Horizontal Ventilation:

1

• Horizontal Ventilation
• Overview and the use of
• Positive Pressure Ventilation.
• June 2006

2
Fire fighter on Fire attack gets a surprise when
Ventilation is done independent from Fire attack

• Fire was pushed by Positive Pressure around a
  kitchen area back upon FFs

3
Horizontal VentilationIntroduction

• Ventilation is considered to be primarily a Tuck
  company function. However engine companies can
  and will do ventilation.
• It is the Company Officers responsibility to
  select the appropriate type of ventilation based
  on fire ground priorities and strategies.
• It is everyones responsibilities to understand
  when, why and how to perform ventilation.

4
Ventilation defined

• Ventilation is a planned and systematic release
  and removal of heated heated smoke and toxic
  gases and a replacement of these products of
  combustion with a supply of cool fresh air. (HFD
  training manual)
• Planned
• Systematic
• Removal of smoke and toxic gases.
• Replace with cool fresh air.

5
Types of Ventilation

• Natural
• Mechanical
• Positive Pressure Ventilation
• Positive Pressure Attack

6
Natural

• Basic
• Passive
• Openings are Leeward to Windward
• Used best on uninvolved areas
• Remember to close doors and windows to decrease
  spread and control air flow.

7
Mechanical

• Same concepts as with Natural
• Powered
• Electric smoke ejector
• Hose line on fog pattern.
• Close doors and windows to decrease spread and
  control air flow!

8
Positive Pressure Ventilation -PPV-

• Very Common
• Misused
• PPV generally takes place after initial fire
  attack and after fire is out.
• Powered by at least 10,000 CFM Fan
• Close doors and windows!!!

9
Positive Pressure Attack -PPA-

• NOT Positive pressure ventilation.
• Put in place prior to attack crew going in.
• Aggressive and well coordinated
• Planned and Systematic
• PLEASE close those doors and widows!!!

10
Positive Pressure Attack -PPA-Successful and Safe

• Need to have four things
• Training!
• Attack crew ready to go!
• Exhaust opening first!
• PP Fan in place!

11
Positive Pressure Attack -PPA-Effects

• Crew not subjected to physics of heat and smoke.
• Rapidly reduces fires ability to grow and
  advance.
• Improves patient survivability
• Speeds search
• Speeds attack
• Reduces property damage
• Can reduce need for vertical ventilation.

12
Uses of PPV and PPA

• Exposure protection
• Basement fires

13

• The objective is to introduce PPV ahead of a
  moving fire and force it back into the fire area
  and out an exit point.

14
Contraindications to PPA

• Unknown exhaust point.
• The Victims of Firefighters are between the fire
  and the exhaust point.
• Unknown fire location or hidden fires.

Thou shalt NOT!!
15
Precautions

• Attic fires
• Balloon frame construction
• Blow torch effect
• Do not direct a fire stream into an operating
  PPV/PPA exit point
• All concealed spaces need to be checked for
  extension.
• Introduction of CO

16
Review

• Natural horizontal ventilation
• Mechanical horizontal ventilation
• Positive Pressure Ventilation
• Positive pressure Attack

17

• There IS a difference between

Positive Pressure Ventilation

and
Positive Pressure Attack
18

• Questions?