Too many fire fighters have been injured or killed responding to row house fires in communities throughout the United States and Canada. DHHS/CDC/NIOSH have developed the Row House Firefighting Tactics fact sheet to highlight tactics, areas for potential fire extension and typical features of row houses.
Understand the unique features of row houses in your jurisdiction with a community risk assessment. Basement fires in row houses present added dangers to fire fighters. Row house modernization efforts may mean the exterior is refaced and interior has a different floor plan. Materials used for modernization or new row house construction may burn more quickly.
NIOSH FFFIPP reports detailing fire fighter deaths involving row house fires include:
- cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201618.html
- cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201425.html
- cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201424.html
In addition, the UL-Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) and International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) are seeking to reduce the high risk to fire fighters through the Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires research project.
