Main Street Memo: Masonry Collapse

Masonry collapse

By Joe Pronesti, Chris Tobin, and Alexis Shady

Grab a new training bulletin on challenges your firefighters may face during an emergency or fire response to familiar “downtown” buildings. Download the bulletin as a PDF here.

The month’s edition deals with masonry collapse, and indicators that the observant firefighter may discern prior to structural collapse of a building.

RELATED FIREFIGHTER TRAINING

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Firefighters and Construction: Primer on Collapse in Noncombustible Buildings

Structural Collapse Under Fire Conditions

JOSEPH PRONESTI is a 31-year veteran of the Elyria (OH) Fire Department, where he is a shift commander. 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 contributor to fire service publications and sites, including Fire Engineering, FireEngineering.com, 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 Richmond Heights (MO) Fire Department.

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