Row houses are a common and often iconic housing style in many large cities but are also present in small towns. The characteristics of row houses that make them unique also pose a challenge to fighting fires. To address these challenges, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in collaboration with several partners developed a factsheet and poster that fire departments can use as part of their training efforts to reduce and eliminate the risk of firefighter injury and death.
In addition to the row house firefighting tactics, the fact sheet and poster highlight:
- areas for potential fire extension
- typical exterior and interior features of row houses as well as the construction and materials often used to build such structures
- quotes from a reputable fire officer and firefighter
- additional resources, including a basement fire video from the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute
NIOSH recommends distributing the fact sheet to firefighters as part of training efforts and displaying posters in common areas of the fire department.
NIOSH in collaboration with the International Fire Chiefs Association, International Fire Fighters Association, National Volunteer Fire Council, UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute, and the U.S. Fire Administration developed a fact sheet and poster that highlight tactics for fighting row house fires.