Immediacy is often the determining factor in what firefighters do and the sequence in which we do it. One instance where the urgency of action may be bypassed or second-guessed in lieu of an action that may take more time involves the roof door or scuttle hatch over the stairs. Just as a primary search by the attack crew cannot be bypassed, we must seriously consider venting the apex of fire’s main artery from the interior, especially if an exterior team will be delayed.

When it is acceptable to vent the interior stairwell or scuttle hatch from the interior can be a gray area. I do not advocate for one choice over the other; there are times where it must be attempted from underneath. Lack of personnel, wires restricting roof access, and missing or totally nonusable fire escapes are just some of the reasons that can cause such a delay. With the aggression and lengths we take to “get after” the fire, search, and so on, we should make every effort to vent that stairwell quickly, especially when considering the rapidity with which fire progresses in today’s environments and considering the creation of a flow path when opening a roof scuttle or bulkhead door.

If we are calculated, measured, and quick, this singular action can save lives, allow the attack to advance with less punishment, and improve overall conditions. These are circumstances when we know that the top-floor environment will not sustain life and a crew dedicated to exterior topside ventilation may not get there quickly. This article will look at some of our obstacles to getting it done and how we can overcome them. If you are assigned this task, what can you do to execute it quickly? 

Many times, you will encounter a scuttle closet door serviced by a narrow ladder at one end of the top-floor hall; occasionally, it will be right in the middle of the floor. You may also see a bump in the top-floor hall with a ladder mounted to it. For some reason (not seen by me but observed by others), top-floor corridors have even more clutter in the common hall than on lower floors. Whether it is repair debris, personal belongings, or old furniture, this is the case and, many times, is piled up right against the access ladder (photo 1). Even a clear hall with a rapidly growing smoke and heat condition makes getting up that ladder harrowing.

(1) A typical situation at a top-floor landing. (Photos by author.)

If the ladder is not bolted to the floor and you can angle it in any way, do it. Physically, it will give you some advantage as you try to open the hatch. It will also prevent you from falling backward. Wear hoods, gloves, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and tools. Anticipate the heat level to be measurably higher at the ceiling level; if it is not, it will draw current as soon as you open up.

Companies below should be as in control of the fire apartment door as possible, with a line ready. In fact, you and your partner should get a pseudo visual or audio before bolting upward. Even so, the attack and top-floor survival profile are riding on you now. Most hatches will pop with a simple push. Don’t chance it; hit one side sharply with the flat end of the adz. Then, if there’s no response, hit the other side.

Remember, jarring an opening loose is better accomplished with “shock loading” rather than continued pressure from underneath. Pursuant to that effect, a team member can try from underneath with a hook in the same manner to pop the opening. Bear in mind, if hitting the hatch sharply from underneath, use the blunt D-handle end of the pike pole to increase your contact point and decrease any chance of piercing. This can also keep the team out of the worst of the atmosphere.

If you are unsuccessful after one attempt, ascend the ladder (photo 2). If the fire is punishing at the summit, use your judgment. If the opening is large enough, follow the current up and out of the hatch quickly, or proceed back down the ladder and go to the end of the hallway farthest from the stair center. If the fire is too violent, the hot current will literally race up the stairwell once the top is popped. By being fully protected and moving away from the stair center, you will avoid the worst of it. Once enough current has gone up and out, descend and continue the assignment. 

(2) The view of a typical top-floor landing.

I have had this happen, and it is a terrible feeling: getting up to the opening and seeing that the scuttle hatch or door servicing the roof is padlocked or has some other protection measure against burglary and people getting onto the roof. Luckily for me, the assembly was simply screwed into the shoddy wood of the cap. A quick pop with the bottom of the fork took the entire piece off. In this scenario, however, a padlock can be daunting because the hatch is not “flush” to the ceiling level; you will likely not have enough room to grab the hasps with the fork end of a halligan and effect a full round turn to shear it off.

Attempt to slide the adz behind the assembly that affixed the padlock to the hatch, use the hatch as your pivot point, and pop it off. In any case, if this had occurred in zero visibility and heat was building up fast, trouble would assuredly have followed. This is where we must use our communication if taking the opening from the inside. Take 10 seconds to ask how long it will take the exterior company to ascend to the roof—especially if it is unattached and the ladder company may be delayed. The attack may hinge on the interior team’s ability to position to attack and rid the building of the dangerous atmosphere.

Ask yourself, is the occupied multiple dwelling (OMD) likely to have a secured a roof door? If not, grab a hydraulic forcible entry tool, which affords you a quick means to force the door and, usually, works better the more heavily secured the door is. If you expect to encounter a metal door, also expect a good jamb as well. If it is an older-style, railroad-type OMD, you can generally muscle through it with a halligan or an officer tool. In my experience, the older or more rundown apartment buildings have either had their roof doors repeatedly tampered with or suffered the ill effects of age and neglect, making them a little easier to force. However, this may be the exception, not the rule.

In this situation, be ready for extra security measures and replacement steel doors. The window for operation is small and closes quickly! If you cannot force this door immediately, descend the stairs before it becomes impossible to do so (photo 3). Speed remains the key.

(3) Sometimes, the scuttle hatch is affixed to the ladder on a chain. In zero visibility, this can be a huge problem.

