Fighting fires in high rise buildings- a firefighters perspective - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fighting fires in high rise buildings- a firefighters perspective Group Manager Steve Gourlay

Joelma Building

Introduction

• High rise building fires:
• Joelma Buidling, Sao Paulo 1974
• Covered in Fire Safety training at FSC as a case

study in 1993

• At least 179 people died, 40 jumped to escape

the fire

• Possibly why I am here?
• Grenfell Tower 14th June 2017

(Presentation subject restrictions)

Aim

• To give the audience an overview of

firefighting in high rise buildings from a Firefighters perspective

• An examination of techniques and challenges

faced, looking at elements relevant to health and safety professionals

Objectives

To provide a brief overview of:

• Relevant Scottish Legislation
• Incident Risk Management
• High Rise Standard Operating Procedure
• Risks with high rise fires
• Case studies

Legislation

• Fire Safety in Scotland is covered by Part 3 of

the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and associated regulations

• High Rise domestic premises are not deemed

relevant and therefore no statutory duty exists for SFRS to Audit for compliance under our legislation

• These buildings are constructed to comply

with Scottish Building Regulations

Legislation

• Firefighters will visit these types of premises

under section 9(2)(d) of the FSA for Operational familiarisation.

• Information will also be provided to those

responsible on defects relating measures provided for firefighter safety e.g. fire doors, dry risers, firefighting lifts etc.

Incident Risk Management

• Firefighter Safety Maxim
• “At every incident the greater the potential

benefit of fire and rescue actions, the greater the risk will be accepted by commanders and

• firefighters. Activities that present a high risk

to safety are limited to those that have the potential to save life or to prevent rapid and significant escalation of the incident.”

Incident Risk Management

• SFRS Operate a nationally recognised Incident

Command System:

• Adaptable to all sizes of incident
• It allows the Incident Commander to use Operational

Guidance and health and safety arrangements, tailored to an incident and its objectives

• Achieves a balance between benefit and risk.
• Applied using tried and tested command skills

Incident Risk Management

• Utilises a team/sector approach to managing

incidents

Incident Risk Management

• Sectors may be employed to manage spans of

control.

Incident Risk Management

• Decision Control Process

High Rise Procedures

• The complexity of firefighting in such

buildings, together with the possibility of rescue work under very difficult conditions, makes it imperative that thought be given to strategic and tactical planning.

• A stand alone detailed standard operating

procedure designed primarily for domestic use provides Incident Commanders with a safe system of work.

High Rise Procedures

High Rise Procedures

• Vital Information gathering
• Origin of call?
• Are persons reported?
• Crews familiar with flats/layout etc.?
• Resources on route?
• Information available from operations

intelligence visits, indicator plates etc.?

High Rise Procedures

High Rise Procedures

• Management of the incident must take into

account following hazards:

• Communications Failure
• Hanging Wires/Overhead Cables
• Fire Spread
• Falling Objects
• Contents of the Building/Hazardous

Substances

High Rise Procedures

• Management of the incident must take into

account following hazards (cont.):

• Fire Loading
• The Effects of Wind
• Anti-Social Behaviour
• Crew Welfare
• Health Surveillance.

Recent High Rise Fires

• Plasco building, Iran, January 2017:A fire at a 17-

storey commercial building to multiple deaths, including 18 firefighters. The building collapsed - it had been deemed unsafe prior to the incident.

• Baku, Azerbaijan, May 2015:16 people died in a

fire in a residential building, including five children - cladding on the outside of the building was blamed for the way the fire spread.

Recent High Rise Fires

• The Torch,

Dubai, February 2015:79-storey skyscraper!

Recent High Rise Fires

Lakanal House: London July 2009. 6 people died

Recent High Rise Fires

• It was apparent that fire spread quickly, both

laterally and vertically, trapping people in their homes, exterior cladding compounded internal compartmentation issues.

• Southwark Council pleaded guilty in 2017 to

four charges concerning breaches to safety regulations

• The council expressed "sincere regret for the

failures that were present in the building”.

Recent High Rise Fires

• Harrow Court: Stevenage 2005
• Firefighters Michael Miller and Jeff

Wornham and a resident from the flat were killed.

• Shirley Towers: Southampton April 2010
• Firefighters Alan Bannon and James Shears

died whilst tackling the fire

Recent High Rise Fires

• Grenfell Tower 80+ deaths?

Lessons learned?

• Possible chimney effect from external

cladding?

Possible improvements?

• As H+S professionals do you think these could

possibly improve the situation for some premises?

• Improvements to legislation?
• Sprinklers and retro fitting?
• Better building regulations?
• Better construction controls and

methods/maintenance?

• Potential for retrospective improvements due to

changes in regulations?

Thank you

• Questions?
• Stephen.Gourlay@firescotland.gov.uk