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 14 th 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
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