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24 October 2025
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Featured FRI Magazine article: High-rise building fires: Adopting an incident command system (ICS) by Ian Schnetler
High-rise building fires require additional modified role specific functions to assist and manage the incident
https://www.frimedia.org/uploads/1/2/2/7/122743954/fri_vol_3_no_9.pdf
This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: High-rise building fires: Adopting an incident command system (ICS) written by Chief Ian Schnetler, Chief Fire Officer, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service (at the time of writing the article) (FRI Vol 3 no 9). We will be sharing more technical/research/tactical articles from Fire and Rescue International magazine on a weekly basis with our readers to assist in technology transfer. This will hopefully create an increased awareness, providing you with hands-on advice and guidance. All our magazines are available free of charge in PDF format on our website and online at ISSUU. We also provide all technical articles as a free download in our article archive on our website.
High-rise building fires: Adopting an incident command system (ICS)
By Ian Schnetler, Chief Fire Officer, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service (at the time of writing the article)
Fires in multi-storey high-rise buildings in South Africa have been relatively few and far between and fires of the magnitude of the Twin Towers in the 9/11 event, have not been experienced in this country. One hopes that as fire and rescue service members, we will never have such an incident happening. But, as always in our profession, there is a first time for everything and when that day arrives, we should at least be prepared to face such an event.
Fire and emergency incidents of such magnitude require the deployment of a good system of incident command, without which the best laid down standard operating procedures (SOPs) count for nought.
Incident command describes the overall management of an incident and requires specific functions to be carried out by specifically trained and designated roles within the incident command system. It can be applied in a modular format as the incident escalates or de-escalates. The following has been adapted from the High-rise Structure Fire Operational System Description (ICS- HR-120-1) module developed by Firescope.
Overview
The high-rise module describes an all hazard organisation designed to provide effective management and control of essential functions at incidents occurring in large, multi-storey buildings. These incidents may present significant management, logistical and safety challenges to emergency personnel.
In addition to the normal incident command system (ICS), incident management team (IMT) response roles and role specific functions such as the incident commander, safety officer, logistics officer, planning sections chief and public information officer, high-rise building fires require some additional modified role specific functions to assist and manage the incident.
Besides the normal challenges facing incident commanders at fires, high-rise fires pose other challenges that need to be taken into account.
The size and complexity of the interior spaces are challenging and sometimes limited causing arduous access, with extended travel and response times also contributing to the problems faced by emergency responders.
Additionally, most high-rise structures are equipped with various environmental, fire protection and life safety systems that require support and control. Successful emergency operations in these types of buildings also require preplanning and technical competence on the part of emergency responders.
Modular organisation development
The order in which the ICS organisational structure develops may vary with the type and scope of the incident. The following are examples of modular development of the ICS that serve to illustrate typical methods of expanding the management organisation at a high-rise incident.
These examples reflect the size and complexity of the incident and the available resources at a given time in the incident:
Initial response organisation
This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: High-rise building fires: Adopting an incident command system (ICS) written by Chief Ian Schnetler, Chief Fire Officer, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service (at the time of writing the article) (FRI Vol 3 no 9). We will be sharing more technical/research/tactical articles from Fire and Rescue International magazine on a weekly basis with our readers to assist in technology transfer. This will hopefully create an increased awareness, providing you with hands-on advice and guidance. All our magazines are available free of charge in PDF format on our website and online at ISSUU. We also provide all technical articles as a free download in our article archive on our website.
High-rise building fires: Adopting an incident command system (ICS)
By Ian Schnetler, Chief Fire Officer, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service (at the time of writing the article)
Fires in multi-storey high-rise buildings in South Africa have been relatively few and far between and fires of the magnitude of the Twin Towers in the 9/11 event, have not been experienced in this country. One hopes that as fire and rescue service members, we will never have such an incident happening. But, as always in our profession, there is a first time for everything and when that day arrives, we should at least be prepared to face such an event.
Fire and emergency incidents of such magnitude require the deployment of a good system of incident command, without which the best laid down standard operating procedures (SOPs) count for nought.
Incident command describes the overall management of an incident and requires specific functions to be carried out by specifically trained and designated roles within the incident command system. It can be applied in a modular format as the incident escalates or de-escalates. The following has been adapted from the High-rise Structure Fire Operational System Description (ICS- HR-120-1) module developed by Firescope.
Overview
The high-rise module describes an all hazard organisation designed to provide effective management and control of essential functions at incidents occurring in large, multi-storey buildings. These incidents may present significant management, logistical and safety challenges to emergency personnel.
In addition to the normal incident command system (ICS), incident management team (IMT) response roles and role specific functions such as the incident commander, safety officer, logistics officer, planning sections chief and public information officer, high-rise building fires require some additional modified role specific functions to assist and manage the incident.
Besides the normal challenges facing incident commanders at fires, high-rise fires pose other challenges that need to be taken into account.
The size and complexity of the interior spaces are challenging and sometimes limited causing arduous access, with extended travel and response times also contributing to the problems faced by emergency responders.
Additionally, most high-rise structures are equipped with various environmental, fire protection and life safety systems that require support and control. Successful emergency operations in these types of buildings also require preplanning and technical competence on the part of emergency responders.
Modular organisation development
The order in which the ICS organisational structure develops may vary with the type and scope of the incident. The following are examples of modular development of the ICS that serve to illustrate typical methods of expanding the management organisation at a high-rise incident.
These examples reflect the size and complexity of the incident and the available resources at a given time in the incident:
- Initial response organisation: the incident commander manages the initial response resources as well as all command and general staff responsibilities. The normal incident command general and staff positions unfold and apply during the initial stages.
- Multi-group/division organisation: The incident commander has established most command and general staff positions and has established a combination of divisions and groups to reflect the location and nature of the incident.
- Multi-branch organisation: The incident commander has identified a number of actual or potential incident challenges and has established all command and general staff positions. The IC has also established several branches to effectively manage the problems and the resources required for mitigation.
Initial response organisation
Initial response organisation - High-rise fire initial attack (example): This chart depicts the initial assignment including a command officer on a fire involving a single floor of a high-rise building. The IC has deployed resources to fire attack, lobby control, staging and base (ALS-BASE).
Multi-group/division organisation
Multi-group/division organisation
High-rise multi-group/division response (example): As additional resources arrive, the IC has activated the operations section chief along with multiple divisions to supervise action on each involved or threatened floor. Rapid Intervention crews/companies are assigned as determined most effective by operations. Groups may be assigned certain functions such as medical care for victims or stairwell pressurisation/ventilation. Air operations branch will coordinate helicopters used for evacuations or reconnaissance. The planning section is activated with selected units. Logistics is assigned to manage lobby control, systems control, ground support, and the incident base.
Multi-branch organisation
High-rise multi-branch response (example): The fire has involved multiple floors with various divisions and groups assigned. This complexity has led the operations section to create a fire suppression branch to manage these divisions and groups. A medical branch is established and the air operations branch is expanded. The planning section has expanded to include the resources unit and situation unit. Logistics section has activated the support and service branches as well as various units within each branch to accommodate the extensive logistical requirements for this size incident.
Designated incident facilities
Base and staging have modified functions and locations in high-rise incidents.
Staging area: The challenging nature of high-rise incidents requires modification to the standard ICS concept of a staging area. The limited access and vertical travel distance of large high-rise buildings require establishment of a resource staging area within the building. The high-rise staging area must also serve multiple functions. The staging area is generally located a minimum of two floors below the emergency, as long as the atmosphere is tenable.
The staging area manager’s function requires changes in order to facilitate a multi-storey or high rise incident, as with most other positions.
Base: The base at a high-rise incident resembles a ground level staging area. The main difference between base and a typical staging area is that base must be expanded to perform the functions inherent to supporting large numbers of personnel and equipment. The base should be located away from away from the incident building to provide for the safety of personnel and equipment.
Organisation and operations
Modified ICS positions: Certain existing ICS positions and functional units within the high-rise incident organisation have modified responsibilities that require full descriptions. These positions include: staging area manager, rapid intervention group supervisor, base manager, ground support unit leader and evacuation group supervisor.
Specialised high-rise ICS positions: Lobby control and systems control unit leaders are specialised functional positions specific to a high-rise incident.
The lobby control unit is established to provide access control, accountability and routing inside the building. As the incident escalates, a separate systems control unit may be established to operate, supervise and coordinate the vital operation of specialised systems incorporated into modern high-rise buildings. These systems may include electrical supply and smoke removal systems.
The systems control unit coordinates the efforts of various technical specialists who might be required to assist in the operation and/or repair of the various systems. During the initial period of an incident or in a less complex building, the lobby control unit may assume the functions of the systems control unit as shown in the basic organisation chart.
The positions and modifications to the named positions are summarised in the position checklists that follow. These positions on the incident command structure are vital to the smooth operation of an IMT in order to mitigate the incident.
