NFPA 1081 Standard
systems associ ated with the operated system. (B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to
Inc ipie nt Indust ria l Fire B riga de M e mbe r 5 .3.2 * Acti vate a fi xed fi re
protecti on sy stem, gi ven a fi xed fi re protecti on system, a procedure, and an
assi gnment, so that the steps are foll owed and the system operates.
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Types of exti ngui shi ng agents, hazards associ ated
with system operation, how the system operates, sequence of operati on, system
overri des and manual i nterventi on procedures, and shutdown procedures to
prevent damage to the operated system or to those systems associ ated wi th the
operated system.
(B) Requi si te Skill s. The abili ty to operate fi xed fi re protection systems via
el ectri cal or mechani cal means.
A dva nc e d Ext e rior Indust ria l Fire B riga de Me mbe r 6 .3.7 * Interpret al arm
condi ti ons, gi ven an al arm si gnali ng s ystem, a pr oce dure, and an assi gnment, so
that the al arm condi ti on i s correctl y i nterpreted and a response i s i niti ated.
(A) Requi si te Knowledge. The different alarm detection systems within the facility;
difference between al arm, troubl e, and supervi sory al arms; hazards protected by
the detection systems; hazards associ ated with each type of al arm conditi on;
knowl edge of the em ergency response pl an; and communi cation procedures.
(B) Requi si te Skill s. The abili ty to understand the different types of al arms, to
impl ement the response, and to provi de i nformati on through communi cati ons.
6.3.8 * Acti vate a fi xed fi re suppressi on system, gi ven personal protecti ve
equipment, a fi xed fi re protecti on sy stem, a procedure, and an assi gnment, so
that the correct steps are followed and the sy stem operates.
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Di fferent types of exti ngui shi ng agents, hazards
associ ated with system operati on, how the system operates, sequence of opera
tion, sy stem overri des and manual i nterventi on procedures, and shutdown
procedures to prevent damage to the operated system or to those systems
associ ated with the operated system.
(B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to operate fi xed fi re suppressi on systems vi a
el ectri cal or mechani cal means and shutdown procedures for fi xed fi re suppres
si on sy stems.
Inte rior St ruc tural Indust ria l Fire B riga de M e mbe r 7 .3.1 * Interpret al arm
conditi ons, gi ven an al arm si gnali ng sy stem, a proce dure, and an assi gnment, so
that the al arm condi ti on i s correctl y i nterpreted and a response i s i niti ated.
(A) Requi si te Knowl edge. The di fferent alarm detecti on systems withi n the
facility; difference between al arm, troubl e, and supervi sory al arms; hazards
protected by the detecti on systems; hazards associ ated wi th each type of al arm
condi ti on; the emergency response pl an; and communi cati on procedures.
(B) Requi site Skill s. The abili ty to understand the di fferent types of al arms, to
impl ement the response, and to provi de i nformati on through communi cati ons.
7.3.2* Acti vate a fi xed fi re protecti on sy stem, gi ven requi red personal protecti ve
equi pment, a fi xed fi re protecti on system, a procedure, and an assi gnment, so
that the procedures are foll owed and the system operates.
(A) Requi site Knowl edge. Different types of exti ngui shi ng agents on site, manual fi re
suppressi on acti viti es withi n areas covered by fi xed fi re suppressi on sys tems,
hazards associ ated wi th system operati on, how the sy stem operates, sequence of
operati on, system overri des and manual i ntervention procedures,
and shutdown procedures to prevent damage to the operated system or to those
operate fi xed fi re suppressi on sy stems vi a el ectri cal or mechani cal means and to
shut down fi xed fi re suppressi on sy stems.
Additional NFPA Standard
NFPA 600 Standard on Industri al Fi re Bri gades
Knowledge Objectives
After compl eti ng thi s chapter, you will be abl e to:
• Expl ai n why i ndustri al bri gade members need to have knowledge of fire
protecti on systems.
• Descri be the basi c functi ons and components of a fi re al arm system.
• Descri be the basi c types of fi re al arms used i n an industri al setti ng,
rel ated i niti ati ng devi ces, and where each i s most suitabl e for use.
• Descri be the fi re bri gade's role i n resetti ng al arm sy stems and putting
them back i n servi ce after an al arm.
• Expl ai n how al arms are transmi tted to the i n -si te proprietary central
stati on and retransmi tted to the muni ci pal fi re authori ty.
• Identify the four different styl es of spri nkl er heads.
• Identify the di fferent types of spri nkl er control val ves.
• Descri be the operati on and appli cation of the foll owi ng automati c spri n
kl er systems:
• Wet-pi pe
• Dry-pi pe
• Preacti on
• Deluge
• Descri be when and how water i s shut off to a spri nkl er system and how to
stop or control water comi ng from a spri nkl er head.
• Descri be the three types of standpi pe sy stems.
• Descri be how cl ean agents function and thei r appli cati ons.
• Descri be how smoke, heat, and fl ame detectors operate and the best
appli cati ons for each.
• Descri be why fi re department connecti ons are i mportant for a spri nkler
system.
• Descri be the operati on and appli cati on of wet and dry chemi cal sy stems.
Skills Objectives
After compl eti ng thi s chapter, you will be abl e to perform the foll owi ng skill s:
• Stop the water from an acti vated sprinkl er head.
• Operate fi rewater control val ves.
• Connect a fi re hose to a fi re department connecti on.
• Reset a fi re al arm panel .
• Connect a fi re hose to a standpipe outl et.
• Show competency i n the fi el d by i dentifying the di fferent styles of
spri nkl er heads.
• Show competency i n the fi el d by i dentifying the di fferent types
of spri nkl er systems.
• Show competency i n the fi el d by i dentifying the di fferent types of
spri nkl er water control val ves.
• Show competency i n the fi el d by i dentifying the di fferent types of detec
tors (e.g., smoke, heat, fl ame).
 The on-shift security supervisor contacts the fire brigade leader to inform him that the "nuisance"
fire alarm at the engineering annex is sounding again. Per standard operating procedures, the
brigade leader requests that an engine company be dispatched to investigate the alarm activa tion.
When you arrive on the scene at the annex building, you note that the strobe lights of the detection
system have acti vated. As you walk around the corner of the building, you hear the water flow
alarm for the building sprinkler system sounding. The brigade leader immediately requests that a
line be connected to the sprinkler system connection.
1. Do you believe that the b rigade leader is overreacting to this situation?
2. Which clues indicate that this situation may actually be a real emergency?
3. After the line is connected to the sprinkler system, to which operation do you think that the
b rigade leader will assign you?

