VOLUSIA COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION MODEL OPERATING GUIDELINE

Transcription

1 VOLUSIA COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION MODEL OPERATING GUIDELINE GUIDE # SUBJECT: Elevator Operations and Emergencies DATE ISSUED: 5/28/2014 UPDATED: I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this guideline is to provide fire services personnel with the procedures necessary for the safe use of elevators during fire conditions and for the safe removal of people trapped in elevators. II. POLICY: Elevators are present throughout Volusia County and are found in both commercial and residential structures. This document addresses both elevator usage during firefighting operations and removing persons trapped in elevators due to malfunction. All of these elevator guidelines mirror both OSHA and NFPA standards for firefighter usage and elevator rescues. III. PROCEDURE: FIRE GOUND USE OF ELEVATORS A. Use of elevators during a fire may be a "Fatal Mistake" if the proper procedures are not followed. Elevators may be very beneficial to fire operations on the upper floors by reducing crew fatigue. Most elevator cars in Volusia County are equipped with a Firefighter Service Feature. B. Per Florida Administrative Code, all elevators in buildings six stories or higher will have a Uniform Elevator Key. Volusia County uses the Region 5 Key. The key is utilized for controlling all public access and service elevators within buildings six or more stories in height and has a designated number stamped on it similar to most standard registered keys. 1. Elevator Use During Initial Fire Attack: a) No Elevator Use Condition: An elevator cannot be used to aid an "Initial Fire Attack" if the following conditions exist:

2 i. Elevator does not have Phase Il Firefighter Service Feature. ii. iii. iv. "Do Not Use" sign is lit at the Lobby Landing (may indicate fire in Mechanical Room). Smoke, Fire and/or Water noted in hoist-way (Evaluation by all crews prior to use). Fire below the floor (unless approved by the Incident Commander). v. Erratic elevator operation noted upon testing the Firefighter Service Feature. 2. Elevator Use Condition: An elevator can be used to aid in an "Initial Fire Attack" if ALL the following conditions exist: a) Fire above the 7th floor. b) Firefighter Service Feature provided, activated and working properly. c) Hoist-way clear of smoke, fire and/or water. d) Elevator mechanical room not involved. e) Fire determined to be confined, out, or not threatening elevator operation. 3. Elevator Use Procedure: When conditions permit the use of the elevator, the following procedures shall be followed in sequential order to safely operate an elevator during "Initial Fire Attack". a) Obtain fire service elevator key and activate the Firefighter Service Phase l, recalling elevator to the first floor. b) Remove key and take with you in the elevator car. c) Ensure minimum equipment to ride in elevator is present: Irons, radio, Search Line, Full Bunker Gear, Full SCBA w/mask donned, Portable Radios, and Hand Lights. d) Check hoist-way for smoke, fire and/or water.

3 e) Enter elevator and activate Firefighter Service Phase Il with key. f) Test Firefighter Service Feature operation by stopping at the next floor prior to continuing, and work all door controls. g) Recheck hoist-way and proceed to two floors below the fire floor. h) Place car on "Hold" with key at desired floor. i) Locate safe stairwell for attack and egress. j) Turn car key to "Off" to send back to lobby for additional crews (leave key in car). k) Notify crews of elevator availability 4. Evacuation of Occupants from Stalled Elevator Cars: The stalled car is the most common of all elevator calls. Safety problems can arise if the proper precautions are not taken. When possible, an elevator mechanic should respond to assist with the evacuation, and make repairs to the car. If there is a true emergency, fire or other urgency in or around the car, and it is deemed necessary to evacuate the car, personnel shall follow these procedures to safely remove occupants from the elevator (Risk/Benefit Analysis shall be conducted). a) There are 3 general positions of stalled cars that will determine the method of evacuation. 5. Safety Mandates: i. At or near the landing. ii. Within 3 feet of the landing (above or below). iii. Greater than 3 feet from the landing You will not know the position of the car in relation to the hoistway opening until the hoist-way door is opened. Therefore, all procedures will start the same way until the hoist-way door is opened and the position of the car is determined. All open hoist-ways will have a firefighter stationed at the opening. A three foot distance from the opening will be maintained. A barrier of materials at hand or scene tape should be placed in front of the opening. Anyone within

