Fire fighting systems
Fire fighting systems and equipment vary depending on the age, size, use and type of building construction. A building may contain some or all of the following features:
Fire Hydrant Systems
Fire hydrant systems are installed in buildings to help firefighters quickly attack the fire. Essentially, a hydrant system is a water reticulation system used to transport water in order to limit the amount of hose that firefighters have to lay, thus speeding up the fire fighting process.
Fire hydrant systems sometimes include ancillary parts essential to their effective operation such as pumps, tanks and fire service booster connections. These systems must be maintained and regularly tested if they are to be effective when needed.
Sprinkler System
Sprinkler systems are usually installed in high or large buildings and high fire hazard occupancies. Statistics show that in a majority of cases where sprinklers are installed the fire has been controlled by one sprinkler head along.
Time is essential in the control of fire. Automatic sprinkler systems are one of the most reliable methods available for controlling fires. Today’s automatic fire sprinkler systems offer state of the art protection of life and property from the effects of fire. Sprinkler heads are now available which are twenty times more sensitive to fire than they were ten years ago.
Fire Pumps
It is a part of a fire sprinkler system’s water supply and powered by electric, diesel or steam. The pump intake is either connected to the public underground water supply piping, or a static water source. The pump provides water flow at a higher pressure to the sprinkler system risers and hose standpipes. A fire pump is tested and listed for its use specifically for fire service by a third-party testing and listing agency, such as UL or FM Global. The main code that governs fire pump installations is the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 20 Standard for the Installation of Stationary Fire Pumps for Fire Protection.
Fire Fighting Valves
Firefighting valves are essential components in fire protection systems, designed to control the flow of water or other extinguishing agents in case of a fire emergency. These valves play a crucial role in ensuring that firefighting equipment functions efficiently. Here are some common types of firefighting valves:
- Gate Valves
- Butterfly Valves
- Check Valves
- Pressure Reducing Valves
- Deluge Valve
- Pressure Control Valves
- Isolation Valve
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are provided for a ‘first attack’ fire fighting measure, generally undertaken by the occupants of the building before the fire service arrives. It is important that occupants are familiar with which extinguisher type to use on which fire.
Most fires start as a small fire and may be extinguished if the correct type and amount of extinguishing agent is applied whilst the fire is small and controllable.
Fire extinguisher locations must be clearly identified. Extinguishers are colour coded according to the extinguishing agent.
The principle fire extinguisher types currently available include:
Extinguishing Agent: Principle Use, Water Wood and paper fires – not electrical,
Foam: flammable liquid fires – not electrical,
Carbon dioxide: electrical fires,
Dry Chemical: flammable liquids and electrical fires,
Wet chemical: fat fires – not electrical
Special Purpose: various (eg metal fires)
It is the policy of the Community Safety and Resilience Department that fire extinguishers be logically grouped at exits from the building, so that occupants first go to the exit and then return to fight the fire, knowing that a safe exit lies behind them, away from the fire. Blind compliance with the standard has the potential to place the fire between the occupant and the safe escape path.
Fire Hose Reels
Fire hose reels are provided for use by occupants as a ‘first attack’ fire fighting measure but may, in some instances, also be used by firefighters.
When stowing a fire hose reel, it is important to first attach the nozzle end to the hose reel valve, then close the hose reel valve, then open the nozzle to relieve any pressure in the wound hose, then close the nozzle. This achieves two principle objectives:
A depressurized hose and hose reel seal will last
longer than if permanently pressurized.
When the hose reel is next used, the operator will be forced to turn on the isolating valve, thus charging the hose reel with pressurized water supply, before being able to drag the hose to the fire. A potential danger exists if the operator reaches the fire and finds no water is available because the hose reel valve is still closed. Because hose reels are generally located next to an exit, in an emergency it is possible to reach a safe place simply by following the hose.