Introduction fire detection, and fire suppression systems. Fire protection

Today, fire p revention and build ing codes require that most
new structu res have so me sort of fire protect ion system
installed . Th is makes it mo re impo rtant than ever for the
line brigade member to have a working knowledge of these
systems, wh ich include fire alarm systems and auto mat ic
fire d etect ion and supp ress ion systems . Und erst and ing
how these systems operate is important for the b rigade
memb er's safety and necessary to p rov ide effect ive cus -
to mer serv ice to the co mpan ies we p rotect .
Fro m a corporate standpoint, brigade members need to
understand the operations and limitations of fire detection and
suppression systems. A building with a fire protection system
will have very different working conditions during a fire than
an unprotected building. Brigade members need to know how
to fight a fire in a building with a working fire suppression sys -
tem, and how to shut down the system after the f ire is extin-
guished.
Fro m a custo mer service standpoint, b rigade members
who understand how fire protection systems work can help
dispel misconceptions about these systems and advise man-
agement and occupants after an alarm is sounded. Most people
have no idea o f ho w the fire p rotect ion o r detect ion systems
in their building work, and there are often more false alarms
in build ings with fire protection systems than actual fires.
Brigade members can help the company determine what
activated the system, how they can prevent future false alarms,
and what needs to be done to restore a system to service. This
chapter discusses the basic design and operation of fire alarm,
systems have fairly standardized design requirements across
North America; most areas follow the applicable NFPA stan -
dards. Unfortunately, local fire prevention and building codes
may require different types of systems for different buildings,
and these requirements still vary considerably.
Fire Alarm and Detection Systems
Pract ically all new construction includes some sort of fire
alarm and detection system. In most cases, both fire detection
and fire alarm co mponents are integrated in a single system.
A fire detection system recognizes when a fire is occurring
and activates the fire alarm system, which alerts building
occupants and, in some cases, the fire brigade. So me fire
detection systems also automatically activate fire suppression
systems to control the fire.
Fire alarm and detect ion systems range fro m simple,
single-station smo ke alarms , to co mp lex fire detection and
control systems for office areas, control roo ms and large
production or p rocess areas. Many fire alarm and detection
systems in large bu ild ings also cont ro l oth er systems to
help p rotect occup ants and cont ro l the spread of fire and
smoke. Although these systems can be co mp lex, they gen -
erally have th e same bas ic co mponents.
Fire Alarm System Components
A fire alarm system has three basic co mponents —an alarm
init iation device, an alarm notificat ion device, and a control
panel. The al arm ini tiation device is either an auto matic or
 Fire De tecti on, Pr otecti on, and S uppre ssion Sys te ms
721

Control panels vary g reatly depending on the age of the

system and the manufacturer. For examp le, an older system
may simply indicate that an alarm has been activated, wh ile a
newer system may ind icate a specific location within the
building ( Figure 25-1 ). The most modern panels (addres -able)
actually specify the exact location of the act ivated initiation
device.
Fire alarm cont rol panels are used to silence the alarm
and reset the system. These panels should always be locked;
many newer systems require the use o f a passwo rd before
the alarm can be silenced or reset. A larms should not be
silenced o r reset until the act ivat ion source has been found
and checked by brigade members to ensure that the situa tion
is under control. In some systems, the indiv idual alarm
act ivat ion dev ices must b e reset ind iv idually befo re the
entire system can be reset; other systems reset themselves
after the prob lem is resolved.
Many buildings have an additional display panel in a sep -
arate location, usually near the front door of the building. This
is called a remote annunciator (Figure 25-2 ). The remote
annunciator enables brigade members to ascertain the type and
location of the activated alarm device as they enter the
build ing.

( Figure 25-1) Most older fire alarm control panels indicate the zone where an
alarm was init iated. The new "addressable" systems giv e an exact location, often
on an LCD read-out screen.

manually operated device that, when act ivated, causes the

system to indicate an alarm. The alarm notification device is
generally an audible device, often accompanied by a visual
device, that alerts the building occupants when the system is
activated. But the most important part of any fire alarm sys -
tem is the control panel, wh ich lin ks the init iation device to
the notification device and performs other essential functions.

Fire Alarm System Control Panels

Most installed fire alarm systems in build ings have several
alarm initiation devices in different areas and use both audible
and visible devices to notify the occupants of an alarm. The
fire alarm control panel serves as the "brain" of the system,
lin king the activation devices to the notificat ion devices.
The contro l panel manages and mon ito rs the p roper
operat ion o f th e system. It can ind icate the source o f an
alarm, so that responding fire personnel will kno w what
activated the alarm and where the in itial activation occurred.
The control panel also manages the primary po wer supply
and provides a back-up power supply for the system. It may
perform add it ional funct ions, such as not ifying the fire
brigade, mun icipal fire depart ment or central station moni -
toring co mpany wh en the alarm system is act ivat ed, and ( Figure 25-2) A remot e annunciator allows brigade members to quickly
may interface with other systems with in the facility. determine the type and location of the activated alarm devic e.
722 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E

Depending on the building's size and floor p lan, an act i-

vated alarm may sound throughout the building or only in
particular areas. In a large manufacturing complex, fire alarm
systems are often programmed to alert only the occupants in
the same area as the act ivated alarm as well as those in the
areas immediately above and below. Alarms on the remaining
floo rs can be manually act ivated fro m the system control
panel. So me systems have a public address feature, so that a
brigade leader can provide specific instructions or informa tion
for occupants in different areas.
The control panel in a large facility may be programmed
to perform several additional functions. For examp le, it may
automatically shut down or change the operation of air han -
dling systems , recall elevato rs to the ground floor, and
unlock stairwell doo rs so that a person in an exit stairway
can reenter an occupied floor.

