Peach
Fire Department

Company-level discussion and tabletop on engine company operations at fires involving knee wall void spaces in half-story residential structures. Topics covered: what knee walls are and how they create interconnected void spaces; fire behavior in voids including fuel sources, air draw through soffits, and the potential for backdraft, smoke explosion, and flashover; exterior and interior size-up indicators of knee wall involvement; how to report a half-story structure in the initial radio report; methodical advancement procedures including TIC use and inspection hole technique; vertical ventilation requirements; backup line positioning at the stairwell; alternate attack from below when normal advancement is not possible; and overhaul requirements for all interconnected voids.

1. Describe what knee walls are, where they are found, and how they create interconnected void spaces in half-story structures.
2. Explain how fire and products of combustion spread through knee wall and collar tie voids and why this creates extreme fire behavior hazards.
3. Identify at least four exterior indicators that suggest the presence of an occupied half-story and knee wall void spaces.
4. Demonstrate the correct inspection hole procedure for checking knee wall voids, including TIC use and the bent-tip nozzle application.
5. State when vertical ventilation is required at a knee wall fire and describe where the engine company holds position until it is achieved.
6. Complete a tabletop half-story fire scenario, verbalizing radio report, TIC check, advancement decision, inspection hole procedure, and overhaul plan.

For firefighters from other departments.