FIVE KEY ACTIONS OF THE FIRST-ARRIVING ENGINE COMPANY OFFICER AT HIGH-RISE FIRES

In the fire service, a high-rise building is generally defined as one whose highest occupied floor level is greater than 75 feet from the lowest level of fire department access.  Certain jurisdictions or fire departments may alter the definition slightly for operational purposes or code enforcement.  

The tallest high-rises are found mainly in large cities.  But smaller cities and suburban areas across the country are home to numerous mid-rise and high-rise buildings as well.  Firefighters working in a major city may not consider an 8-story apartment building a high-rise.   Bravado and semantics aside, should a fire break out, that 8-story building will require the same disciplined tactical approach to ensure successful extinguishment.

For this article, we will define a high-rise as any building whose elevation above grade would normally require firefighters connect to a standpipe system to successfully extinguish a fire.

Not Just Another Fire

History has proven over and over again that fires in high-rise buildings can be deadly, not only to civilians but also to firefighters.  Residential high-rises, by nature, contain hundreds of apartments – some housing elderly, poor, or disabled residents. 

Because of the large amount of high-rises constructed between 1950 and 1980, many do not meet current fire codes with regard to fire protection features.  To this day, a large number lack sprinkler systems and, unbelievably, some have only “dry” standpipe systems.

High-rises often have long hallways with a limited number of egress stairwells.  Not only does this present an issue for evacuating residents, but also limits from where we stretch our initial attack line.

While many high-rises are built to compartmentalize and contain a fire (assuming the apartment door remains shut), smoke may spread throughout hallways and vertical shafts.  Depending on the outside temperature, reverse stack effect may pull smoke down to lower floors. 

Additionally, fire spread may not be limited to the interior.  Auto-exposure to the floors above is a high probability.  And with recent fires in more modern buildings, combustible exterior foam may also allow fire to spread several floors above. 

High-rises also present an enhanced risk for a wind-blown fire.  If you are unfamiliar with the significance of such an event, read about the tragic loss suffered by F.D.N.Y in the Vandalia Avenue High-Rise Fire.

Bottom line…..fires in high-rise buildings are “high risk / low frequency” events.  No one is going to a high-rise fire on a weekly basis.  And, therefore, no one should feel completely comfortable.  Being comfortable leads to complacency and complacency kills. 

Set the Tone

While each high-rise may have its own subtle differences, one thing is for certain:  a fire in a high-rise building has the potential to challenge even the most disciplined fire departments.  The actions of the first-arriving engine company will undoubtedly set the tone. 

From the outset, thanks to “reflex time” – the elapsed time between pulling up on scene and actually getting water on the fire – we are behind the curve.  The first-arriving engine company, particularly the officer, must be swift in sizing up the situation and take steps to efficiently put water on the fire.  After all, that’s what engine companies do.

While some departments mandate that, at a high-rise incident, the first-arriving engine company officer assumes Command in the lobby or at an exterior location, we cannot overlook the value of getting a company officer, crew, and equipment to the fire area quickly.  An accurate size-up and key tactical decisions are needed early and often from a forward position. 

Here are five MUST DO’s for the first-arriving engine company officer:

   1.     Bring Water and Supply the FDC Quickly

High-rises are notorious for water supply and pressure issues.  Even if the high-rise in question is equipped with a wet standpipe system, often times, there is not enough residual pressure in that system to provide adequate flow through the typical high-rise hose pack and nozzle combination.

Under normal conditions, a wet standpipe is pressurized by the public water system.  Depending on the height of the building, internal pumps may boost the pressure to more appropriate levels.  A check of the pressure gauge on the top floor outlet will usually reveal static pressures between 50 psi and 100 psi.  However, don’t be surprised to find pressures even lower.  We recently checked several buildings in our first-due area only to find top floor outlet pressures of between 0 psi and 15 psi.  In nearly all cases, these standpipe outlet pressures will not sustain an effective fire attack.  

The need for an early positive water supply to the FDC is paramount.  Barring unusual circumstances, the first-arriving engine company should “lay in” from an appropriate hydrant and position on the standpipe FDC.  If there are multiple FDC’s, don’t assume they are all tied together – pump the FDC closest to your anticipated attack stairwell.

Pressurizing the FDC with a fire department pumper will provide the pressure and flow required on the fire floor.  Once the discharge pressure of the pumper exceeds that being provided by the water system, the system’s clapper valve will close, and the standpipe will be supplied exclusively by the fire department.

Because other potential standpipe system issues exist – corrosion, rust, broken pipes, closed valves, inoperable fire pumps, etc. – provisions for a backup or supplemental water supply to the fire floor should also be planned for.  These include:

·       Supplying a 2nd FDC if available.

·       Connecting a 3” supply line to the bottom floor standpipe outlet in the attack stairwell.

·       Stretching a 2-1/2” or 3” line with an appliance up the attack stairwell to serve as your own “standpipe.”

·       For buildings 10-stories or less, having an aerial ladder serve as a “flying standpipe” via the exterior.

We can’t extinguish the fire without water and we absolutely cannot assume that a building’s standpipe system alone will provide the water needed.  Get on the FDC early!

    2.    Verify the Fire Floor

Depending on the amount of information received by Dispatch, you may or may not get a floor or apartment number on a reported high-rise fire.  Even if you are provided such information, you must not take it as gospel.  A fire in an 8thfloor apartment could be called in by a resident of the 10th floor seeing smoke. 

