High-Rise Fire Response Protocols

High-Rise Fire Response

• First arriving unit contacts dispatch with scene size up, staging area location, and incident command establishment.
• Incident command utilizes building pre-plans for site-specific information.
• Incident command initiates personnel accountability and considers unified command post.
• 360 assessment includes fire control room location, fire floor or division identification, conditions above and below fire floor, standpipe identification, and evacuation routes.
• Occupant safety and evacuation are prioritized.
• Elevators recalled to lobby, with caution above the seventh floor.

Resource Deployment

• First alarm assignment includes four engines, one ladder, three rescues, and two chief officers.
• Second and subsequent alarms include four engines, one ladder, three rescues, and two chief officers.
• Working fires require all chiefs page, on call fire inspector, community emergency response team, support services, utilities, second alarm assignment, law enforcement representative, building representative, and city building official.

Apparatus Deployment

• First engine and rescue company initiate fire attack with a minimum of four firefighters; Driver-Engineer remains in stairwell with hose lines.
• First ladder position allows aerial operations, with Driver-Engineer remaining with unit.
• Second engine company establishes water supply for firefighting operations.
• Third Engine Company establishes Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) one floor below the fire.
• Fourth Engine Company and second rescue establish backup line.
• Third rescue company establishes triage/treatment area (may be two floors below fire floor).
• Later arriving units report to base for assignments.
• Second arriving Chief Officer assumes Safety Officer, conducting size-up, floor layout confirmation, and supervision of operations.

Personnel Deployment

• All personnel wear full structural firefighting PPE.
• All personnel have second personal accountability tags prior to entering lobby command.
• Companies not involved in fire attack report to base area for assignments.
• Elevators used in accordance with Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department policy.
• Personnel gather essential tools and equipment for high-rise firefighting operations.

Operations

• Attack companies check conditions on each floor while ascending to the floor below the fire floor.
• Elevators are used with caution above the seventh floor.
• Driver-Engineer manages hose deployment and pump pressure.
• Company Officer conducts floor layout size-up.
• Rescue Company Officer assists with hose deployment.
• Rescue Company Firefighter monitors entry point conditions.
• Suppression Company Firefighter operates the hose nozzle.

Lobby Control

• The Lobby control unit manages access, building systems, and accountability.

Operational Staging

• Located two floors below the fire floor, staging acts as point-of-entry control and accountability.
• Records resources and equipment.

Base

• Located outside the building, away from collapse zones.
• Base maintains communications, records resources, and coordinates rescue vehicle transport.

Tasks

• Building occupant evacuation is prioritized.
• Units search and rescue and control ventilation.
• SCBA supply and refill capabilities are monitored.
• Exhaust fans and portable lighting are set up where necessary.

Coordination of Operations

• Incident Command coordinates communications and actions of fire attack, search and rescue, evacuation, ventilation, and water supply units.

Assignments

• The Incident Command assigns units according to the following priorities: Fire Attack, Lobby Control, Staging, Rapid Intervention Crew, Base, Rehab.
• The Rapid Intervention Crew is positioned on the staging floor prior to entering an immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) environment.
• Law Enforcement will not be used to search or rescue trapped victims in a hazardous environment.

Post Fire Investigations

• Proper ventilation prior to investigations is required with 4-gas multi-meter monitoring.
• No post fire investigations are conducted while the gas meter is activated.

Standpipe Considerations

• All building FDC's are pumped accordingly.
• Gate wyes and water thieves are not connected to FDC's.
• FDC's are checked for obstructions.
• Minimum pump discharge pressure is 150 psi.
• Safe distance from the building is maintained.
• Pump pressure is reevaluated and adjusted for fire flow requirements.

Universal Practice

• Add 25 psi for the FDC.

Procedure Decision Tree

• Five (5) pounds psi per floor to the fire floor, minus the first floor (example: fire on 5th floor = 25 psi (5 floors) minus 1st floor (5 psi) = 20 psi friction loss for elevation)
• Hose length, nozzle size, flow rate, nozzle pressure, and elevation affect fire floor pressure loss.

General Considerations

• Adequate resources are requested early as high-rise incidents are time- and labor-intensive.
• Wind conditions and flow paths are monitored for impact on personnel safety.
• Rehab is established on the staging floor.
• Multiple RIC crews may be necessary.
• If usable, the elevator is taken two floors below the fire floor for floor layout evaluation.

Test your knowledge on high-rise fire response protocols including incident command establishment, personnel accountability, and safety measures for occupants. Dive into resource deployment strategies and the importance of thorough site assessments in emergencies.