External fire protection

Fire and rescue services should

• Evaluate different types of firefighting media and firefighting tactics to establish what is appropriate for providing external protection for a building

Incident commanders should

• Provide early protection of external boundaries to prevent firespread, flame extension and thermal radiation
• Consider removing external fire loading, including vegetation
• Position safety jets to protect firefighting teams and maintain safe access and egress
• Consider the compatibility of firefighting media and the potential effects of internal and external firefighting operations
• Position firefighting media to cover building apertures
• Consider the use of aerial appliances to provide external fire protection
• Consider using fixed, aerial appliance mounted and firefighting monitors
• Consider using external fixed firefighting installations (e.g. curtain wall drencher systems to protect the building)
• Consider using water spray for suppression of external firespread
• Consider using compressed air foam as a fire break or for suppression of external firespread