Verification of the fire floor is an extremely important step that must not be overlooked.  Failing to verify the fire floor can lead to incorrect attack line placement and ultimately put your crew and building occupants at risk.  

The fire floor, and often the apartment involved, can be verified by gathering information from more than one source, including:

·       Information from Dispatch

·       Visible smoke or fire on arrival

·       Information received from the front desk or building maintenance

·       Information from evacuating residents

·       Viewing the fire alarm panel

·       Shining a light up the elevator shaft

·       Observing hallway conditions as you ascend

Only when you are confident of the fire floor location, should you make the final key decisions in placing the initial attack line. 

    3.      Determine the Fire Apartment Location

By this time, through your information gathering, you should have a pretty good idea of the apartment involved.  If that isn’t the case, take additional steps to verify the apartment of origin.

Once you know the apartment number, it is imperative that you determine the apartment’s location on the floor.  The best and most reliable way to do this is to check the floor below.  In most residential high-rises, the apartment layout and numbering are consistent from floor to floor, meaning Apartment 1008 will be in the same location as Apartment 908.

Observe the apartment’s location on the floor and how far from the stairwell it is located.  Make a mental note – it’s the third apartment on the left side of the hallway.  Or it’s the fourth door on the right.  That way, if smoke conditions limit visibility in the hallway, you can remain confident in your advance.

Once you are confident of the apartment’s location on the floor, you can move forward with perhaps the most important decision to be made.

    4.      Designate the Attack Stairwell

As an engine company officer, choosing the appropriate attack stairwell, that from which to stretch your initial attack line, is paramount.  Choose wrong and you run the risk of coming up short on your hose stretch.  This could lead to a significant delay in getting water on the fire.  Coming up short could also lead to an attack crew that makes the apartment but doesn’t have enough hose to reach the seat of the fire – putting firefighters in a dangerous position.

High-rise buildings are not known for their overabundance of stairwells.  Generally, there are stairwells at each end of the public hallway.  If the hallway is extra-long, you may find a stair tower somewhere in the middle.  Mid-rises and high-rises vary in footprint size, with public hallways approaching 250 to 300 feet long not out of the ordinary.  

While high-rise hose bundles or packs come in various diameters and nozzle combinations, total assembled hose lengths of 150 to 200 feet are relatively standard.  

Experience has shown that a minimum of 50 feet working length is needed at the apartment door to reach the seat of the fire.  Assuming we hook up to the standpipe outlet on the floor below the fire, that leaves a typical engine company with 75 to 125 feet or less of hose to reach the apartment door.  

With public hallway lengths 200 feet or more, it doesn’t take a mathematician to determine why choosing the right stairwell becomes so important.

And before you decide to just add another section or two of attack line, realize that adding length to your line will increase the required discharge pressure at the standpipe outlet – quite possibly to a level that cannot be realistically achieved.  Almost certainly, firefighters will be left with inadequate nozzle pressure and flow.

One last thing……after you choose the attack stairwell, announce it over the radio so all responding companies are aware.  Doing so will ensure proper advancement of a second attack line and coordinate firefighting personnel ascending to the fire area.  Consequently, another stairwell can then be designated for the evacuation of building residents.

  5.        Order an Apartment or Stairwell Stretch

Once the “Attack” stairwell has been chosen, the company officer needs to verify the type of hose stretch that will be undertaken.  More specifically, he must assess conditions on the fire floor to determine if the fire is contained to the apartment or has extended into the public hallway.  

If the fire is contained to the apartment and the hallway is relatively clear of smoke, an “Apartment Stretch” should be utilized.  For this type of hose stretch, the attack line is assembled, connected to the standpipe outlet, and advanced as a dry line to the apartment door.  At the door, a minimum 50 foot working length is laid out to ensure the seat of the fire can be reached.  Once the line and crew are in place, the line can be charged and bled.

If the fire has extended into the public hallway or smoke conditions are significant, a “Stairwell Stretch” will need employed.  A “Stairwell Stretch” is significantly more labor intensive than an “Apartment Stretch” because the attack line must be assembled, connected to the standpipe outlet, flaked out, charged, and advanced all from the protected confines of the stairwell itself.  This includes utilization of the floor below to flake out excess hose.  

Before ordering a “Stairwell Stretch” and making the push toward the fire apartment, ensure there is enough manpower available to advance the line.  This includes combining multiple engine companies if needed.

Summary

So there you have it.  Five essential actions to take as the first-arriving engine company officer at a reported high-rise fire.  Adhere to the High-Rise 5 and you will be set on a path of quick, safe, and successful extinguishment.

I would be remiss without using the few remaining lines to emphasize the importance of mental focus and training.

Don’t get comfortable with high-rise (or any other) buildings.  Complacency will kill you.  

Use your downtime to visit high-rise buildings in your district or adjoining districts.  During these visits, don’t be afraid to create simple but informative maps showing FDC location, typical floor layout, apartment and stairwell locations, hallway dimensions, etc.  Also, check the operation and condition of the standpipe system, fire pump, and main valves.

And….. conduct a company level drill every so often.  I’m not talking about at the fire house either.  I mean practice stretching your lines out in the stairwells and hallways of your high-rises. 

Many building owners and residents actually appreciate the fire department being proactive with regards to their safety.

Lastly, treat every fire-related response to a high-rise building as “the real thing.”  That means going through the motions, even on automatic fire alarms and food on the stove calls.  Trust me, it will make you and your crew proficient when it matters most.