1. Chapter 19
Salvage Overhaul 1

2. Knowledge Objectives
Describe the types of lights used to illuminate exterior and interior scenes.
Describe the equipment used to illuminate an emergency scene.
Describe the safety precautions to take when working with lighting equipment.
Describe how to operate lighting equipment to light exterior and interior scenes.
Explain the purpose of salvage operations. 2

3. Knowledge Objectives List the tasks involved in a salvage operation.
Describe how forcible entry operations affect salvage operations.
Describe the safety precautions that need to be considered when performing salvage.
List the tools used to perform salvage operations.
Describe the salvage techniques commonly used to prevent water damage. 3

4. Knowledge Objectives
Describe the general procedures for preventing excess water damage from fire sprinklers.
List the equipment used to shut down fire sprinklers.
Describe the identifying characteristics of a main control valve of a fire sprinkler system.
Describe the general procedures and equipment used to remove excess water from a structure. 4

5. Knowledge Objectives
Describe the general procedures and equipment used to limit smoke and heat damage.
Describe how to maintain salvage covers.
Explain when fire investigators should become involved in salvage operations.
Describe the purpose of overhaul operations.
List the concerns that must be addressed to ensure the health of fire fighters who are performing overhaul. 5

6. Knowledge Objectives
Describe the common methods of air monitoring at the fire scene.
List the concerns that must be addressed to ensure the safety of fire fighters who are performing overhaul.
List the indicators of possible structural collapse.
Explain how to preserve structural integrity during overhaul. 6

7. Knowledge Objectives
Describe how to preserve evidence during overhaul operations.
Explain how fire fighters determine overhaul locations.
List the tools that are used for overhaul operations.
Describe the general techniques used in overhaul operations. 7

8. Skills Objectives Illuminate an emergency scene.
Use a sprinkler wedge to shut down a sprinkler head.
Use a sprinkler stop to shut down a sprinkler head.
Close and reopen a main outside stem and yoke (OS&Y) valve.
Close and open a main post indicator valve.
Construct a water chute.
Construct a water catch-all.

9. Skills Objectives
Fold a salvage cover for one- or two-fire-fighter deployment.
Fold and roll a salvage cover.
Perform a one-fire-fighter salvage cover roll.
Perform a salvage cover shoulder toss.
Perform a salvage cover balloon toss.
Use a multi-gas air-monitoring device.
Open a ceiling to check for fire using a pike pole.
Open an interior wall to check for fire.

10. Introduction Salvage protects property and belongings from damage.
Overhaul ensures that a fire is completely extinguished.
Salvage and overhaul are usually conducted in close coordination with each other.
Fire fighters must attempt to preserve evidence related to the cause of the fire and must be able to see. 10

11. Lighting Many incidents occur at night.
Incidents may require power to be off.
Types of fire service lights
Spotlights: Narrow concentrated beam of light
Floodlights: Diffuse light over a wide area
Lights can be portable or permanently mounted. 11

12. Lighting Methods
Effective lighting improves the efficiency and safety of all crews at an emergency incident, but it requires practice to set up quickly and efficiently. 12

13. Lighting Methods: Exterior Lighting
Permits fire fighters to
See what they are doing
Recognize hazards
Locate victims
Makes emergency scene more visible to drivers
Provides some light to interior of building through doors and windows
Apparatus operators should turn on apparatus-mounted floodlights.

14. Lighting Methods: Interior Lighting
Set up portable light at entry point to serve as a beacon for disoriented fire fighters.
Illuminate interior areas as needed.
Provide ample illumination to facilitate operations and increase safety.
May be needed during daylight 14

15. Lighting Equipment: Portable Lights
Used to illuminate the interior of the building or the fire scene
Range from watts
Use several types of bulbs
© StockPhotosArt/Shutterstock,Inc. 15

16. Lighting Equipment: Portable Lights
The electricity is supplied by
A generator
An inverter
A building’s electrical system
Connected to generators and inverters with electrical cords
Should be stored neatly coiled or on reels on the fire apparatus
The cord is pulled from the reel to the place where the power is needed. 16

17. Lighting Equipment: Junction Boxes
Serve as mobile power outlets
Placed in convenient locations
Are protected by waterproof covers
Are often equipped with small lights to make them easy to locate 17

18. Lighting Equipment: Connectors and Plugs
Use a special connector that attaches with a slight clockwise twist.
Prevents unintentional unplugging or use in standard household outlets 18

19. Lighting Equipment: Apparatus-Mounted Lights
Some can be manually raised to illuminate a larger area.
Mechanically operated light towers can be raised and rotated by remote control.
Courtesy of Bill Larkin.
© FirePhoto/Alamy Images 19

