FLSD Fire Emergency Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a high-rise fire, occupants should be instructed to check a closed door before opening it by:
- Looking under the door for visible flames
- Using the back of their hand to feel the door and doorknob for heat (Correct answer)
- Smelling for smoke at the door gap
- Opening the door a crack and checking for smoke
Correct answer: Using the back of their hand to feel the door and doorknob for heat
Before opening any door during a fire, feel it with the back of your hand — if it is hot, the fire may be on the other side. The back of the hand is used because palm burns can impair grip.
The 'hot door check' is a critical survival technique floor wardens must teach occupants: use the back of your hand (not the palm, to preserve grip ability if burned) to feel the door surface, particularly near the top where heat accumulates, and the doorknob. If hot, do not open the door — fire or extreme heat is likely on the other side. Instead, use an alternate route or shelter in place and signal for rescue. If the door is cool, open it cautiously and look for smoke before proceeding.
Question 2: An occupant trapped on the 35th floor during a fire, unable to use stairwells, should:
- Attempt to rappel down the exterior of the building
- Shelter in a room, seal gaps under the door, signal from the window, and call 911 to report their location (Correct answer)
- Jump from the window onto the fire truck aerial ladder
- Use the elevator as a last resort to escape
Correct answer: Shelter in a room, seal gaps under the door, signal from the window, and call 911 to report their location
A trapped occupant should shelter in place — seal smoke gaps under the door, call 911 with their exact floor and room number, and signal from the window to alert rescuers of their location.
Surviving a high-rise fire when trapped: (1) close the door and seal the gap at the bottom with clothing, towels, or anything available to slow smoke entry; (2) call 911 and give exact floor number and room/apartment number; (3) signal from the window by waving a cloth or light so firefighters can see your location; (4) stay low where air is cleaner; (5) do not break windows unless smoke is overwhelming and fresh air is essential; (6) NEVER use elevators. FDNY rescue operations in high-rise buildings are highly effective when they know exactly where trapped occupants are located.
Question 3: In a NYC high-rise, the preferred method for determining the location of a fire when the alarm activates is:
- Manually searching each floor from top to bottom
- Reading the fire alarm control panel at the fire command station to identify the activated device (Correct answer)
- Waiting for visible smoke to determine which floor has the fire
- Asking building occupants which floor smells like smoke
Correct answer: Reading the fire alarm control panel at the fire command station to identify the activated device
The fire alarm control panel at the fire command station identifies exactly which detector or pull station activated and on which floor, providing immediate location information.
Modern fire alarm control panels provide specific addressable device information: device type (smoke detector, pull station, waterflow alarm), specific location (floor number and zone), and time of activation. The FLSD reads this information at the fire command station immediately upon alarm activation, providing the exact floor and zone for investigation. This information is shared with FDNY incident command upon arrival. The FLSD never has to search floors blindly — the panel identifies the alarmed area precisely.
Question 4: According to NYC Fire Code, occupants in a high-rise should use a stairwell other than their normal stairwell when:
- They have mobility impairments and need a wider stairwell
- The normally used stairwell has smoke, is blocked, or is directed by FDNY (Correct answer)
- They are on odd-numbered floors versus even-numbered floors
- The building has more than 500 occupants on their floor
Correct answer: The normally used stairwell has smoke, is blocked, or is directed by FDNY
Occupants should use their designated stairwell unless it is compromised by smoke, blocked by hazards, or FDNY redirects them to a specific alternate stairwell.
Each floor's emergency plan designates primary and alternate evacuation stairwells. Occupants should know both. They should switch to an alternate stairwell if: smoke is detected in the primary stairwell, the stairwell door is blocked or inaccessible, FDNY or the FLSD directs them via PA or intercom to use a specific stairwell, or they encounter a crowd crush situation. Floor wardens are trained to know all stairwell options and to communicate changes to occupants. Knowing alternate routes is critical — this is why floor warden training and drills cover all available stairwells.
Question 5: What does it mean when a high-rise fire alarm activates with a 'temporal-3' audible pattern?
- The alarm is in test mode and occupants should disregard it
- Three short pulses followed by a pause — the standard fire alarm evacuation signal (Correct answer)
- The alarm is a supervisory signal requiring investigation only
- A medical emergency has been detected on the floor
Correct answer: Three short pulses followed by a pause — the standard fire alarm evacuation signal
The temporal-3 pattern (three short pulses repeated) is the standard ANSI/NFPA fire alarm evacuation signal — when occupants hear this pattern, they should treat it as a real fire emergency.
NFPA 72 designates the temporal-3 pattern as the standard emergency evacuation signal: 0.5 seconds on, 0.5 seconds off (repeated three times), then 1.5 seconds off, then repeat. This consistent pattern allows people throughout the US to recognize a fire alarm regardless of the building. NYC high-rise Class E systems also use voice announcements in conjunction with temporal-3, providing specific evacuation instructions. Training occupants to recognize the temporal-3 pattern versus other building tones (e.g., elevator recall, HVAC alerts) is part of the FLSD's orientation program.
Question 6: The term 'fire watch' means:
- Using binoculars to watch for fires from the roof of a high-rise building
- Continuous patrol of areas where fire protection systems are impaired to detect and report fires (Correct answer)
- The act of monitoring fire alarm signals at the fire command station overnight
- FDNY surveillance of buildings with repeated false alarms
Correct answer: Continuous patrol of areas where fire protection systems are impaired to detect and report fires
Fire watch is the continuous patrol of areas where fire protection systems are out of service, performed by trained personnel who can detect and report fires before they spread.
When a fire protection system (sprinklers, alarm, standpipes) is impaired, NYC Fire Code requires a fire watch to compensate for the reduced protection. Fire watch personnel must: be trained and dedicated solely to fire watch duties (no other simultaneous duties); continuously patrol the affected area; have means to notify FDNY immediately upon detecting fire or smoke; carry a written log documenting their patrol times and observations; and remain on duty until the system is restored. The FLSD oversees fire watch operations and maintains fire watch logs.
FLSD Fire Emergency Procedures 2
During a high-rise fire, occupants should be instructed to check a closed door before opening it by: