Operations in the Wildland/Urban Interface

1. S-215
Unit 5
Structure Triage
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-1

2. S-215
• List the four structure triage
categories and the four items in the
decision process.
• List five factors upon which to base
structure triage decisions, and give
three examples of each.
• List conditions that may indicate
that a structure cannot be saved.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-2

3. S-215
• Eliminate
the hopeless.
• Ignore the
unnecessary.
• Deal with
the rest.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-3

4. S-215
• Defensible – Prep and Hold
• Defensible – Standalone
• Non-Defensible – Prep and Leave
• Non-Defensible – Rescue
Drive-by
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-4

5. S-215
Imagine the
greatest
potential
threat and
temper
with the
probable
threat.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-5

6. S-215
JP Harris – Los Angels County Fire (Ret.)
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-6

7. S-215
Triage Checklists
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-7

8. S-215
• Firefighter and
public safety
• Fire behavior
• Surrounding fuels
(Is there defensible
space?)
• Available resources
• Condition of structure
itself
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-8

9. S-215
Scenario 1
House #2
50’
House #1
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-9

10. S-215
House #2
House #1
500 gal.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-10

11. S-215
House #2
House #1
250 gal.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-11

12. S-215
House #2
House #1
5 min. away
500 gal.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-12

13. S-215
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-13

14. S-215
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-14

15. S-215
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-15

16. S-215
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-16

17. S-215
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-17

18. S-215
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-18

19. S-215
#2
#3
#4
#1
500 gal.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-19

20. S-215
#2
#3
#4
#1
500 gal.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-20

21. S-215
#2
#3
#1
#4
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-21

22. S-215
Events that affect your triage decisions:
• Fire is making significant runs and will
impact the structure.
• Spot fires in and around the structure
are exceeding suppression capability.
• There is a limited water supply.
• Conditions are changing that affect
your safety.
• More than 25% of the roof is involved.
• Interior rooms are involved.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-22

23. S-215
• Use a triage checklist, if
available.
• Maintain your situation
awareness.
• Be realistic about your
goals and capabilities.
• Don’t let emotions
cloud sound judgment.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-23

24. S-215
• Evaluate all the factors that will
influence your decision to stay and
defend the structure or move to a
structure that can be saved.
• Your consideration of not only current
fire behavior, but expected fire behavior
must be included in the decisionmaking
process.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-24

25. S-215
• List the four structure triage
categories and the four items in the
decision process.
• List five factors upon which to base
structure triage decisions, and give
three examples of each.
• List conditions that may indicate
that a structure cannot be saved.
Unit 5 – Structure Triage
Slide 5-25