20. Battery-Powered Lights
Used to illuminate immediate work area
Lightweight, easily transported, do not require power cords, and can be used immediately
Personal flashlight should be kept with fire fighters’ PPE.
© 2003, Berta A. Daniels. 20

21. Safety Principles and Practices
Lights and equipment use household current (110-volt AC).
All equipment should be
Properly maintained
Handled carefully
Properly grounded
Do not use equipment that is poorly insulated, worn, or undersized for load.
Generators should be equipped with ground fault interrupters (GFIs). 21

22. Salvage Operations Conducted to save property and reduce damage
Aimed at limiting secondary losses from smoke and water damage 22

23. Salvage Expelling smoke Removing heat Controlling water runoff
Removing water from the building
Securing a building after a fire
Covering broken windows and doors
Patching ventilation openings 23

24. Salvage Protecting property is a responsibility of fire fighters.
Property can be irreplaceable or of high sentimental value (e.g., photos).
Contents may be more valuable than structure (e.g., computers, important files).
Protecting property may be different for a commercial or industrial occupancy.
Do everything possible to reduce damage. 24

25. Safety Considerations During Salvage Operations
Full PPE required, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
Beware of possible structural collapse.
Weakened structural components
Extra water weight
Heavy objects
Water can leak through the building.
Gas and electrical services should always be shut off. 25

26. Salvage Tools Salvage covers Box cutters Floor runners Wet/dry vacuums
Squeegees
Drainage pumps
Sprinkler shut-off kit
Ventilation fans, power blowers
Small tool kit
Pike poles
© Jones & Bartlett Learning. Photographed by Glen E. Ellman. 26

27. Preventing Water Damage
Limit application.
Do not continue to douse a fire that is out.
Turn off hose nozzles when they are not in use.
Look for leaking water pipes 27

28. Deactivating Sprinklers
Most fires can be contained or extinguished by only one or two sprinkler heads
Insert a sprinkler wedge or sprinkler stop to stop flow from sprinkler heads.
Courtesy of Tyco Fire and Building Products.

29. Sprinkler Stops © Jones & Bartlett Learning
Courtesy of Scott Dornan, ConocoPhillips Alaska.

30. Deactivating Sprinklers
If the individual heads cannot be shut off or if several sprinklers have been activated, you can stop the flow by closing the main control valve.
If a drain valve is found, open it to drain the system quickly.
The main control valve for a sprinkler system is usually an OS&Y valve or a post indicator valve (PIV).
Some sprinkler systems also have zone valves controlling flow of water to different areas.

31. Replacing Sprinkler Heads
An activated sprinkler head must be replaced with another head of the same design, size, and temperature rating.
The valve must be closed and the system drained before a sprinkler head can be changed.
Special wrenches must be use to prevent damage.
This task takes special training. 31

32. Removing Water Channel to a drain or outside of building.
Salvage pump may be needed
Drains should be kept clear.
Removing the toilet creates a large drain capable of handling large quantities of water as long as it does not become clogged.
Create an opening at floor-level in an exterior wall to allow water to drain to the outside. 32

33. Removing Water Water chute
Channels water to a drain or outside the structure
Water catch-all
A temporary pond that catches dripping water and holds it in place 33

34. Removing Water Water vacuum Small or large Can use wet/dry shop vacuum
Drainage pumps
Electric or gas powered 34

35. Limiting Smoke and Heat Damage
Keep smoke and heat out of uninvolved areas.
Close doors after a room is searched.
Perform rapid ventilation.
Use salvage covers to protect contents. 35

36. Salvage Covers Begin on floor below the fire.
Move contents to center of room.
Place small objects in drawers.
Cover with salvage cover.
© Jones & Bartlett Learning. Photographed by Glen E. Ellman. 36

37. Salvage Covers
Some departments use rolls of construction- grade polyethylene film.
Comes in rolls that can be cut to the correct length
Material is disposable and can be left behind
Traditional salvage covers must be picked up, washed, dried, and properly folded for storage.
Special folding and rolling techniques permit rapid deployment. 37

38. Salvage Cover Maintenance
Must be adequately maintained to preserve shelf life
Clean with a scrub brush and clean water.
Dry canvas covers before returning them to service.
After drying, inspect salvage covers for tears and holes.
Damage can be fixed with duct tape or patch. 38

39. Floor Runners Protect carpets and hardwood floors from the following:
Water
Debris
Fire fighters’ boots
Firefighting equipment
Unroll runners ahead of you
Stay on the runner while working in the area 39

