High-rise and mid-rise firefighting: Operational divisions, sectors and groups

In Parts 1 and 2 of this high-rise/mid-rise series, I covered lobby control basics and the fire attack and stairwell operations. In the Part 3 – the series conclusion – I’ll cover some other divisions, sectors and groups that could play vital roles in the successful outcome of a high-rise or mid-rise fire event.

During a high-rise fire event, communications are critical and, in many cases, becomes quickly chaotic. The incident commander (IC) will be overwhelmed with incoming messages and requests. The amount of radio traffic will almost immediately require the IC to begin assigning divisions, sectors and groups.

With some of these divisions, sectors or groups, a separate radio channel should be assigned as well to remove some of the less critical communications from the more important fire attack channel. For example, command does not need to hear all the communications from four separate Rapid Ascent Teams (RATs). IC only needs to hear that the assignment was complete from the group officer. We know, however, that there will be a lot of communications between four individual RAT teams to the RAT group officer assigned to manage all RAT operations, so separate tactical channels should be considered.

Search Group

Depending on the type of high-rise occupancy involved, search can be quick and easy or difficult and extended. Regardless of the occupancy, a formal group must be established with its own tactical channel.

The Search Group officer must prioritize the search, taking into consideration the type of occupancy – residential or commercial. Smoke and fire conditions, building construction and building type will obviously dictate the extent or intensity of the search. This is due, in part, to how well the building and/ or individual floors, compartments or units can contain the fire.

For example, if you’re responding to a commercial high rise, expect the fire to progress more rapidly than a fire in a residential high-rise or mid-rise. In many commercial high-rise buildings, the floors are typically wide open with nothing to really slow the spread of smoke or fire. While this floor layout allows for the spread of smoke and fire, crews do not have to worry about long dark hallways, forcing multiple doors and searching multiple units.

In residential high-rise and mid-rise buildings, each individual unit is surrounded by fire-rated sheetrock and each individual unit has fire-rated doors. This will help contain, limit and slow the spread of smoke and fire. It does, however, require forcing entry into each individual unit, then searching that unit and returning to the hallway before proceeding onto the next unit.

When requesting additional companies, the search group officer also needs to take into consideration “reflex time” – the time it takes to get crews up to the fire floor and then for those same crews to actually perform their intended function. However, their function in a residential will most likely require them to perform forcible entry on each individual unit prior to any search. The Search Group officer needs to request multiple companies at a time, and consider companies to back up the initial request.

Rapid Ascent Team (RAT)

The RAT should be one of the earliest assigned groups, immediately after the attack team is assigned. The RAT is responsible for clearing the attack stairwell of any occupants that may have found their way inside the wrong place at the wrong time.

In high-rise buildings, two RATs per stairwell should be assigned. One starts from the fire floor and works up, while one starts from the top floor and works down. In mid-rise buildings, typically only one RAT per stairwell is necessary. In atrium-style buildings, a RAT may be an ongoing effort until the incident is brought under control.

In buildings with multiple stairwells, multiple RATs will be required. A formal RAT Group should be initiated. This group can require a lot of communications and will allow a more focused effort on accountability and confirmation that the assignments were completed. This group can also maintain confirmation of clear stairwells with ongoing checks as necessary.

The RAT is not a glamorous assignment. It is physically demanding and typically not at all exciting either. It is, however, quite necessary and, on occasion, you may be surprised at the number of people you have to assist or direct to another stairwell.

The initial RAT typically starts in the stairwell on the floor above the fire floor and ascend, but if reverse stack effect is present, the team may have to begin at the lobby. As the RAT ascends, the officer can peek in on each additional floor to check conditions, but the primary goal is to clear the stairwell as quickly as possible.

The second RAT proceeds directly to the top floor via whatever means necessary. When they arrive at the top floor, the first step is to open the roof access if available. Building keys should have been provided to this team in the lobby. If keys were not available, not made available to the RAT or, as is common, not updated, the team must force the roof access door. The door should not remain open. This step is just so we know that the door can be easily opened when needed. This is a precautionary measure, but one that’s necessary to provide an exit to any occupants that may later decide to exit the building, finding themselves in the wrong stairwell looking for fresh air or an exit. Also, if the stairwell becomes contaminated, this step allows for ventilation.