Position checklists
Incident lobby control unit leader
The high-rise incident lobby control unit leader’s primary responsibilities are to maintain an accountability system, control all building access points and direct personnel to correct routes, control and operate elevators/lifts and direct building occupants and exiting personnel to proper ground level safe areas.
As directed by the incident commander or agency policy, this unit may be assigned the responsibilities of the systems control unit. The lobby control unit leader reports to the support branch director/logistics section chief. The lobby control unit leader should be prepared to provide the incident commander or planning section with current information from the personnel accountability (PAR) process.
The safest method of ascending to upper floors is the use of stairways. The use of elevators for emergency operations should be determined by department policy. This determination is the ultimate responsibility of the incident commander; however, the lobby control unit leader coordinates the actual use of elevators.
Incident systems control unit leader
The high-rise incident systems control unit leader is responsible for evaluating and monitoring the functions of all built-in fire protection, life safety, environmental control, communications and elevator systems. The systems control unit leader may operate, support or augment the systems as required to support the incident plan. The systems control unit leader reports to the support branch director (if established) or to the logistics section chief. The systems control unit leader must establish and maintain a close liaison with the building’s engineering staff, utility company representatives and other appropriate technical specialists.
Incident staging area manager
The high-rise incident staging area manager is responsible for the management of all functions at the staging area and reports to the operations section chief. These include:
Incident rapid intervention group supervisor
The high-rise incident rapid intervention group supervisor is responsible for the management of rapid intervention crew(s). The high-rise incident rapid intervention group supervisor’s organisational responsibilities vary from the standard ICS position due to the potential for above ground operations, extended response times and rapid intervention crew(s) operating on different floors/stairwells. This position reports to the operations section chief and requires close coordination with the division/group supervisors and the staging area manager.
Incident base manager
The high-rise incident base manager is responsible for the management of all functions at the base location. This position within the organisation differs from the standard ICS in that a facilities unit is not appropriate for this type of incident and the base manager reports directly to the support branch director (if established) or logistics section chief.
Incident ground support unit leader
The high-rise incident ground support unit leader is responsible for providing transportation for personnel, equipment and supplies refilling of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) air cylinders, providing fuelling, service and maintenance of vehicles and portable power equipment and tools and implementing the ground level traffic/movement plan at the incident including marking safe access routes and zones. The ground support unit leader reports to the support branch director (if established) or the logistics section chief.
Incident evacuation group supervisor
The high-rise incident evacuation group supervisor is responsible for managing the movement of building occupants through designated evacuation route(s) to a safe location. This position reports to the operations section chief or branch director if established. Checklist includes:
The previous few paragraphs, specifically the examples of the general and staff positions required at an incident, provided an overview of the type of structures and positions that should be put in place when attending a high-rise building fire. The same principles of ICS as applicable to wildfires can and is adapted to provide the incident commander with a set of tools and the ability to manage the sometimes complex situations that may arise at multi-storey building fires.
Base and staging have modified functions and locations in high-rise incidents.
Staging area: The challenging nature of high-rise incidents requires modification to the standard ICS concept of a staging area. The limited access and vertical travel distance of large high-rise buildings require establishment of a resource staging area within the building. The high-rise staging area must also serve multiple functions. The staging area is generally located a minimum of two floors below the emergency, as long as the atmosphere is tenable.
The staging area manager’s function requires changes in order to facilitate a multi-storey or high rise incident, as with most other positions.
Base: The base at a high-rise incident resembles a ground level staging area. The main difference between base and a typical staging area is that base must be expanded to perform the functions inherent to supporting large numbers of personnel and equipment. The base should be located away from away from the incident building to provide for the safety of personnel and equipment.
Organisation and operations
Modified ICS positions: Certain existing ICS positions and functional units within the high-rise incident organisation have modified responsibilities that require full descriptions. These positions include: staging area manager, rapid intervention group supervisor, base manager, ground support unit leader and evacuation group supervisor.
Specialised high-rise ICS positions: Lobby control and systems control unit leaders are specialised functional positions specific to a high-rise incident.
The lobby control unit is established to provide access control, accountability and routing inside the building. As the incident escalates, a separate systems control unit may be established to operate, supervise and coordinate the vital operation of specialised systems incorporated into modern high-rise buildings. These systems may include electrical supply and smoke removal systems.
The systems control unit coordinates the efforts of various technical specialists who might be required to assist in the operation and/or repair of the various systems. During the initial period of an incident or in a less complex building, the lobby control unit may assume the functions of the systems control unit as shown in the basic organisation chart.
The positions and modifications to the named positions are summarised in the position checklists that follow. These positions on the incident command structure are vital to the smooth operation of an IMT in order to mitigate the incident.