Remember that nearly all hatches have the handle on facing the ascending ladder (photo 4). Command needs to be notified that the vent point needs to be taken from the exterior. Teams— inside and out—must remain aware that, although ventilation through the door can remain controlled as long as we control the door, once the skylight above the bulkhead is taken, the current flow is “permanent.” If you suspect zero visibility all the way at the top, make sure you can get into a nearby apartment if you can’t get that door or if, heaven forbid, the engine company loses door control a couple of floors down.

(4) Almost all the latches on the roof will be on the same side as the ladder upward. If you are unsure of where it is, run a gloved hand along the perimeter to locate the latch.

Here is another problem with having a member race for the top floor and open from the inside: a tarred-over hatch. Fortunately, my department is very adept at getting members to the roof quickly and popping the “naturals.” However, there are instances where immediacy rules, and waiting for a ladder company to respond from a more distant spot because the closest company is off duty, then waiting for them to climb a fire escape or aerial, will take seconds that the attack and potential victims do not have.

Confirmed life hazards and unbearable environments are the instances where you must take the chance. In any case, if you are trying to break through the door to no avail, shear it at the corners with a tool and then just hinge it over, similar to cutting three sides at the base and hinging it over to save time on the roof. If you can pierce any part of the cover, you now have a purchase for leverage to destroy it fast. In this instance, you may need to have either two members come from underneath or one on the ladder and one underneath because it is a difficult feat.

Spliced wood in older scuttles and heavy-gauged tin covers on newer ones can slow down operations when they need to be at their most expedient. If hinging or outright removal looks grim, try to break or pierce it with blunt strikes. Try anything to ensure the condition does not approach or become dismal.

Make sure you have an ample air supply to ascend to the summit, open, and be in that environment. If it is a “good” fire with dirty smoke, it will get worse before it gets better. Be wary of how much air you have blown through while racing up. Once you have accomplished your task, slow down your breathing. As you do this, check to see if top-floor apartment doors are closed; finding an open door means it is the apartment you must search first.

Assuming a primary search is underway in the fire and adjacent apartments, an open door at the top floor can mean someone tried to flee and may be overcome in the vicinity. Worse still, the door may have been blocked open for any number of reasons and the smoke and convective currents have invaded that space. Once it lifts a little, you can scan everything thoroughly. Also, note that here again is an instance where a common area or carried extinguisher can be of some assistance because they provide a measure of protection. 

It would be fruitless to discuss this topic without mentioning the pivotal factor in determining the immediacy with which we need to take that roof door: the fire floor and the condition of the apartment door. In short, smoke will reach that top floor in a modestly sized OMD on a level commensurate with the heat of the current. Most five- or six-story Class 3 and three- to four-story Class 5 buildings will obtain an appreciable smoke condition at the top floor very quickly; this requires quick ascension in coordination with door control and attack. The attack cannot be delayed for obvious reasons, and suppressing the fire is the crux of alleviating the environment, which places members racing to the top floor in a harrowing position.

A fire originating on the top floor is the best-case scenario. Here, if the apartment door is controlled, an engine company member can ascend the half-level stair, open the door, and rejoin his crew as they attack. If he is flaking out additional line, all the better; smoke billowing out into the hall will go up and out. Here, the attack can wait the 10 seconds to open the door, whereas on lower floors it generally cannot.

Communication between the members ascending and the team advancing to attack is crucial. Members advancing into the fire apartment need to be notified when the roof opening is taken. They can relay back the effects and must be ready for them. If the fire is intensified but still controllable and not overrunning crews and the apartment, it is not likely that the top-side opening will be closed up (as it might be in a high-rise). The venting is to sustain life and rid the building of the toxic buildup of gases and heat.

It is worth noting that in these mid-sized OMDs, the damaging heat reaches the top floor quickly and builds up by reradiation, along with it carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and the plethora of other gases that can quickly reach ignitable and explosive levels. This is especially true the smaller the top-floor landing and hallway areas are.

We must be very aware as to which companies are responding and from what location, when they are arriving, the type of fire this OMD is giving us, and what we can risk. It may not always be taboo to vent well from the interior. After all, it is perfectly acceptable to descend into an inferno to quench a cellar fire. In terms of punishment, the stairs to the roof can be an upside-down cellar stair. A line, a partner, personal protective equipment, tools, and SCBA are your one chance to provide quick relief without putting yourself in danger. If there is no scuttle wall while there is loft involvement, you will require a line or a door attempt from underneath (photo 5).

Remember, these are unique circumstances. Once you are committed to taking that door or opening, you must take it. In most routine jobs, this is never an issue. The company going to search the top floor will take a minute to open the door or see that the roof team has done it and continue their efforts with no problem. However, there are those times when, in your ascent, you know that the top-floor common area will be hot and black. Here is when quick, decisive action is needed. Either make the call to ascend the stairs quickly or verify that the truck is rapidly on it. Yes, getting water on the fire immediately makes everything better, but getting heat current out and breathable air to potential victims as fast as possible is nearly as essential.

ALEXANDER DEGNAN is an 18-year member of the Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department (JCFD), where he is the captain of #618 Squad Co. 4, a position he has held since 2015. Prior to his captain’s position, he was a 10-year firefighter with the JCFD’s #1013 Squad Co. 4.