40. Other Salvage Operations
Move contents to safe location within structure.
Move contents outside the structure.
Place valuable items in the care of the owner or a law enforcement officer.
Fire investigators may need to be consulted and can supervise the removal.
Operations sometimes extend outside of the building. 40

41. Overhaul
Process of searching for and extinguishing hidden fire and embers
A single pocket of embers can cause a rekindle.
Fire not fully extinguished until overhaul is complete
Overhaul can be time-consuming and physically demanding. 41

42. Overhaul Process Identify and open any void spaces.
Expose any burned areas.
Materials that are still burning must be soaked with water or removed from the building.
Overhaul is also required for nonstructure fires. 42

43. Health Considerations During Overhaul
Even after ventilation, overhaul is conducted in an environment with unknown amounts of smoke, soot, and other partly burned substances.
The atmosphere during overhaul contains poisonous gases in unknown quantities.
In cases of an enclosed compartment, the atmosphere may contain elevated levels of carbon dioxide or decreased levels of oxygen.

44. Health Considerations During Overhaul
Two types of health hazard
Immediate and deadly illness
Long-term health hazards and cancer
Poisonous substances can enter the body in three ways:
Absorption
Inhalation
Accidental ingestion

45. Health Considerations During Overhaul
Firefighters must wear full PPE and SCBA
Carefully remove and clean contaminated PPE as soon as possible.
Be sure to thoroughly shower and clean your hands and body.
Ensure adequate rehabilitation; work for short periods and take frequent breaks.

46. Air Monitoring No single best practice or device
Most common method is the use of single-gas detection devices.
Other methods include multi-gas meters and using more than one technology
The AHJ will determine the exact monitoring device to be used and SOPs to follow if the device activates.

47. Air Monitoring: Electrochemical Sensors
One of the most common technologies used
Filled with a chemical reagent that reacts if exposed to the target gas
Courtesy of Rob Schnepp.

48. Air Monitoring: Photoionization Detector
Uses ultraviolet light to ionize the gases that move through the sensor
Detects organic materials
Does not identify which toxic gas is present
Courtesy of Rob Schnepp.

49. Air Monitoring: Colorimetric Tubes
Used to detect the presence and/or levels of chemical vapors
Used to confirm the readings of other technologies
Detect single substances or chemical families

50. Safety Considerations During Overhaul
Fire fighters may be fatigued.
May overlook hazards
Overhaul should occur at a steady pace.
Structural integrity may be compromised.
Visibility may be limited.
Surfaces can be wet or icy.
Dangerous equipment is used in close quarters. 50

51. Safety Considerations: Overhaul
When necessary, take extra time to evaluate hazards and determine the safest way to proceed.
A charged hose line must always be ready.
Safety officer should be present to note hazards and ensure safe operations.
Company officers should supervise operations, look for hazards, and make sure crew members work carefully and in appropriate numbers. 51

52. Safety Considerations: Overhaul
Look for indicators of possible collapse.
Do not compromise the structural integrity of the building.
IC may call for hydraulic overhaul or a fire watch.
Appropriate if the site poses excessive risk and there is no salvage value
Heavy mechanical equipment may be used
Fire watch may be established. 52

53. Preserving Evidence During Overhaul
Ensure evidence is not lost or destroyed.
Investigator should examine area before overhaul commences.
Note burn patterns.
Note whether appliances are plugged in/on.
If anything suspicious is found, delay overhaul.
Never discard debris without investigator approval. 53

54. Where to Overhaul
Depends on building construction, contents, and fire size
Fire-resistive construction
Utility shafts
Pipe chases
Doors or dampers that did not close tightly
Wood-frame and ordinary construction
Open every wall, ceiling, and potential void space. 54

55. Where to Overhaul Balloon-frame construction
Fire can spread from basement to attic without showing on other floors.
Careful overhaul of every floor is required.
© Jones & Bartlett Learning 55

56. Where to Overhaul Look for voids created by remodeling. False ceilings
False doors
Consider the cause and original location of the fire in determining where to overhaul.
Check areas around ventilation ducts and chimneys.
Check areas around wiring and piping in electrical fires. 56

57. Where to Overhaul Look for: Smoke Embers Burned areas Discolorations
Peeling paint or cracked plaster
Listen for
Crackling sounds
Hissing sounds
Feel for
Heat (use back of hand) 57

58. Thermal Imaging Can detect hot spots or residual pockets of fire
Decreases the time needed to overhaul
Interpreting readings takes practice and training
Does not replace thorough investigation
© Jones & Bartlett Learning

59. Overhaul Techniques
Charged hose line should be available to douse sudden flare-ups.
Extinguish any fire or embers.
Drop smoldering objects into water.
Remove smoldering contents to outside.
Remove mattresses and other materials prone to smoldering.
Do not block entrances or exits.
Enlarge a window if necessary. 59

60. Overhaul Tools Pike poles Rubbish hooks Ceiling hooks Rakes Crowbars
Thermal imaging cameras
Halligan tools
Hose lines
Axes
Power tools
Pitchforks
Shovels 60

61. Overhaul Tools
A 1½ in. or 1¾ in.(38 or 45 mm) hose line is usually sufficient to extinguish hot spots.
Buckets, tubs, wheelbarrows, and carryalls are used to remove debris from a building.
Courtesy of Cascade Fire Equipment Company. 61

62. Opening Walls and Ceilings
Use pike pole or ceiling hook to penetrate wall or ceiling.
Power saws may be required to cut through ceilings made with plywood or solid boards.
Pike poles, power saws, and handsaws can be used to open a hole in a wall.
When using an axe, make vertical cuts with the blade, and then pull the wallboard away.
A power saw also can be used to make vertical cuts. 62

63. Summary
Salvage and overhaul limit and reduce property loses from a fire. Salvage efforts protect property and belongings from damage, particularly from the effects of smoke and water. Overhaul ensures that a fire is completely extinguished by finding, exposing, and suppressing any smoldering or hidden pockets of fire in an area that has been burned. 63

64. Summary
Because many emergency incidents occur at night, lighting is required to illuminate the scene and enable safe, efficient operations. Both interior and exterior lighting are essential for fire fighters to conduct search and rescue, ventilation, fire suppression, salvage, and overhaul operations. 64

65. Summary
All electrical equipment must be properly grounded. Electrical cords must be well insulated, without cuts or defects, and properly sized to handle the required amperage.
Lights can be portable or mounted on apparatus. Large hand lights that project a powerful beam of light are preferred for search and rescue activities and interior fire suppression operations when fire fighters must penetrate smoke-filled areas quickly. 65

66. Summary
Salvage efforts usually are aimed at preventing or limiting secondary losses. Salvage operations include ejecting smoke, removing heat, controlling water runoff, removing water from the building, securing a building after a fire, covering broken windows and doors, and providing temporary patches for ventilation openings in the roof to protect the structure and contents. 66

67. Summary
Safety is a primary concern during salvage operations. Structural collapse is always a possibility because of fire damage to the building’s structural components. In addition, the water can add extra weight.
The best way to prevent water damage at a fire scene is to limit the amount of water used to fight the fire. One way to do so is to shut down the sprinkler system. Sprinklers should not be shut down until ordered to do so by the IC. 67

68. Summary
Sprinklers can be shut down by using sprinkler wedges or sprinkler stops or by shutting off the main control valve.
Water may be removed from a structure with a salvage pump, water chutes, water catch-alls, wet vacuums, or drainage pumps.
Salvage techniques to limit smoke and heat damage include closed doors, ventilation, salvage covers, and floor runners. 68

69. Summary
The best way to protect an object from water and smoke damage is to remove it from the structure and place it in a safe location.
Overhaul is the process of searching for and extinguishing any pockets of fire that remain after a fire has been brought under control. A single pocket of embers can rekindle after fire fighters leave the scene and cause even more damage and destruction than the original fire. 69

70. Summary
Threats to health are an important consideration during overhaul
Use full PPE, including SCBA, to prevent contamination from carcinogen agents and poisonous gases that are present during overhaul.
Use air monitoring technology to avoid toxic substances present at the fire scene. 70

71. Summary
Many injuries can occur during overhaul. During this time, fire fighters may be physically fatigued and require rehabilitation. In addition, the structure may be compromised and visibility limited. Be aware of these hazards, and proceed with caution.
During all phases of fire-ground operations, be alert for unusual signs or activities that might help the fire investigator during the fire investigation. 71

72. Summary
Be sure to coordinate your activities with those of the fire investigator.
A charged hose line must always be ready for use during overhaul operations to suppress flare-ups and explosions.
Always evaluate the structural condition of a building before beginning overhaul. Look for indicators of possible structural collapse. 72

73. Summary
During overhaul operations, do not compromise the structural integrity of the building.
The area that must be overhauled depends on the building’s construction, its contents, and the size of the fire. All areas directly involved in the fire must be overhauled.
Use your senses of sight, hearing, and touch to determine where overhaul is needed.
A thermal imaging device is helpful in locating hot spots during overhaul. 73