evacuation of high rise building

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Walker on October 17, 2009 at 7:43pm

Depends on the High-rise and the fire but preferably we start with the fire floor, the floor above and the floor below. Then work up.

Why I say it depends is because many buildings attempt to evacuate everyone. If the stairwells are wide enough, it may be possible but if the stairwell is narrow, traffic jams occur. Or, if anyone stops in the stairwell to take a break, or falls, etc. etc.

Permalink Reply by Anthony Avillo on December 26, 2009 at 8:18am

We try to protect in place. From our experience, everyone on the fire floor (when u really have a good fire) who leave their apartment never make it out of the hallway and are usually found behind the hallway door. We find it easier to protect all in place until the fire is under control. We had a fire in a high rise where an oxygen clinder in the fire apartment BLEVE'd and blew out the wall between the apt and the hallway (double sheetrock). The people directly across thewhall spent the entire fire on thier balcony. In the same fire, two people were killed int he stairwell several floors above th fire when the heat blast vented up the stairs which were blocked open in the summer by tenants wishing to get a breeze on the floor. Of course, this is a decision based on condtions, but if you are having a hard time getting down the hallway due to wind, doors left open, etc., granny in her nightgown will never make it out. For people not on the fire floor, PIP is also the best option. If yo can get control of a PA system if the bldg has one, use it. If not, you have to assign some compnies to hallway recon to control wanderers. If you can educate occupants B4 the fire or better yet, have a Hi rise Fire Safety Director program in place along with a good bldg communications system, might ease some of the headaches
Be safe
AA

Permalink Reply by MARTIN GUILBAULT on December 26, 2009 at 10:24am

thank you for your reply. very accurate.

Permalink Reply by Charles Jennings on January 6, 2010 at 11:48am

The key is whether you have a PA system, and whether stairs allow re-entry. The reality is that residents generally do not evacuate completely, and often (in my experience) evacuate inappropriately and contrary to directions and late into or during active fire attack. Whether the building has a general fire alarm, or a system that only alerts specifc floors is also an issue. I did an article on high-rise issues that appeared in Firefighting in Canada in May 2009.

Permalink Reply by MARTIN GUILBAULT on January 21, 2010 at 7:54am

thanks does anyone as real experience situation where PROTECT IN PLACE made the difference and why you decide to PROTECT IN PLACE in this particular situation.


Charles Jennings said:

The key is whether you have a PA system, and whether stairs allow re-entry. The reality is that residents generally do not evacuate completely, and often (in my experience) evacuate inappropriately and contrary to directions and late into or during active fire attack. Whether the building has a general fire alarm, or a system that only alerts specifc floors is also an issue. I did an article on high-rise issues that appeared in Firefighting in Canada in May 2009.