They are trained to assess building types and determine the best approach in an emergency. The classifications are determined by the type and amount of combustible material in the building – extra resources?
High-rise buildings are the majority of fire-resistant structures. They are primarily constructed from fire-resistant materials such as heat-resistant steel and concrete. However, they may also contain combustible fixtures and furnishings. These structures are also designed to contain fires in one area for as long a possible. Type 1 buildings are fire-resistant structures.
Non-combustible is the second building classification. They are not as resistant to fire as Type 1 structures, but are built as non-combustible and as safe as possible. Wall and roof materials are non-combustible. These include concrete, heat-resistant steel, reinforced brick, tilt slabs and fire-resistant structural and insulation membranes. Fixtures and fittings can be combustible. The majority of modern commercial buildings, shopping centres, strip malls, and warehouses fall under Type II.
Type III buildings are constructed from both combustible materials and non-combustible materials. The outer walls (reinforced concrete, tilt slabs, etc.) are usually non-combustible, but the roofs, inner support wall, flooring, partitions, and fixtures and fittings can be combustible. Type III fixtures can be referred to as “ordinary” buildings.
We all love the interiors of those old, heavy timber buildings that date back to the early 1900s. They feature beautiful wood flooring, heavy timber columns, and timber roofing. These buildings have non-combustible reinforced masonry on the outside. Heavy timber is also a material that has a slow ignition, meaning it can burn but it requires a lot of heat. For obvious reasons, these buildings are classified as Type IV structures and classified as “heavy timber”. Type IV structures include many heritage-listed buildings. The age of Type IV buildings and their maintenance history are more important to fire fighters than their combustibility. Fighting fires in Type IV buildings can be dangerous due to dry rot, termites and weathering.
Wood frame constructions are the fifth category of building. You may have guessed that most residential structures are Type V. The majority of these buildings are made out of combustible material, such as timber frames, roofing materials, exterior and interior walls, and highly combustible fixtures and fittings.