FST 15

A high-rise building as any building in which the highest floor is beyond the reach …..

To combat today’s high-rise fires, heavy emphasis is placed on utilizing …..

Built primarily with steel enclosed in concrete, the older, pre-1960s, high-rise buildings are much heavier than today’s ….

The outside walls of older high-rise buildings typically consist of ….. or ……, and the floors are constructed with concrete.

Significant construction features that affect the way fire departments operate at these buildings include:

There are substantial features in newer high-rises that were absent in the earlier era. These features include …….. systems that move air throughout the building and … that return air to the system. These plenums are also used for the building’s …. For the most part, these buildings contain large, open office spaces lacking …… allowing fires to spread freely.

In this construction, the elevators, stairs, and support systems are located in the center of the building

In the newer high-rise buildings, windows are ..… The only way to vent a window is to ….., which sends the glass flying into the street and is therefore an undesirable fire-operations tactic in high-rise buildings.

Fire fighters must understand which features assist and which hamper firefighting operations. The use and knowledge of building systems such as ….(4).. play an integral part of fire operations in these buildings. Fires cannot be fought successfully without them.

……… is the only absolute method to determine whether a building has a standpipe system.

Depending on the size of the building, consider having a minimum of……. simultaneously supplying two siamese connections during fire operations.

If the building has an adequate fire pump supplying the sprinkler system, then the IC should consider directing the first supply line to …. before the sprinkler siamese.

It is essential that the …..be checked. It is also critical that the ….. is closed so the system can be supplied. Sometimes the bypass valve is left open after the pump testing. As much as … percent of the pump’s capacity can be lost with an open bypass valve.

Generally, pumps are activated by following certain procedures that should be posted … Once the fire fighter starts the pumps, he or she should remain at this position to ensure that the …… and that …. without the IC’s permission.

In high-rise buildings that have a common sprinkler/standpipe system, the starting procedure for the pumps is .… However, one pump is usually …, whereas the other is manual.

If one pump is substantially lower than the other, the lever should be moved to ..… Reversing the starting order can ..…

Building fire pumps should be able to deliver their rated capacity—at least … psi at the highest floor outlet—with a relief valve limiting the pressure to … psi above that which is required to deliver the … psi to the highest outlet.

There should be…. by each fire pump, providing direct communication to the building’s command post.

One of the most critical aspects of fighting modern high-rise building fires is gaining a handle on ……

The HVAC system is broken down into three components:

The air processing equipment is generally found on the floors containing the …..

….. are devices that prevent or allow air to enter the HVAC system.

A good rule to follow on arrival is to verify …. while determining the mode of ..… Once the fire floor has been accurately verified, the outside air supply dampers and mixing dampers should be …., while exhaust dampers should be …. to prevent air from transversing the supply and return shafts.

The next step is to reactivate the … for all floors excluding the fire area, so fresh air is supplied to building occupants while … these zones at the same time.

A major hazard encountered at high-rise buildings is …. and the ..… Fire fighters can quickly be overcome by these conditions.

The IC should immediately locate the fire-safety director, building maintenance person, or building manager (if not already done by the first-arriving officer) and establish the …, which will serve as the center of operations.

Because high-rises typically have expansive floors, at least …. companies should be assigned to search the fire floor, or more if necessary.

Getting control of the building’s systems is best accomplished at the fire command center, located in .… Gaining control of elevators, HVAC, and communications systems must be performed from ..… …. also serves as a safe location to deploy personnel.

Reaction time is longer for high-rise fires than for fires involving any other type of structure. From the time the alarm is received to the time first units arrive to the time it takes to apply water to the fire, the reaction time could be upwards of ….. or more.

There are two components of fire fighter service: gaining control in ….. and using the elevators safely.

In regards to elevators, swinging car doors open …., while office doors open ……

When searching an area in heavy smoke, a door that is found to open outward could be …… Fire fighters should be aware of the risk of falling down an …. and should probe any opening with a tool during a search.

One of the responding command officers should be placed in command of the search and rescue group. Units operating under this group should bring extra SCBA bottles with them to ……

Taking control of building evacuation is done concurrently with the …… operation.

All handlines operating in high-rise buildings must be at least …. diameter.

A phenomenon found in high-rise fires wherein as heated air rises and then cools, it forms a layer, or ceiling, from which more rising smoke banks.

A phenomenon found in high-rise fires wherein heated smoke rises until it establishes equilibrium with the surrounding area and then moves horizontally.