Chief Officer Training Curriculum

1. Chief Officer Training Curriculum Operations Module 15: High-Rise Simulation Exercise

2. Objectives • Identify critical cues at a high-rise incidents • Establish incident objectives • Select tactics • Identify and request resources • Select alternate solutions • Establish an appropriate ICS organization to manage the incident

3. Overview • High-rise: building 75 feet or greater in height • Buildings less than 75-feet height high may present similar difficulties • If fire on top floors of four- or five-story building, treat as high-rise

4. Knowledge of Building • “Old” or “new” style construction? • Built-in life safety and fire protection—where and how do they operate? • Current occupancy? • Floors compartmented? • Open space?

5. Old Style

6. Old-Style Characteristics • Bearing wall—masonry • Most reinforced concrete—some not • Large mass (weight) • Less likely to collapse • Floors/walls—reinforced concrete • Many have unreinforced masonry

7. New Style

8. New-Style Characteristics • Core construction—but not all • Steel skeleton—column, beam, and girder • Elevators, stairs, utilities in core • Center core construction • Less mass (weight)—more vulnerable to heat

9. New-Style Characteristics (continued) • Floors have been known to sag 2 feet • Sprayed-on coating on steel • Some new high-rises constructed without core • Stairs, elevators, and utilities at various places buildings—mainly on exterior walls

10. Core

11. Structural Framing Systems • Skeleton of the building • Both styles use interior and exterior columns

12. Exterior Walls—Both Styles • Poured in-place concrete—old style • Prefabricated—new style • Walls lighter weight than old style

13. Exterior Walls—New Style • Bolts to structural frame or floor slab • Leaves space between wall and floor • Unless sealed, can lead to fire and smoke extension to floors above and water damage to floors below

14. Roof

15. Roofs—Both Styles • 2-hour fire-restrictive rating • Know the: • Stair shaft exits • Obstructions on the roof

16. Interior Partition Construction and Compartmentation—Old Style • Interior walls—poured concrete • High level of compartmentation • Walls usually go from floor to to floor

17. Interior Partition Construction and Compartmentation—New Style • Interior partitions and walls usually drywall on a metal stud • May or may not be high-level of compartmentation

18. Electrical Systems • Systems extremely complex and hazardous • Chases one cause of vertical fire spread • Main electrical usually located in basement • Utility company or building engineer should shut down system

19. Elevator Lobby

20. Elevators • Normal conditions—elevators only practical method of moving people • Fire conditions—elevators become erratic and dangerous • Many control features affected by smoke, moisture, and heat

21. Elevators—Safe Use • Knowledge of how they work • Maximum amount of people—5 to 6 • Possible malfunctions • What malfunctions can occur?

22. Elevators—Hoistways • Can be multiple elevators in hoistway • Split-bank elevators—low, medium, high-rise

23. Elevators—Emergency Service Feature • Moves cars to designated location • May be activated by fire alarm system • Manual recall may be done by switches in lobby, fire control room, or elevator

24. Elevators—Good Judgment • Can speed up initial investigation and fire control • Can malfunction and take you to the fire floor • Using stairs is safest method • Do not take elevator closer than five floors to the fire floor • Be prepared to take defensive action

25. Smoke Control Systems • Active systems prone to fail under fire conditions • Dirt and dust damage systems • If used for smoke removal, closely monitor the area • Shut down system if notice any adverse affects

26. HVAC Systems • Under fire conditions, can pump heat, smoke and toxins to other areas • Best approach—Shut down system

27. HVAC Systems (continued) • Older buildings: • Close switches that control intake fans • Switches may be in Mechanical Equipment Room (MER) • Newer buildings: • System may automatically shut down • Systems may provide exhaust on fire floor and pressurization of floors above and below • Best bet—Shut down HVAC and use for smoke removal after fire controlled

28. Water Supply • Variety of water supply systems: • 1 1/2-inch wet standpipe • 2 1/2-inch dry standpipe • 2 1/2-inch wet standpipe • Sprinkler systems

29. Water Supply-WARNING • Know outlet pressure—type of hose and nozzle depends on this information: • Typical pressure about 65 psi • This pressure requires smoothbore tip or low pressure fog nozzle • Fog nozzles requiring 100 psi at nozzle produce ineffective streams

30. Water SupplyPressure Control Devices • Minimum pressure must be available at top floor • Pressure Relief Valves (PRV) often placed on lower floors to control head pressure • NFPA Standards #14 and #25 changed since Meridian fire

31. Sprinkler Systems • Required by codes in most states for new construction • Many older buildings do not have sprinklers • Preplanning—know zones the systems protect • Most high-rises do not have sprinklers unless retrofit law

32. Portable Communications Equipment • Can be ineffective at high-rise • Places in building that prevent signal reception and transmission • Radio frequency affects communications capability

33. Built-In Communications Systems • Not found in old style • Hard-wired system—sound-powered phones • May exist in elevators • Local codes should require hard-wired • Headsets should be kept at high-rise • Can reduce load on radio system

34. Smoke/Heat Detectors • Floors may have them • May or may not be connected to enunciator panel • Smoke detectors may be part of HVAC • Preplanning knowledge necessary for effective decision-making

35. Enunciator Panel • Know the location • Know how to read the panel

36. Fire Control Station/Room • Should provide • Specific information on alarms • Fire protection systems status • Often have building communications system to: • Warn occupants • Provide two-way communications with elevators, fire pump rooms, and MER • May be located in the basement

37. Fire Behavior and Fire Spread • Elements that affect fire extension: • Stack effect • Negative stack effect • Vertical extension • Core construction • Fire loading • Heat build-up

38. ICS for High-Rise Incidents • Staging area manager—located two to three floors below fire floor • Base manager—located where apparatus parked, usually 200+ feet from building • Lobby control unit leader—organizes lobby for incoming resources, determines attack and evacuation stairs, and provides personnel to operate elevators

39. ICS for High-rise Incidents (continued) • System unit leader—responsible for all building systems and their effective operation • Ground support unit leader—provides for movement of supplies to staging by way of stair shaft

40. ICS - 8th Floor Fire

41. Activity 15.1: High-Rise Simulation Exercise

42. Sides A & B

43. Sides B & C

44. Side C

45. Lobby Elevators

46. Typical Floor

48. Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba BR BR BR BR BR LR LR LR LR LR K K K K K Ba BR Ba BR LR LR K K K K K LR LR LR LR LR Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba BR BR BR BR BR Typical Floor Tonnalee Apartments N 22nd S t r e e t E Stair #1 Stair #2 K E K LL Street