployment for
RIT members during assessment size-ups, action plan formulation, team operations
and intervention as emergency operations dictate.
SA 121 - Fire
Behavior and Fire Dynamics for the Command and Company
Officer
A dynamic program that provides Command and Company Officers with specific
emphasis on the classical concepts of fire behavior and its relationship on
building performance during combat structural fire operations. The program
is designed to focus upon understanding of the physics of fire behavior and
smoke movement, fire loading and fire suppression effects from the perspective
of the Command or Company Officer. Personnel can better prepare themselves
to read and understand smoke conditions, predict with increased assurance the
current and projected growth, magnitude and severity of structural fires in
built occupancies. They will assimilate those indicators with the recognition-primed
decision-making process to develop actions plans for tactical deployment. This
program is a prime stepping point in understanding the performance characteristics
and anatomy of compartment and structural fires.
SA 122 - Construction
Site Hazards, Operations, and Safety Considerations
The significant challenges and safety precautions necessary to operate at construction
sites are explored and discussed. This program focuses on hazard recognition
and operational safety considerations. The instructor will address a broad-based
review of construction sites, phases of construction, hazards and risk identification,
strategic and tactical limiting factors, and recognition-primed decision-making.
Students will review case studies from real-life construction site incidents.
The program addresses command, strategic and tactical considerations for the
command, company and firefighter ranks.
To schedule or inquire
about a course, please contact us.
|
|
|
