John Mittendorf and Dave Dodson's "The Art of Reading Buildings" dives deep into the practical skill of building assessment for firefighters, particularly for structure fires. Tailored for various fire service personnel, the book equips them to understand the positive and negative attributes of a building and apply that knowledge to develop effective size-ups for safer and more efficient fireground operations.

Key Tools & Knowledge:

• Rapid Street-Read Guides: This innovative approach offers a quick, on-site assessment method for key structural features.
• Technical & Practical Construction: Gain in-depth understanding of diverse construction materials, methods, and their unique fire behavior.
• Quick Construction Size-Up: Learn to rapidly analyze the building and make informed decisions about potential hazards, fire behavior, and optimal strategies.
• Hidden Dangers: Explore the risks associated with newer and alternative construction methods, helping firefighters avoid "firefighter traps."
• FESHE Compliance: Aligned with the National Fire Academy's Building Construction for Fire Protection course objectives.

Target Audience:

• First-due company officers conducting initial assessments.
• Incident commanders making crucial response decisions.
• Safety officers focused on firefighter safety and risk mitigation.
• Chief officers, training officers, engineers, and fire science students seeking comprehensive building construction knowledge.

Overall, "The Art of Reading Buildings" empowers firefighters with the knowledge and skills to effectively "read" buildings, leading to safer and more efficient fireground operations.