FIP 132 Building Construction

Lecture: 3 Lab: 0 Clinic: 0 Credits: 3

This course covers the principles and practices reference in NFPA standard 220 related to various types of building construction, including residential and commercial, as impacted by fire conditions. Topics include types of construction and related elements, fire resistive aspects of construction materials, building codes, collapse, and other related topics. Upon completion, students should be able to understand and recognize various types of construction and their positive or negative aspects as related to fire conditions.

Course is typically offered in Spring
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
At the completion of the course, the students should be able to do the following:

Describe building construction as it relates to fire fighter safety, building codes, fire prevention, code enforcement, firefighting strategy and tactics.
Analyze the hazards and tactical considerations associated with given types of building construction.
Explain the correlation of loads and stresses that are placed on buildings during fires and fire suppression activities.
Identify the indicators of potential structural failure as they relate to firefighter safety.
Classify the major types of building construction according to materials and methods used.