Alarm Initiating Devices

Alarm in itiat ion dev ices are the co mponents that activate a
fire alarm system. Manual init iation devices requ ire hu man
activation; automat ic devices function without human inter -
vent ion . Manual fire alarm bo xes are the most co mmon
type of alarm init iat ing devices that require hu man activa -
tion. Auto matic init iat ion devices include various types of
heat, flame, and s mo ke detectors and other dev ices that
( Figure 25-3 ) Fire prevention codes require that alarm sytems have a automatically recognize the evidence of a fire.
back-up power supply, whic h is automatically activated when the normal
electrical power is interrupted. Manual Initiation Devices
Manual in it iat ion dev ices are d esigned so that bu ild ing
The fire alarm control panel should also monitor the con- occupants can activate the fire alarm system if they discover a
dition of the entire alarm system to detect any faults. Faults fire in the building. Many older alarm systems could only be
within the system are indicated by a t rouble alarm, which activated manually. The primary manual in itiat ion device is
shows that a component of the system is not operating prop - t h e manu al fire alar m b o x, o r manu al pul l -s tati on
erly and requires attention. Trouble alarms do not activate the (Figure 25-4 ). These stations have a switch that either opens
building's fire alarm, but should make an audible sound and or closes an electrical circu it to activate the alarm.
illuminate a special light at the alarm control panel. They may Pull-stations co me in various sizes and des igns, depending
also transmit a notification to a remote service location or an on the manufacturer. They can be either single -action or
on-site proprietary central station. double-action devices.
A fire alarm system is usually powered by a 110-volt line,
even though the system's appliances may use a lower voltage.
There are, however, some older alarm systems that require 110
volts for all co mponents.
In add ition to the no rmal power supply, fire prevent ion
codes call for a back-up power supply for all alarm systems
(A Figure 25-3). In some systems, a battery in the fire alarm
control panel will auto matically activate when the external
power is interrupted. Fire codes will specify ho w long the
system must be ab le to funct ion on the battery back-up. In
large bu ildings or industrial facilit ies, the back-up power
supply cou ld be an emergency generator o r a secondary
power source. If either the main power supply or the backup
power source fails, the troub le alarm should sound.
( Figure 25-4) There are several different types of manual fire alarm box es,
also known as manual pull-stations.
 Fi ne Detection, Protection, and Suppression Syste ms 723

plastic cover must be opened before the pull-station can be

activated. Lift ing the cover triggers a loud tamper alarm at
that specific location but does not activate the fire alarm sys -
tem. Snapping the cover back into place resets the tamper
alarm. The intent is that a person planning to initiate a false
alarm will drop the cover and run when the tamper alarm
sounds. In most cases, the pu ll-station tamp er alarm is not
connected to the fire alarm system in any way .
Even automatic fire alarm systems can be manually acti-
vated by pressing a button or flipping a switch on the alarm
system contro l panel. In large facilit ies, the main contro l
panel has separate manual activation switches for different
areas of the plant or facility.

