CHURCHES
Vaulted plaster ceilings will make up the underside of the roof space. These heavy ornamental ceilings could extend 50’ or more above the church auditorium floor. Supporting columns for the ceiling are constructed from large wooden timbers or cast iron columns. What is important to note with cast iron columns is their appearance may not be immediately visible from within the church auditorium. 
Often they will be framed out, and then covered in ornamental plaster. If visible within the building, they will most likely be in the undecorated areas of the basement or cellar. The main concern for the firefighter with the heavy ornamental plaster ceiling of the church auditorium is the probability of large sections failing and dropping to the floor as fire attacks the attic space. Sections weighing a hundred pounds or more can drop into the church auditorium bringing large lighting fixtures down with them. Anyone struck by sections of the ceiling will be seriously injured or killed.
Bells and steeples will present another concern for those members operating nearby. Not only does their design and construction (which is similar to a giant chimney flue) enhance their fire growth, but with bells equaling 500 pounds and steeples equaling the height of a 10 to 15 story building, collapse takes on a new meaning.
In many neighborhoods across the country, the church is the largest and tallest building in town. These buildings will often be the focal point for the town village or Main Street area. With this in mind, there will usually be many smaller and sometimes closely spaced buildings surrounding the neighborhood church. When church fire operations go defensive, fire ground commanders must consider and establish collapse zones around the entire building. With the church auditorium reaching the height of a six or eight-story building, and steeple heights equaling the height of a 10-story building or more, all surrounding areas must be evacuated to cover the collapse zone for that affected height. Anticipating the collapse or failure of the steeples bells, as well as the possible direction and path of a steeple collapse is often an unpredictable event. 
Often the best course of action when collapse of the entire church steeple is anticipated is to establish collapse zones for its full height in all directions. To aid in determining the path of a collapse, the setting up of a surveyor’s transit on a fixed point on the steeple may help. Setting up a surveyor’s transit on a corner or fixed point of a building to detect any early movement not easily noticed by the naked eye has become a common procedure in many departments. Movement of as little as an inch can be detected and relayed to the Incident Commander. Even with companies operating in a flanking position on a well involved church, information that the church steeple is starting to lean their way will warrant repositioning.
Anticipation with a few tools is the key here.
In the enclosed photo, Jersey City Companies were alerted to a potential collapse of the steeple’s bells.
Stay Safe!
Mike Terpak
Deputy Chief-Jersey City
