High Rise Firefighting: Policy 633 10.07.17 Flashcards
Define a high rise building for the purposes of this policy?
A building containing floors at such height or position that external firefighting and rescue operations may not be feasible.
List the 3 main hazard groups present when high rise firefighting:
- Building height, layout and design.
- Fire behaviour and development.
- Firefighting and rescue operations.
Name 4 issues (not including fire behaviour) that building height can cause firefighters during a high rise fire?
- Vertical travel distance for personnel, equipment and water supply.
- Objects falling from height.
- Comms.
- Falling from height due to failed external structure.
What problems can building layout /design cause during high rise firefighting?
- Security. Grilles, multi-lock doors, codes, multiple devices.
- Odd or complex layouts including scissor style staircases. Increased risk of disorientation.
- Cable entanglement.
- Poorly maintained/Vandalised fixed installations. Poor housekeeping/narrow stairwell.
- Timber frames causing rapid fire spread.
- Additional hazards if under construction.
- Fire suppression/total flooding systems.
- Radiowaves from telecom antennas.
What are concerns/increased risks for fire behaviour and development during high rise firefighting?
- Unpredictable Fire and smoke spread due to wind. Eg external spread and ‘blow torch’ effect.
- Concealed smoke and heat travel through voids.
- Downward smoke spread due to air currents and cooling smoke falling.
- Fire Spread through falling combustion and open windows. Multiple seats of fire.
- Unplanned ventilation or lack of ventilation.
- Falling combustion/debris hazard to FFs and can burn hose.
What issues can arise during firefighting and rescue ops at a high rise?
- No FI due to damage or construction.
- The type of evac (if any) and layout can cause delays.
- Difficultly identifying those involved.
- Crews diverted from ICs task to aid evac can cause delays.
- Difficulty in quickly identifying location of fire.
- Potential for metabolic heat stress.
- Blocked/Busy stairwells.
- Manual handling injury from casualty handling.
- Verbal and Physical attacks.
- Unexpected hazards such as drug manufacture and associated electrical hazards.
- Hoarding.
- Compromised lobbies.
- Failure of firefighting or normal lifts.
- Moral pressure.
What height of building requires a wet riser?
60m and as of 2006 50m.
Building regs require all buildings over 18m to make provisions for FF and FF access. Name 4 keys things this may this include?
- FF shafts.
- FF lifts.
- DRM/WRM.
- Sprinklers and other fire engineered systems (curtains/ventilation etc).
What can/should be done in terms of planning for high rise incidents?
- EPIPs and ORD if premises risk assessment score dictates.
- PDA (can be changed due to risk factors eg temporary lack of FI. Request submitted by special attendance database or OOD).
- Understanding of FI. Advice from FSO if necessary.
- 7(2)(d) visits.
- Contingency (water/bridgeheads/FI).
- Training.
What should be done en-route to a high rise incident?
- Info received en-route and any planning must be related to crews.
- MDT used and if info printed/tablet taken.
On arrival an IC should:
- Remain at ground unless preplanning dictates otherwise.
- Info father and Identity fire floor.
- Establish water, RM, bridgehead with relevant equipment.
- 360
- Any FI or advanced systems and/or any HVAC.
- RVP.
- Cordon.
What other early considerations should an IC have in order to assist operations?
- Resources.
- Wind/weather conditions.
- Jets/Monitors for debris fire and external spread.
- Separate evac and FF stairwell.
What could an IC do should the water supple from a RM not be sufficient?
- Haul aloft.
- Vertical water relay.
- Branch flow rate settings.
- Consider If RM damaged and if so can F.I.R.E fix it.
- Augment WRM.
What does a FF lift need in terms of personnel and where should it remain?
A dedicated FF as lift operator and remain at bridgehead for quick evac of any casualties.
Where should a bridgehead be established?
2 floors below the fire unless building layout or conditions do not allow this.
What is the role of a fire sector commander and what is the minimum role?
To establish bridge head and commit for FF and SR.
CM.
What is minimum FFs for a fire sector commander to take to the bridgehead?
- 2 BA and 1 ECO.
What equipment needs to be at bridgehead as soon as possible?
- 2 x 45mm hose.
- IEC.
- 2 BA.
- Long Line.
- Breaking In gear.
- ECB.
- TIC.
- F.I.R.E bag.
As soon as practicably possible the FIRE system must be augmented with?
- Sufficient hose for 2 lines.
- An additional branch.
- Bracket & Tripod for ECB.
- Access keys/codes.
- Floor plans(if available)
- FIB.
What can be used to assist an IC or crews at a high rise information for basic and important info about the building?
- EPIP
- ORD
- PIP
- Signage in building itself.