Automatic Initiating Devices

Automatic initiat ing devices are designed to function without
human intervention and will activate the alarm system when
they detect evidence of a fire. These systems can be pro -
grammed to transmit the alarm to the fire b rigade or mun ic-
ipal fire depart ment, even if the build ing is unoccupied, and
to perfo rm other functions when a detector is act ivated.
Automat ic in it iating dev ices can use several d ifferent
types of detecto rs. So me detecto rs are act ivated by s mo ke
o r by the in v is ib le p ro ducts o f co mbust ion , and oth ers
react to heat , the light p roduced by an open flame, or specific
( Figure 25-5 ) A v ariation on the double-action pull-stat ion, des igned to gases.
prevent malicious false alarms, has a clear plastic cover and a separate tamper
alarm. Smoke Detectors
A s moke detector is des igned to sense the presence o f
smoke. A mong brigade members, the term "smoke detector"
Single -acti on pull -stati ons requ ire a person to pu ll generally refers to a sensing device that is part of a fire alarm
down a lever, togg le, o r handle to act ivate the alarm. The system ( Figu re 25-6 ).
alarm sounds as soon as the pull-station is activated. Smoke detectors come in d ifferent designs and styles for
Double-action pull-stations require a person to perform two different applications. The most co mmon s mo ke detecto rs
steps before the alarm will act ivate. They are designed to are i oni zati on s mok e detectors and photoelect ric s mo ke
reduce the nu mber o f false alarms caused by accidental or
intentional pulling of the alarm. The person must move a flap,
lift a cover, or break a piece of glass to reach the alarm
activation device. Designs that use glass are no longer in favor,
because the glass must be replaced each time the alarm is
activated and because the broken g lass poses the risk of
inju ry.
Once activated, a manual pull-station should stay in the
"activated" position until it is reset. This enables responding
brigade members to determine which pull-station initiated the
alarm. Resetting the pull-station requires a special key, screw-
driver, o r Allen wrench. In many systems, the pull-station
must be reset before the bu ilding alarm can be reset at the
alarm control panel.
A variation on the double-act ion pull-station, designed to
prevent malicious false alarms, is covered with a p iece o f
clear plastic (Figure 25-5 ). These covers are often used in
areas where malicious false alarms frequent ly occu r. The
( Figure 25-6 ) Commercial ionization sm oke det ector.
7Z4 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
(^Figure 25-7 ) Beam det ectors are used in large open spaces.
detectors; however, smoke detectors used in commercial fire
alarm systems are usually more sophist icated and mo re
expensive than residential s mo ke alarms.
Each detection device is rated to protect a certain floor
area, so in large areas the detectors are often placed in a grid
pattern. Newer smo ke detectors also have a visual indicator,
such as a steady or flashing light, that indicates when the
device has been activated.
A beam detector is a type of photoelectric s moke
detector used to p rotect large open areas such as ware-
ho uses, airpo rt termin als , and indoo r spo rts aren as. In
these facilit ies, it would be difficult or costly to install large
nu mbers o f ind iv idual s moke detectors, but a sing le b eam
detector cou ld be used ( A Figure 25-7 ).
A beam detector has two co mponents: a sending unit that
projects a narrow beam of light across the open area and a
receiving un it that measures the intensity of the light when
the beam strikes the receiver. When s moke interrupts the
light beam, the receiver detects a drop in the light intensity
and activates the fire alarm system.
Most photoelectric beam detectors are set to respond to a
certain obscuration rate, mean ing percentage of the light
that is blocked. If the light is co mp letely b locked, such as
when a solid object is moved across the beam, the t rouble
alarm will sound , but the fire alarm will not be act ivated.
Smoke detectors are usually powered by a lo w voltage
circuit and send a signal to the fire alarm control panel when
they are activated. Both ionizat ion and photoelectric s moke
detectors are self-restoring. After the smoke condition clears,
the alarm system can be reset at the contro l panel.
Heat Detectors
Heat detectors are also common auto mat ic alarm init iation
devices. Heat detectors can p rovide p roperty p rotection but
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
cannot provide reliable life safety protection because they do
not react quickly enough to incipient fires. They are gener ally
used in situations where smo ke alarms cannot be used, such
as dusty env iron ments an d areas th at experien ce ext reme
cold or heat. Heat detectors are often installed in unheated
areas, manufacturing areas such as where dust and fumes
would cause smo ke detectors to alarm falsely .
Heat detectors are generally very reliable and less prone to
false alarms than smoke alarms. You may come across heat
detectors that were installed 30 or more years ago and are still
in service. Ho wever, o lder un its have no visual trigger that
tells which device was activated, so tracking down the cause
of an alarm may be very difficult. Newer models have an indi-
cator light that shows which device was activated.
There are several types of heat detectors, each designed
for specific situat ions and app licat ions. Sing le -station heat
alarms are so met imes installed in uno ccup ied areas of
build ings that do not have fire alarm systems, such as attics
or storag e roo ms. S pot detectors are ind iv idual units that
can b e spaced t hro ughout an o ccup ancy; each d etect or
covers a specific floo r area. Spot detectors are usually
installed in light co mmercial settings; the un its may be in
indiv idual roo ms or spaced at intervals along the ceiling in
larger areas.
Line detectors use wire or tubing strung along the ceiling
of large open areas to detect an increase in heat. An increase
in temperature anywhere along the line will act ivate the
detector. Line detectors are found in many warehouses and
industrial or manufactu ring app licat ions.
Heat detectors can be designed to operate at a fixed tem-
perature or to react to a rapid increase in temperature. Either
fixed -temperature o r rate-o f-rise devices can be configured
as spot or line detectors.
Fixed Temperature Heat Detectors
Fixed-temperature heat detectors, as the name imp lies, are
designed to operate at a preset temperature ( ► Figure 25-8 ). A
typical temperature for a light-hazard occupancy, such as an
office build ing, wou ld be 135°F (57°C). Fixed-tempera ture
detectors usually use a metal alloy that will melt at the preset
temperature. The melt ing alloy releases a lever -and-spring
mechanis m, to open or close a switch. Most
fixed -temperature heat detectors must be replaced after they
have been act ivated, even if the act ivat ion was accidental.
Rate-of-Rise Heat Detectors
Rate-of-rise heat detectors will activate if the temperature of
the surrounding air rises more than a set amount in a given
period of time. A typical rating might be "greater than 12°F in
one minute." If the temperature increase is less than this rate, the
rate-of-rise heat detector will not activate. An increase greater
than this rate will activate the detector and set off the fire alarm.
Rate-of-rise heat detectors should not be located in areas that
normally experience rapid changes in temperature, such as near
