FLSD Emergency Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a fire alarm activates in a high-rise building, the FLSD's first priority is to:
- Begin building-wide evacuation immediately
- Respond to the fire command station, acknowledge the alarm, and determine the nature of the emergency (Correct answer)
- Contact building management to authorize an evacuation
- Send floor wardens to investigate all floors simultaneously
Correct answer: Respond to the fire command station, acknowledge the alarm, and determine the nature of the emergency
The FLSD must immediately go to the fire command station, acknowledge the alarm, determine which detector or device activated, and assess whether to initiate evacuation or investigate further.
High-rise fire response differs from low-rise buildings because total evacuation is often impractical and can itself be dangerous (stairwell congestion, cardiac events). The FLSD's trained response: (1) report immediately to the fire command station; (2) acknowledge the alarm to stop the temporal alert pattern (if policy); (3) identify which floor/zone the alarm is from; (4) contact the floor warden via intercom for a status report; (5) determine if smoke/fire is confirmed or if it may be a false alarm; (6) make a PA announcement to the alarmed floor and adjacent floors; (7) call FDNY (they are automatically notified via central station, but FLSD should be in contact).
Question 2: The FLSD announces via PA that a fire has been confirmed on the 27th floor. Standard high-rise protocol calls for evacuating:
- All floors from top to bottom simultaneously
- Only the 27th floor (fire floor) and relocating 26th and 28th floors (Correct answer)
- Floors 25 through 29 and sheltering all other floors in place
- The entire building immediately
Correct answer: Only the 27th floor (fire floor) and relocating 26th and 28th floors
Standard high-rise fire protocol calls for evacuating the fire floor and relocating the floors immediately above and below it, while other floors shelter in place.
NYC high-rise fire response protocol uses a 'defend in place' or selective evacuation approach: (1) fire floor — evacuate completely; (2) floor directly above — evacuate (fire spreads upward via heat/smoke); (3) floor directly below — relocate as precaution (fire suppression water, floor penetrations); (4) all other floors — shelter in place and await further instructions. This prevents dangerous stairwell overcrowding while protecting the most at-risk floors. The FLSD communicates specific instructions to each floor via the Class E voice communication system.
Question 3: While managing a fire emergency, the FLSD receives conflicting information from two floor wardens about whether a floor has been fully evacuated. The FLSD should:
- Assume the floor is clear since one warden says it is
- Report the uncertainty to FDNY incident commander and request FDNY to search the floor (Correct answer)
- Send both wardens back to the floor to recheck simultaneously
- Make a PA announcement asking if anyone is still on that floor
Correct answer: Report the uncertainty to FDNY incident commander and request FDNY to search the floor
When there is uncertainty about complete evacuation, the FLSD must inform the FDNY incident commander, who will direct firefighters to search the floor — this is FDNY's responsibility, not the FLSD's.
The FLSD's role at the fire command station includes being the information hub for FDNY incident command. When evacuation accountability is uncertain, the FLSD must communicate this to FDNY clearly: 'Floor 14 — evacuation status unconfirmed, one warden reports clear, one reports possible occupants remaining.' FDNY will direct their search operations accordingly. Sending wardens back to a potentially fire-affected floor without FDNY authorization could endanger them. The FLSD should never assume a floor is clear when there is conflicting information.
Question 4: The FLSD's PA announcement during a fire emergency on the 15th floor should instruct occupants on that floor to:
- Use the elevator to descend quickly to the lobby
- Proceed to the nearest stairwell and evacuate down to the street level (Correct answer)
- Shelter in place and await further instructions
- Go to the roof and await helicopter rescue
Correct answer: Proceed to the nearest stairwell and evacuate down to the street level
Occupants on the fire floor should proceed to the nearest stairwell and evacuate down and out of the building — they should never use elevators during a fire.
PA announcements for fire floor occupants must be clear and specific: identify the floor(s) to evacuate, specify to use stairwells only (never elevators), indicate which stairwells are safe to use (if known), direct them to proceed down and out to the street level, and tell them where to assemble. The announcement should be calm but urgent. For floors above the fire being told to relocate, the FLSD may direct them down to two floors below the fire floor rather than all the way to ground level.
Question 5: After FDNY arrives and assumes command of a fire incident, the FLSD should:
- Return to normal building management duties
- Remain at the fire command station and provide ongoing support to FDNY incident commander (Correct answer)
- Conduct an independent investigation of the fire cause
- Release floor wardens from their posts once FDNY is on scene
Correct answer: Remain at the fire command station and provide ongoing support to FDNY incident commander
The FLSD remains at the fire command station to provide continuous support to FDNY — operating building systems, communicating with floor wardens, and providing building information as needed.
FDNY assumes operational command upon arrival, but the FLSD's role remains critical: operating the fire command station building systems (elevators, HVAC) under FDNY direction; maintaining communication with floor wardens; providing FDNY with building information (floor plans, equipment locations, hazardous materials); using the voice communication system to relay FDNY instructions to specific floors; operating Phase I/II elevator controls; and tracking evacuation status. The FLSD does not leave the fire command station until the FDNY incident commander releases them.
Question 6: Following a confirmed false alarm, the FLSD must:
- Reset the alarm without documentation if the cause is obvious
- Document the false alarm, determine the cause, and arrange repairs if a faulty device is responsible (Correct answer)
- Notify FDNY that the alarm was false only if they responded to the building
- Evacuate the building anyway as a precaution despite knowing it is false
Correct answer: Document the false alarm, determine the cause, and arrange repairs if a faulty device is responsible
All alarms — including false alarms — must be documented in the fire safety log with the cause identified. Faulty devices must be repaired promptly.
False alarm documentation is required by NYC Fire Code. The FLSD must record in the fire safety log: date/time of the alarm, which device activated, the determined cause (cooking smoke, dust, steam, malicious activation, equipment malfunction), any corrective action taken, and whether FDNY responded. Frequent false alarms from a specific device require repair or replacement — excessive false alarms can desensitize occupants (the 'cry wolf' effect) and may result in FDNY citations. If the alarm was maliciously activated, the incident should be reported to building security and potentially NYPD.
FLSD Emergency Response 2
When a fire alarm activates in a high-rise building, the FLSD's first priority is to: