In the past decades, lightweight building construction methods and the use of manmade materials in construction and furnishings have become more and more common. The time until structural failure can be expected in a fire has been reduced, and firefighters have seen hotter fires that generate high levels of deadly gasses. But the ventilation methods used by modern firefighters have not kept pace. Positive pressure was first used in the fire service to ventilate a structure after the fire was knocked down. Authors Kriss Garcia, Reinhard Kauffmann, and Ray Schelble have taken positive pressure a step further to achieve effective ventilation in coordination with aggressive fire attack, called positive pressure attack (PPA). Properly used PPA allows firefighters great control over the interior environment of a fire building, and starts at the earliest stages of the operation when ventilation can provide the greatest benefit for victims, firefighters, and the structure. With a small investment in equipment and a commitment to training, any fire department can implement PPA at the company level.
Subjects covered in this book include :
• Basics of positive pressure and how to maximize its effectiveness for fireground ventilation.
• PPA : how effective ventilation can be coordinated to support an aggressive fire attack.
• Safety considerations and limitations of PPA and positive pressure.
• Other ways positive pressure blowers can be used to help victims and firefighters in a variety of situations.
• Implementing PPA on a department, and how to train each engine company to become its own firefighting force that can accomplish both ventilation and fire attack.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1 : Overview of Fireground Ventilation
Chapter 1. : What is Effective Ventilation?
Chapter 2. : Conventional Ventilation Methods
Chapter 3. : Limitations of Conventional Methods
Part 2 : Positive Pressure Attack
Chapter 4. : Understanding Positive Pressure Ventilation
Chapter 5. : PPV Initial Fire Attack = PPA = Coordinated Attack
Part 3 : Beyond the Basics
Chapter 6. : Precautions for Using PPV and PPA
Chapter 7. : PPA and Beyond
Chapter 8. : Introducing PPA to the Department
Chapter 9. : Positive Pressure Evolutions
Chapter 10. : A Deeper Understanding
Chapter 11. : Final Thoughts
Appendix A : Why Positive Pressure Works
Appendix B : Salt Lake City Fire Department PPA Evolutions
Appendix C : AMCA Standards for Blowers
Appendix D : Acronyms and Abbreviations
Bibliography
Index
