High Rise Operations

Question 1

How many high rises in Tucson?

Answer 1

455 in 2013

Question 2

What is a high rise?

Answer 2

a. The uniform fire code defines a high-rise as any building over 75 feet in height
b. In Tucson a high rise is considered four or more stories in height of 50 feet
c. All buildings greater than 50 feet in city limits are sprinklered and have standpipes

Question 3

What’s the highest high-rise in Tucson?
What does Commo call high rises?
Where are the most high rises in the city?

Answer 3

d. Highest building in Tucson is the Unisource Building at 330 feet and 25 floors.
e. City communications may refer to a high rise as Building 3
f. Highest concentration of high-rises in Tucson—U of A

Question 4

What kind of occupancy types are high rises?

Answer 4

i. Hospitals
ii. Hotels
iii. Apartments
iv. Office Building
etc. ..

Question 5

What are some design similarities with high rises?

Answer 5

a. Beyond reach of Aerial equipment
i. Height
ii. Building setbacks
iii. Windows that won’t open
b. Potential STACK effect
i. Chimney effect
ii. Fire and Smoke spread to upper floors
c. Unreasonable evacuation time

Question 6

What are some fire behaviors we’d expect to see in high rises?

Answer 6

a. High rise buildings are not fireproof
b. Many have large open floor areas with a high fire load
c. Flashover potential
i. Usually airtight creating smoldering fires
ii. Heat usually contained inside of building
d. Window failure can result in exterior fire “Lapping Over”

Question 7

What are some pre-planning aspects with regards to high rises?

Answer 7

a. Access
i. Roadways
ii. Doors-Key box (Knox or Supra Box)
iii. Stairways
iv. Elevators
b. Communications
c. Occupant load
d. Construction
e. Utilities
f. Fire protection equipment
i. Alarm systems
ii. Sprinkler systems
iii. Standpipes
g. Water supply
h. Building engineer/plan

Question 8

Standpipe Systems defintion

Answer 8

A wet or dry system of piping, valves, outlets, and related equipment designed to provide water at specified pressures and installed exclusively for the fighting of fires

Question 9

What are standpipes?

Answer 9

b. Standpipe systems provide a means for the manual application of water to fires in buildings
c. They are designed to provide a quick and convenient means for obtaining effective fire streams in large low buildings. These systems are usually dry and have to be supplied with water by the fire department

Question 10

Standpipe classification

Answer 10

a. Class I intended for FD use, usually dry
i. Standpipe outlets located in stairwells, usually protected by fire-resistive construction
b. Class II intended for Occupants use, wet
i. Hose cabinets only
c. Class III intended for both FD and Occupants
i. Both FD hookups and Hose Cabinets

Question 11

Fire Department Connections

Answer 11

a. Must indicate intended use
i. Automatic Sprinklers (96.2% effective)
ii. Dry Standpipes (most effective way to supply water to upper floors)
b. Must have removable or breakable caps in place
c. Multiple inlets are usually interconnected
d. Must be accessible to FD
e. Cannot be obstructed

Question 12

Standpipe Markings

Answer 12

a. Tell at a glance how many systems
b. Engineers ensure correct system supplied
c. Allows Attack Team to correctly ID system and floor level
d. Originate North side, Northwest corner
e. Continue Clockwise around building

Question 13

Standpipe markings exterior

Answer 13

i. 7 x 7 inch diamond shape
ii. First system marked “A”
iii. Number indicates how many systems

Question 14

Standpipe markings interior

Answer 14

i. 5 x 5 inch diamond shape
ii. Letter indicates which system
iii. Number placement indicates level above or below ground level
iv. Roof outlet will not have a number, just a letter
v. For outlets above ground level the number will be placed above the letter
vi. For outlets below ground level the number will be placed below the letter
vii. The outlet on the roof will be identified with a letter only. No floor number will be necessary

Question 15

Making a standpipe connection

Answer 15

a. Lay two 2-1/2 lines to the standpipe connections and remove the tips and place on ground under the connections
b. Remove swivel caps from lower, center or any caps if only two. (horizontal vs. vertical)
i. Check for gasket and observe into coupling for obstructions
ii. Missing gasket—Unused inlet or nozzle tip
c. Connect shut-off butt, tighten w/spanner
d. Open shut-off butt

