Control Measure Knowledge

Some facilities have systems that can help the fire and rescue department get information about the nature of an incident, including:

• Fire alarm systems
• Security systems
• Closed-circuit television (CCTV)

These systems would identify the initial location and time of the actuations, as well as any subsequent fire propagation. In certain rooms, a fire control room will be used to monitor these systems.

Emergency and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) layouts, as well as fire suppression systems, can provide valuable details on a building’s possible behaviour and the scope of an incident.

Some buildings will have slave or repeater control panels, which might be useful for gathering information, but perhaps not all the features of a main control panel.

Building systems may store data that could be used post-incident; this could be of use when trying to establish a timeline of the events leading up to the fire and rescue service’s intervention.

Fixed facilities may be present, in particular:

• Firefighting shaft
• Fire mains
• Hose reels
• Firefighting lift
• Sprinklers and drenchers
• Wet or dry risers
• Gas suppression systems 

A firefighting shaft should be clear of obstacles and smoke as this is the primary means of evacuation for firefighters in the event of an emergency.

Hose reels are fixed fire-fighting equipment designed for first aid, commonly used in commercial buildings. Reels do not provide enough flow or pressure to withstand a fire in a well-developed compartment.

Strategic Actions

Fire and rescue services should:

• During fire safety inspections, gather information on installing fixed installations and building systems and ensure that they are working properly.

Tactical Actions

Incident commanders should:

• Check building system indicator, slave control, alarm panels and CCTV assess the status of facilities
• Identify the presence and effectiveness of fixed installations and where appropriate, take control of their operation
• Consider the use of wet or dry risers and fire mains to supply water to the scene of operations
• Identify the presence of any active heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
• Review the effectiveness of active, passive and fire engineered protection before handing over the incident
• Document any failure of fire safety measures and communicate with the relevant department