High Rise Structural Fire Response

Section 2 - EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

PURPOSE:

To establish a procedure for the handling of a fire incident involving fire and or significant smoke conditions in High-Rise Structures over seven stories or 75-feet in height to be handled in the jurisdiction of the Maitland Fire Rescue Department (MFRD).

Ensure that a strong, direct, and visible command will be established from the onset of the incident.

Establish an effective organization, defining the activities and responsibilities assigned to the incident commander and to other individuals operating within the Incident Command System.

Use the applicable sections of this SOG for fires in Low-Rise Structures between four and seven stories in height with a high life safety risk.

PROCEDURE:

Responsibilities of Command:

• Remove endangered occupants and treat the injured.
• Stabilize the incident and provide for life safety.
• Conserve property.
• Provide for the safety, accountability and welfare of personnel. This prior is ongoing throughout the incident.

Immediate Priorities:

• Identify the fire floor.
• Provide for an initial fire attack and search and rescue operations on the fire floor with at least three Companies.
• Provide for the life safety of persons in immediate danger.
• Evacuate the occupants as necessary.
• Provide water supply for the initial attack.
• Establish Lobby and Accountability (Passport) Control.
• Make a size-up of the fire floor and the floor above.
• Identify which stairwell is going to be used as an Attack Stairwell and which stairwell is going to be used as the Evacuation Stairwell.
• Begin to establish support systems (staging, resources, etc.).

Unit Assignments:

