SNFO-06 High-Rise Fire Elevator Use PDF

Southern Nevada Fire Operations STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Effective date: 7-12-2010 Supersedes: All Others HIGH-RISE FIRE ELEVATOR USE SOP #: SNFO-06 Page 1 of 5 PURPOSE This procedure has been established to outline the requirements for use of elevators and to maximize fire...

Southern Nevada Fire Operations STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Effective date: 7-12-2010 Supersedes: All Others HIGH-RISE FIRE ELEVATOR USE SOP #: SNFO-06 Page 1 of 5 PURPOSE This procedure has been established to outline the requirements for use of elevators and to maximize firefighter and civilian safety while utilizing elevators during high-rise firefighting operations. PROCEDURES FOR ELEVATOR SELECTION AND USE The process of clearing elevators for use, or climbing stairs in a High-Rise building can take considerable time. Crews should anticipate that fire conditions will worsen prior to their arrival on the fire floor. The ability of first-arriving crews to secure, clear, and utilize elevators can have a significant impact upon the successful mitigation of a High-Rise incident. For that reason, the following procedures should be followed by First-In Companies: Company Officers should secure a set of keys prior to ascending. These keys will be necessary for clearing/using the elevators. Crews should be mindful that elevators in Phase 1 will not operate without the FF key. Phase 1 is initiated by inserting the key into the elevator lobby key panel and placing the Firefighter Service in the “ON” position. Company Officers shall attempt to verify the location of the alarm, fire, or emergency. This can be accomplished through direct observation, reports from building Security/Maintenance, or reports from the Fire Control Room (either from FD personnel, or building personnel). If the Officers are unable to determine the location of the event, the stairs must be used. Note: When fire is reported on or below the 6TH floor, elevators shall not be used by the initial crews going aloft. For fires and emergencies reported above the 6th floor: 1. Select the appropriate bank of elevators for use. The best elevators may be remote from the location of the event, and may be the main passenger elevators, service elevators, or even elevators in another portion of the building (provided that there is a means of accessing the fire area). a. Elevators in split banks may be used if the top of the hoistway and machine room are located at least 5 floors below the fire floor. b. Elevators that operate in blind shafts should be used with caution. Blind shafts do not have hoistway doors at each floor that allow for emergency exiting. c. Use Service elevators if possible. Generally, they are larger and have a greater weight capacity. Freight elevators generally do not service all floors, travel at much slower speeds and may not have “Firefighters’ Service”. Southern Nevada Fire Operations STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Effective date: 7-12-2010 Supersedes: All Others HIGH-RISE FIRE ELEVATOR USE SOP #: SNFO-06 Page 2 of 5 d. Consider using an elevator in a separate wing if access from one wing to another is possible. 2. Prior to clearing/using the elevators, companies must ensure that the elevator bank is in Phase 1 and that all cars in the bank have returned to the designated floor and are open. This can be accomplished by using the elevator keys from your apparatus, keys from Security, Maintenance, or Engineering, keys from the Knox box, or by remote from the Fire Control Room. When established, Lobby Control will obtain additional keys and continue the process of securing and clearing the elevators for extended use. (See section on Lobby) 3. When automatic or manual recall of elevators (Phase 1) has occurred, first in crews and/or Lobby Control shall notify the Incident Commander of the location of the FF elevators. 4. If possible, confirm with “Systems Control Unit” (Fire Control Room) that there are no activated smoke detectors in the elevator shaft. 5. Elevators shall not be used until the hoistway has been “cleared” and the car is determined safe for use: To clear elevators: a. With the hoistway and car doors open, shine a light up into the hoistway to look for smoke or water. Any indication of smoke, fire, or water existing in the hoistway requires that another bank of elevators or the stairs be used. b. To ensure control of elevator car, personnel shall conduct the following test after entering the car and putting it in Phase 2: i. Press and hold the “door close” button until the doors are ½ closed, and then release the button to ensure that the doors open. ii. Press and hold the “door close” button until the doors are closed. iii. Select a floor that is no more than two (2) floors above your current location. iv. Upon arrival at that floor, repeat step one (i) with the “door open” button. v. Close the doorscontinue ascent making several intermediate stops before reaching the floor of final destination at least two floors below reported fire floor. Southern Nevada Fire Operations STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Effective date: 7-12-2010 Supersedes: All Others HIGH-RISE FIRE ELEVATOR USE SOP #: SNFO-06 Page 3 of 5 6. The elevator shaft and car are now cleared for use and can be utilized for ascent provided that the following conditions are met: a. No more than two (2) crews and two (2) elevator operators per car/trip. The overriding concerns in this are 1) to keep crews intact, and 2) to remain below the weight capacities of the car. b. Use service elevators if possible. Generally they are larger and