1 Del. Admin. Code § 709-5-3.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 7, January 1, 2025

Section 709-5-3.0 - Structures

3.1 General. Strict safety practices shall be applied to all structures selected for live fire training evolutions. These practices will vary greatly in the degree of application when comparing burn building structures to acquired structures. By their nature, burn buildings have been designed specifically for the purpose of repeated live fire training evolutions and include safeguards that only become unacceptably hazardous through misuse or improper maintenance. Acquired structures, on the other hand, were never designed or intended for burn applications and through disrepair may lack even fundamental elements of fire resistance.

3.2 Procurement of Acquired Buildings

3.2.1 Any building that is considered for a structural fire training shall be properly prepared for the live fire training. Preparation will include following the Delaware Fire Prevention Commission Burn Regulations.

3.3 Preparation of Acquired Buildings

3.3.1 In preparation for live fire training, an inspection of the structure shall be made to determine that the floors, walls, stairs, and other structural components are capable of withstanding the weight of content, participants, and accumulated water.

3.3.2 Removal or neutralization of all hazardous storage and conditions within the structure shall be accomplished. Closed containers and highly combustible materials shall be removed. Oil tanks and similar closed vessels that cannot easily be removed shall be vented sufficiently to eliminate an explosion or overpressure rupture, and have any hazardous or combustible atmosphere within the tank or other vessel shall be rendered inert. Hazards potentially dangerous to participants such as floor openings, missing stair treads and rails, and other such hazards shall be repaired or made inaccessible.

3.3.3 In order to secure optimum participant personal safety from unforeseen environmental hazards, a careful examination of the building or structure shall be conducted to determine that the following items have been addressed, if applicable, to the specific evolution.

3.3.3.1 Floors, railings, and stairs shall be made safe;

3.3.3.2 Special attention shall be given to potential chimney hazards;

3.3.3.3 Debris creating or contributing to unsafe conditions shall be removed;

3.3.3.4 Extraordinary weight above the training area shall be removed or the area below it shall be rendered inaccessible;

3.3.3.5 Adequate ventilation openings shall be made in the roof;

3.3.3.6 Utilities shall be disconnected;

3.3.3.7 All forms of asbestos deemed hazardous to personnel shall be removed.

3.3.4 Roof ventilation openings that are normally closed but can be opened in the event of emergency may be utilized. These may consist of panels or hinged covers.

3.3.5 Buildings that cannot be made safe as required by subsection 3.3 shall not be utilized for interior live fire training evolutions.

3.4 Exposures

3.4.1 Adjacent building or property that might become involved shall be properly protected in accordance with the Delaware Fire Prevention Commission Burn Regulations.

3.4.2 Utility service adjacent to the building shall be removed or protected.

3.4.3 Property adjacent to the building that could be affected by the smoke from the building, such as railroads, airports, or heliports; nursing homes, hospitals, or other similar facilities shall be identified and the person-in-charge informed about the date and time of the live fire training evolution.

3.4.4 Streets or highways in the vicinity of the building shall be surveyed for potential effects from live fire training evolutions. Appropriate safeguards shall be taken to eliminate any possible hazard to motorists. Such safeguards may include street closing, traffic rerouting, signs, and police traffic control.

3.4.5 Pedestrian traffic in the vicinity of the building shall be kept clear of the operations area of the live burn. Fire lines shall be established for this purpose.

3.5 Water Supply

3.5.1 The water supply for any individual live fire training evolution shall be assessed based on the extent of the evolutions, size and structure of the building and contents to be involved, method of attack to be employed, protection of exposures, and reserves for unexpected problems.

3.5.2 Separate sources shall be utilized for supply of attack lines and backup lines in order to preclude the loss of both water supply sources at the same time.

3.6 Vehicle Parking/Staging

3.6.1 Adequate areas for staging, operating, and parking of the fire apparatus that will be used in the live fire training evolution shall be designated.

3.6.2 An area shall be designated to park fire apparatus and vehicles that are not a part of the evolution so as to not interfere with fire ground operations. Consideration shall be given to locating this area for prompt response of apparatus in the event of an emergency.

3.6.3 If required or necessary, parking areas for police vehicles or for the press shall be designated.

3.6.4 A parking area for an ambulance or emergency medical service vehicle shall be designated. Consideration shall be given to locating this area for prompt response in the event of a personal injury to participants in the evolution.

3.6.5 Consideration shall be given to the designation and layout of ingress-egress routes in order to assure their availability in the event of an emergency.

3.7 Preburn Briefing Session

3.7.1 Prior to conducting actual live fire training evolutions in the building, a preburn briefing session shall be conducted for all participants. All facets of all evolution to be conducted shall be discussed and assignments shall be made for all crews participating in the training session. The location of simulated victims (see subsection 5.2.10) need not be disclosed, provided that the possibility of victims is discussed in the preburn briefing.

3.7.2 Prior to conducting any live fire training in the structure, all participants shall have a knowledge and familiarity with the layout of the building in order to facilitate necessary evacuation of the building. Prior to conducting any live fire training in the structure, all participants of the evolution shall be required to have a walk-through of the structure.

3.7.3 A building evacuation plan shall be established and an evacuation signal shall be demonstrated to all participants prior to the live fire training evolution.

3.8 Spectator Safety

3.8.1 All spectators shall be restricted to an area outside the operations area perimeter established by the fire chief or his designee.

3.8.2 Visitors allowed to observe operations and allowed within the perimeter shall be escorted at all times.

1 Del. Admin. Code § 709-5-3.0

26 DE Reg. 937 (5/1/2023) (final)