F89 Medical Emergency Preparedness — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A building occupant collapses and is unresponsive in the lobby. What is the Fire and Life Safety Director's FIRST action?
- Begin CPR immediately before calling 911
- Call 911, notify building security, and dispatch someone to retrieve the nearest AED (Correct answer)
- Move the victim to a more accessible location for EMS
- Wait for a medical professional among the occupants to respond before taking action
Correct answer: Call 911, notify building security, and dispatch someone to retrieve the nearest AED
Activating the emergency medical system (911) and retrieving the AED simultaneously are the highest-priority first steps. Starting CPR before summoning help wastes critical seconds; moving the victim risks injury; waiting for a bystander professional is not a reliable plan.
Question 2: Where are Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) required to be located in a New York City high-rise building under the Fire and Life Safety Director's oversight?
- Only in the building's medical office or first aid room
- Exclusively at the lobby security desk
- In readily accessible locations as required by building code, typically on each floor or at designated stations, with their locations known to the FLSD (Correct answer)
- AEDs are optional equipment; their placement is at the building owner's discretion
Correct answer: In readily accessible locations as required by building code, typically on each floor or at designated stations, with their locations known to the FLSD
The FLSD must know the exact location of all AEDs in the building. NYC building codes and FDNY guidance require AEDs to be accessible, and the FLSD is responsible for ensuring staff know where they are and that they are maintained in working condition.
Question 3: When EMS personnel arrive to respond to a medical emergency in a high-rise building, what is the Fire and Life Safety Director's responsibility?
- Direct EMS to use the stairwells only, as elevators are reserved for building staff
- Meet EMS at the lobby, provide floor and location of the victim, and bring them to the scene using an elevator designated for emergency use (Correct answer)
- Allow EMS to navigate the building independently without FLSD escort
- Hold EMS in the lobby until the building owner authorizes access
Correct answer: Meet EMS at the lobby, provide floor and location of the victim, and bring them to the scene using an elevator designated for emergency use
The FLSD facilitates rapid EMS access by meeting responders at the lobby, providing precise location information, and escorting or directing them via elevator to minimize response time. Delaying or impeding EMS access is a serious breach of the FLSD's duty.
Question 4: A building occupant reports that a coworker is experiencing chest pain and difficulty breathing on the 22nd floor. Before EMS arrives, what should the FLSD instruct floor staff to do?
- Have the victim walk to the elevator lobby to reduce EMS response time
- Keep the victim calm, seated, and still; retrieve the AED; and have someone stay on the line with 911 for instructions (Correct answer)
- Administer water and have the victim lie flat on their stomach
- Lock down the 22nd floor and prevent other occupants from calling 911 to avoid panic
Correct answer: Keep the victim calm, seated, and still; retrieve the AED; and have someone stay on the line with 911 for instructions
For suspected cardiac events, the victim should remain still and calm to reduce cardiac demand. Retrieving the AED is critical in case the situation deteriorates. Maintaining a 911 connection allows dispatchers to provide real-time guidance. Movement can worsen cardiac symptoms.
Question 5: The Fire and Life Safety Director's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) must include which of the following regarding medical emergencies?
- A list of all occupants with known medical conditions and their diagnoses
- Procedures for notifying 911, location of AEDs, trained first aid staff, and EMS access routes (Correct answer)
- Authorization for FLSD staff to administer prescription medications in an emergency
- A requirement that the building employ a full-time licensed EMT
Correct answer: Procedures for notifying 911, location of AEDs, trained first aid staff, and EMS access routes
The EAP's medical emergency section must document the 911 notification procedure, AED locations, identification of trained first-aid-capable staff, and how EMS will be routed through the building. Disclosing occupant medical diagnoses violates privacy, and employing a full-time EMT is not a code requirement.
Question 6: After a medical emergency occurs in the building, what documentation responsibility does the Fire and Life Safety Director have?
- No documentation is required unless the victim dies
- File a report only if the occupant files a formal complaint
- Record the incident in the building's emergency log including time, location, nature of emergency, actions taken, and agencies notified (Correct answer)
- Submit documentation only to the building's insurance carrier within 30 days
Correct answer: Record the incident in the building's emergency log including time, location, nature of emergency, actions taken, and agencies notified
All emergencies, including medical, must be logged in the building's emergency record regardless of outcome. The log should capture the time, location, what occurred, every action the FLSD took, and which external agencies (911, EMS) were contacted. This documentation supports FDNY inspections and liability records.
