Ch 12

Question 1

The basic tactics and strategies for high-rise firefighting are essentially the same as any other structure fire.
The overall number of fires and fatalities appear to be trending downward.
The use of pressure stairways contributes to fewer fatalities.
These factors began when?

Answer 1

In the 1970s, due to sprinkler protection, and smoke control systems

Question 2

There’s a difference of opinion regarding the definition of a high-rise building. Most codes defined in terms of height and or number of stories.
Fire apartments tend to think of a high rise building as:

Answer 2

As beyond the reach of available aerial equipment.

The Richardson FD defines a high-rise building as any building 4 or more stories above ground level

Question 3

In high-rise operations, the risk of firefighters and occupants increase in proportion to:

Answer 3

The height of the building and the height of the fire above grade level

Question 4

The individual or group that is responsible to control, operate, and account for all elevators is

Answer 4

Lobby control.

Question 5

If firefighters using an elevator land on the fire floor and the doors open, they may not close due to

Answer 5

Smoke may block the electronic eye prevent the doors from closing.
If the override switch won’t work, the firefighters must exit and escape via the hallway or stairs.

Question 6

First arriving crews should use a stairways for fires on lower levels. Elevators should not be used until determined safe and only if they will substantially improve operations.

Some departments prohibit the use of elevators for fires on.

Answer 6

On the seventh floor or below.

Question 7

A split bank elevator is one that is divided into

Answer 7

Several zones servicing upper, lower, or middle floors

This may be a high zone/low zone or a three zone Bank of elevators.

Question 8

The Cardinal rule of elevator safety in a high-rise incident is

Answer 8

Never taken an elevator directly to the fire floor or above. The elevator should be stopped two floors or more below the fire floor.

Question 9

When using an elevator for high-rise incidents, the key should be placed:

Answer 9

Use the key to place the elevator in independent/fire department control.

Question 10

When sending in an elevator, it’s a good practice to stop to check for conditions and layout. This should be done:

Answer 10

Stop periodically, possibly every 5 floors to check for smoke.

Stop the elevator three or more floors below the fire floor to get a general layout of the floor and building. The first and second floors are not usually typical floor layouts.

Question 11

Moving equipment via a stairway relay function was previously known as stairway support, but now properly termed:

Answer 11

Ground support.

Ground support uses firefighters to ascend 2 stories with their equipment, where they relay to the next firefighters who move the same equipment, 2 more stories.

Ground support should be one of the first assignments given in a building with a fire on the upper floors without elevator service

Question 12

Some buildings have locking doors from the stairway into the hallways. A good practice is to.

Answer 12

Pre-plan in the building to determine which doors lock
Carry equipment to prevent the door from locking such as inner tube
Don’t leave the door, propped open as this can reduce PPV in the stairway

Question 13

When determining a partial or sequential evacuation decision, much of the decision has to do with:

Answer 13

Whether the building has fixed fire protection, features such as sprinkler protections.

The IC must make a decision to evacuate or defend in place.

Relying on building management or security to notify occupants is generally a mistake.

Question 14

Many high-rise buildings are equipped with an EVACS. This is a:

Answer 14

Emergency voice/alarm communications system

EVACS uses pre-recorded messages to notify occupants of conditions and provides directions.

Directions may include moving people above the fire floor to higher floors, or people on the fire floor to lower floors, or complete evacuation

Reliance on the EVACS system is limited to compartmentalize buildings with full sprinkler system coverage.

Question 15

In high-rise fires above the eighth floor, the biggest problem is

Answer 15

Exterior defensive fire control tools are no longer effective. Elevated dreams may reach the fire floor, but the angle of deflection diminishes with each floor.

The effective reach to the nozzle is based on the width of the street. 

Question 16

Standpipe discharge pressure will generally be lower than pump Discharge pressure. Compensation may be made by the use of.

Answer 16

Smooth bore nozzles or low pressure nozzles
Lower friction, loss or larger diameter, hose, 2” - 2.5”
Pressure or flow reducing valves at standpipes can also play a role

Question 17

According to the book, ceiling height of individual floors in a high-rise building, will vary, but you should estimate:

Answer 17

Allow 20 feet for the first floor and 10 feet for each additional floor.

Question 18

The command post is generally preferred to be in the lobby at a high-rise. When this is not safe, the post should be located elsewhere.

In larger incidents, the command post should be

Answer 18

Located farther away from the incident. To isolate the IC from disruptions.

Most newer, high-rise buildings are equipped with a command center, typically near the lobby, and this is generally the best command post location.

Question 19

In general, high rise, buildings are fire resistive construction, with older buildings, often being superior to newer buildings for these reasons:

Answer 19

Older high-rise towers have better compartmentation
More fire resistive components
And better exit facilities

But many are not protected by sprinkler systems
And older buildings do not generally have pressurized stairwells

Question 20

The most problematic high-rise buildings are typically the

Answer 20

New style buildings that are not sprinkled

Question 21

One of the problems with the new storm high-rises with core construction methods is that

Answer 21

In center core construction, Stairways are usually located in the center of the building which complicates fire attack and evacuation

Buildings referred to as “side core construction” move the core away from the center to the side of the building

Question 23

In a smoke proof tower, stairways at the periphery of the side core layout are built as a separate structure, reducing the possibility of smoke entering the stairs.

