High-Rise_Incident_Management.pdf

Policy 310 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department High-Rise Incident Management - 1 High-Rise Incident Management 310.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to ada...

Policy 310 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department High-Rise Incident Management - 1 High-Rise Incident Management 310.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to adapt normal operating procedures and systems to incidents occurring in a high-rise environment. Any incident in a high-rise environment is complicated by the difficulties of access, the construction of the building and the number of occupants potentially inside the structure. 310.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: High-rise - For the purposes of this policy a high-rise is any building more than 75 feet tall measured from the lowest point accessible by department vehicles to the floor of the highest story that is designed for occupancy. This shall be the threshold for the activation of the high-rise incident command structure. 310.2 POLICY It is the policy of the Chesapeake Fire Department to utilize the Incident Command System (ICS) for high-rise incident management. 310.3 PROCEDURES All incident-related activities should be performed in accordance with the established ICS methods and procedures as specified in the Incident Management Policy. Upon the initial arrival of units and apparatus, the assumption of a concealed fire should be made by the Incident Commander unless an initial size-up indicates otherwise. Initial-arriving units should: • Make all necessary efforts to provide for the safety and evacuation of any building occupants in immediate danger and for the continued safe exit of all other building occupants. • Identify the fire floor or sector, and provide a size-up of the conditions on both the fire floor and also the floor above. • Establish a water supply for the initial attack. If the building has multiple standpipes, the member on the fire floor must identify which riser requires water and advise incident command. • Deploy an attack on the fire floor using at least two companies. • Make reasonable efforts to provide for the safety of any person in immediate danger. • Establish lobby, elevator, stairway and alarm system control and stairwell support if necessary for a sustained fire attack.