Rapid Intervention Team (RIT)

If you do not prepare for rapid intervention or assign it, you are setting yourself up for an inquiry of some sort and literally jeopardizing the welfare of the crews operating on the fire floor. In my department alone, there have been many instances where the RIT was needed and deployed during high-rise fire events. Make the assignment, and make it important to the crew that assumes the assignment. They must have the mentality that they could be deployed – and be ready.

The initial RIT should be staged in the stairwell as soon as possible, out of the way of the attack team and not interfering with the initial attack team’s operations. Locating RIT in the stairwell places the team in close proximity to the fire floor and makes them immediately available to deploy if something goes bad on the fire attack team.

This team is another example of where a chief should use their discretion on which company they assign to RIT. This is not a function for the weak of heart. This is a function that requires well-trained crews. It is also a function that will require more grit than your average crew.

Resource Sector

The Resource Sector location is initially determined by the fire attack team. As they exit the elevator two floors below the reported fire floor, the officer will check to see if this floor is suitable as the resource floor before ascending to the fire floor by way of the stairwell. The officer will report to Command or Lobby Control the conditions on that floor, whether it is suitable or that another floor should be considered.

Command should assign a sector officer and multiple companies to that floor. When the sector officer arrives two floors below the fire, that officer will then reassess the suitability of that floor as a resource sector. The officer will be looking for smoke or, more importantly, the lack of smoke and space. Space will be needed and should be taken into consideration when determining the location of the resource sector for the multiple companies and equipment that will be brought to the floor and staged for reinforcement of the suppression effort.

If the conditions are conducive, the resource sector officer will be responsible for tracking and accountability of the crews and equipment assigned to them.

The Resource Sector officer will also need to show a strong command presence in this role to maintain discipline on this floor and limit confusion or deter any freelancing.

Equipment should be staged orderly, and crews should remain together awaiting orders.

Water Supply Group

This group is responsible for ensuring a constant water supply from the hydrant to the nozzle for suppression efforts. This is not always as simple as one would think. This group helps coordinate the hook-up, discover any issues and correct them. For example, the building’s fire pumps can fail. The system may require multiple pumpers. The FDC may be damaged beyond use, requiring alternative methods or FDC.

A separate radio channel would work well for this group because the communications in this area can often become long-winded.

This group also works closely with the Building Systems Group with regards to water supply efforts.

EMS or Rehab Sector

The EMS/Rehab Sector is responsible for monitoring the health and welfare of crews that have immediately exited the fire floor. This is the sector where firefighters cool down, rest, rehydrate and have vital signs checked. It is then determined if they can be reassigned or recycled to suppression efforts.

This is also where any immediate life-saving efforts are made in the event an occupant is found or a firefighter is seriously injured.

The EMS or Rehab Sector can be on the same floor as the Resource Sector, but it needs to be a completely separate and removed sector.

The officer assigned to this sector will also want to have a strong command presence to avoid allowing crews to get lost in the shuffle of any crews assigned to the resource sector. This can easily be accomplished by setting up the EMS/Rehab Sector at the opposite end of the floor or on the other side of the core, depending on the floor layout or type of construction. If it is not possible to share the same floor, the EMS/ Rehab Sector can be designated one floor below the resource sector. Taking these actions to make accountability easier will pay off later in the incident when multiple crews are assigned to rehab and taking longer and longer to cycle out.

Any equipment needs are the responsibility of the officer assigned to this sector. The officer will want to consider multiple ALS and BLS crews, with multiple stretchers and cardiac monitors. Also consider additional EMS crews to simply replace a crew that may have been utilized.

This sector officer is also responsible for reassigning crews to the Resource Sector, reporting it both to the resource sector officer and Command.

A formal Rehab/ EMS Sector may also be required outside the building at street level. This is in addition to the sector two floors below the fire floor. High-rise incidents tend to be long and drawn-out events. Delivering food two floors below the fire is not a function of the Stairwell Support Group. It simply makes sense to provide food to crews outside the burning high-rise.

Ventilation Group

Ventilation in high-rise and mid-rise buildings can be technical, difficult and physically demanding. The officer and crews assigned to this group need to understand the objectives and building logistics before attempting any efforts. Taking the wrong actions can lead to serious consequences for any occupants still in the building and could also compromise the fire attack team’s work.

Let’s start with some questions:

• Can the building be mechanically ventilated? Do we know how?
• Is the building engineer on site?
• Is the building system capable?
• Do we have to use fans?
• Can we use vertical ventilation?
• Is horizontal ventilation an option?
• Does anyone know how to properly perform horizontal operations in a high-rise building without contaminating other floors?
• Are the stairwells pressurized?
• Is the building already doing what it is supposed to do in the event of a fire?
• Is the building completely evacuated of occupants?
• Are occupants sheltering in place?

There is a lot to understand and consider before taking any action in a high-rise or mid-rise building.

Stairwell Support Group

The Stairwell Support Group can be critical on some occasions. In mid-rise fire events, this is typically how personnel and equipment are transported to the resource floor or the fire floor. In most mid-rise fire events, the elevator will be inoperable or should be avoided if any significant fire presents on arrival.

Several companies should be assigned to this group. They will be responsible for physically moving equipment up and down the stairs to be staged on the resource floor. This includes SCBA bottles, additional hose, help with removing ambulatory and non-ambulatory occupants, and even used as runners to deliver messages at times. In some instances, if the building’s standpipe system fails, this group will be responsible for setting up a water supply system by laying large-diameter hose in the stairwell to one floor below the fire floor.

This group is resource-intensive and physically demanding. This group is not typically going to be even close to the IDLH atmosphere, so minimal PPE will be required. A helmet and gloves are typically the only PPE required.

Building Systems Group

This group is responsible for checking and operating building systems, such as the fire pump and ventilation system and even isolating electrical power to affected floors. The group will want to work with the building engineer, so if one is available, latch onto them quickly. If the attack team is not getting enough pressure, the pump itself may not be the only issue. This group will be responsible for finding the issue and correcting it if necessary.

Staging Sector

Staging at a large-scale event requires coordination. A formal Staging Sector should be assigned with an officer appointed over it. This officer designates the staging location and coordinates the movement of apparatus and firefighters as needed.

The Staging Sector requires its own tactical channel, as most communication in this group will have no bearing on the actions taking place 20 stories up, and the IC does not need to hear any of it.

All companies assigned to report to the staging area must ensure that at least one radio in their apparatus is on the specified tactical channel. Too often, everyone in the apparatus is listening to the fire attack channel and miss their orders to report to an assignment.

Companies in the staging area need to remain in their apparatus and ready to report for their assignment.

The sector officer needs to advise the IC as to what companies are available. The IC should not have to ask. When crews are getting low, the officer in charge of this group should inform the IC. Informing the IC of what is available is a prompt, and the IC should have to do nothing more than request an additional alarm from dispatch.

Train for success

Any high-rise or mid-rise event will require an overwhelming amount of communications. These events tend to become chaotic early in the event. A strong but calm command presence and multiple tactical channels can alleviate most, if not all, of the chaos.

Following a strong incident command model will no doubt keep operations flowing and coordinated. Delegating divisions, sectors and groups early in the event and individual company officers understanding that they communicate only with the division, sector or group to which they are assigned helps keep the critical communication lines open.

Company officers who work in mid-rise and high-rise districts should train regularly on every aspect of high-rise operations, guidelines and their command model. Put your individual crews through the paces when possible so that they get a good feel for operating and pushing hose in the stairwells. Experience in mid-rise and high-rise operations is key to the successful conclusion of operations. The only experience most will gain is through training. Train for experience; train for success.

Stay safe.