Ch.15 Flashcards
The first high-rise fires actually occurred well over ______
100 years ago
If the structure is ___________, then the structure should be strategically and tactically treated as a high-rise.
beyond the reach of ladders
The outside walls of older high-rise buildings consist of ________ and so do the floors.
concrete
Significant construction features that effect the way fire departments operate at Older high-rise buildings:
- Windows that can be opened from the inside
- Lack of central air conditioning or plenums
- compartmentalization
Ductwork used to return air to the system:
Plenum
Features in new high-rises that were absent in the earlier era:
-HVAC systems that move air throughout the building and ceiling plenums that return air to the system
_________ are also used for the buildings electrical and communications equipment.
Plenums
Common construction where the elevators, stairs, and support systems are located in the center of the building:
Central (or Center) Core Construction
In newer high-rise buildings, windows are _________
fixed and inoperable
Standpipe systems are mandated in all high-rise buildings by _____ or ______
law or fire code
__________ is the only absolute method to determine whether a building has a standpipe system.
Pre-incident Planning
What stopped the Meridian One Plaza fire in Philadelphia?
Sprinklers
All high-rise buildings should be required to have auxiliary pumps, which increase pressure in standpipe. These pumps can be found singly or in pairs. If found in pairs ___________
both pumps should be activated and the pressures should be set to the SAME psi
If no building engineer is present, the firefighter should consult with the ________ or a person with knowledge.
Fire safety director
The pump room is usually located in the ______, ______, or _______
- basement
- subbasement
- other utility area
Sometimes the ______ is left open after the pump is tested?
bypass valve (make sure valve is closed)
As much as ____ % of the pumps capacity can be lost with an open bypass valve.
50%
Fire Pumps are activated by following certain procedures that should be posted on _______
The control panel
Building Fire Pumps should be able to deliver their rated capacity at least ___ psi at the highest floor outlet.
The relief valve limiting the pressure to ___ above which is required to deliver the 50 psi to the highest outlet.
- 50 psi
- 15 psi
Older high-rise buildings have air conditioning systems that serve ________, unlike HVAC system
one floor
The HVAC system is broken down into 3 components:
- processing equipment
- supply system
- return System
The air processing equipment is generally found on the floors _____________
containing the mechanical equipment rooms
Devices that prevent or allow air to enter the HVAC system, often activated by alarm system:
Dampers
__________ combine return air from the system with outside air.
Mixing Dampers
- Once the fire floor has been accurately verified, the Outside air supply dampers and mixing dampers should be __________
- While the exhaust dampers should be ________, to prevent air from transversing the supply and return shafts.
- Closed
- Opened
Reactivate ________ for all floors Excluding the fire area, so fresh air is supplied while pressurizing the zones at the same time.
supply fans
The IC should immediately locate the ______, _______, or _________ and establish the lobby command post, which will serve as the center of operations.
- fire-safety director
- building maintenance
- building manager
At least ___ companies should be assigned to search the fire floor.
at least 2
From time of alarm is received to the first time unit arrive to the time it takes to apply water to the fire, the reaction time could be upwards of _______ or more
20 min
There are 2 components of fire fighter service in elevators:
- gaining control in recalling elevators
- Using elevator safely
Once firefighters have boarded an elevator, they should clear the floor selector panel by hitting __________
call cancel button
Swinging car doors open _______, while office doors open ___________
- outward
- inward
A door that is found to open outward could be _____________
Elevator door with no car present
Stairs that serve a particular floor or area of a building:
Access stairs
All handlines operating in high-rise buildings must be at least ________
2 1/2”
Stratification:
- gaseous combustion products arrange themselves in distinct layers, depending on weight compared to air
- Heated air, gas, smoke rise via thermal convection
- Products become cooled and spread
- Lighter than air gases continue to rise, but heavier than air gases drift downward.
- gas product stratifies and high concentrations of toxic gas collect in remote areas
Effects of stratification disastrous from gases:
- carbon monoxide
- hydrogen sulfide
- sulfur dioxide
- hydrogen cyanide
Stack Effect:
- Causes warm air to rise
- pressure difference forces air IN at lower levels and OUT at upper levels
- Neutral plane, air flows in or out of enclosure, occurs at the middle of the building.
- Fires occurring on lower levels (below neutral plane), the internal pressure draws smoke toward any shafts or stairways .
- Fires occurring in higher levels (above neutral plane) air is drawn away from shafts or stairs toward exterior.
If fire occurs within _______, the stack action has little effect on smoke movement because air movement in or out is so small.
neutral plane
Most high-rise buildings are ________
commercial office buildings
Removing ______ can create a drain in the floors.
Toilets
A phenomenon found in high-rise fires wherein as heated air rises and then cools, it forms layers, or ceiling, from which more rising smoke banks:
Stack Effect
A phenomenon found in high-rise fires where heated some rises until it establishes equilibrium with surrounding area and then moves horizontally:
Stratification
