Palm Beach County Fire Rescue High-Rise Fire Operations PDF

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Standard Operating Guideline SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Issue Date: 04/01/2019...

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Standard Operating Guideline SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Issue Date: 04/01/2019 Effective Date: 05/01/2019 PURPOSE: The purpose of this standard operating guideline is to establish a general course of action for Fire Department activities during firefighting activities while operating in High-Rise structures. AUTHORITY:  Fire Chiefs Association of Palm Beach County  Fire Rescue Administrator SCOPE: This standard operating guideline shall apply to all fire events in structures greater than 75 feet in height. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Countywide High Rise Operating Manual PROCEDURE: It will be the responsibility of each member to exercise the appropriate control dictated by their rank in the implementation of this SOG. Personnel should anticipate the need for implementing the guidelines of this procedure and should be prepared to activate them prior to actual need. 1. General Information a. An exceptionally high level of discipline shall be required of all personnel during high-rise operations. A failure to follow any portion of the operational plan could result in casualties. The operational plan shall consist of five (5) basic points: i. Determine the fire floor. ii. Verify the fire floor. iii. Control the occupants. iv. Control of the building systems. v. Confine and extinguish the fire. b. As with every IDLH situation, a RIC must be established. c. All personnel that enter the building or are in the collapse zone shall wear all applicable Personal Protective Equipment including SCBA. d. Command Considerations i. In addition to “Fire Attack” and “Rapid Intervention Crew(s)”, the following needs to be considered based on the specific needs of the incident: SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Page 1 of 6  Size-up 1. 360 & Size-Up – Get as many views as possible. 2. Gather intel/recon to determine further actions and needed resources Lobby 1. Initiating building evacuation if not already in progress Control 2. Utilities Control (Interior & Exterior) Including HVAC, 3. Stairwell pressurization 4. Elevator – Verify location of cars and control them 5. Fire Pump – Confirm operation of pump 6. Alarm Panel – Monitor devices (smoke detectors, water flow) 7. Building Access – Control Access points for fire personnel and flow of evacuees 8. Stairwell Support – Identify firefighting and evacuation stairwells and assist in moving equipment up to Staging Search 1. Prioritize search and evacuations needs: & Evacuation 2. Fire floor 3. Floor(s) above the fire 4. Floor(s) below the fire 5. Shelter in an area of safe refuge Staging 1. Identify staging area – 2 floors below fire if possible 2. Area for firefighters to rehab, change SCBA bottles 3. Stand-by for assignment Base Area designated for parking resources Medical Area designated for medical services, firefighters and occupants Safety 1. Identify Safety Officer(s) 2. A Safety Group may need to be identified at multiple alarm fires Logistics & Command Post Functions - anticipating resources (personnel, Planning equipment, etc.) Air & Light Anticipate need for filling of SCBA bottles and personnel needed to Support shuttle bottles from filling location to Staging Area Water Supply 1. Positioning (Plug & Connection – Establishing Water Supply – Building systems & Services – FDC: standpipe/ sprinkler/fire pump) SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Page 2 of 6  2. GUIDELINES a. The first arriving officer shall initiate Command and determine if a fire emergency exists by observing building, checking for outward signs of fire, checking the alarm panel, and/or interviewing occupants. b. When the size-up indicates the possibility of a fire in a high-rise, Command may request a second alarm, and identify a Base Area location. Command may consider transferring Command to a Command Officer or the second arriving suppression unit so they can accompany their crew for initial fire attack. Intentionally left blank SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Page 3 of 6  Assignment Function Fire Attack 1. Size-up “Fire Floor” 2. Establish or transfer Command 3. Two-units form to make one fire attack company prior to ascending to the fire floor. 4. Operate initial attack line Truck Company 1. Forcible Entry Functions 2. Primary Search and Rescue Inside Truck Function “Fire Floor” 3. Assist Fire Attack Truck Company 1. Forcible Entry Functions 2. Primary Search and Rescue Inside Truck Function “Floor Above” 3. Assist Fire Attack Fire Attack 1. Joins with the units operating on the “Floor Above” “Floor Above” 2. Check for extension to floor above 3. Operate attack line if needed Water Supply 1. Locate, hook-up, and pump water to the fire protection system 2. Once connection is made, Officer and firefighter report to Command RIC 1. Pre-Plan for firefighter rescue 2. Operate from Staging Lobby Control 1. Control elevators, Check for trapped occupants 2. Check fire pump, report status to Command 3. Check fire alarm, report status to Command 4. Establish a resource area for extra equipment 5. Utilize building communication system if possible Staging 1. Report to Command to confirm location of Staging 2. Go to Staging and set-up for Rehab and track personnel Asst. Safety Incident Safety Officer shall designate an Asst. Safety Officer as needed Command 1. Operates Incident Command System 2. Maintain Accountability Ventilation Special considerations to the shelter in place and evacuations areas. SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Page 4 of 6  c. Additional Alarm Units i. Unless otherwise directed by Command, units shall report to the Base Area. The first unit which arrives at Base shall be the Base Officer and shall advise Command by radio of what unit has established Base. Subsequently arriving units at Base shall report to the Base Officer and give their unit passports to the Base Officer. d. Elevators i. Fire Rescue Department Elevator Control Characteristics 1. There are two (2) phases associated with firefighter’s service control. a. Phase 1 is when the system has been activated to recall the elevators to the lobby level (if a smoke detector has activated on the lobby level, the car(s) shall stop at an alternate floor. b. Phase 2 is when Fire Rescue has taken possession and operates the elevator. 2. Firefighter’s service control is activated with the fire service control key. Once the key is inserted and the key turned to the “ON” position the elevators are returned to the Lobby. The car shall open and shall NOT respond to normal commands. 3. Once the fire service key switch is turned “ON”, the key may be removed. The key is then taken into the elevator car and inserted into the fire service switch and turned “ON”. The car is now controlled for Fire Rescue use. ii. Elevator Usage: 1. Elevators must be equipped with a firefighter override system to be used for fire attack. 2. If the fire is believed to be on the 7th floor or below, elevators shall not be used for initial fire attack. 3. If the fire is on the 8th floor or above, elevators may be used at the discretion of the Company Officer, under the following conditions: a. An Elevator Control Firefighter (ECF) shall be assigned to operate the elevator manually. b. Personnel shall go no higher than two (2) floors below the fire. c. All personnel in the elevator shall have SCBA with tank valve on and face piece in place. d. Multiple lighting sources (e.g. hand lights and flashlights). e. A pressurized water extinguisher shall be kept in the elevator. f. No more than 7 personnel per elevator car. 4. If elevator(s) are the chosen method of reaching the fire area, the elevator shall be placed in Phase 2 operation and the controls tested by going up one floor to ensure that the floor selector buttons and door opening/closing buttons operate as intended. Elevators must be stopped at intermediate points to confirm control and to avoid being taken directly to the fire area. All elevator use shall terminate at the floor level of Staging. SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Page 5 of 6  AGREEMENT As a member of the Fire Chiefs Association of Palm Beach County, each Fire Rescue Department below agrees to adopt this Countywide High Rise SOGs, and use the content therein to develop their own Departmental SOGs. Dated this 20th day of June, 2018 Supersession History 1. SOG #2115, issued 05/11/1994 2. SOG #2115, issued 10/01/2012 3. SOG 400-03, clerical 05/01/2018 4. SOG 400-03, issued 04/01/2019 SOG 400-03 High-Rise Fire Operations Page 6 of 6