F89 Life Safety Measures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A building's fire safety plan must be reviewed and resubmitted to the FDNY whenever:
- A new tenant moves in regardless of floor area
- There is a change in occupancy, building use, or significant alteration affecting life safety systems (Correct answer)
- The certificate of occupancy is renewed annually
- A new FLSD is hired for the building
Correct answer: There is a change in occupancy, building use, or significant alteration affecting life safety systems
Material changes in occupancy or building configuration that affect egress or fire protection systems trigger a mandatory fire safety plan update and resubmission.
Question 2: During a high-rise fire, the elevator bank serving the fire floor should be:
- Left in normal service for rapid occupant evacuation
- Recalled to the lobby and taken out of service or placed under FDNY control (Correct answer)
- Sent to the roof to avoid the fire floor
- Kept available only for emergency personnel on standby
Correct answer: Recalled to the lobby and taken out of service or placed under FDNY control
Upon fire alarm activation, elevators are recalled to the lobby under Phase I Emergency Recall to prevent occupants from inadvertently traveling to the fire floor.
Question 3: Which action by a floor warden is INCORRECT during a fire emergency?
- Sweeping the floor to confirm all occupants have evacuated
- Directing mobility-impaired occupants to the nearest area of refuge
- Using a personal elevator to assist a mobility-impaired occupant to the lobby (Correct answer)
- Communicating floor status to the FLSD at the fire command station
Correct answer: Using a personal elevator to assist a mobility-impaired occupant to the lobby
Floor wardens must never use elevators during a fire emergency because elevators are recalled and removed from normal service for safety.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a building's fire safety director log?
- To record employee attendance at fire drills for HR purposes
- To document inspections, drill results, equipment tests, and emergency events for regulatory compliance (Correct answer)
- To track visitor access during building emergencies
- To maintain a record of tenant lease expirations
Correct answer: To document inspections, drill results, equipment tests, and emergency events for regulatory compliance
The FLSD log is a legal record used by FDNY inspectors to verify that required drills, inspections, and emergency responses have been properly conducted.
Question 5: When conducting a fire drill post-drill evaluation, the FLSD should focus MOST on:
- How quickly occupants returned to their workstations after the drill
- Identifying deficiencies in warden performance, egress routes, and communication systems (Correct answer)
- Calculating the cost of the drill to submit to building ownership
- Comparing drill times with other buildings of similar size
Correct answer: Identifying deficiencies in warden performance, egress routes, and communication systems
The post-drill evaluation is designed to identify and correct gaps in warden readiness, egress path effectiveness, and fire command communication before a real emergency.
Question 6: A 'Class E' occupancy under New York City Fire Code refers to:
- Educational facilities with children under age 12
- Commercial office buildings with a total gross floor area exceeding 6,000 square feet above grade (Correct answer)
- Emergency medical facilities operating 24 hours a day
- Entertainment venues with a capacity exceeding 300 persons
Correct answer: Commercial office buildings with a total gross floor area exceeding 6,000 square feet above grade
Class E designation applies to commercial office buildings exceeding 6,000 sq ft above grade, triggering requirements for a fire safety plan and certificated FLSD.
Question 7: During a shelter-in-place order for a hazmat event outside the building, the FLSD should:
- Initiate full building evacuation to move occupants away from the hazard
- Close all windows and doors, shut down HVAC air intakes, and keep occupants inside (Correct answer)
- Open all windows to dilute any chemical vapors entering the building
- Activate the fire alarm system to alert all occupants
Correct answer: Close all windows and doors, shut down HVAC air intakes, and keep occupants inside
Shelter-in-place during an external hazmat event requires sealing the building envelope and stopping outside air intake to prevent contaminated air from entering.
F89 Life Safety Measures 5
A building's fire safety plan must be reviewed and resubmitted to the FDNY whenever: