High-Rise Operations Manual - Ground Floor Operations PDF

SECTION TOPICS Fire Attack Group Formation Alternate Options for an OOS FDC Elevator Discipline Medical Group Operations Lobby Control/Systems Operations Driver Duties/FDC Procedures Command Location Digital Vehicular Repeater System SECTION OBJECTIVES Describe the initial actions taken by the...

SECTION TOPICS Fire Attack Group Formation Alternate Options for an OOS FDC Elevator Discipline Medical Group Operations Lobby Control/Systems Operations Driver Duties/FDC Procedures Command Location Digital Vehicular Repeater System SECTION OBJECTIVES Describe the initial actions taken by the Fire Attack Group Explain how to properly hook up to an FDC Identify the basics of Phase I and Phase II elevator operations State the appropriate steps to properly pump the FDC State the procedures for elevator use at a high-rise incident Identify when the engine is actually pumping water into the system, as opposed to Explain the importance of and steps for maintaining control of building systems when required State trouble-shooting techniques for issues with the FDC Understand the driver/operator duties of the first two arriving engines Understand the pros and cons of different command post locations Second Edition 01/11/22 59 ACTIONS Begin assembling crews for the Fire Attack Group o First two engines and first ladder o Carry all necessary equipment inside o Gather crews near the elevators to be used Locate the Fire Control Room (Annunciator panel area) o Determine the exact location and floor of the fire or alarm o Retrieve keys and swipe cards for all areas o Fire department handsets may be available for use; distribute them to Group Supervisors Once the fire floor is determined, decide if it is within walking distance o If the fire floor is five floors or less, crews should use the stairs o If elevators do not have firefighter recall service, crews will use the stairs o Elevator discipline will be covered later in this manual If the fire is out of walking distance and the elevators have firefighter service, use them. Second Edition 01/11/22 60 ELEVATOR PHASES Phase I Phase I recalls all the cars to the lobby area or the floor of egress whichever is indicated on the call panel Phase I is activated in the elevator lobby area or in the Fire Control Room Once Phase I is activated, any call the elevator is on will be cancelled. The elevator will return to the lobby, and the doors will open. This allows for accountability of elevators and those located within the car Phase II Phase II allows firefighters to completely control the elevator car; this phase is activated from within the elevator car (Utilizing the same key which initiated Phase I) During Phase II operation, the following occur: o The doors do not automatically open or close o Opening and closing will require firefighters to operate the door controls manually o Most of the time, firefighters can close the doors then select their floor of travel o In some instances, to select a floor both the floor number and the door close button may need to be held simultaneously until the doors close and the car starts moving o To open the doors, hold the door open button until the doors are completely open; otherwise, they will reclose Click here to view Vector Solutions video on Elevator Fire Service Modes Second Edition 01/11/22 61 SAFETY STOPS During operations, safety stops need to be used o The first stop is the second floor. This lets the operators know the call button works; the doors should remain closed unless the operator opens them Press and hold the door open button, then release it before the doors are completely open. The doors should open then automatically close o This tells firefighters that they are in control of the door functions, and Phase II is working as designed Next, begin moving up. Stop every five floors to repeat the door checks; these ensure that firefighters are still in control of the elevator. Visualize the shaft way, checking for water or smoke in the shaft The final stop will be two floors below the fire floor. Locate the stairs and walk up from there Note If the Phase II firefighter helmet light in the car is flashing, that means there has been a fire alarm activation/sprinkler activation in the shaft way or in the elevator control room. Do not use the elevator if this occurs ELEVATOR GUIDELINES Do not overload the cars; four to six firefighters are generally all the car can hold Do not use an elevator if there is no firefighter service or recall function Do not use freight elevators unless they have firefighter service and you are familiar with the building s trash collection and removal policy o Typically, trash is collected near the freight elevator lobby; this is a common location for fires to start Do not strand the elevator keys in the car; next arriving crews will need them o Using the car hold feature will keep the car and the keys on the floor firefighters exited on o Instead, o Doing so allows Phase I to kick in and recall the car to the lobby for the next arriving crews to use o Continue this technique until Lobby Control is established. At that point, a firefighter from the Lobby Control Group will shuttle crews back and forth from the lobby to the resource floor Stop the elevator at least two floors below the fire or floor of alarm Firefighters should back into the elevator cars when loading This will keep members from having to spin around in tight quarters while carrying hose packs and hand tools Choose an elevator that does not service the fire floor if possible Buildings with multiple elevator zones will have elevators that do not go to the fire floor, but will go to within walking distance of the fire floor This technique could make it safer to use elevators during the fire because it eliminates the chance of the car malfunctioning and going directly to the fire floor Second Edition 01/11/22 62 ACTIONS The third engine is responsible for Lobby Control. may have been performed by the Fire Attack Group already Annunciator panel, keys, and elevator recall are likely already done Pick up from wherever the Fire Attack Group left off Establish lobby accountability and collect one passport from each crew entering the building Assign a firefighter to operate the elevator and shuttle crews to the resource floor two floors below the fire. This firefighter should be in full PPE and SCBA Send a firefighter to the pump room to check if the fire pump is running and determine what the discharge pressure is. Report these findings to the Lobby Control Group supervisor This is a critical job. The pump operator on the FDC will need this information in case the building fire pump fails or there are any low-pressure situations Take forcible entry tools and radios. The fire pump room is likely locked and in an area remote from the lobby Locate the stairwell access and direct crews when needed Although it seems simple, many stairwells are hidden by decorative features not easily found by crews not familiar with the building. (Look for exit signs) Locate the building engineer and maintain contact for technical expertise Locate and distribute in house communications equipment These will be important as radio traffic increases on the fire ground Group supervisors should get a handset Locate and distribute any master keys. Group supervisors should get a set of keys Maintain and control all building systems when required; the building engineer will be able to help with this Control HVAC, electrical shut offs, and gas shut offs. Also control backup generators, fire protection systems, and building communication systems As the incident grows, lobby control/systems will be split apart into two groups One company will concentrate on accountability, elevators, and crew assignments One company will be devoted to building systems and communications using the PA and in-house fire phones Second Edition 01/11/22 63 DRIVER RESPONSIBILITIES Upon arrival to the scene, all crew members will be heading inside except the drivers of the Fire Attack G The ladder driver will be guided by the scene size-up If the fire is in reach of the aerial, set it up for fire attack/rescue If rescues can be made, set it up for rescue If the aerial will not be used, don PPE and join the crew (only if your company officer directs you to do so) Ladder driver may also be used as manpower for equipment shuttling Engine drivers will be responsible for locating the FDC and the nearest hydrant One engine will connect to the hydrant Connect with the sh Connect two Series pump to the engine on the FDC. Series pumping shares the pressure load between the two trucks CFD engines have the intake relief valve for the pump set at 180 PSI; any pressure above 180 PSI will be released to the ground (See the Engine Operations Manual for more information about intake relief valves) One engine will make a physical hookup to the FDC If a two-stage pump is on the scene, it should be connected to the FDC P Use the two high-pressure hose carried on the engine Connect one high pressure hose to the right rear discharge, and the other to the Doing so keeps the hose away from the driver Remove any Storz adaptors from the engine outlets and connect the high-pressure hose to the engine using the NST threads on the hose. This is a much safer connection during high pressure pumping operations Click here to view Vector Solutions video on FDC connections Second Edition 01/11/22 64 CONNECTING TO THE FDC The engine driver on the FDC has to inspect the FDC prior to hook up and use (2) Spanner wrenches ouble males Knox cap key (2) Spare ose Gaskets Slotted screwdriver ouble females Wire brush McGill forceps or needle nose pliers ipe wrench Remove the FDC plugs and inspect the female swivel If the swivel is frozen in place, use a double male attached to a double female to create a new swivel If there are Knox Locks, use the Knox Key to remove them Check the condition of the gaskets. If they are damaged or missing, replace them Look for debris inside the FDC and use the McGill forceps or needle nose pliers to remove any that is found Some FDCs have multiple zones and multiple inlets to deliver water to the system. If there are more than two inlets on the FDC, remove all the plugs prior to pumping water. If firefighters deliver water to two inlets and later decide to supply additional FDC inlets, failing to remove all the plugs initially can cause the remaining plugs to have pressure on them and be dangerous or impossible to remove as a result Make all hose connections spanner tight. There is nothing worse than a high-pressure water leak that cannot be tightened due to pressure Once everything is connected and tight, fill the FDC lines with water and remain at idle pressure Inform the I/C that lines are charged and hydrant supply is established Second Edition 01/11/22 65 PUMPING THE FDC After all connections are made and the lines are charged, remain at idle. The system is designed to handle the fire protection workload o The FDC engine is there as a backup to the building s system o Do not pump into the FDC unless the system is inadequate o If it is a dry system (parking garage), start pumping right away o Generic pump discharge pressure required for a dry system is the high-rise hose pack operating pressure + elevation + appliances Once Fire Attack Group crews reach the floor below the fire, make the hose connection, and flow their hose line, they will know if the system is adequate for fire attack If the system is functioning as designed, the FDC engine should standby at idle while recirculating water to dissipate heat in the pump If the system pressure is lacking or the crews request higher pressures, that is the time for the FDC engine to increase pump pressure T to pump higher than o The system pressure is the discharge pressure of the building ile running. This number is different for every building due to building height and age o Pre-1993 buildings require 65 PSI residual pressure at the most remote outlet from the pump while flowing 500 GPM o Post-1993 buildings require 100 PSI residual pressure at the most remote outlet from the pump while flowing 500 GPM Using the standards listed above, the system designer calculates what the pump pressure needs to be based on the building height and the year constructed T detective work must be done o Building pre-plans are the best way to gain this knowledge. Go to the pump room under non-emergency conditions and determine what the pressure is During high rise fire operations, send a member from the Lobby Control Group to the pump room to check if the pump is running and determine what the discharge pressure is In buildings that have PRVs on the standpipes, it is especially important for the pump operator of fire pump fails and the FDC engine must take over supplying the building with water, the pump top floor (Supplying the same pressure that the building fire pump was discharging should be adequate for this). If the pum did, the PRVs will not allow adequate pressure past them to provide the appropriate pressure needed by the fire attack teams. If the fire pump discharge pressure is not known, many FDC engine pump operators would likely try to figure up what pressure would be needed at the fire floor. Even if the fire floor is only part of the way up the building, (for instance, floor 20 in a 40story building), the FDC engine pump operator should actually determine what pressure would be needed at the top floor and should then supply that pressure to the building. Doing so ensures that the appropriate amount of pressure will make it past the PRVs on the fire floor. Click here to view Vector Solutions video on the Fire Pump Room Second Edition 01/11/22 66 DETERMINING FIRE PUMP PRESSURE USING ENGINE Using the right rear discharge, the pump operator can slowly increase pressure until they see flow in the red numbers on the outlet gauge (photo on the right) Assuming the flowmeter is working and calibrated properly, the meter will begin reading flow once the PUMP PANEL This indicates to the pump operator that they have overcome the clapper valve on have started moving water into the building If the flow meter portion of the gauge does not work, the pump operator can slowly increase pressure until they see a residual pressure drop on their master intake gauge This indicates to the pump operator that they have overcome the clapper valve have started moving water into the building Now that the pump operator has determined the pump pressure for the FDC, it is important to consider a few facts about fire protection systems: o When firefighters pump into the FDC, they are not adding to what the buil fire pump is discharging. Instead, once firefighters introduce water to the building, they are the sole source of water for that system o The reason this occurs is that opening the internal clappers to deliver water also closes a clapper near the fire pump o water supply from contaminating the domestic water system o If crews upstairs call for more pressure, the FDC pump operator will need to pump the building's system pressure plus whatever additional pressure the crews are asking for The image on the left shows a generic schematic of an FDC and how firefighters can take control of the system via the check valves/clappers Second Edition 01/11/22 67 OVERVIEW If the FDC is damaged, missing, or fails during use, alternate methods of delivering water to the building are listed below: o Using a first-floor standpipe outlet as an inlet o Supplying through a test head discharge o Using an elevated waterway o Performing a well stretch USING A FIRST FLOOR STANDPIPE OUTLET AS AN INLET Attach a large gated wye to the standpipe outlet and connect the high pressure FDC hose to the wye If the standpipe outlet has a PRV (Pressure Reducing Valve), this option will not work. PRVs have one-way check valves that will not allow water to flow into the standpipe SUPPLYING THROUGH A TEST HEAD DISCHARGE This option consists of supplying water through pump annually. Firefighters can tell the difference between a test head discharge and an FDC by looking at the threads. A test head discharge will have exposed male threads, while an FDC is female To use this method, the pump operator will connect their high pressure FDC hoses to the pump test head outlets. Double female adapters will be needed to connect the male end of the high pressure hose to the male test head discharges A firefighter will need to go to the fire pump room. There will be a closed OS&Y valve on the discharge side of the fire pump that leads to the test head discharges. A firefighter must open this valve; doing so allows water to supply the system through the test head discharges the same as if it were an FDC Second Edition 01/11/22 68 USING AN ELEVATED WATERWAY An aerial ladder or platform can be used as an elevated waterway The fire must be within reach of the aerial device This option is only used if no victim rescue is required from the exterior PERFORMING A WELL STRETCH Stretch a supply line up an internal stairwell Tie off the line to keep it from falling to the bottom of the stairwell when charged Attach an appliance to the supply line Stretch the high-rise hose pack from the appliance Click here to view Brass Tacks video on overcoming problems connecting to the FDC Second Edition 01/11/22 69 FIRST MEDIC CREW TO ARRIVE If no victims are present or expected, the first arriving medic may be utilized to assist the Lobby Control Group Bring all EMS equipment to the lobby area Be sure to wear full PPE and SCBA. If the medic crew arrives at the lobby in just their fatigue uniforms, EMS is all they will be able to perform. Having full PPE and SCBA makes the medic crew versatile. Medic crews can be assigned to a forward area and will need their full PPE and SCBA Prepare for victim treatment or assignment to the Lobby Control Group FIRST EMS SUPERVISOR TO ARRIVE Report to the IC and establish the Medical Group/Branch The Medical Group should be established at any high-rise incident where the medical triage, treatment, or transport needs exceed the span-of-control of the IC Manage all aspects of EMS/victim care for the IC Be sure to have full PPE and SCBA. EMS Supervisors can be assigned to a forward area and will need their full PPE and SCBA Bring all appropriate EMS equipment into the lobby area o Triage tags o EMS Supervisor drug bag o Lucas device A separate triage and treatment area shall be set up at ground level Second Edition 01/11/22 70 FIRST ARRIVING BATTALION CHIEF Takes Fixed Command of the incident Command post location is flexible. An exterior command is desirable, but it is the choice Lobby Command Gives the I/C the ability to have face-to-face communication with crews as they enter Provides direct access to building engineers if available Allows access to -house communication equipment if needed due to portable radio problems A drawback of the lobby command post is the I/C cannot see the exterior of the building to size up progress Second Edition 01/11/22 71 Exterior Command (Rear of the Battalion Chief Vehicle) Allows the I/C to visualize the exterior Keeps the I/C remote from the lobby chaos and noise Gives the I/C access to the command board and multiple base radios for communication Communication is difficult at any fire, but high-rise buildings are even more challenging since radios may not work. The next page will discuss the Digital Vehicular Repeater System carried on Battalion Chief and SO-2 vehicles. The DVRS is an option that can help firefighters overcome some of the communication difficulties presented during high-rise operations. Second Edition 01/11/22 72 OVERVIEW DVRS is a repeater system carried on SO-2 and BC vehicles Think of the DVRS as a portable radio tower. Your portable radio signal only needs to reach the DVRS in the BC car, rather than needing to reach the nearest radio tower DVRS boosts the signal and relays it to the nearest radio tower DVRS has three modes: Off, Local Mode, and System Mode Local Mode is a line-of-sight function like car-to-car (Direct C) System Mode is what will be utilized to boost the radio signals There are four available DVRS channels: CFD DVRS, 7TAC51 DVRS, 7MED65, and 7MED66 CFD DVRS and 7TAC51 DVRS are available within zones 1-8 (B1 CFD DVRS, B1 7TAC51 DVRS, B2 CFD DVRS, B2 7TAC51 DVRS, etc.) If two DVRS units are operating on the same frequency within approximately two miles of each other, one will go inactive. For large incidents, set the second DVRS to 7TAC51 DVRS is a great option for high-rise buildings where radio signals have trouble getting out Click here to view an informational YouTube video about how the DVRS works BC AND SO-2 DVRS SETUP The BC must notify all fireground companies they will be switching to DVRS and specify which DVRS channel will be used. The BC then places the directional magnetic antenna on top of the car facing toward the incident and turns on the DVRS PORTABLE RADIOS Rotate the selector knob until the assigned FG DVRS channel is selected Example: If assigned fireground channel is B5 FG, select B5 CFD DVRS on the radio Once a second vehicle with a DVRS arrives, their DVRS unit can be used to operate a separate DVRS channel if needed (such as B5 7TAC51 DVRS) Click here to view Vector Solutions video about CFD DVRS Operations There are no current SOPs dictating how a Mayday will be handled if a DVRS channel is in use. will be if a Mayday occurs while companies are operating on a DVRS channel. The next section will discuss the second half of high-rise operations: everything that happens from the resource floor and above. The operations that take place in the lobby/ground floor area set us up for success on the upper floors. Staying disciplined and knowing your role in the operation allows all crews to work together for the common goal: saving lives and extinguishing the fire. Scientia potentia est Knowledge is power. Second Edition 01/11/22 73