STANDPIPE ODDITY (What to do?):

Firefighter/Technician Steve Brookbank, (Air Unit No. 1, Wash. DC) sent these two photographs in. This standpipe configuration is located on the upper floors of a high rise building. 

The photograph on the left is of a 2 1/2" riser connection in the middle of a hallway corridor. You may notice that the connection doesn't have a valve to open and close it within a close proximity. The valve is actually located in the stairwell, where the other riser connection is located. Thus making it difficult to utilize the hallway connection for practical application. 

In most cases, buildings have additional riser connections in hallways (such as shown) when a corridor exceeds 200+ feet in total length. Sometimes this is depends on local laws/codes.

This is another example of knowing the buildings in your immediate and outer (mutual aide, etc.) box alarm (structural fire) response area. Most departments only carry a maximum of 200 or 250 feet of hose in their standpipe bags/set-up. If the hallway corridor is in excess of 350 feet, stretching from the stairwell would not be applicable. Utilizing the hallway riser connection would require a member to stay back in the stairwell to charge the line once hooked up. Essentially depleting your crew staffing and integrity.

Some additional options may include an outside the box approach. Such as using a long length pre-connect, shouldering the line, disconnecting the line from the apparatus, deploying it to the upper floors and using it to stretch from the stairwell connection, in-place of your "standpipe racks/bags". Whatever tactic you use, it must be practiced time and time again. Everyone must be on the same page and communication is essential.