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HIGH--RISE FIREFIGHTING
HIGH
GUIDELINES
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§ General Operating Procedure
§ 1. Immediate Priorities
§ 2. Life Safety Considerations
§ 3. Initial Attack
§ 4. Water Supply
§ 5. Lobby Control
§ 6. Staging
§ 7. Base
§ 8. Command Priorities
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§ First Arriving Company ± Fire Attack
§ Second Arriving Company ± Water
Supply / Fire Attack Support
§ Third Arriving Company ± Lobby
Control
§ Fourth Arriving Company ± Staging
§ Fifth Arriving Company - Base
  
 



§ Incident Commander
§ Operations Chief
§ Plans Chief
§ Logistics Chief
§ Safety Officer
§ Information Officer
 
  

 
Definition: Although various definitions
have been offered by many different
sources, the one which is most widely
accepted defines a ³high-
³high-rise building as
being seventy-
seventy-five feet in height and
designed for human occupancy. Priority
of assigning resources may vary
depending upon the needs of the
incident.
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§ The exterior of the building shields
the inside. Even with ³nothing
showing´ assume the possibility of a
concealed fire.
§ Initial arriving units should be
concerned with:
‡ Identifying fire floor
‡ Providing attack on fire floor
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§ Providing life safety for persons in
danger
§ Water supply for initial attack
§ Establishing Lobby Control
§ Determining ventilations needs on
fire floor and floor above fire
  
 

 


§ Includes an evaluation in each area
for tenability and need for
evacuation. Large numbers of
occupants may be involved.
§ The IC must direct the decision to
remove occupants and the plan to
relocate occupants must be part of
the fire control strategy.
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§ Should be at least two companies
§ Officer leading the attack should check the
annunciator panel for verification,
additional information, and best route to
fire.
§ When fire floor is identified, give report of
conditions to IC.
§ IC will establish fire floor as a Division
(Floor 6 Division)
§ Companies on fire floor will use their unit
identifiers
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§ With multiple standpipes, fire floor
Division Supervisor advises IC where
water is needed. IC will confirm
water is being pumped to the
appropriate riser.
§ Initial attack companies will ascend
stairs with SCBA¶s, hose packs, and
basic forcible entry tools.
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§ Second arriving engine company
supplies water to standpipe system.
§ Use additional engine companies if
multiple standpipes are needed.
§ Once water supply is established,
Officer and FF can assist with fire
attack or IRIC.
§ IRIC will be located between Staging
and the fire floor.
 ¦  
 
§ Lobby Control established by third
arriving engine company.
§ Lobby Control accounts for:
‡ All personnel and their assignments
‡ Elevator Use
‡ Stairwell Access
‡ Lobby Security
‡ Air Handling Systems
‡ Smoke Exhaust Systems
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§ Staging established by fourth arriving
engine company.
§ Located two floors below fire floor with
convenient access to fire operations.
§ Resource area for equipment and
personnel to support fire attack.
§ All spare equipment, SCBA¶s, hose, etc.
located in staging.
§ Firefighter Rehab located in Staging
 ë ! 
§ Base established by fifth arriving engine
company.
§ Located at least 200¶ from building in open
area suitable for the movement and
storage of apparatus and equipment.
§ Base location is identified by using a
geographic identifier. Usually same as
Incident Identifier (³Embassy Suites
Base´)
   




§ Once operations have started, the IC should
focus on:
‡ Providing a continuous water supply
‡ Sufficient engines to pump standpipes
‡ Providing for IRIC and RIC
‡ Assigning a crew to check above fire floor and obtaining
an accurate report of conditions above fire floor
‡ Calling for additional resources as needed
‡ Five additional engine companies and two Chief Officers
are needed for a confirmed fire inside the building
‡ Additional ten engines and three Chief Officers for any
working fire
  




 
‡ Establishing an additional support
system that includes:
§ Staging
§ Rehab
§ Increased Lobby Control
§ Stairwell Support
§ Base
§ Expansion of the Incident Command System
  




 
‡ Establishing ventilation groups
§ Provide positive pressure ventilation to the
attack stairwell as soon as possible
§ Additional stairwells may also require
positive pressure ventilation
ENGINE COMPANY
OPERATIONS
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#

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§ Strip the following equipment from the

apparatus:
‡ Breathing Apparatus
‡ Forcible Entry Tools
‡ High
High--Rise Hose Packs & (2) gated wye
‡ Portable Radios
‡ Tools for Propping Open Doors
‡ Thermal Imaging Camera
‡ Cell Phone
‡ Ceiling Puller
‡ Key for Knox Box
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§ Make entry and proceed to fire control

room
§ Obtain information on nature of
emergency
§ Prior to leaving Lobby, ensure the
following has occurred:
‡ Determine what is on the panel
‡ Obtained appropriate keys
‡ All elevators are down and locked
‡ HVAC system is shut off
‡ Fire phone is obtained
‡ Provided an initial report of conditions
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§ If fire is confirmed, pass command and

begin fire and rescue operations
§ Proceed to fire floor via a safe route
§ Provide report of conditions on each floor
during ascent
* Do not use elevator for investigating a
fire
§ Establish Staging two floors below fire
floor if suitable
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#

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§ Locate fire, check for vertical extension,

initiate fire attack & rescue and give the
following size-
size-up:
‡ What is burning
‡ Are occupants endangered
‡ Immediate resource needs
‡ Floor conditions
‡ Best route for resources to staging
‡ Condition of floor above fire floor
  

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§ Establish a continuous water supply

§ Complete water supply hook-hook-up to
appropriate standpipe(s)
§ Officer and FF establish IRIC two
floors below fire floor if not needed
to support water supply operation
  

"

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#

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§ Strip the apparatus of the following

equipment:
‡ Breathing apparatus
‡ Forcible entry tools
‡ High
High--rise hose packs (2) and gated wye
‡ Portable Radios
‡ Tools for propping open doors
‡ Cell phone
‡ RIC Bag if establishing IRIC
  

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#

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§ If assigned, proceed via a safe route

to fire floor to assist with fire
suppression and rescue operations
3 %

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#

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§ Strip the following equipment from

the apparatus:
‡ Breathing apparatus
‡ High
High--rise hose packs (2) and gated wye
‡ Portable radios
‡ Extra air bottles
‡ Key for the Knox Box
 3 %

"

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§ Proceed to lobby area or designated
point of entry
§ Obtain fire alarm information from
panel or fire control room
§ Obtain elevator / stairwell keys
§ Establish check-
check-in / check-
check-out
procedure
§ Take control of elevators
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§ Call all elevators to lobby and lock them
out
§ Do not allow elevator use unless approved
by Operations or IC
§ If personnel use the elevators, they will
have the following:
‡ Breathing apparatus
‡ Portable fire extinguisher
‡ Portable radio
‡ Forcible entry tools
‡ Elevator control key
 3 %

"

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§ Manage stairwell access
‡ Locate ground floor stairwell openings
‡ Verify from Fire Attack the safest stairwell for
use to Staging
‡ Control entry and exit of stairwell
‡ Provide the following information for persons
using the stairwell:
§ Reported location of fire
§ Status of elevators
§ Specific route to staging including stairwell
§ Additional important information
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§ Control HVAC and smoke exhaust
systems
§ Shut down HVAC system
§ Make sure smoke exhaust system is
operating
§ Make contact with the Building
Manager / Engineer
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§ Strip the following equipment from

the apparatus
‡ Breathing apparatus
‡ Forcible entry tools
‡ Portable Radios
‡ Extra air bottles
‡ Medical Aid Kit
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"

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§ Obtain ³Staging´ high-

high-rise kit provided by
requesting agency
§ Determine location of Staging from
Operations or IC.
§ Two floors below fire floor if possible
§ In large room or area next to stairwell
§ Obtain from Operations or IC the amount
of resources to remain in Staging
§ Use elevators only if approved by
Operations or the IC
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"

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§ Divide Staging area and identify the

following areas:
‡ Reserve personnel
‡ Rehabilitation
‡ Reserve equipment
‡ Full air bottles
‡ Empty air bottles
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"

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§ Maintain record of companies and

equipment in Staging
§ Check--in procedures for Staging
Check
include:
‡ Check
Check--in time
‡ Company number and agency
‡ Officer in Charge
‡ Number of company members
‡ Equipment brought to Staging
 x  
"

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§ Check-out procedures for companies

Check-
assigned or released include:
‡ Check
Check--out time
‡ Company number and agency
‡ Officer in charge
‡ Number of company members
‡ Division or group assignment / or
release
‡ Equipment taken out of Staging
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"

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 ! 

§ Contact IC to verify location of Base

§ Use geographic identifier
§ At least 200¶ from building
§ Not to interfere with Command Post
operations
§ Report location to County Communications
§ Establish a security perimeter around Base
§ Coordinate with law enforcement agencies
to secure Base and establish an
unrestricted path to Lobby or point of
entry
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"

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#

# ! 
 

§ Establish a check-
check-in / check-
check-out
procedure for arriving resources
‡ Base arrival time
‡ Company number and agency
‡ Officer in charge
‡ Number of company members
‡ Type of equipment
‡ Assignment given when leaving Base
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§ Park apparatus in an orderly fashion

§ Advise IC of resources in Base
§ Coordinate smooth flow of personnel and
equipment from Base to Lobby or point of entry
§ Establish an equipment pool and locate in a
secure area
§ Consider a traffic flow that will facilitate
unloading of equipment and transportation to
Lobby
§ Obtain Base high-
high-rise kit from requesting agency
Command Positions
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§ Responsible for management of all
incident operations
§ Plans and directs the overall strategy
of the incident
§ Establishes the organizational
objectives necessary to manage the
incident
   



§ Manages all suppression and rescue
activities
§ Consults with IC on overall strategy and
tactical objectives
§ Assigns and supervises Fire Attack,
Staging, and Division & Group Supervisors
§ Normally operates from a location above
ground near the fire suppression activities
 3 


§ Assists the IC in planning the overall
strategy for containment of the
incident
§ Supervises and coordinates the
activities of Situation Status and
Resource Status
 x  



§ Supervises and coordinates the
activities of Lobby, Base, Stairwell
Support, Water Supply,
Communications, and Medical Unit
§ Location of Logistics Section Chief
will be determined by the needs of
the incident
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§ Identifies and mitigates hazardous
situations
§ Informs the IC in matters affecting
personnel safety
§ Investigates accidents that occur
during the incident
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§ Provides liaison between the media
and the Incident Commander
§ Consults with the Command Staff
regarding any constraints on the
release of information and prepares
media information releases
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§ Monterey County Fire
Operations Manual ± High
Rise Firefighting Guidelines

§ Power Point Presentation

created November 27, 2009

§ Prepared by Dan Gearhart,

Division Chief