Final answer:
Fire stations should have preplans for high-rise structures, detailing critical building information, and copies should be placed both at the station and in the building for efficient emergency response.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ensuring that firefighters have the necessary information to act effectively during high-rise building emergencies is crucial for the safety of both the occupants and the responders. Preplan documents should detail critical information such as the layout of the building, location of hydrants, fire department connections, stairwells, and standpipe locations.
To maximize accessibility, a copy of the fire preplan for high-rise structures should ideally be placed in several strategic locations. First, a copy must be kept at the fire station for quick reference during an emergency dispatch. It should also be placed in the fire command center within the building, if such a facility exists. Having preplan information on hand allows for coordinated and efficient firefighting operations.
Given that emergencies are unforeseeable and response times are critical, preparedness and preplanning are vital to minimizing harm and ensuring the most effective response. The example given of homes surveyed for earthquake preparedness in southern California emphasizes the importance of being equipped for disasters, which in the case of high-rise fires, includes having detailed preplans readily available for firefighters.