Supplemental
Evacuation for Highrise building
In January
2009, the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) in the United States approved
the use of “Supplemental Evacuation Technology” in high rise buildings to
assist in rapid escape in an emergency. NFPA also approved the use of
Supplemental Evacuation Technology in official and/or mandatory Evacuation
Plans.
Two years
earlier, the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) issued a
strict set of performance and reliability Standards for External Evacuation
systems designed for use in the NFPA approved Supplemental Evacuation role.
Combined, the new Codes and Standards represent the first comprehensive
framework for the regulation and development of new technology for high rise
rescue and self-evacuation.
The
concept of Supplemental Evacuation is based on equipping buildings or
designated areas with emergency rescue and escape systems that Responders or
building occupants can use to evacuate external to the structure. This is not
intended to replace existing code mandated exits or stairwells but rather to
offer an alternative means of egress when traditional escape routes are blocked
or unsafe. Exceptions to this include the sick, injured or impaired for whom
this new technology should be considered a primary means of egress.
Supplemental
Evacuation is the win/win that fire officials and the public that they are
charged to protect have been looking for. It’s not a new thing either. It
serves as a plan for families with little ones as well as elderly and disabled
individuals.
The
Challenge
1.
99%
of the World’s ladder trucks don’t reach above the 7th floor.
2.
The
Lethal dose (LD-50) to a human being suffering a fall is 10 meters.
3.
Fire
doubles nearly every minute.
India
is witnessing tremendous growth in infrastructure and construction development.
The construction industry in India is one of the largest economic activities
and is growing at an average rate of 9.5% as compared to the global average of
5%. High-rise
buildings have long been a phenomenon in city skylines worldwide. Constructing
these buildings (generally, 75 feet [25m] minimum) so that they are absolutely
safe in cases of major fires, explosions, terror attacks, earthquakes or other
natural and human-created disasters is extremely difficult, if not impossible
or infeasible.
Occupants,
owners and employers of those buildings are now seeking alternate and redundant
means of safe evacuation. Issues and problems brought to public attention in
recent years with respect to conventional means of egress include:
• The
limited capacity of stairs for occupant egress;
• The limited capacity of stairs for emergency responder access during occupant
evacuation;
• The inherent limitations of evacuating persons with mobility impairments; and
• The lack of alternatives when a single event compromises stair and, where
used in emergency situations, elevators.
Minimizing
evacuation hazards
Human
factors –
For years emergency planners have doubted the public’s ability to respond
calmly and properly in a crisis. This perception is validated historically by
examples of group panic with fatal consequences. The supplemental evacuation
concept changes that calculus once and for all. The unpredictable and often
erratic behaviour of emergency evacuees flows from uncertainty and fear of the
outcome. The mere presence of supplemental evacuation resources, like lifeboats
on a ship, will have a calming influence, reduce stress and convert a
problematic process to a more orderly procedure.
Special
needs victims –
A prime mover in the development of new supplemental evacuation techniques is
the requirement to accommodate special needs victims of any physical condition,
age or impairment. People in wheelchairs, the sight impaired, the injured and
infirmed are at highest risk in any critical incident and the most difficult to
evacuate down stairwells. Hospitals and senior citizens buildings in particular
would benefit from this protection.
Clearing
the stairwells –
An important tactical advantage to evacuating people outside the building is a
reduction or elimination of evacuee traffic in the stairwells, leaving them
clear for Responder use. Civilians routinely suffer unnecessary smoke
inhalation, falls and other injuries descending stairwells in an emergency.
Building
evacuation strategy
Pre-planning
for supplemental evacuation – The
pre-planning concept is not new but expanding it to include supplemental
evacuation capability elevates the strategy to a new level. Creating and
carrying out reliable evacuation plans will be greatly enhanced with the
inclusion of high-tech supplemental evacuation systems at designated
“Evacuation Stations” located strategically throughout the building. Just as
passengers on a cruise ship receive lifeboat assignments, each office,
apartment or other unit would receive a designated evacuation station nearby
for use if needed.