• The Incident Commander should realize that considerable smoke or fire in these structures would require more resources than responding on the initial standard alarm. When necessary additional alarms or resources should be called as soon as possible when managing these incidents.
• The Incident Commander can and should change these assignments at their discretion based on the dynamics of the incident. Situations may dictate that you will need all hands up on the fire floors. The basic initial Groups, Divisions or single unit assignments under Command that need to be made are the Fire Floor Division, In-building staging area, Fire Control Room, Lobby Division, Entry Control Point Under Lobby Division, Accountability, RIT Group and FDC functions. More assignments can be made as resources arrive.
• Once an Entry Point is established, all units shall enter and exit through the Entry Point or Remote Entry Points unless an emergency evacuation is announced. Crews will enter through an entry control point, if established, then go directly to the person in-charge of the group or division they are assigned.
• All units will report to Command for their initial assignment prior to entering the building unless Command directs otherwise.
• Before the initial crews leave the lobby they should try and determine the fire location by reports from occupants and information from the Fire Alarm Enunciator panel. They shall travel two floors below the lowest activated fire protection device such as smoke detectors, heat detectors, water flow detectors, etc, to set-up their operation.
• Units responding on greater alarms should not request incoming orders, but instead report their arrival and stage appropriately.
• First Arriving Engine: (High-rise Equipment, Fire Phone Set (if available) and TIC)
  • Establish Command in the Lobby/First Floor area, identify and announce the Location of Command.
  • Establish and report the Entry Control Point; gather the building’s master keys, Fire Phones, guest lists, etc.
  • The Engineer may be assigned to the Fire Control Room to rapidly report his or her findings from the enunciator panel(s). The Engineer shall make periodic updates to command as to the status of the fire protection and building systems.
  • Gather size-up information to determine the extent of the incident and request additional resources if necessary.
  • Once the transfer of Command is made with the Chief Officer, this crew may be assigned as the Lobby Division.
  • Passing of Command: If the First arriving Engine officer decides to investigate the situation, he/she will announce the passing of command to the next arriving officer and proceed with those duties outlined below in place of the second arriving engine.
• Second Arriving Engine: (High-rise Equipment, Fire Phone set and TIC)
  • Report to Command
  • During a working fire incident, the entire crew should proceed to a point two floors below the reported fire floor or incident. Crews should review this floor layout, if it is similar to the reported fire floor. Observe compartmentalization features, room numbers, standpipe connections, stairwells, elevators, points of refuge and egress, etc.
  • Proceed to the fire floor, via the stairwell, and determine the plan of attack by locating the source of fire and smoke, Identifying and reporting the floors affected and quickly checking the floor above the fire.
  • Determine and report the affects of the smoke and fire on the occupants and what areas or floors will require evacuation.
  • Crews should use the internal Fire Phone system (when available) to establish a communication link with the Fire Control room and relay sizeup information to Command. Phone sets should be the primary means to communicate between Divisions and/or Groups and Command when possible.
  • When a hose line is deployed, it should be done from the stairwell and connected to the standpipe system one floor below the fire floor.
  • If the first arriving Engine Company passes Command, be prepared to establish Command on arrival and perform those duties outlined above in place of the first arriving Engine.
• First Arriving Rescue: (Medical, Fire Phone Set & Forcible Entry Equipment)
  • Report to Command
  • Establish 2-Out located one floor below the fire floor.
  • The rescue crew should review the floor layout one floor below the fire floor to acquaint themselves with the exits points, hallways, standpipe connections, etc. Crews should check for and report on any smoke or fire conditions found.
• First Arriving Truck: (Forcible Entry, Fire Phone Set, Air Monitoring & TIC)
  • Report to Command
  • If the Truck Company arrives ahead of any other officer, they will follow the appropriate sections of this EOP regarding command as covered in First Arriving Engine.
  • Command should assign the Truck Company crew to either an elevated means of egress, ventilation or to assist the crews on the fire floor with forcing doors, search and rescue while checking for fire extension using the thermal imager.
• Third Arriving Engine: (High-rise Equipment, Fire Phone set, RIT Equipment and TIC)
  • Report to Command
  • Be prepared to assume the first RIT Group.
  • Join the Rescue crew (2-Out) and establish a RIT, located one floor below the fire floor if conditions warrant.
  • Evaluate exits, stairwells, standpipes, means of egress, points of refuge, etc.
• First Arriving Chief Officer:
  • Assumes Command
  • Sets up the Command Post (CP) and announces the location on the radio. The CP should be located in an area not subject to falling debris, inside the lobby/First floor area or at least 200 feet from the structure. Any changes in location will be announced on the radio.
  • Request additional resources according to the needs of the incident.
  • Determine early on what the evacuation needs are and confirm they are being managed.
  • Make sure the following initial benchmarks are being addressed and/or completed if necessary:
    1. Ensure the Immediate Priorities (page one) are being addressed.
    2. Ensure adequate resources are available on the fire floor to safely investigate the problem and stretch an initial hose-line and conduct search and rescue operations, as required.
    3. Provide for the evacuation of the occupants in areas that are being threatened by smoke or fire.
    4. Assign a Safety Officer.
    5. Assign a Fire Floor Division during working incidents.
    6. Rapid Intervention Team RIT Group is established.
    7. The Entry Control Point is established, the location is communicated to responding crews and dispatch.
    8. The Entry Control Officer is assigned when necessary.
    9. Identify and announce which stairwell is going to be used as the Attack Stairwell and Evacuation Stairwell.
    10. The Fire Control Room is being monitored.
    11. The Lobby Division is established.
    12. An engine is set-up at the FDC.
    13. The EMS Branch or Division is established if necessary.
    14. Assign in-building staging two floors below the incident, when necessary. This is a single unit assignment and is the staging area for the Fire Floor Division, for example: If you have Division-16 the staging area will be two floors below and referred to as the “14th floor staging”.
    15. The Ventilation Group, Vent Group is established if necessary.
• First Arriving EMS Supervisor:
  • Report to Command
  • Be prepared to establish the EMS Branch or Division in the lobby.
• Fourth Arriving Engine: (High-rise Equipment and TIC)
  • Report to Command
  • Be prepared to hook into the FDC, and check the status of the fire pump.
  • The Engineer remains at this location and the remaining crew reports to Command for assignment anticipate being assigned to interior staging area, or as directed by Command.