The smoke proof tower or pressurized stairway should be

Answer 23

The stairway of choice for occupant evacuation, unless there’s a compelling reason not to use it

Question 24

Complications in high rise floor numbering are due to

Answer 24

Many buildings do not have a floor number 13,
Some buildings do not count the mezzanine as a floor

Question 25

One of the biggest problems in working incident in a high-rise tower is

Answer 25

Reliable communications

Question 26

These two factors have a significant effect on smoke movement within a high-rise structure

Answer 26

Weather conditions and fire intensity The intensity and size of the fire will determine the extent of combustion gas, heat, and how high they will rise inside the building Smoke and toxic gases will tend to rise until they reach temperature equilibrium, and stratify

Question 28

Stack effect, the vertical airflow caused by the temperature differences within an outside of the building, is affected by

Answer 28

The air tightness of the structure The temperature of the air both inside and outside the building The heat of the fire

Question 29

Describe when positive and negative stack effect occurs

Answer 29

Positive stack effect, upward movement, when outside temperature is colder and inside temperature is warmer. Negative stack effect, downward movement, is warm temperatures outside and cooler air conditioned temperatures inside Smoke notification is less in cooler temperatures

Question 30

Neutral pressure plane, or NPP, is a point within a high-rise structure of sufficient height. Describe air movement changes above, add, and below the NPP

Answer 30

Below the NPP, air is moving into the building Above the NPP, air is moving out of the building At the NPP, forces are neutral

Question 31

Of all the tactics to use during wind, driven fires and high-rise buildings, the most practical is

Answer 31

Controlling windows and doors. Breaking windows to vent a fire is highly discouraged. Before opening a door in an active fire area, drive the point of the hooligan through the door to see if fire exits the hole under pressure. If so, suspect a wind driven fire on the other side. And do not open the door. controlling the door leading to the fire area is critical. 

Question 32

When using PPV to pressurize stairwells, the doors must be controlled. During NIST Experiments, opening the doors just enough to advance a fire hose was.

Answer 32

Pressure loss was inconsequential. However, when the doors were open wide, pressure drop was significant. PPV can be used both to push smoke out of buildings and to pressurize stairwells to keep them clear smoke

Question 33

What is the wind control device?

Answer 33

A wind control device is basically a weighted mat that’s placed over a window to keep the wind from entering the building through an existing opening. Typically deployed from the floor above the fire floor.

Question 34

Situations where a limited exterior attack may be warranted in a high-rise building

Answer 34

Pulsing and softening the target tactics are used to knock down heavy lines of fire before entering with an offensive attack.

Question 35

The primary rescue tactic in a high-rise building is

Answer 35

A well placed offensive attack. Quickly confining and extinguishing the fire are critical, as ventilation and evacuation options are limited.

Question 36

If master stream appliances are being operated on or into the interior, the building must be closely monitored for

Answer 36

Structural integrity, as water adds hundreds or thousands of pounds of weight in a very short period of time. Operating master streams inside a building may not be efficient due to insufficient water supply from standpipes

Question 37

Fire will always follow the path of least resistance. In a closed building and if the floor is not properly ventilated, fire, smoke, and heat can…

Answer 37

Wrap around when moving through hallways are concealed spaces and block egress. Back up line should always be in place to protect exit routes.

Question 38

The hose line should always be within range of personnel since

Answer 38

The hose line is a lifeline of safety, and the means of finding the stairway in heavy smoke conditions. It’s also good practice to place a firefighter at the stairway opening to the floor.

Question 39

Occupants in the greatest danger and who should be among the first group evacuated are:

Answer 39

The people on the fire floor and the floor above. Search efforts should be systematic and include a complete primary surge of the fire floor and the floors above the fire

Question 40

In a high-rise fire, all floors above the fire are exposures. Fire can spread through any of the following.

Answer 40

Pipe chases and utility penetrations in the floor Auto exposure by lapping from floor to floor on the exterior Fire can spread downward through melting expansion joints, or burning materials below

Question 41

In regards to property conservation and a high-rise incident, the greatest exposure is often…

Answer 41

Downward as water flows through curtain walls, electrical fixtures, and other penetrations.

Question 42

In regards to establishing safe zones around the building, the perimeter should be

Answer 42

200 feet if there is a danger from falling glass. Wind conditions may require a larger perimeter.

Question 43

In the case of a working high rise fire, the incident commander would be well advised to hand off which responsibilities?

Answer 43

Hand off the operations and/or planning sections early in the incident.

Question 44

during a high-rise fire, the location where support equipment and personnel are held in reserve on the exterior of the building is called.

Answer 44

BASE (exterior staging for high-rise fires.) Actual staging is normally established two floors below the fire floor

Question 45

Staging at a high rise fire is typically established where and with who?

Answer 45

Typically two or more floors below the fire, and rehab may be set up the same floor or another floor. Not the same as BASE which is set up outside the building for resources and personnel

Question 46

Lobby control may include the primary accountability officer located in the lobby, and the lobby control crew. Many times this is the first arriving truck company. Lobby control is established to perform the following 5 duties:

Answer 46

Elevator control, and operation Interior stair control, and locations Directing incoming companies to stairs or elevators Consulting with the building engineer HVAC control or shut down