Localized
rescue and evacuation –
The typical high-rise fire is contained to localized areas in the structure. In
many cases only the occupants directly above and next to the source are at
immediate risk and in need of attention. supplemental evacuation pre-plans for
that contingency by locating escape stations on each floor thereby assuring
everyone of timely access.
Shelter
in place (SIP) –
A strategy preferred by some fire departments is to have civilians outside the
danger zone stay in place and wait to be instructed by arriving Responders or
designated individuals. Unless there is Imminent Danger to Life or Health, SIP
may be the best policy. The theory certainly fits well in the supplemental
evacuation model which advises people to avoid the stairs and remain in their
space or designated shelter until or unless they have to escape.
Safe
rooms and refuge areas –
Many buildings have adopted the Safe Room and Refuge Area concept providing
occupants with a hardened or protective environment to seek shelter in during
an emergency. Such locations are ideal for deploying supplemental evacuation systems.
Total
building evacuation –
The Supplemental Evacuation concept anticipates occasional mass evacuations and
meets the need with multiple evacuation stations strategically located
throughout the structure and close coordination with local Responders to
conduct rescue operations as needed.
Responder
coordination
The new
technology under development for supplemental evacuation will enable Responders
and civilians to work together in a coordinated fashion during an emergency.
Buildings equipped with supplemental evacuation resources will enable
Responders to do their jobs faster, more safely and with less expense and
manpower. Some new supplemental evacuation systems under development will
feature a direct communications link between Responders and personnel in the
building occupants manning the escape stations to enable close cooperation.
When a building elects to adapt the supplemental evacuation solution, the
decision would be made in concert with local Responders. Joint training
exercises with Responders and building occupants using the equipment in mock
emergencies will create a managed and orderly Evacuation Plan; again,
comparable to lifeboat drills on a ship.
Pre-positioned
assets (PPA) –
In a Responder Coordination driven model, the supplemental evacuation systems
deployed in a building would be considered Pre-Positioned Assets providing
arriving Responders with the resources to conduct an orderly evacuation if
needed. The operative words are “if needed” as the very presence of
Supplemental Evacuation capability affords Responders the luxury of “sheltering
in place” while they assess the threat level.
Redistributing
manpower –
The use of SE would allow a gradual shift away from traditional Standard
Operational Procedures (SOP) which directs arriving Responders to focus on
rescue and evacuation to a more choreographed and organized process designed to
save lives and minimize property damage. Responders arriving at a building
equipped with Supplemental Evacuation resources will be able to focus more
manpower on suppression and containment or other incident control procedures
and less on rescue operations.
Property
damage reduction –
A less apparent but critical benefit of the supplemental evacuation concept is
the projected reduction in property damage made possible by the additional
manpower available to put out the fire. Every minute a building burns costs the
stakeholders and insurance companies money. Underwriters should consider the
mandatory use of supplemental evacuation in high risk, upscale buildings that
could prevent a crore rupee loss from becoming a lakh rupee loss.
New
technology capabilities
Robotics – Picture a future where iconic high
rises are equipped with intelligent robotic systems designed to automatically
transport the tenants to safety in an emergency. That future is closer than you
might think as work is underway now in America to develop and perfect this
revolutionary capability.
Evacuation
Chair –
Evac+Chairs are designed to enable one or two person(s) to move a patient with
mobility difficulties down stairs for onward transportation outside the
building to the assembly point when the lift Supplemental Evacuation elevators
are out of service due to breakdown, maintenance, power outage, and in fire
evacuation. Evac+Chair provide a faster and more efficient way of transporting
elderly and more challenged patients in healthcare facilities to safety without
obstructing the stairway.
Powered
systems –
With the passage of the new NFPA Codes, powered systems using electric,
hydraulic, pneumatic and other advanced technologies are now approved for use.
The next generation of powered Robotic and Semi-Automated systems will
completely redefine our ideas about high rise rescue and escape. Advances in
batteries, super-capacitors, regenerative power systems and other microprocessor-controlled
technologies make powered rescue systems possible. New lightweight, high power
Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries offer ten years life spans and superior charge
retention for maximum reliability.
