This firefighter training bulletin on building construction examines the implications of “tar cake,” a Main Street treat that needs to be considered and prepared for before your next fire. “Tar cake” refers to the buildup of tar layers on roofs over the years and its implications for firefighting operations.
Many years ago (and in some cases still today), firefighters were “in the trades.” They were carpenters, plumbers, and roofers. It was these trades that helped them with the knowledge of building construction and how fire can spread through a building, especially a Main Street legacy building.
A good rule of thumb is a new roof or tar covering every 25 to 30 years. If your Main Street buildings are over 100 years old (most are), that can mean four, six, or more layers of tar that must be overcome when performing vertical ventilation.
Many small fire departments see the bigger cities doing vertical venting day in, day out on our social media platforms. It may “seem” easy to expect a crew to get up onto a roof and open it just like you see on YouTube, but the reality is that this takes time and practice, especially for a small, understaffed department. In addition, you will most likely need multiple saws to quickly cut an effective hole.
This memo is a simple reminder that with age comes “cake,” and lots of it. Be prepared for saws that may bog down and slow the venting. Many smaller departments only carry one saw, and if that saw isn’t set up for ventilation, you cannot expect a miracle to happen when your firefighters are venting a roof.
Be prepared for the cake on your Main Street.
Download this training bulletin as a PDF (2 MB).
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JOSEPH PRONESTI is the chief of the Elyria (OH) Fire Department. He is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Executive Officer program and a lead instructor at the Cuyahoga (OH) County Community College Fire Academy. He is a frequent contributor to fire service publications and sites, including Fire Engineering and FirefigherNation.com.
CHRISTOPHER TOBIN is a firefighter assigned to St. Louis (MO) Fire Department Rescue 2.
ALEXIS SHADY is a firefighter/paramedic with the University City (MO) Fire Department.
