OK... So maybe I don't have a lot of highrise experience and have to take some time to organize and collect my thoughts, strategies and tactics for a highrise incident. The station that I have been assigned to for the past five years is 35 miles away from the University, which has several multi-story structures. My station has the air and lighting vehicle and get's dispatched if the fire is significant. We also have the potential for being first in on an incident in one of these structures, hence my posting this discussion.

I have put together an Engine Company Officer Highrise Incident Checklist for your review and comment. This is how I think and organize my thoughts. I'm a visual person and need to have the checklist format to ensure that I didn't forget anything. I know that I am not the only one who relies on checklists.

What I am asking is that if you do have experience with highrise incidents, take a couple of minutes, click on the link below to download the excel formatted checklist and provide comments.

I think that if you do not have a checklist for these types of incidents, then you will find this to be a very valuable tool for your tool box! All I ask is that you don't take the stuff that I come up with and make a profit on it. This is intended to be shared with firefighters all over the world in the spirit of life safety and being able to go home in the morning...

TCSS,

Mike Schlags, Fire Captain
Santa Barbara, CA
mschlags@yahoo.com

UPDATE: The below information was taken off the excel spreadsheet and placed onto the site to enable those who don't have access to Microsoft Excel to get the basic information contained on the checklist. Some of the organization is not apparent here because the easiest way to display the information was to use a bullet list approach. Please comment back and make this a better tool. : ) Gracias' Amigos!

ENGINE COMPANY OFFICER HIGHRISE INCIDENT CHECKLIST

First In Company Officer Radio Report:
[ ] GIVE REPORT OF CONDITIONS VISIBLE OR REPORTED TO RESPONDING BATT CHIEF

1st Alarm Assignment E-______ E-______ E-______ T-______ BC _______
2nd Alarm Assignment E-______ E-______ E-______ E-______ T _______
3rd Alarm Assignment E-______ E-______ E-______ E-______ T _______

What I’ve Got:
[ ] 3rd Alarm
[ ] residential
[ ] strip mall
[ ] multi-story
[ ] 8-story library
[ ] residential dormitory
[ ] nothing showing
[ ] heavy smoke showing
[ ] what side of building
[ ] rear, side using compass direction
[ ] "Fire showing from 7th floor, smoke showing from the 8th and 9th floors."

Who's In Command ?
[ ] Keep or Pass Command?
[ ] Pass Command to 2nd-In Engine
[ ] ID 2nd-In Engine and Confirm Engine ID
[ ] Have 2nd-In Engine Catch Standpipe
[ ] (or) Spot Rig at Annunciator Panel and Catch Standpipe

What I’m Doing :
[ ] Advise BC, "Were going to enter the building and take hose the the fire floor and investigate."
[ ] Two-In / Two-Out?

What I Need:
[ ] 2nd Truck
[ ] Breathing Support
[ ] Ambulance
[ ] Red Cross
[ ] 3rd Truck
[ ] Investigator
[ ] Law Enforcement
[ ] Media
[ ] Chaplain
[ ] Coroner

[ ] Identify Base Location
[ ] IF ENROUTE TO THE CALL: "CONTROL I WANT A SECOND ALARM AND I WANT THEM TO RESPOND TO [insert location]"
[ ] Assign Radio Channels
[ ] Command - Channel 2
[ ] Tactical - OES White 2
[ ] Attack Team Officer Needs (1) Radio
[ ] 2nd In Officer Taking Command Needs (2) Radios
[ ] Extra Batteries

[ ] KNOX KEY
[ ] GRAB KNOX KEY AND GO TO KNOX BOX
[ ] ONLY PULL ONE SET OUT OBTAIN BUILDING KEYS
[ ] 1st IN ENGINEER SHOULD HANDLE AND CONTROL KEYS WHILE PERFORMING LOBBY CONTROL

[ ] PPE & SCBA DONNING
[ ] DROP BAG ATTACHED?
[ ] DOOR WEDGES IN TURNOUT PANTS?
[ ] 200-FOOT HOSE & WYE
[ ] CAPTAIN CARRIES LEG WITH THE 100-FOOT HOSE ONLY
[ ] FIREFIGHTER CARRIES LEG WITH WYE AND 100-FOOT HOSE
[ ] DON'T FORGET SPANNER WRENCH!

[ ] IRONS
[ ] EACH CARRY ½ OF THE IRONS
[ ] Captain - Axe
[ ] FF - Halligan Tool
[ ] FF - Box Light

[ ] COMMAND PASSED TO 2ND IN ENGINE, CAPTAIN AND FIREFIGHTER GO DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE FLOOR
[ ] PROCEED UP STAIRWELL
[ ] CHECK FLOORS
[ ] OPEN DOORS
[ ] ADVISE BATTALION CHIEF, "FLOORS 1 THRU 5 ARE CLEAR, THE FIRE FLOOR IS ON THE 6TH FLOOR"

[ ] LOOK FOR SMOKE
[ ] CHECK CAPS ON EACH FLOOR
[ ] LOOK FOR RESCUE POTENTIAL
[ ] IDENTIFY STAGING (2) FLOORS BELOW FIRE FLOORS
[ ] KEEP BATTALION CHIEF INFORMED

[ ] FIRST IN ENGINEER IS LOBBY CONTROL
[ ] HELP PEOPLE GET OUT
[ ] TRY AND MAKE CONTACT WITH RA
[ ] GET HELP TO SHUT DOWN SYSTEMS
[ ] CONTROL ELEVATORS
[ ] ENGINEER OFF 2ND ENGINE CATCHES STANDPIPE

[ ] ATTACK CREW REACHES FIRE FLOOR
[ ] ASSUME ROLE OF DIVISION SUPERVISOR USING FLOOR NO TO IDENTIFY THE DIVISION AND ADVISE THE BC
[ ] FIREFIGHTER CONNECTS ATTACK LINES TO THE STANDPIPE
[ ] CHECK FLOORS ABOVE THE FIRE AND ADVISE CONDITIONS TO THE BC PRIOR TO ATTACKING THE SEAT OF THE FIRE / INITITATE WATER SUPPLY TO THE STANDPIPE AND SPRINKLERS

HOSE LINE & RIC* TACTICS *Rapid Intervention Team
[ ] 1ST LINE: GOES TO THE FIRE
[ ] 1ST CREW GOES TO THE FIRE

[ ] 2ND LINE: BACKS UP THE FIRST
[ ] 2ND CREW BACKS UP THE FIRST CREW

[ ] 3RD LINE: FLOOR ABOVE
[ ] 3RD CREW GOES TO FLOOR ABOVE

[ ] 4TH LINE: FLOOR BELOW
[ ] 4TH ENGINE AND CREW IS AUTOMATICALLY RIC* AND WILL TAKE OVER THE PASSPORT SYSTEM AND CAN SET UP STAGING

HIGHRISE FIREFIGHTING ACRONYMS:

ALS BASE
[ ] ATTACK [ ] LOBBY [ ] STAGING [ ] BASE

RECEO VS
[ ] RESCUE [ ] EXPOSURES [ ] CONTAINMENT [ ] EXTINGUISH [ ] OVERHAUL
[ ] VENTILATION [ ] SALVAGE

REVUS US
[ ] RESCUE [ ] EXPOSURES [ ] VENTILATION [ ] ATTACK [ ] SALVAGE
[ ] UTILITIES [ ] SAFETY