have a greater weight capacity. i. Service elevators usually access all floors and can be operated in Phase I and Phase II. c. Crews must be in full PPE with masks in place. Crews should remain on ambient air as to conserve their air supply. d. Crews must know the location of the closest stairwell. e. Crews should make several intermediate stops before reaching the floor of final destination at least two floors below reported fire floor. If at anytime smoke and/or water are present in the hoistway discontinue use of elevator car and continue ascent utilizing appropriate stairwell.” Report your findings to the Lobby Control Officer, or IC if Lobby is not staffed. f. Crews should stop at least two (2) floors below the reported fire floor and utilize the stairs from that point. g. Avoid taking an elevator to the top floor of any bank of elevators, or to a floor where a stairway terminates; these are areas of potential high smoke accumulation. 7. If the elevator acts erratically or fails to stop at the requested floor, attempt to stop the car by following the procedures outlined in the “Emergency” section of this document. 8. Elevators should not be “held” by initial crews on upper floors early in the incident. Elevators should be returned to the lobby to be available for subsequent arriving crews. This is accomplished by placing the elevator car key switch back into the “OFF” position, LEAVE KEY IN SWITCH.This will place the elevator back in “Phase I” and return the car and key back to the lobby. LOBBY / ELEVATOR DRIVERS/OPERATORS 1. Lobby Control shall be responsible for securing remaining elevator banks and reporting this information to the IC. 2. Even if the elevator/s have automatically recalled due to smoke detector activation, Lobby Control shall manually place the “Firefighters’ Service” in the “ON” position (Phase I). This allows Lobby Control to confirm that no occupants are trapped in any of elevator cars and allows for visualization of the hoistway to determine if the elevators are safe for fire firefighter use. Southern Nevada Fire Operations STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Effective date: 7-12-2010 Supersedes: All Others HIGH-RISE FIRE ELEVATOR USE SOP #: SNFO-06 Page 4 of 5 3. Lobby Control shall continue the process of clearing elevators for use and assign operators as personnel become available. 4. Elevator operators shall be assigned in teams of two when personnel resource levels allow. 5. Elevator operators shall monitor the “Logistics” TAC channels, and the elevator phone and shall report to the Lobby Control Officer. 6. Lobby Control shall ensure ALL elevator operators are familiar with “Firefighters’ Service” operation. 7. Elevator Operators shall ensure that crews are intact prior to going aloft, that there are no more than two (2) crews on board, and that the combined weight of personnel and equipment does not exceed the limits of the car. 8. Elevator operators shall be equipped with full PPE including SCBA and: a. Mobile radio b. Fire extinguisher c. Pike pole d. Halligan and Axe e. Portable light f. Spare SCBA bottles g. Elevator phone (and High-Rise Kit if available) h. Cell Phone, if available 9. Any cars that operate erratically, or that operate in shafts where smoke and/or water are identified shall be secured and removed from service. 10. An elevator mechanic should be requested through the IC/Logistics Chief when a fire is confirmed at a high-rise. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 1. If the elevator acts erratically or fails to stop at the requested floor, attempt to stop the elevator car. a. Press the “Call Cancel” button. b. Press the “Emergency Stop” button if equipped. c. Stay low.” Southern Nevada Fire Operations STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Effective date: 7-12-2010 Supersedes: All Others HIGH-RISE FIRE ELEVATOR USE SOP #: SNFO-06 Page 5 of 5 d. Attempt to force open the car door, causing the safety circuit to stop the elevator. e. Notify the Incident Commander…..Consider a “Mayday”! f. If the elevator stops in a high heat area, attempt to close the doors and resume travel. If unsuccessful, head to the pre-determined emergency exit stairway for refuge. g. Elevators found to be operating improperly shall be recalled to the lobby (if possible). h. Lobby Control shall ensure that the elevator is immobilized if possible and identified as “Out of Service”. “FIREFIGHTER’S SERVICE” FEATURE 1. During high rise-fires, only elevators equipped with “Firefighters’ Service” (Phase I/Phase II) shall be used for fire department operations. 2. “Firefighters’ Service” is comprised of a three position key operated switch in the main lobby, and a three position key operated switch in the elevator car. a. The three switch positions in the main elevator lobby are: 1. “ON” – recalls elevator/s to lobby (Phase I). 2. “OFF” - places the elevator/s in normal service. 3. “Bypass or Reset”- allows the elevator/s to be used in normal service during system activation. b. The switch positions in the elevator car are: 1. “On” – places the car in manual control (Phase II) 2. “OFF” – returns elevator back to lobby (Phase I) 3. “Hold” – holds the elevator car at the requested floor with the doors open. c. Switch positions and operation may vary due to elevator manufacture date and code changes. 3. “Phase I” recall can occur in one of the following three ways: a. Automatically by smoke detector activation. i. Smoke detector activation in the DL (designated level) lobby will result in automatic recall to the AL (alternate level). b. Manually by key switch activation. c. Remote auxiliary key switch in some newer Fire Control rooms.