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Coffee Break Training: Supply Side Gauge Placement
"The photograph illustrates a common, but incorrect, placement of a sprinkler system pressure gauge on a main drain outlet. There are two pressure gauges required on wet pipe sprinkler systems having an alarm check valve: one on the supply side of the check valve (lower), and one on the system side (upper). In addition to measuring the normal incoming water pressure, the lower gauge is used for documenting water supplies during periodic main drain tests."
United States Fire Administration
2006-09-05
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Coffee Break Training: Insulating Non-Metallic Pipe
"In climates where low temperatures threaten the integrity of plastic sprinkler pipe in residential attics, it is important that adequate protection be provided to prevent freezing. A common protective method is to cover the sprinkler pipe with insulation while allowing convective heat from conditioned spaces below to keep the fire protection water in a liquid state. It is important that the insulation be installed tightly against the joists so cold air doesn't migrate from the unheated attic to the pipe. In areas where attic temperatures drop below 0 °F (-18 °C), an additional layer of insulation should be provided. In all cases, the insulation should be installed in accordance with the insulation manufacturer's recommendations."
United States Fire Administration
2006-12-19
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Coffee Break Training: Low Point Sprinkler Drains
"Auxiliary, or low point, drains are required in sprinkler systems where pipe is installed in a way that can't be drained back through the main drain. When the water capacity of this isolated 'trapped' pipe is more than 5 (18.9 L), but less than 50 gallons (189 L), the drain must be outfitted with a valve of 3/4-inch (19 mm) or larger and a plug, or a nipple and cap. The following table provides the water-carrying capacity of 1 foot (304.8 cm) of pipe, based on actual internal pipe diameters."
United States Fire Administration
2006-12-26
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Coffee Break Training: Clearance Around Sprinkler Pipe
"In those areas where earthquakes may cause buildings to move, sprinkler pipe and tube must be protected from physical damage. The potential for shifting walls, floors, slabs or other rigid elements may result in shearing the sprinkler pipe with catastrophic consequences."
United States Fire Administration
2006-12-05
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Coffee Break Training: Determining 'Inside' Hose Stream Demands
"'Hose stream demand' is the amount of water that must be added to the sprinkler system hydraulic calculations so there is adequate supply to operate the sprinklers for effective fire control, and fill the hoses for fire extinguishment."
United States Fire Administration
2006-12-12
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Coffee Break Training: Automatic Sprinklers: Hanger Spacing for Nonmetallic Pipe
"Hangers are an important component of a fire sprinkler system. They support the pipe to keep it off of other building components and can act as a restraint to prevent pipe movement when a sprinkler operates. Most listed hangers designed for metal pipe are suitable for nonmetallic pipe. Hangers with sufficient load bearing surface must be used based on the comparative pipe size. For example, 1- 1/2-inch (40 mm) hangers must be used for 1- 1/2-inch pipe (40 mm). The hanger should not have rough or sharp edges that come in contact with the pipe. The pipe hangers must comply with the requirements in NFPA [National Fire Protection Association] 13, 'Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems', 13D, 'Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes', and 13R, 'Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies up to and Including Four Stories' in Height, the standards for the installation of automatic sprinkler systems."
United States Fire Administration
2009-09-15
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Coffee Break Training: Standpipe Systems: Stair Landing Hose Outlets
"Standpipe systems in tall or large buildings provide a ready and convenient water supply for fire suppression personnel. In the stair enclosure pictured, the Class I standpipe hose station outlets are located behind the stainless steel cabinet doors at the intermediate landings. (See Coffee Break Training 2006-41 and 2006-42 for an explanation of standpipe 'classes.') While every jurisdiction may have its own firefighting protocols for standpipe operations, a common historical practice was for the fire attack team to connect to the standpipe outlet on the same floor level as the fire, and stretch hose in the stair enclosure to the floor below before leaving the stair enclosure to the fire. Many organizations, including tactical courses at the National Fire Academy, now recommend connecting at the floor below the fire, then stretching hose in the stair enclosure above the fire floor before entering for an attack, therefore assisting line advancement."
United States Fire Administration
2009-10-13
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Coffee Break Training: Automatic Sprinklers: Sprinkler 'Heat Collectors'
"Look closely beneath the windows and you will see two sidewall sprinklers. Each sprinkler has a small (about 8 ½ x 11-inches [216 to 280 mm]) panel mounted immediately above it. Although not visible in the picture, there are no sprinklers at the ceiling of this large opening between two floors of a hotel. These panels are intended to serve as nominal 'heat collectors,' to trap thermal plumes from a fire long enough to open the adjacent sprinklers to discharge water onto the floor area below. 'Heat collectors' often are installed when the sprinkler design or installation does not comply with the requirements in NFPA [National Fire Protection Association] 13, 'Standard for the Installation of Automatic Sprinkler Systems', for the maximum distance between a ceiling and a sprinkler deflector."