Backup
power –
NFPA Codes approving the use of powered rescue devices also require backup
power sources. While new design systems offer long life internal power
supplies, auxiliary options will include generators in the building, on the
roof, or on the ground; mobile power packs provided by systems manufacturers or
power from the ground via extension cables.
Remote
control, communications and automation – The recent approval of powered
rescue systems opens up new applications in remote control, networking,
communications, automation, robotics and other high-tech features allowing
Responders or building personnel to control supplemental evacuation systems remotely
from the ground or elsewhere in the structure. In operational terms this would
enable Responders to issue remote commands to Supplemental Evacuation machinery
in the building to deploy, lower lines to the ground, establish communications
with people in the building and other functions.
Lifting capability and man rated
hoisting –
Some new generation supplemental evacuation designs feature a powered lifting
capability for transporting SCBA, hoses, litters and other firefighting
equipment to the upper floors effortlessly; once again saving manpower for
other operations.
Point
to point rescue and elevator shafts – Another important operational feature of new supplemental
evacuation system is their point to point transport capability within a
structure. Traditional escape systems are designed to evacuate users to the
ground. New generation systems can lower people trapped above a fire to a safe
level below and discharge them. This cuts rescue times substantially and again
saves manpower. An optimum location for conducting point to point evacuation in
buildings without windows, balconies or other external access points is an
elevator shaft; provided the shafts are clear of smoke and not structurally
compromised.
Suspended Rescue Platform Systems - A suspended rescue platform system is
defined as an enclosed platform (cabin) or set of enclosed platforms, moving
along guides or other means, on the exterior of a building, intended for the
evacuation of multiple occupants from a building. The SRP can be of a permanent
type, installed on the building, often in a location obscure from view (e.g.,
on the roof of the building), or a mobile type, brought to the building by
responding emergency personnel in time of need.
Escape
Smoke Hood – Survival in a fire could depend on Escape
Smoke Hood. Personal Escape Smoke Hood -protect user for safe escape from smoke
and fume during fire evacuation.
Photoluminescence
Glow in The Dark Guidance System – The
real beauty of photoluminescent products, in the context of a Safety Way
Guidance System, is that they do not need electricity to glow in the dark if
properly sited and maintained. In an emergency situation where a mains failure
has occurred, they will immediately light the way to safety even in smoke
conditions.
Self-rescue
application –
Armed attacks, bombings and other violent acts pose an even greater threat to
civilians in high rises because help from the outside will be slow arriving.
Recent Incidents in Islamabad, Mumbai and Jakarta demonstrate the need for
civilian self-rescue capability in high profile hotels that are potential
targets for attack. In such situations Responder access to the building is
often restricted or prohibited completely in the early stages leaving occupants
inside the building to fend for themselves.
TAG EVAC
–
TagEvacis the clear, proven and safe way to manage the evacuation of your
building. TagEvacspeeds up your reporting times and reduces your downtime
during fire drills. Using intuitive information panels, staff and emergency
services can tell instantly which areas have been cleared. It’s flexible, cost
effective, and safe. That’s why it’s trusted by these industry leaders…
Are there
any safety issues when using supplementary evacuation equipment during
an evacuation?
ü The use of any new technology
incorporate into the building evacuation plan depends on the building
management first including the technology in their training and fire drill
planning activities.
ü After building occupants are familiar
with the use of the new technology during the fire drills and include that
technology in the building evacuation plan, it becomes the same as any other
facilities use for aiding evacuation that will become effective in any
emergency evacuation.
ü The people’s fear of entrapment will
evaporate when they know there is an alternative way out.
Ref:
1. NFPA 101-2019, Life Safety Code,
National Fire Protection Association, Quincy MA, 2006.
2. ASTM E2072-04, Standard Specification
for Photoluminescent (Phosphorescent) Safety Markings, ASTM
International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2004.
3. ASTM E2030-04, Guide for Recommended
Uses of Photoluminescent (Phosphorescent) Safety Markings, ASTM
International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2004.