Question 16

Making a standpipe connection if the inlets at the FDC are damaged

Answer 16

i. FDC damaged or obstructed
ii. Go to second floor of riser
iii. Use Siamese with double female and appropriate fittings to create a temporary FDC
iv. Note E & P manual states use of wye (TFD has no 2 ½” wyes)
v. Secure fittings with rope to riser to prevent weight damage to riser and outlet
vi. Remember to open valve

Question 17

Which should you connect first:
Standpipe Connection
or
Sprinkler Connection?

(If separate. If they are joined, then moot question.)

Answer 17

Sprinkler first.

The sprinklers are already putting water on the fire close to the seat.

Question 18

Draining standpipes

Answer 18

a. Connect a 2 ½” line to the second floor outlet and down to the street
b. Station a FF at the hose discharge outlet
c. Open the outlet gate and drain the standpipe
d. Use a plastic or wooden implement to open the check/clapper valve and drain the remainder of the riser

Question 19

High rise incident priorities

Answer 19

a. Same priorities as a low rise fire
i. Life Safety
ii. Incident Stabilization / Fire control
iii. Property conservation

Duh…..

Question 20

Initial response to a high rise alarm

Answer 20

a. 2 Battalion Chiefs
b. 4 Engine Companies
i. Includes RIC
c. 2 Ladder Companies
d. 2 Paramedic Units
e. 2 EC’s
i. Includes RIC
f. 1st Company actions will determine the direction and outcome

Question 21

First actions when arriving to a high rise fire…

Answer 21

13. Exterior Size-up
    a. Smoke and /or flames – Automatic 2nd Alarm
    b. Designate level 2 staging away from fire building
14. Ensure adequate water supply
    a. Hydrants, Sprinklers, FDC connected
15. Attack Team
    a. 1 Engine and 1 Ladder Crew with High Rise Equipment
    b. Enter and obtain information, keys, plans
    c. Observe annunciator
    d. Bring elevator to lobby
    i. Do not use for fires on 6th floor or below
    ii. Do not use unless absolutely sure combustion by-products will not affect elevator operation

Question 22

Attack team size up for high rise fires

Answer 22

a. Select one stairwell for attack and another for evacuation (take stairwell keys)
b. Proceed to fire floor using stairwell investigate
c. Give exact location of fire
d. Fire extent and ventilation needs
e. Resources needed
f. Life Safety concerns

Question 23

What to do with the HVAC system in high rise fires?

Answer 23

a. Ensure not used until evacuation complete if smoke handling capable
b. Shut down if unsure as to use it
c. Notify building engineer ASAP
d. Oxygen delivered can reinforce fire
e. Maybe manual or automatic

Question 24

Communicating in a high rise

Answer 24

a. Radios—may not work because of construction types
b. Telephones—Secure a lobby phone number
c. PA system in building
d. Emergency phone systems
e. Runners
f. Simplex channel on radio

Question 25

Evacuating a high rise

Answer 25

a. Best life safety is aggressive fire attack and ventilation
b. Designate evacuation and firefighting stairwells
c. Consider occupant mobility
d. Move occupants from the fire floor
e. Designate elevator monitors
f. Confine occupants to one stairwell if possible
g. Move to 3 floors below fire floor or 10 above, designate as “Safe Refuge”
h. Total evacuation impractical and unnecessary
i. Searched and empty rooms should have M-T tags in place on door-knobs or in jamb
i. Designate elevator monitors

Question 26

What to do about utilities in high rise fires?

