high rise buildings2

8/9/2019 High Rise Buildings2

1/32

High-rise Buildings

Advanced Firefighting Strategy


2/32

High-rise Design

Most are designed:

With fire resistive materials

With vertical enclosures

With compartmentation

With detection systems

With suppression systems


3/32

High-rise Design

Design features defeated by:

Flammable finishes and furnishings

Improper installation of plumbing and wiring

renovations

The building's occupants are the weakest

link!


4/32

High-rise Design

As the number of occupants increases,

Engineering, Enforcement, Education

become increasingly important.

If occupants fail to do their part, only an

aggressive fire attack will save them.


5/32

Occupant Education

Occupants must be taught

To avoid elevator use during emergencies

How to transmit an alarm

How to alert other occupants

How to prevent smoke from entering their area

How to obtain fresh air

How to evacuate


6/32

General High-rise Strategy

1. Determine specific fire floor location

2. Deploy handlines only AFTER the fire is

located. Determine best access to the seat

of the fire, and which stairwell to use.


7/32


3.Control the Evacuation

Evacuate those in greatest danger first

Fire floor

Above the fire floor

Upper floors

Prevent panic

Control access to the building


8/32


4. Control the buildings systems

Elevators

HVAC

Communications

Suppression systems


9/32


5. Confine and extinguish the fire

Requires

Extra Command and coordination

Logistics

Manpower

Accountability

relief


10/32

Types of High-rises

Pre WWII style

Overbuilt and reinforced construction

Multiple exits Fire Tower stairwells

Ventable windows

No central HVAC

Fewer shafts

Higher degree of compartmentation


11/32

Types of High-rises

Post WWII

Light weight building materials

Open floor space, Core Construction

Central HVAC, ductwork, shafts

Non-ventable windows

Sealed environment / recirculating air

Pressurized / exhausted stairwells


12/32

HVAC Problems

Smoke and heat on multiple floors

Difficult to find location of fire

Circulating smoke

Programming of HVAC systems can be + /-Duct detectors and dampers

Pressurized / vented stairwells


13/32

Elevator General Precautions

Necessary Evil to be avoided if possible

Access to fire floor often difficult

Reduces reflex time

Choose Blind Bank elevators if available

10 floors or less WALK-UP Always stop 2 floor below the reported fire

floor.


14/32


Attempt to accurately identify the fire floor

before boarding the elevator.

Stop two floors below the reported floor.

Account for every firefighter going up

Name, company, time, elevator number

Expect the Worst!


15/32


Utilize Primary Emergency elevator

Avoid the freight elevator

SCBAs ON, masks ready, radio in hand.

Use only Firemens Service

Cancels normal calling mode

Press the Call Cancel button upon entry

Try Door Open Button before moving


16/32


Try the Stop Button early

Stop after one or two floors

Determine floor layout

Identify location of stairwells

Quickest route from elevator lobby

Make frequent stops

Check floor conditions, shaft for smoke


17/32


Report progress to Command

5 clear, proceeding to 10

At 2 floors below reported fire floorReport arrival to Command

Masks ready

Be prepared to push Door Close button One FF must remain IN the elevator while it

is in Firemens Service mode


18/32

High-rise Operations

Initial deployment is critical.

Locate the fire.

Determine extent and likely path for extension.Deploy to confine and extinguish.

Extensive Search and Rescue effort.

Minimum 3 companies on fire floor.Minimum of one company above the fire floor.

Every floor above fire floor must be searched.


19/32

High-rise Operations

Difficult to Extinguish

High heat

Limited access

Large open spaces and voids

Partitions and cubicles

High fire flow required


20/32

RESCUE

Initiate Primary Search ASAP

1. On the fire floor

2. Directly above the fire floor

3. Above the fire floor

Labor intensive

Utilize search ropes tied to anchor points

Evacuation


21/32


22/32

CONFINE & EXTINGUISH

Determine floor and stairwell layout from

lower floors to determine access routes.

Maintain integrity of stairwell doors.

Support built-in fire suppression systems.

Redundantly supply FD connection.


23/32

CONFINE & EXTINGUISH

2 hose with 1 tip = 300 gpm at 40 psi

Standpipe only required to provide 65 psi at

the farthest outlet (one line flowing)

Multiple lines WILL be needed

Reach and penetration needed

May have to control extension and allow the

fire floor to burn out


24/32

VENTILATION

HVAC system MAY be designed to removesmoke IF heat and fire have not effected the

duct system IC must know:

Exact fire location and conditions

Floor and stairwell layoutLocation of occupants and FFs

If system use will create a hazard to FFs


25/32

VERTICAL VENTILATION

Vertical ventilation is the preferred method.

Stack Effect

Heat moves from hot to cold

Smoke and heat will rise to upper floors

Movement of smoke and heat will slow as the

loose temperature or interior temps increase.


26/32


How do you get to the top?

Exterior means preferred

Elevator as far as possible, then walk up

Fire floor stairwell doors should remain

closed until vent crew reaches the roof.


27/32


Check effect on fire with roof door and fire

floor door open.

Positive, remove roof door

Negative, try another roof door

Open other roof attachments


28/32


Avoid using elevator shafts to ventilate

Spread heat and smoke to other floors

Compromise elevator use

Small roof opening

Persons may fall thru open elevator doors


29/32


Be aware of Reverse stack effect

High exterior temperatures

Heat accumulation on upper floors

Cold smoke

Stratification

Smoke cools as it rises and hangs at variouslevels


30/32

HORIZONTAL VENTILATION

Complex issue

May lead to intensification of fire

Falling glass > injuries and cut lines


31/32

HORIZONTAL VENTILATION

Determine Windward and Leeward sideBELOW the fire floor.

Small experiment to determine air movement Smoke may be drawn into the building by

stack movement of air.

Pull window IN

HIGH/HIGH or LOW/LOW = NO NO


32/32

high rise buildings2

Documents