 Fir e Detection, P r o te c ti o n , and Suppression Systems
( Figure 25-8) A fixed-temperature heat detector initiates an alarm at a
preset temperature.
garage doors or refrigeration units subject to open doors in
warm weather.
So me rate-of-rise heat detectors have a bi metallic strip
made of two metals that respond differently to heat. A rapid
increase in temperature causes the strip to bend unevenly,
which opens or closes a switch. Another rate-of-rise heat
detector uses an air chamber and diaphrag m mechanis m. As
air in the chamber heats up, the pressure increases. Gradual
increases in pressure are released through a small hole, but a
rap id increase in p ressure will p ress upon the d iaphrag m
and activate the alarm. Most rate-of-rise heat detectors are
self-restoring, and do not need to be rep laced after an act i-
vation unless they were d irect ly exposed to a fire.
Rate-of-rise heat detectors generally respond faster to
most fires than fixed -temperature heat detectors. Ho wever,
a slow burn ing fire, such as a smoldering couch, may not
activat e a rate -of-rise heat detecto r unt il the fire is
well-established.
Co mb inat ion rate -of-rise and fixed-t emp eratu re heat
detectors are availab le. These devices balance the faster
response of the rate-of-rise detector with the reliability of the
fixed -temperature heat detector.
Line Heat Detectors
Line heat detectors use wires or a sealed tube to sense heat.
One wire -type line detector has two wires inside, separated
by an insulat ing material. When heat melts the insulation ,
the wires short out and activate the alarm. The damaged
section of insulation must be replaced with a new piece after
activation.
Another wire-type detector measures changes in the elec-
trical resistance of a single wire as it heats up. This device is
self-restoring and does not need to be replaced after act iva-
tion unless it is d irect ly exposed to a fire.
7Z5
( Figure 25-9) Flame detectors are specialized devices that detect the
electromagnetic light waves produced by a flame.
The tube-type line heat detector has a sealed metal tube
filled with air o r a non flammab le gas. When the tube is
heated, th e internal p ressure increases and act ivates the
alarm. Like the single-wire line heat detector, this device is
self-restoring and does not need to be replaced after act iva-
tion, un less it is direct ly exposed to a fire.
Fl ame Detectors
Flame detectors are specialized devices that detect the electro-
magnetic light waves produced by a flame (Figure 25-9 ). These
devices can quickly recognize even a very small fire.
Typ ically flame detecto rs are found in p laces such as
aircraft h ang ars o r sp ecialized ind ust rial sett ings us ing
flammab le liq u ids in wh ich early det ect io n and rap id
react ion to a fire are crit ical. Flame d etecto rs are also
us ed in exp los ion sup p ress io n syst ems to d et ect an d
sup p ress an exp los io n as it is occu rring .
Flame detectors are co mp licated and expensive; in add i-
tion, other in frared or u lt rav iolet sources such as the sun or a
weld ing operation can set off an unwanted alarm. Flame
detectors that combine in frared and ult ravio let sensors are
sometimes used to lessen the chances of a false alarm.
Gas Detectors
Gas detectors are calibrated to detect the presence of a spe-
cific gas that is created by combustion or that is used in the
facility. Depending on the system, a gas detector may be pro -
grammed to activate either the building's fire alarm system or
a separate alarm. Gas detectors are specialized instru ments
that need regular calib ration.
Air Sampli ng Detectors
Air sampli ng detectors cont inuously capture air samp les
and measure the concentrations of specific gases or products
72B I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 25 -10) Air s am pling det ect or.
of combustion. These devices draw in the air samples, which
are then an aly zed by expos ing each samp le to a
high -intensity, broad -spectru m light source such as a laser
beam (Figure 25-10). Air sampling detectors are often
installed in the return air ducts of large structures. They will
sound an alarm and shut do wn the air h andling system.
More complex systems are sometimes installed in special
hazard areas to d raw air samp les fro m roo ms , enclosed
spaces, or equipment cabinets. The samples pass through gas
analyzers that can identify smoke particles, products of com-
bustion, and concentrations of other gases associated with a
dangerous condition such as a release of chlorine in a water
treat ment plant. Air samp ling detectors are most often used
in areas that contain valuab le contents or sensitive equip ment
where it is important to detect p roblems early.
Alarm Initi ation by Fire Suppression Systems
Other fire p rotection systems in a build ing may be used to
activate the fire alarm system. Automatic sprinkler systems
are usually connected to the fire alarm system and will
activate the alarm if there is a water flow ( Figure 25-11 ). This
system not only alerts bu ilding occupants and the fire brigade
to a possible fire, but it also ensures that someone is aware
water is flo wing, in case of an accidental discharge. Any
other fire ext inguish ing systems in a build ing should also be
tied into the build ing's or facility's fire alarm.
False, Unwanted, and Nuisance Alarms
As th e nu mb er o f fire d etect ion and alarm s yst ems
increases, so does the number of false, un wanted, o r nu i-
sance alarms . Kno wing ho w to h andle these alarms is just
as impo rtant as kno wing ho w to deal with an actual fire.
Fire b rigade personnel who are in fo rmed about fire alarm
and detection systems can adv ise management when these
systems experience p rob lems.
P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E
( Figure 25-11) Autom atic sprinkler systems use an electric flow switch to
activate the building's fire alarm system and transmit an alarm to the brigade or
central station.
The term " false alarm" is generally used to describe all
fire alarm act ivations that are not associated with a t rue
emergency. In reality, there are three distinct types of false
alarms : malicious false alarms, unwanted alarms, and nui-
sance alarms. It is important to d istinguish among the three
types in determining the root cause of the fire alarm act iva-
tion. The p roblem must be recogn ized befo re it can be
rectified.
Regardless of the cause, all three types of false alarms
have the same results. They waste fire brigade resources and
may delay legit imate responses. Frequent false alarms at the
same s ite can desensitize bu ild ing occupants to the alarm
system so that they may not respond appropriately to a real
emergency.
Malicious False Alarms
Malici ous false al arms are caused by ind iv iduals who
deliberately activate a fire alarm when there is no fire, caus ing
a d isturbance. Manual fire alarm bo xes are popular targets
for pranksters. A malicious false alarm is an illegal act if the
mun icipal fire depart ment is su mmoned .
Unwanted Al arms
An unwanted al arm occu rs when an alarm system is act i-
vated by a condit ion that is not really an emergency. For
examp le, a s mo ke alarm p laced too close to a steam trap
may be t riggered by no rmal act ivit ies. An un wanted alarm
could also occu r if a person who is s mo king unkno wing ly
stands under a s mo ke d etecto r. Th e s mo ke detecto r d oes
its job —recogn izin g s mo ke and act iv at in g th e alarm
system—but there is no real emergency.
 Fire D ete cti on, Pr otec tion, a nd S uppres sion Sys te ms 727

