F89 Roles and Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a Fire and Life Safety Director (FLSD) is off-site during business hours, what must be in place to maintain compliance?
- The building may operate without coverage temporarily
- A qualified deputy or designee must assume FLSD duties (Correct answer)
- Building security staff can cover FLSD responsibilities informally
- The building owner must personally assume all FLSD duties
Correct answer: A qualified deputy or designee must assume FLSD duties
A qualified deputy or designee must be designated and present to assume all FLSD responsibilities whenever the primary FLSD is unavailable.
Question 2: Which entity has primary authority to approve a high-rise building's Fire Safety Plan in New York City?
- The building owner or property manager
- The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) (Correct answer)
- The Department of Buildings (DOB)
- The Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Correct answer: The Fire Department of New York (FDNY)
The FDNY has primary authority to review and approve the Fire Safety Plan for high-rise buildings in New York City.
Question 3: An FLSD discovers that a stairwell door is propped open by a resident. What is the correct immediate action?
- Document the violation and report it at the next quarterly meeting
- Notify the fire department and await instructions before acting
- Remove the obstruction and restore the door to its self-closing position (Correct answer)
- Post a notice on the door and allow 24 hours for compliance
Correct answer: Remove the obstruction and restore the door to its self-closing position
The FLSD must immediately remove the obstruction and ensure the door self-closes, as open stairwell doors compromise compartmentalization during a fire.
Question 4: During a fire emergency, the FLSD is responsible for coordinating with responding firefighters. Where should the FLSD meet incident commanders upon their arrival?
- At the floor of the fire origin
- At the building's lobby command station (Correct answer)
- At the nearest stairwell on the floor above the fire
- At the building's main electrical panel room
Correct answer: At the building's lobby command station
The FLSD should be stationed at the lobby command station to brief and coordinate with the fire department incident commander upon arrival.
Question 5: What is the FLSD's responsibility regarding the building's emergency communication system?
- Install and repair the system when malfunctions occur
- Ensure the system is operational and tested per the fire safety plan (Correct answer)
- Operate the system only when directed by the fire department
- Delegate all communication duties to building security staff
Correct answer: Ensure the system is operational and tested per the fire safety plan
The FLSD must ensure the emergency voice/alarm communication system is operational and tested in accordance with the approved fire safety plan.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the FLSD's role in tenant fire drills?
- Participate only as an observer and submit a post-drill report
- Plan, conduct, and document fire drills as required by the fire safety plan (Correct answer)
- Delegate drill coordination entirely to the building's security company
- Conduct drills only when requested by the FDNY
Correct answer: Plan, conduct, and document fire drills as required by the fire safety plan
The FLSD is responsible for planning, conducting, and documenting fire drills as specified in the building's approved fire safety plan.
Question 7: A new tenant installs a partition wall that blocks a corridor exit sign. What action must the FLSD take?
- Allow the modification since it is the tenant's interior space
- Notify the tenant in writing and allow 30 days to correct the issue
- Immediately require the obstruction to be removed or the sign relocated to maintain compliance (Correct answer)
- Report the issue only if a fire inspection is scheduled
Correct answer: Immediately require the obstruction to be removed or the sign relocated to maintain compliance
The FLSD must ensure exit signs remain visible and unobstructed at all times, requiring immediate corrective action for any modification that blocks them.
F89 Roles and Responsibilities 2
When a Fire and Life Safety Director (FLSD) is off-site during business hours, what must be in place to maintain compliance?