United States Fire Administration
2009-10-27
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Coffee Break Training: Building Construction: Part 3: Fire-Resistive Assemblies
"When all or parts of a building are required to be fireresistive or have fire resistance, the model building codes typically require that the fire protection be achieved by some sort of fire-resistant rated 'assembly.' What is an 'assembly?' An assembly is a combination of materials put together in a specific way that achieves the fire resistance rating required in the building code. For example, today's illustration shows only part of an assembly: gypsum wallboard applied to a steel stud. In order to achieve a minimum fire resistance rating, both sides of the steel stud would have to be covered with fire-rated gypsum wallboard. Fire-resistance ratings apply only to assemblies in their entirety."
United States Fire Administration
2009-11-24
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Coffee Break Training: Automatic Sprinklers: Homeowner/Occupant Sprinkler Inspections
"A close look at the pressure gauge on this residential sprinkler system riser reveals there is no water pressure and the system may be out of service, or the gauge valve is simply closed. In either case, this system needs attention. Residential sprinkler systems are intended to be easy to install and simple to maintain, yet one of the arguments by those who oppose residential sprinkler mandates is 'who will force maintenance the system' since fire inspectors generally do not inspect occupied one- and two-family dwellings and manufactured homes. According to NFPA [National Fire Protection Association] 13D, 'Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes', the sprinkler system installer must provide the owner/ occupant instructions on inspecting, testing, and maintaining the system."
United States Fire Administration
2009-11-03
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Coffee Break Training: Means of Egress: Discharge Identification Barriers
"Coffee Break Training FP-2009-12 described the three components of the means of egress: the exit access, the exit, and the exit discharge. Today we add one more element to better understand the importance of proper egress design: the level of exit discharge. The 'level of exit discharge' in the model building codes is the horizontal plane or lowest story located at the point on or near ground level on the exterior wall line where an exit terminates and an exit discharge begins. In simple language, it is where the exit doors lead to the outdoors and away from the building. Depending upon the occupancy or use of a particular space, the architect or designer and code official must verify that a certain amount of the exits discharge at the appropriate level. The level of exit discharge also is used as a reference point for other requirements. For example, in schools, every portion of the building beneath the level of exit discharge must be protected by automatic sprinklers."
United States Fire Administration
2009-08-04
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Coffee Break Training: Storage Practices: Part Four: 'Plastic Pallets and Sprinkler Design'
"For many years, commodities in warehouses may have been arranged on wooden or metal pallets, but as storage, marketing, and product handling methods change, the materials from which pallets are made is changing too. In an effort to make pallets more durable and recyclable, many manufacturers are making them from plastic materials such a polypropylene or high density polyethylene (HDPE). The unintended consequence of this change is that going from wood or metal to plastic pallets may have an effect on the fire sprinkler system design. Remember, the sprinkler hazard class corresponds to the highest hazard commodity class being stored."
United States Fire Administration
2009-09-08
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Coffee Break Training: Means of Egress: Exterior Exit Balconies
"Today's photograph illustrates a design feature common to many occupancies including motels, hotels, condominiums, offices, retail shops and apartments: the exterior egress balcony. In this design, the dwelling or tenant space opens onto an open-air means of egress that provides two or more options leading to an exit. Since an exterior egress balcony is essentially a three-sided corridor (floor, ceiling and one wall), it must meet the same construction requirements as corridors for width, headroom, dead-ends and projections."
United States Fire Administration
2009-10-20
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Coffee Break Training: Automatic Sprinklers: Riser Clamps
"The 'brackets' around these sprinkler and standpipe risers are clamps used to transfer some of the pipes' vertical load (weight) to the building's structural support. Pipe clamps are required in multistory buildings. The clamps are intended to prevent pipe movement and should be secured and located so that the system piping remains in its original location and position."
United States Fire Administration
2009-09-22
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Coffee Break Training: Means of Egress: Ceiling Height
"With few exceptions, the model building codes prescribe a minimum ceiling height of 90 inches (2286 mm) throughout habitable spaces including the means of egress system."
