Elevator Emergency Operations and Firefighter Service Flashcards

A building is generally classified as a 'high-rise' under most modern fire codes when its highest occupied floor is above:

Answer: 55 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access

Both NFPA 1 and the International Building Code define a high-rise as a building with an occupied floor more than 55 feet above the lowest point accessible to fire department vehicles.

How should elevator recall testing be incorporated into an FLSD's fire drill program?

Answer: During drills as required by the applicable fire code to verify recall system functionality

Fire codes require periodic elevator recall testing during fire drills to verify system functionality and ensure that fire wardens and building staff understand elevator behavior during emergencies.

If an elevator door fails to close during Phase I recall, the FLSD should:

Answer: Document the malfunction and report it to arriving fire department personnel

A door malfunction during recall must be documented and communicated to firefighters; the FLSD should not attempt mechanical intervention and must ensure the fire department is aware of the compromised elevator.

The fire service elevator key commonly used to activate Phase II operation is known as:

Answer: The FEO-K1 key or equivalent designated fire service elevator key

The FEO-K1 (Fire Emergency Operation Key) is the standardized fire service key required in many jurisdictions, including New York City, to activate Phase II firefighter control from inside the elevator cab.

When Phase I recall is activated while an elevator is in motion, the elevator will:

Answer: Travel to the nearest floor, open its doors to allow occupants to exit, then proceed non-stop to the recall floor

When Phase I recall activates mid-travel, the elevator stops at the nearest floor to allow occupant exit, then travels non-stop to the designated recall floor without answering any additional hall or car calls.

Why are open elevator shaft openings at the fire floor considered a significant life safety hazard?

Answer: Elevator shafts create a chimney effect, rapidly pulling smoke and fire gases to upper floors

Elevator shafts act as chimneys due to the stack effect, rapidly channeling smoke, heat, and toxic gases from the fire floor upward to occupied floors above, creating serious life safety hazards.

After a fire emergency is resolved, who authorizes the return of elevators to normal passenger service?

Answer: The fire department incident commander, after formally releasing the scene

The fire department incident commander retains authority over the building scene until formally releasing it; only after the fire department's all-clear can building systems, including elevators, be returned to normal operation.