Highrise buildings exist in virtually every mid- to large-size city and even in some relatively small jurisdictions across the United States. Highrises vary in age, size, height, construction, occupancy type, and design features, including the types of fire protection systems that are installed in them. Fires in highrise buildings can present severe challenges to all types of fire departments. Every fire department that could respond to this type of incident should be prepared to operate in this complex environment. Fires in highrise buildings generally require more complicated operational approaches than most structure fires. Tasks that are normally considered routine for most fire departments, such as locating and attacking the fire, evacuating occupants, and performing ventilation can become very difficult in highrises.