Position checklists
Incident lobby control unit leader
The high-rise incident lobby control unit leader’s primary responsibilities are to maintain an accountability system, control all building access points and direct personnel to correct routes, control and operate elevators/lifts and direct building occupants and exiting personnel to proper ground level safe areas.
As directed by the incident commander or agency policy, this unit may be assigned the responsibilities of the systems control unit. The lobby control unit leader reports to the support branch director/logistics section chief. The lobby control unit leader should be prepared to provide the incident commander or planning section with current information from the personnel accountability (PAR) process.
The safest method of ascending to upper floors is the use of stairways. The use of elevators for emergency operations should be determined by department policy. This determination is the ultimate responsibility of the incident commander; however, the lobby control unit leader coordinates the actual use of elevators.
Incident systems control unit leader
The high-rise incident systems control unit leader is responsible for evaluating and monitoring the functions of all built-in fire protection, life safety, environmental control, communications and elevator systems. The systems control unit leader may operate, support or augment the systems as required to support the incident plan. The systems control unit leader reports to the support branch director (if established) or to the logistics section chief. The systems control unit leader must establish and maintain a close liaison with the building’s engineering staff, utility company representatives and other appropriate technical specialists.
Incident staging area manager
The high-rise incident staging area manager is responsible for the management of all functions at the staging area and reports to the operations section chief. These include:
- Obtain briefing from operations section chief or incident commander
- Proceed to selected location and evaluate suitability: make recommendations regarding relocation, if appropriate
- Request necessary resources and personnel
- Establish staging area layout and identify/post each functional area ie crew-ready area, air cylinder exchange, equipment pool and medical unit if collocated within the staging area
- Determine, establish or request needed facility services ie drinking water and lighting
- Coordinate with logistics section or systems control unit to maintain fresh air
- Maintain a personnel accountability system for arriving and departing crews
- Request required resource levels from the operations section chief: maintain levels and advise the operations section chief when reserve levels are reached
- Coordinate with the rapid intervention crew (RIC) group supervisor to designate area(s) for RIC to standby if collocated within the staging area
- Direct crews and equipment to designated locations as requested by the operations section chief or incident commander
- Secure operations and release personnel as determined by the demobilisation plan
- Maintain unit/activity log
Incident rapid intervention group supervisor
The high-rise incident rapid intervention group supervisor is responsible for the management of rapid intervention crew(s). The high-rise incident rapid intervention group supervisor’s organisational responsibilities vary from the standard ICS position due to the potential for above ground operations, extended response times and rapid intervention crew(s) operating on different floors/stairwells. This position reports to the operations section chief and requires close coordination with the division/group supervisors and the staging area manager.
Incident base manager
The high-rise incident base manager is responsible for the management of all functions at the base location. This position within the organisation differs from the standard ICS in that a facilities unit is not appropriate for this type of incident and the base manager reports directly to the support branch director (if established) or logistics section chief.
Incident ground support unit leader
The high-rise incident ground support unit leader is responsible for providing transportation for personnel, equipment and supplies refilling of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) air cylinders, providing fuelling, service and maintenance of vehicles and portable power equipment and tools and implementing the ground level traffic/movement plan at the incident including marking safe access routes and zones. The ground support unit leader reports to the support branch director (if established) or the logistics section chief.
Incident evacuation group supervisor
The high-rise incident evacuation group supervisor is responsible for managing the movement of building occupants through designated evacuation route(s) to a safe location. This position reports to the operations section chief or branch director if established. Checklist includes:
- Obtain briefing from the branch director, operations section chief or incident commander
- Participate in operations section planning activities
- Determine evacuation group requirements (personnel, equipment, supplies)
- Ensure the evacuation in progress is to a safe location
- Confirm evacuation stairwell(s) with the operations section and ground support
- Ensure ventilation of evacuation stairwell(s) and safe refuge areas
- Coordinate evacuation message with systems control unit utilising the building’s public address system
- Assign personnel in the evacuation stairwell(s) to assist/direct building occupants to a safe location
- Secure operations and release personnel as determined by the demobilisation plan
- Maintain unit/activity log
The previous few paragraphs, specifically the examples of the general and staff positions required at an incident, provided an overview of the type of structures and positions that should be put in place when attending a high-rise building fire. The same principles of ICS as applicable to wildfires can and is adapted to provide the incident commander with a set of tools and the ability to manage the sometimes complex situations that may arise at multi-storey building fires.
The base at a high-rise incident resembles a ground level staging area
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