Answer 26

a. Electrical primary energy source
b. Underground vaults could present problems from water drainage
c. Separate power control room
d. Each floor has panel room
e. Use Building engineer or TEPCO
f. Protect phone lines if possible

Question 27

What to do about elevators in high rise fires

Answer 27

a. Bring elevators to lobby and shut down all unneeded cars place in FIRE SERVICE mode
b. When used, full SCBA required plus an extinguisher, handlight and entry tool
c. Up elevator designated as Number One to take resources up, look up hoistway for fire
d. Down elevator designated as Number Two to take resources down
e. Prior to using, note stairwell locations on Base (staging) floor
f. UP passengers will be in full PPE
g. Look up shaft for flames or smoke
h. Stop two floors below fire floor after
i. Prevent water in hoistways

Question 28

What to do about stairwells in high rise fires

Answer 28

a. Until fire floor is confirmed stairwells will be used
b. Could take as much as 10 – 20 minutes to reach fire floor- PACE yourself
c. Use exterior wall of smoke tower when climbing. Smoke will be near center
d. Establish separate firefighting and evacuation stairs
e. Bring door keys and forcible entry tools
f. Use wedges to hold open doors
g. Use Stop-locks to hold open door latches
h. Use Duct tape to hold open door latches
i. Keep all unneeded doors closed as well as those searched
j. Place MT tags where rooms/floors have been searched and found empty

Question 29

What are some operations you might perform at a high rise?

Kinda a scattered list…

Answer 29

a. High Rise Lay
b. SCBA Donned
c. High Rise Pack
d. Handy Folds
e. Connecting to system
f. Fire Attack
g. Ventilation
h. Salvage and Overhaul

Question 30

What’s a high rise lay?

Answer 30

a. Command—“High rise lay!”
b. Similar equipment as in reverse lay plus 2 handy-folds (100’total), rappelling bag, extinguisher and high rise pack
c. Position Responsibilities
i. Captain—SCBA, Radio, Handlight, TIC
ii. FF1- SCBA, Handy Fold, Forcible Entry Tools, (ie.-Irons, Axe, or Hayward Bar), extinguisher
iii. FF2- SCBA, Handy Fold, High Rise Pack, Rope/Rappelling Bag

Question 31

Should you wear your SCBA and mask in a high rise?

Answer 31

a. Wear backpack and mask
b. Slide regulator hose up through shoulder harness. Do not connect
c. Wear SCBA like this until reaching BASE staging area below fire floor
d. Wear fully when riding in elevators UP

Question 32

What’s in a high rise pack?

Answer 32

a. Rappelling equipment
b. Hose reducer – 2- 1/2” F to 1-1/2 M, NST
c. Door Wedges
d. M-T tags
e. Spanner Wrench
f. Gated wye-2-1/2” outlets
g. Sprinkler stops
h. Duct tape
i. Stop-lock

Question 33

What’s a handy-fold?

Answer 33

a. One section 1-3/4” hose folded in a one person fold
b. Bound- to permit easier carrying
c. May use a section from Wye setup when pre-packed handy folds are gone
i. Break couplings at sections and at wye
ii. Hold nozzle and female
iii. Rotate ½ turn so coupling is on top

Question 34

Once you get in, how do you get any water?

Answer 34

a. Stage two floors below fire- BASE
b. Connect to outlet one floor below fire floor
c. Flake hose UP stairs form fire floor landing
d. Second hose should flake DOWN stairs to prevent tangling
e. Open outlets and charge lines
f. Bleed air prior to entering fire floor
g. Feel door, open and wedge

Question 35

Things to remember when attacking on the inside of a high rise fire

Answer 35

a. Resource intensive
b. 4 crews to use one line
i. Equipment carried to Base
ii. Backup line
iii. RIC team
iv. Crew to backup, backup line crew
c. Never abandon lines, have crews ready
d. Hose stream should be straight streams when water pressure is low or maximum flow is required
e. Consider hallways, corridors and open areas

Question 36

Ventilation of high rise fire

Answer 36

a. Usually horizontal unless on top floor
b. Positive pressure in stairwells following evacuation
c. HVAC only after building engineer notified
d. Glass
i. 2 types, Plate and Tempered
ii. Corners and every 50 linear feet should be tempered and marked as such
iii. Break only in coordination with Command
iv. Perimeter will be established for plate glass debris

Question 37

Salvage and overhaul in a high rise fire

Answer 37

a. Water/Smoke greatest damage
b. Starts floor below fire floor
c. Starts ASAP
d. Examine concealed spaces (chases)for fire extension beyond fire floor