4 three feet of the opening will have a safety harness and be tied off to a secure point. Disconnect mainline power and lock-out/tag-out the main elevator disconnect switch prior to opening any hoist-way door. 6. General Procedures: a) Determine location and position of the stalled car and make contact with the occupants. b) Request the appropriate elevator service mechanic for that facility. c) Make sure the emergency stop switch is not pulled inside the car. d) Locate mechanical room and turn the mainline power Off/On and attempt a re-boot of elevator controller. e) Use Phase I key and attempt to recall car to the lobby. f) If Phase I is not functioning, disconnect mainline power and lockout/tag out the main elevator disconnect switch. g) Do not turn off interior light or fan breaker (usually 110 volt and separate from the main 480 volt). h) Conduct a risk benefit analysis to see if an urgent condition exists and the following procedure should be initiated. i. Use interlock Door (Drop) Key to unlatch hoist-way door. ii.push hoist-way door open by hand and determine the position of the car. iii. If there is not medical emergency or urgent condition, wait until the elevator service company arrives. 7. At the Landing Procedure (continue from General Procedure): a) Push or hand wheel the car door open (if needed) using the motor. This may need to be accomplished at an open hoist- way above the stalled car.

5 b) Allow occupants out of car. c) Treat or medically clear any patient with medical emergencies. 8. Within Three Feet of Landing Procedure (continue from General Procedure): a) Push or hand wheel the car door open (if needed) using the motor. This may need to be accomplished at an open hoistway above the stalled car. b) Place an attic ladder in the car and send a firefighter into the car. c) Assist occupants out of the car. d) Treat or medically clear any patients with medical emergencies. 9. Greater Than Three Feet from Landing Procedure (continue from General Procedure): Hydraulically Operated Elevators: a) Advise the occupants that you are going to manually lower the car to the lowest floor. b) Send a firefighter with radio to the elevator mechanical room. c) Send a firefighter with an interlock key, radio and flashlight to the bottom floor. d) Open the hoist-way door on the bottom floor. e) Establish radio contact (talk around may be required). f) The firefighter in the elevator mechanical room shall locate the "T" Bleeder (emergency lowering valve) in the hydraulic tank to lower the car to the firefighter located at the open hoist-way. g) Push or hand wheel the car door open (if needed) using the door motor. This may be accomplished at an open hoist-way above the car. h) Allow occupants out of car. i) Treat or medically clear any patients with medical emergencies.

6 10. Mechanically Operated Elevators: During elevator rescues involving mechanically operated cars that are stalled greater than three feet from the landing, the Incident Commander may wish to consider the use of technical rescues and require personnel trained to the technician level in rope and confined space, and the associated equipment necessary to perform this type of rescue. a) Open the hoist-way door above the roof of the stalled car. b) Place an attic ladder from the open hoist-way door to the car roof and secure. c) Deploy a firefighter wearing proper safety equipment and harness to the roof of the stalled car. d) Open the rescue hatch and place a second attic ladder from the roof opening to the floor of the installed car. e) Deploy a firefighter into the stalled elevator to do an assessment of the occupant conditions. f) Place a safety harness with a tag line on the occupants and assist them, one at a time, up the ladder to the landing. g) Treat or medically clear any patients with medical emergencies 11. Region 5 Uniform Key: Through the Department of Emergency Management, Emergency Response Regions are established with each region issued a common, uniform elevator key. Besides Volusia County, the other counties in our region are: Lake, Sumter, Orange, Marion, Osceola, Brevard, and Seminole. The key is designed to replace the Phase l/phase Il key with one common master elevator key per region. a) Buildings required to comply with the uniform key requirements are: b) Buildings six or more stories in height when a building permit was issued after September 30, c) Buildings that have undergone substantial improvements after September