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?