United States Fire Administration
2009-10-06
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Coffee Break Training: Alternative Motor Vehicle Fuel Storage
"With the price of gasoline breaking the $3 per gallon mark, many people are looking for low-cost or renewable fuel sources. One product making its mark in the industry is 'E85 fuel,' a liquid blend composed of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The ethanol often is made from corn or other biomass. While the fire behavior characteristics of E85 fuel are a concern to first responders(see the International Association of Fire Chiefs warning posted at www.iafc.org), the chemical interaction between the product and storage tanks should be a concern for code enforcement and environmental personnel. While it may be possible to store ethanol (alcohol)-based products in recently manufactured metal tanks, there is a potential problem with the first generation of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) underground tanks that were installed before 1992. The ethanol may soften the plastic components in tanks and pipe, resulting in leaks."
United States Fire Administration
2006-04-25
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Coffee Break Training: Building Construction: Part 2: Where Fire Resistance May Be Required
"There are many components that make up modern buildings: construction materials, plumbing systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, fire protection systems and equipment, interior finish materials and furniture. When a building is constructed, the locally adopted building code generally establishes the requirements for life safety and fire protection features. The building designer must create drawings showing that the building is in compliance with the codes; the contractor must construct the building to meet the plan and the codes; and the building and/or fire inspector is responsible to assure the final product complies with the requirements. Not all complete buildings or their components-by the nature of their construction materials, distance from property lines or the intended use-are required to have any fire resistant construction elements. They may be erected of entirely combustible or non-combustible materials without being protected by gypsum drywall, spray-on fire-resistant materials or concrete: the most common means for creating fire resistant construction."
United States Fire Administration
2009-11-17
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Coffee Break Training: Automatic Sprinklers: Rubbish and Linen Chute Protection
"Today's dramatic eye-catching picture illustrates an important fire protection consideration in multistory buildings: protection of rubbish and linen chutes. Look closely at the right-hand side center of the picture and you will see the deflector of an automatic sprinkler. Rubbish and linen chutes are found in a variety of occupancies. While they are common in hotels, motels, apartment buildings, and other residential properties, they can occur in almost any multistory building. While these chutes are a convenient way for occupants to dispose of garbage or send dirty linen to a laundry room, they create a potential fire hazard because they are an unobstructed vertical path for fire and smoke. To minimize the hazard, the model fire and building codes require that automatic sprinklers be installed in the top of the chutes as well as the 'terminal room:' the space at the bottom of the chute where the rubbish and linen accumulate."
United States Fire Administration
2009-08-11
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Coffee Break Training: Fusible Link Placement in Range Hood Suppression Systems
"Automatic fire protection systems installed in commercial kitchen hood and duct assemblies generally are operated by fusible links installed in strategic locations in the exhaust air flow. These locations vary by manufacturer and cooking line arrangement, but generally include releasing mechanisms in the exhaust duct, plenum, and above specific appliances. The releasing mechanism usually is operated by a stainless steel cable that is stretched taut (under tension) connecting all of the fusible links and the suppression system control head. When a link melts and the cable slackens, the control head releases the fire suppression agent through the system."
United States Fire Administration
2006-06-06
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Coffee Break Training: Protecting Tank Supports
"Bulk flammable and combustible liquid tanks often are elevated like these horizontal tanks to employ gravity for product transfer and dispensing. The tank supports may be steel, concrete, or masonry. Tanks also may be supported by a single horizontal row of wooden timbers if the timbers are not more than 12 inches tall. One potential safety concern is the effect of a pool fire in the diked area beneath the tanks. The extremely high temperatures from burning liquids can weaken unprotected steel supports, resulting in a structural collapse that could cause catastrophic tank failure."
United States Fire Administration
2006-05-02
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Coffee Break Training: Liquefied Petroleum Gas Units
"Fire codes refer to liquefied petroleum [LP] gas capacities in a variety of ways: water capacity, gallons, or pounds. It is essential to understand the differences among the units, so code requirements can be applied correctly. 'Water capacity' (WC) is the amount of water a LP Gas vessel can hold at 60 °F (15.6 °C). For portable cylinders, like those in the foreground of this picture, water capacity is expressed in pounds. Cylinders may hold up to 1,000 pounds, or about 120 gallons WC."
United States Fire Administration
2006-05-30
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Coffee Break Training: Wood Truss Storage Practices
"Lightweight wood trusses are a common building component throughout the United States, especially for residential occupancies. Premanufactured trusses are engineered and fabricated to carry building code mandated structural loads. The Wood Truss Council of America (WTCA) produces a 'New Hire Program' to train construction workers on the appropriate use of lightweight wood truss assemblies. Trusses should be protected from damage during the manufacturing, transportation, and job-site storage phase of project."
United States Fire Administration
2006-05-16
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Coffee Break Training: Maintaining Fire-Resistive Construction Elements
"The photograph illustrates steel beams in an parking garage that are supporting a floor deck where heavy motor vehicles are stored. Due to the building's size, the structural elements must be protected to a minimum one-hour fire resistance rating. In this particular example, the steel's fire resistance rating is achieved through concrete encasement."
United States Fire Administration
2006-05-09
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Coffee Break Training: Physical Protection for Aboveground Refueling Tanks
"Many refueling installations are installing aboveground flammable and combustible storage tanks to avoid complicated and costly environmental regulations. These installations require a number of fire protection and safety specifications to prevent unwanted spills, leaks, explosions, or fires. One requirement specifies the following guard posts for minimum protection from motor vehicle impact."
United States Fire Administration
2006-05-23
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Coffee Break Training: Storage Practices: Part Two: 'Commodity Examples'
"In storage area fire protection, the commodities being stored must be categorized into groups according to their relative combustibility and rate of heat release in the event of a fire. By definition, a 'commodity' is the combination of products, packing material, and containers that determines commodity classification. Commodities are assigned a Roman numeral character 'Class' based on the relative fire hazard. Class I is the lowest category and Class IV is the highest. The 'International Fire Code' includes a 'high hazard' category. The model fire codes and many insurance underwriters and research organizations have detailed lists of commodities and their classes based on live fire test results. Classifying a commodity can be a significant engineering challenge to ensure the appropriate level of fire protection is provided, and should not be taken lightly."
United States Fire Administration
2009-08-25
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Coffee Break Training: Building Construction: Part 1: Understanding Construction 'Types'
"The late Frank Brannigan, author of the renowned text 'Building Construction for the Fire Service', is often quoted for his famous saying, 'The building is your enemy... know your enemy.' To help you know the 'enemy,' this week's Coffee Break Training begins a series on building construction features; explaining how our modern building codes classify 'types of construction,' how to identify them, and what many building code requirements might mean to code officials and fire suppression forces. The major model building codes describe construction and establish occupancy life safety, fire protection and fire resistance requirements based on five 'types of construction.' The codes use Roman numerals I through V to classify buildings. In general, buildings that have a lower Roman numeral (I and II) are allowed to be larger and taller than those with a higher number (III-IV-V). Once you learn this building code shorthand, you will better understand how the construction codes work."
United States Fire Administration
2009-11-10
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Coffee Break Training: Building Construction: Part 4: How Fire Resistance Ratings are Measured
"Will a four-hour fire wall really resist the spread of heat and flames for 240 minutes? Will a two-hour floor/ceiling assembly truly prevent vertical fire spread for 120 minutes while a highrise building is evacuated? The answer is definitely 'maybe' and depends upon the actual fire exposure conditions. In order to obtain an hourly fire-resistance rating, sample fire assemblies must undergo rigorous testing under controlled laboratory conditions. These conditions may not match real world environments found in buildings."
United States Fire Administration
2009-12-01
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Coffee Break Training: Sizing Fire Pump Fuel Supplies
"Fire pumps driven by diesel engines require an adequate fuel supply to perform regular weekly tests and maintain operational integrity during a fire. NFPA [National Fire Protection Association] 20, 'Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection' requires a minimum of 1 gallon of fuel for each engine horsepower (HP). The fuel requirement is based on the premise that the engine will burn about 1 pint per horsepower per hour of run time, and the pump should have a total standby duration of 8 hours when the tank is full. The pump then can be tested for 12 weeks (6 hours of run time) and still have enough fuel to power the pump to meet the 2-hour requirements of a fire protection system."
United States Fire Administration
2006-04-04
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Coffee Break Training: Verifying Means of Egress
"This photograph illustrates the age-old maxim, 'Out of sight, out of mind.' These rolling trash receptacles were emptied by the local waste-hauling firm, and left in the alley behind a five-story office building. Evidently the truck driver did not realize he had placed the receptacles across one of the building's emergency exits. Since the building owner or occupants seldom used the alley adjacent to the building, who knows how long this condition existed? It is important that the fire inspector survey the outside of the building to identify potential problems and have them corrected."
United States Fire Administration
2006-03-07
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Coffee Break Training: Planned Impairments
"Like any electronic or mechanical device, fire protection systems require periodic maintenance to assure a high degree of reliability. Occasionally, they are damaged and need repair. Often, they need replacement or upgrades. Regardless of the reason, there are times fire protection systems are shut down on purpose."
United States Fire Administration
2006-03-21
