F89 Roles and Responsibilities 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An FLSD receives a report of smoke on the 22nd floor but the fire alarm has not activated. What should the FLSD do first?
- Wait for the alarm system to confirm before taking any action
- Investigate the report immediately and initiate emergency procedures if smoke is confirmed (Correct answer)
- Notify all occupants to evacuate the entire building right away
- Call building maintenance to check the HVAC system
Correct answer: Investigate the report immediately and initiate emergency procedures if smoke is confirmed
The FLSD must personally investigate smoke reports immediately and initiate appropriate emergency procedures if smoke or fire is confirmed, not wait for alarm confirmation.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'defend in place' as it relates to the FLSD's role?
- A tactic where the FLSD defends the command station from unauthorized personnel
- A strategy where certain occupants, such as those in healthcare facilities, remain in protected areas rather than evacuating (Correct answer)
- A protocol for FLSD staff to remain at their posts when the building is evacuated
- A procedure for securing high-value assets when a fire emergency is declared
Correct answer: A strategy where certain occupants, such as those in healthcare facilities, remain in protected areas rather than evacuating
'Defend in place' is a strategy used especially in healthcare or assisted-living settings where moving patients could cause greater harm, and the FLSD must know when it applies.
Question 3: What is the FLSD's responsibility concerning posted fire safety notices in the building?
- Notices are solely the responsibility of the building owner
- The FLSD must ensure required fire safety notices are posted and remain legible in required locations (Correct answer)
- Notices only need to be posted during scheduled FDNY inspections
- The fire department posts all required notices directly during inspections
Correct answer: The FLSD must ensure required fire safety notices are posted and remain legible in required locations
The FLSD is responsible for ensuring all required fire safety notices are properly posted and maintained in legible condition in required locations such as elevators and stairwells.
Question 4: During a high-rise fire, which floor is typically the first priority for evacuation?
- The top floor of the building
- The fire floor and the floors immediately above it (Correct answer)
- All floors simultaneously from top to bottom
- The lobby and all floors below the 10th floor
Correct answer: The fire floor and the floors immediately above it
Standard high-rise fire evacuation protocol prioritizes the fire floor and the floors immediately above it, as those occupants face the greatest immediate danger.
Question 5: What action must an FLSD take if a required fire safety system, such as a sprinkler system, is taken out of service for repairs?
- Simply note the outage in the maintenance log and continue normal operations
- Implement an approved fire watch and notify the FDNY as required by code (Correct answer)
- Evacuate the entire building until the system is restored
- Reduce occupancy to 50% until the system is back in service
Correct answer: Implement an approved fire watch and notify the FDNY as required by code
When a required fire protection system is impaired, the FLSD must implement an approved fire watch and notify the FDNY per fire code requirements.
Question 6: How does the FLSD's role differ from that of a floor warden?
- The FLSD and floor warden have identical responsibilities on different floors
- The FLSD oversees building-wide fire safety operations while floor wardens manage emergency response on their assigned floor (Correct answer)
- Floor wardens have authority over the FLSD during active emergencies
- The FLSD only reports to the FDNY while floor wardens report to building management
Correct answer: The FLSD oversees building-wide fire safety operations while floor wardens manage emergency response on their assigned floor
The FLSD holds overall command of building-wide fire safety operations and coordinates with the fire department, while floor wardens execute emergency procedures on their specific assigned floors.
Question 7: Which record is the FLSD required to maintain regarding fire safety training?
- Only a personal training log for the FLSD's own certifications
- A log documenting all fire safety training conducted, including dates, participants, and topics covered (Correct answer)
- Training records are maintained solely by human resources, not the FLSD
- A summary report submitted annually to the building owner only
Correct answer: A log documenting all fire safety training conducted, including dates, participants, and topics covered
The FLSD must maintain a detailed training log recording all fire safety training activities, including dates, participants, and topics, which may be reviewed by the FDNY.
F89 Roles and Responsibilities 4
An FLSD receives a report of smoke on the 22nd floor but the fire alarm has not activated.
What should the FLSD do first?