Mid Rise Operations 202.20

Question 1

Mid-Rise is defined as?

Answer 1

Anything below 75’ in height and greater than 3 stories.

Question 2

What are the critical factors of mid rise when it comes to life safety?

Answer 2

• Residential mid rise structures can have a density occupancy
• You need to do a rapid evaluation of removing the fire from the victims or victims from the fire
• Commercial mid rise occupancies should be evaluated for the presence of life safety
• Rescues may be required from exterior positions dependent on the conditions
  and the ability of victims to escape
• Many mid-rises have roof top common spaces that have the potential for high
  population density at any given time

Question 3

What are the critical factors for mid rise for fire an and smoke conditions?

Answer 3

• Nothing showing means nothing
• It is likely to have a serious fire with no external signs on arrival
• Ventilation limited conditions are a significant possibility due to tightly sealed
  buildings

-Recognition of building openings are critical in measuring the flow path potential

• Wind driven conditions are a distinct possibility of floors above ground level
• Determination of smoke and fire conditions in common hallways and stairwells is critical in determining the life safety impact and difficulty of a fire attack

Question 4

What are the critical factors for mid rise for Access?

Answer 4

• Mid-rise structures do not typically have lobby level, centralized entrance that provides access to the entire structure
• Mid-rise structures typically have multiple entrance points for different geographical areas of the build
• Not all access points and stairwells will have standpipes or sprinkler control systems
• Evaluate the presence of exterior access points from balconies via aerial
  apparatus
• Floor access can come from multiple points
• The fire code does not require the availability of keys or key fobs for all areas of
  the structure
• The fire code requires keys be present for only these places:
  Pools
  Utility/Mechanical/Electrical rooms
  Fire sprinkler riser room
  Fire alarm control panel rooms
  Stairwells
  Roof access
  Non-standard elevator keys

Question 5

What location does the fire code require keys to be present?

Answer 5

Pools, Utility/Mechanical/electrical rooms, Fire Sprinkler riser room, Fire alarm control panel rooms, stairwells, Roof access, Non standard elevator keys

Question 6

What are you fire ground factors for mid-rise building when it comes to Building Systems

Answer 6

• Typically do not have Fire control Room
• Fire alarm panel are required in new builds since 2002 and are typically located at main entrance, and around building management offices.
• Older buildings may not have a alarm panel
• may not have fire alarm panel or displays in any exterior or remote entrance points
• mid rise are required to be sprinklered since 2002
• locations and number of sprinkler heads are determined by construction methods and features of specific building
• not typically fire pumped unless unique to building or water issues present
• typically use city water pressure for wt sprinkler systems and standpipe systems
• some standpipe connections can be up to 200’ apart depending on sprinkler system in the building

-FDC connections may have Knox locking caps requiring dog bone key

-may not have centralized elevator monitoring in lobby

-do not have floor and stairwell pressurization or smoke evacuation systems

-smoke detectors are typically in residential units and lobby

-automatic closing fire/smoke door may be present in long hallways and activated when fire alarm.

-each residential unit will have independent HVAC not tied to building

-commercial will have centralized HVAC with central monitoring and control.

Question 7

What are you fire ground factors for mid-rise building when it comes to Occupancy Type?

Answer 7

Residential mid-rise occupancies typically have an interior hallway layout with
independent units on both sides of the hallways
o Some residential mid-rises have multi story/level units
- Residential units can be configured in many layouts with open floor plans

• Commercial mid-rise occupancies have multiple configurations ranging from center hallway to open floor plans
• Many mid-rise buildings have a combination of business on the lower level and residential on top
• The lower level may not have interior communication/access to the upper level

Question 8

What are fire ground considerations when it comes to Building Construction?

Answer 8

• Mid-rise buildings have many different construction types
• Modern residential mid-rise occupancies combine masonry and concrete in the lower level and wood framed construction in the upper levels
• Wood framed mid-rise structures are combustible and the structural integrity will erode if the fire extends into the structure
• Modern residential mid-rise occupancies can have multiple roof types depending on the construction methods
• Residential mid-rise units can range in size from small (< 1,000 square feet) to very large (> 3,000 square feet)
• Overall building size can have a large impact on operations as well as large number of occupants
• Some buildings take up entire city blocks in size
• Commercial mid-rise occupancies can have a more standard steel and lightweight concrete construction closely related to high rise construction
• Modern mid-rise buildings are sealed tightly and resist exterior/interior air exchange to improve energy efficiency for cooling
• Some mid-rise buildings have exterior opening window or doors however not all
• Many mid-rise buildings have underground parking directly beneath the overall
  footprint of the building
• Many mid-rise buildings have recreational spaces on the roof including pools, recreation rooms and bars.

Question 9

What are fire ground considerations when it comes to Resources?

Answer 9

• Dependent on the smoke and fire conditions and the life safety potential, a rapid determination of the required resources is necessary
• Resources should be considered for external rescue and access
• It will be necessary to appropriately support the fire floor for fire attack and rescue, the floor above for rescue and fire extension, and the critical exposures for loss control
• Consideration sfor staging resources close enough to the building and access points to decrease the in transit time and to not congest key tactical positions
• It is possible to develop an incident organization with significant complexities and the utilization of branches should be considered