High-Rise Training Aided By Command Center Model
BY LT.
Fire Prevention Bureau Denver Fire Department
Until recently, the problems of educating command officers and other fire department personnel in fighting fires in high-rise buildings was never a major problem.
Advancements in the area of electronics, however, have dramatically altered this fact. High-rise and other major construction projects throughout the country implementing advancements in fire and life safety systems have added another dimension to the problems of training fire fighters.
In the past, standard textbook explanations and manufacturer instruction manuals and handbooks had to be the primary means for learning about new equipment. Chief Myrle K. Wise of the Denver Fire Department recognized that the traditional methods left much to be desired for training men in his command. As one of the ways to meet this problem, Wise wondered if his department might benefit by having a fire operations center training module. The module would be relatively portable and fitted with fully operational equipment. Wise felt the hands-on operational module would be a desirable expansion of the textbook and direction manual approach.
In response to Wise’s idea, Assistant Chief Fred Cieminski, Denver’s chief of fire prevention, decided to see if a model of a high-rise fire command operations center could be assembled. Cieminski asked many local suppliers of fire operations center equipment for items that might be used in a training module.
Gerald Harris of Special Systems, Inc., in Denver recognized the benefit of having a complete fire command operations center as a training module and having fire fighters knowledgeable in these systems. Through his efforts, much equipment for the module was obtained. This included smoke detectors, audible alarm devices, manual alarm stations, fire detection and manual alarm monitoring panel, evacuation control system with full zoned voice capability, zoned fire fighters telephone system, remote alarm annunciator, and a status monitoring and control panel for HVAC equipment. All equipment within the module is fully operational.
The module contains a fan and dampers to demonstrate and explain smoke control and stairwell pressurization system functions. The control of smoke within a high-rise has been a prime concern of Wise and Cieminski. Denver’s approach to high-rise building smoke control is to create a negative pressure on the fire floor while maintaining positive pressure on all other floors. An independent positive pressure differential is maintained in the stairwells through mechanical pressurization.
Denver Fire Department photos
Elevator panel included
Cieminski felt the module would not be representative of an actual fire operations center unless an emergency elevator status and control panel was included. The emergency elevator status and control panel allows fire fighters to gain knowledge and become familiar with fireground operations involving elevators. Cieminski outlined the need for the training module to George Reed in the Denver office of Continental Elevator Company.
Reed asked Continental Elevator Company technicians to construct a panel which would fit within the dimensions of the proposed operations module. The emergency elevator panel incorporated the following elevator control features: a car position indicator, an emergency car stop switch, and an independent service switch (all normally located in the elevator car), an emergency power switch which is normally found in the fire command operations center or in a remote emergency generator room, a manual fire emergency switch generally located in the fire (main) lobby, and an elevator inspection switch, which is part of the standard panel.
A smoke detector is wired to the system. The detector demonstrates automatic elevator capture and recall with bypass features.
Cabinet built
Technician Jack Dillon of the Denver Fire Department carpentry shop constructed the display housing based on plans submitted by Cieminski.
Once the equipment was installed in the cabinet, Harris supervised the wiring phase of the project. Cieminski coordinated the efforts of Special Systems, Inc., and Continental Elevator Company. Appropriate circuitry providing for visual demonstration of detector and actuated elevator capture and emergency fire-fighter elevator recall had to be incorporated in the module. These features are clearly demonstrated with motion graphics contained within the remote alarm annunciator.
The construction of the training module presented some problems that, once solved, demonstrated a way to remedy more than a training situation problem. One of these problems was strategically locating the voice communications system and the fire-fighter telephone system. It was found there are benefits in having the two units located close together and wired so that one would serve as a backup of the other.
Module demonstrated
Last Feb. 1, following months of planning and construction, Captain A. J. Leiker of the fire prevention bureau made the first official demonstration of the module to department personnel. Harris explained aspects of the equipment to fire department,command officers and used the module to simulate an actual high-rise fire in which he detailed the use and capabilities of the Gamewell System supplied by Special Systems, Inc. Harris also outlined recommendations in the use of the fire command operations center equipment for optimum performance on the fireground.
Joe Pierce of Continental Elevator Company has used the emergency elevator console portion of the module to instruct fire department command officers in fireground elevator operations and emergency extrication.
The fire command operations center module is now available for use by Assistant Chief Don Penn of the training division. Penn will prepare training procedures and incorporate these activities into department training. Once these activities are incorporated in the standard department training procedures, all Denver fire fighters will have another means of gaining experience with fire command centers. Denver’s fire fighters should become more proficient in handling emergency problems in high-rise buildings that have fire command centers.
Protective Clothing Tests
Plans to issue grants to as many as 10 fire departments from throughout the nation to field test improved protective clothing have been announced by Gordon Vickery, administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
By certain evaluation criteria, grants will be awarded to those fire departments which give the most representative assessment of the field test ensembles.
Working with the protective clothing industry, the USFA and NASA project team has fabricated a number of ensembles. Laboratory and simulated fireground tests have been conducted on the suits.
The USFA will assist the established fire departments to ensure that the fabrication of the prototypes meet the design and performance specifications, and will assist in the field test and evaluations. USFA is now interested in hearing from departments willing to participate in the field test phase of Project FIRES. All letters of interest should be addressed to the U.S. Fire Administrator, Gordon Vickery, Washington, D.C. 20472.
Arson Investigators Honored
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) recently honored three members of the Los Angeles City Fire Department arson unit for their contribution to arson suppression in the Los Angeles area.
Captain Pat McGuinness, commander of the arson unit, received the Director’s Award, the highest given by the ATF, for his efforts in the establishment of a joint fire department and ATF arson task force. Investigators Gary Cooper and Jerry Brittenham received commendations for their efforts on the task’ force.