Nuisance Al arms
Nuisance alarms are caused by improper functioning of an
alarm system or one of its components. Alarm systems must
be properly maintained on a continual basis. A mechanical
failure or a lack o f maintenance that causes an alarm system
to activate when there is no emergency could also fail to acti-
vate the system when there is a real fire.

Preventi ng Unwanted and Nuisance Alarms

Systems that exp erien ce un wanted and nu isance alarms
shou ld be examin ed to d etermin e th e cause and co rrect
the prob lem. M any un wanted alarms cou ld be avo ided by
relo cat ing a d etect or o r us ing a d ifferent type o f detecto r
in a p art icu lar locat ion . Proper des ign, installation , and
system maintenance are essent ial to p rev ent n u isance
alarms.
If an alarm system is activated whenever it rains, water is
probably leaking into the wiring. Detectors can respond to a
buildup of dust, dirt, or other debris by becoming mo re sen -
sitive and needlessly going o ff. That is why s mo ke alarms
and smo ke detectors must be cleaned periodically.
Several d ifferent metho ds can be us ed to redu ce
unwanted and nuisance alarms caused by s mo ke detect ion
systems. In a cross-zoned system, the activation of a single
smo ke d etecto r will not sound the fire alarm, although it
will usually set off a troub le alarm. A second smoke detec tor
must be act iv ated b efo re the actu al fire alarm will sound.
In a veri fi cati on s ys tem, t h ere is a delay o f 30 t o 60
seconds b et ween act iv at ion and no t ificat ion . Du ring this
time, the system may show a troub le o r "p realarm"
condit ion at th e system contro l pan el. A fter the p reset
interval, the system rechecks the detector. If the condit ion
has cleared , the system returns to normal. If the detector is
still sensing s moke, then the fire alarm is act ivated. Both
cross-zoned and verificat ion systems are designed to p re -
vent brief exposures to co mmon occu rrences such as steam
fro m activat ing the alarm system.
Alar m N otific ation Ap plia nce s
Audible and visual alarm notification devices such as bells,
horns, and elect ron ic speakers p roduce an aud ib le signal
when the fire alarm is activated. Some systems also incorpo -
rate visual alerting devices. These audible and visual alarms
alert occupants of a bu ild ing to a fire.
Old er systems used various sounds as not ificat ion
devices. However, th is often caused confusion over whether
the sound was actually an alarm. More recent fire prevention
codes have adopted a standardized audio pattern, called the
temporal -3 pattern, that must be produced by any audio
device used as a fire alarm. Th is enables people to recognize a
fire alarm immediately.
So me sys tems also have th e cap ab ilit y to p lay a
reco rd ed ev acuat ion an noun cement in con ju nct ion with
( Figure 25-12) A combination speak er/strobe dev ice.
the tempo ral-3 pattern . The reco rded message is p layed
through the fire alarm speakers and prov ides safe evacua tion
instructions ( Figure 25-12). In facilities such as airport
termin als, th is announcement is reco rded in mu lt ip le
langu ages . Th is t ype o f s ystem may inclu de a pub lic
address featu re that fire brigade o r s ite secu rity personnel
can use. Th is featu re may be used to p rov ide specific
inst ru ct ions , in fo rmat ion abou t th e s itu at ion , o r not ice
when th e alarm cond it io n is terminat ed .
Many new fire alarm systems incorporate visual notifica-
tion devices such as high-intensity strobe lights or other types
of flashing lights as well as audio devices (►Figure 25-13 ).
Visual devices alert hearing-impaired occupants to a fire alarm
and are very useful in environments where an audib le alarm
might not be heard, particularly in manufacturing areas with
constant background noise.
Other Fire Alar m Fun ctions
In addition to alert ing occupants and summoning the fire
brigade, fire alarm systems may also control other building
functions, such as air handling systems, fire doors, and eleva-
tors. To control smoke movement through the building, the
system may shut down or start up air handling systems. Fire
doors that are normally held open by magnets may be released
to compartmentalize the building and confine the fire to a spe-
cific area. Doors allowing re-entry fro m exit stairways into
occupied areas may be unlocked. Elevators will be summoned
728 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
(Figure 25-13) This alarm notification device has both a loud horn and a
high-intensity strobe light, similar to Figure 25 -12.
to a predetermined floor, usually the main lobby, so they can
be used by fire crews.
Responding fire personnel must understand which build -
ing functions are being controlled by the fire alarm, fo r both
safety and fire suppression reasons. This informat ion should
be gathered during preincident p lann ing surveys and should
also be availab le in p rinted form o r on a g raphic display at
the control panel locat ion.
Fire Alarm Annunciation Systems
So me fire alarm systems give litt le information at the alarm
control panel; others will specify exact ly wh ich in itiation
device act ivated the fire alarm. The systems can be fu rther
subdiv ided b ased on wheth er th ey are zoned o r coded
systems.
In a zoned system, the alarm contro l panel will ind icate
where in the bu ilding the alarm was act ivated. A lmost all
alarm systems are now zoned to so me extent. On ly the most
rudimentary alarm systems give no informat ion at the alarm
contro l p anel about where th e alarm was in it iated . In a
coded system, the zone is ident ified not only at the alarm
control panel but also through the audio notificat ion device.
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
Table 25-1 Categories of Alarm
Annunciation Systems
C ate g o ry D es c ri pt i o n
Non-c oded alarm No inf orm ation is given on what
device was activated or where it is located.
Zoned non-c oded alarm Alarm system c ont rol panel indic ates
the zone in the building that was the source of the alarm. It may also
indicate the specific device that was activated.
Zoned coded alarm The system indicat es ov er the audible
warning device which zone has been activat ed. This type of system is
often us ed in hospitals, w here it is not feasible to ev acuate the entire
facility.
Master-c oded alarm The system is zoned and coded. T he
audible warning devices are also us ed for other em ergency -related
functions.
(Tab le 25-1 ) shows ho w, us ing these t wo variab les,
systems can be b ro ken do wn into fou r catego ries :
non-co d ed alarm, zo n ed non -cod ed alarm, zo n ed co ded
alarm, and master-coded alarm.
No n - Co d ed A lar m Sy s t em
In a non-coded alarm system, the control panel has no infor-
mat ion indicat ing where in the build ing the fire alarm wa
activated. The alarm typically sounds a bell or horn. Fire
brigade personnel must search the ent ire bu ild ing to fine
which in itiation device was activated. This type of system is
generally found only in older facilities.
Zo n ed No n - Co d ed A lar m Sy s t em
This is the most co mmon type of system, part icu larly in
newer build ings. The build ing or plant is div ided into mult iple
zones. The alarm control panel indicates in which zone the
activated device is located. It may also ind icate the type of
device that was activated. Responding personnel can go
direct ly to that part of the building to search for the prob ler
and check the activated device.
Many zoned non-coded alarm systems have an individual,
indicato r light fo r each zone. When a device in that area is
act ivated , the ind icato r light go es on. Co mputerized alarm
systems also may use "add ressable dev ices." In these sys
t erns , eac h ind iv idual in it iat ion d ev ice —whet her it is a
smo ke detecto r, heat detecto r, o r pu ll-stat ion—has its o wn
unique identifier. When the device is activated, the identifier is
ind icated on a d isp lay o r p rint -out at th e cont ro l panel
Responding personnel know exactly which device or devices
have been activated.
 Fire D ete cti on, Pr otec tion, a nd S uppres sion Sys te ms 729

Zoned Coded Alarm

In add ition to having all the featu res of a zoned alarm sys tem,
a zoned coded alarm system will also ind icate wh ich zone
has been activated over the announcement system. Hospitals
often use this type of system, because it is not possible to
evacuate all staff and patients fo r every fire alarm. The
audible notificat ion devices give a nu mbered code that
indicates which zone was activated. A code list tells building
personnel which zone is in an alarm cond ition and wh ich
areas must be evacuated.
More modern systems of th is type use speakers as the
alarm notification dev ices. Th is enables a voice message
ind icat ing the nature and location of the alarm to acco mpany
the audible alarm s ignal.

Master-Coded Alarm
In a master-coded alarm system, the audib le notificat ion
devices for fire alarms are also us ed for other purposes. For
exa mp le, a s cho o l may u s e t he s ame b ell t o an n ou nce a
change in classes, to signal a fire alarm, to su mmon the
janitor, or to make other notifications. Most of these systems
have been replaced by modern speaker systems that use t he
temporal-3 pattern fire alarm signal and have public address
capabilit ies. This type of system is not often installed in new
buildings or facilities.
Fire Brig ade Notific ation
The fire brigad e shou ld always b e n ot ified wh en a fire
alarm system is act iv ated . In so me cases, a person must
make a telephone call to the fire brigade. Or, the fire alarm
system can be connected direct ly to the fire brigade or to a
prop rietary cent ral stat io n where so meone on du ty calls
the fire brigade. As shown in ( ▼ Table 25-2 ), fire alarm sys-
tems can be classified in four categories, based on how the
fire brigade is notified o f an alarm.
( Figure 25-14 ) Buildings with a loc al alarm system should post notic es
requesting occupants to call the plant emergency number and report the alarm
after they exit . Shown here is a sprinkler water motor gong, a flow alarm that
signifies there is water flowing in the system.
Local Alarm System
A l ocal alarm system does not notify the fire brigade. The
alarm sounds only in the bu ild ing to not ify the occupants.
Bu ild ings with th is type of system should have not ices
posted request ing occup ants to call the fire b rigad e and
plant emergency nu mber and report the alarm after they exit
(Figure 25-14).
Remote S tati on S ys tem
A remote stati on system sends a signal directly to the fire
brigade or to another monitoring location via a telephone line

Table 25-2 Fire Brigade Notification Systems

Type of System Description

Local Alarm The fire alarm system sounds an alarm only in the building where it was activated. No signal is sent out of
the building. Som eone must call the fire brigade to respond.
Remote Station The fire alarm system sounds an alarm in the building and transmits a signal to a rem ote location. The
signal may go directly to the fire brigade or to another location where someone is responsible for calling
the fire brigade, such as the security office.
Proprietary System The fire alarm system sounds an alarm someplace in the facility and transmits a signal to a m onit or ing
location owned and operated by the facility's owner. Depending upon the nature of the alarm and
arrangem ents with the local fire brigade, facility personnel may res pond and investigate, or the alarm may
be imm ediately retransmitted to the m unicipal fire departm ent. Thes e facilities are moni tored 24 hours a
day.
Central Station The fire alarm system sounds an alarm in the building and transm its a signal to an off -prem ises alarm
monit oring facility. The off-premis es monitoring facility is then responsible for notifying the fire brigade
and/ or outside fire department to res pond.
730 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 25 -15) In a proprietary system, f ire alarms from several buildings are
connected to a single monitoring site owned and operated by the build ings'
owner.
or a rad io signal. Th is type of d irect notificat ion can be
installed only in facilit ies where the fire brigade is equipped
to handle direct alarms. If the signal goes to a monitoring
locat ion, that site must be continually staffed by so meone
who will notify the fire brigade.
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
( Figure 25-16) A central station monitors alarm systems at many locations.
Proprietary System
In a proprietary system, the build ing's fire alarms with in
the plant are connected direct ly to a mon itoring s ite that is
owned and operated by the building owner. Proprietary sys -
tems are o ften installed at facilit ies with mu ltip le buildings
belonging to the same owner, such as universit ies or indus -
trial co mp lexes. Each bu ild ing is connected to a mon itoring
s it e o n th e p remises , usu ally t he s ecu rity center, wh ich is
staffed at all t imes ( Fig ure 25-15 ). When an alarm sounds,
the staff at the mon ito ring s ite repo rt the alarm to the fire
brigade and may call the mun icipal fire depart ment by
telephone o r a d irect line.
Central Station
A central stati on is a third -party off-site mon itoring facility
that monitors mult ip le alarm systems. Facility owners con -
tract and pay the central stat ion to mon itor their facilit ies (
Figure 25-16 ). An activated alarm t ransmits a signal to the
central station by telephone or rad io. Personnel at the
central stat ion then notify the app ropriate fire b rigade o r
mun icipal fire depart ment of the fire alarm. The central sta-
tion facility may be located in the same city as the facility or in
a different part of the country.
Usually, building alarms are connected to the central sta-
tion through leased or standard telephone lines. However, the
use of either cellular telephone frequencies or radio frequen -
cies is beco ming mo re co mmon. Cellular or rad io connec-
tions may be used to back up regular telephone lines in case
they fail; in remote areas without telephone lines, they may
be the primary t ransmission method.
Brigades need to develop SOPs that identify the proce-
dures for investigating alarms. The response to all alarms—
whether real or false, unwanted, and nuisance—needs to be
consistent. In some cases, facility first responders such as
security guards have been injured or even killed because they
 Fire De tecti on, Pr otecti on, and S uppre ssion Sys te ms 731

investigated activated fire alarms and were not prepared for

Piping
the actual fires that they encountered.
Recurring and nuisance alarms may be system mainte-
nance issues, which must be addressed because they con-
sume b rigade members' t ime and other resources.

Fire Suppression Systems

Fire suppression systems include automatic sprinkler systems,
standpipe systems, and specialized ext inguishing systems
such as dry chemical systems. Construction for most new
industrial facilities incorporates at least one of these systems.
Understanding ho w th ese systems work is impo rtant
because they can affect fire behavior. In addition, brigade
members should know how to interface with the system and
how to shut down a system to prevent unnecessary damage.

Auto matic Sprinkler Syste ms

The most common type of fire suppression system is the
automat ic sprin kler system. Auto mat ic sprin klers are reli-
able and effective, with a h istory of more than 100 years of
successfully controlling fires. When properly installed and
maintained , auto mat ic sprin kler systems can help cont ro l
fires and protect lives and property.
In most automatic sprin kler systems, the sprinkler heads
open one at a time as they are heated to their operat ing
temperature. Usually, only one or t wo sprin kler heads open
before the fire is controlled .
The basic operat ing princip les of an auto mat ic sprinkler
system are simple. A system of water p ipes is installed
throughout a bu ild ing to deliver water to every area where a
fire might occu r. Depending on the design and occupancy o f
th e b u ild ing , t he p ipes may be abov e o r belo w the ceiling.
Automat ic sprin kler heads are located along the system
of p ipes. Each sprinkler head covers a part icu lar floor area. A
fire in that area will act ivate the sprinkler head, which dis -
charges water on the fire. It is like having a brigade member in
every roo m with a charged hose line, just waiting fo r a fire.
One of the major advantages of a sprinkler system is that it
can function as both a fire detection system and a fire sup-
pression system. An activated sprinkler head not only dis -
charges water on the fire, but it also triggers a water-motor
gong, a flow alarm that signifies there is water flowing in the
system. In addition, the system prompts electric flow switches
to activate the building's fire alarm system, notifying the fire
brigade and the occupants. The system is so effective that by
the time brigade members arrive, the sprinklers have often
already extinguished the fire, or at least controlled it.
Automatic Sprinkler System Components
The overall des ign o f auto mat ic sprin kler systems can be
co mplex, especially in large industrial facilit ies. However,
( Figure 25 -17) T he basic components of an autom atic sprinkler system
include sprinkler heads, piping, control valves, and a water supply.
even the largest systems have just four majo r co mponents:
the automat ic sprinkler heads, pip ing, cont rol valves, and a
water supply, which may o r may not include a fire pu mp
(Figure 25-17).
Auto mati c S pri nk ler Heads
Automati c s pri nkler heads , co mmon ly referred t o as
sprin kler heads or just heads, are the working ends of a
sprin kler system. In most systems, the heads serve two
functions: they activate the sprinkler system and they apply
water to the fire. Sprinkler heads are co mposed of a body,
which includes the orifice (opening); a release mechan ism
that holds a cap in place over the orifice; and a deflector that
directs the water in a sp ray p attern (Fig ure 25 -18 ).
Stand ard sp rin kler h eads h ave a 1/ 2" o rifice, but several
other sizes are availab le fo r special app licat ions.
Although sprinkler heads come in several styles, they are
all categorized according to the type of release mechanism and
the intended mounting position—upright, pendant, or hori-
zontal. They are also rated according to their release tempera-
ture. The release mechanisms hold the cap in place until the
release temperature is reached. At that point, the mechanis m
is released, and the water pushes the cap out of the way as it
discharges onto the fire.
Fusible link spri nkler heads use a metal alloy, such as
solder, that melts at a specific temperature ( Figure 25-19 ).
 73 2 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I GA D E : P R I N C I PL E S AND P R A C T I C E

( Figure 25-18) Aut omatic sprink ler heads have a body with an opening, a ( Figure 25-20) Frangible bulb sprinkler heads activate when the liquid
release mechanism, and a water deflector. the bulb expands and breaks the glass.

( Figure 25-19) F usible link sprinkler heads use tw o pieces of met al

linked together by an alloy such as solder.

The alloy lin ks two p ieces o f metal that keep the cap in
p lace. When t he des ignated op erat ing t emperatu re is
reached, the solder melts and the lin k breaks, releasing the
cap. Fusib le lin k sprin kler heads co me in a wide range of
styles and temperature rat ings.
Frang ib le bu lb sp rin kler heads use a g lass bu lb filled
w it h g ly ce r in o r a l co h o l t o h o ld t h e cap i n p l ace (
► Figure 25-20 ). The bulb also contains a small air bubble. As
the bulb is heated, the liquid absorbs the air bubble and
expands unt il it b reaks the g lass, releas ing the cap. The
volume and co mposition of the liqu id and the size of the air
bubble determine the temperature at wh ich the head act i - ( Figure 25-21) F rangible -pellet sprinkler head.
vates, as well as how quickly it responds.
A frangib le-pellet sp rinkler h ead has a rod bet ween the
orifice cap and the sprinkler frame ( ► Figure 25-21 ). The Special Sp rin kler Heads
rod is held in p lace by a pellet o f so lder und er co mp res sion. Sprin kler heads can also be designed for special applicat ion;
When the solder melts, the rod moves out o f the way of the such as covering large areas or d ischarging the water in
orifice cap , which is then pushed off by the water pressure. extra-large droplets or as a fine mist. So me sprinkler heads
have protective coatings to help prevent corrosion. Builders
 Fire D ete cti on, Pr otec tion, a nd S uppres sion Sys te ms 733

( Figure 25 -23 ) A deluge sprinkler head has no release m echanism.

rating should be stamped on the body of the sprinkler head.

Frangible bulb sprinkler heads use a color-coding system to
( Figure 25-22 ) An early suppression fast response (ESFR) sprinkler head. identify the temperature rating (T Table 25-3 ). So me fusible
lin k and chemical-pellet sprin klers also use this system.
The temperatu re rat ing on a sprin kler h ead must match
the anticipated amb ient air temperatures. If the rating is too
and installers should consider these characterist ics when
designing the system and select ing approp riate heads. It is
impo rtant to ensure that the p roper heads are installed and
Table 25-3 Temperatu ng
any replacement heads are of the same type.
Determined by Color of SpririkleKHead *
Earl y suppression fast res ponse (ES FR) s pri nkler Maxi mu m Ce ili n g T e mp er at ure C ol or
heads have improved heat collectors to speed up the response Gla ss B u l b Te mp e rat u re (° F) R ati n g ( ° F) C o de
and ensure rapid release ( A Figure 25-22 ). They are used in C ol o rs
large warehouses and distribution facilities where early fire
suppression is impo rtant . These h eads o ften have large 100 135 t o 170 unc olored
orange or or blac k red
orifices to discharge water onto a fire and often times require a
min imu m o f 2" p iping. 150 175 t o 225 w hit e
y ellow or green
Deluge Heads 225 250 t o 300 blue
Deluge heads are easily identifiab le, because they have no blue
300 325 t o 375 red
cap o r releas e mech an is m. Th e o rif ice is alway s o p en ( purple
375 400 t o 475 green
► Figure 25-23 ). Deluge heads are used only in deluge blac k
sprin kler systems, wh ich are covered later in th is chapter. 475 500 t o 575 orange
blac
625 k 650 orange
Temperature Ratings blac k
Sprin kler heads are rated according to their release tempera -
Reprinted wit h permiss ion from NF PA13-1996, Inst allation of Sprinkler
ture. A typical rating for sprinkler heads in a light hazard
Systems, C opy right © 1996, National Fire Protection Ass ociation, Quincy,
occupancy , such as an o ffice bu ild ing, wou ld be 165°F MA 02269. This reprinted material is not the complete and official position of
(74°C). Sprinkler heads that are used in areas with warmer the National Fire Prot ection Association on the referenced s ubject, which is
amb ient air temperatu res wou ld hav e h igher rat ings . The represented only by the standard in its entirety.
734 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 25-24) Spare sprinkler heads should be kept in a special box near
the main sprinkler system valv e wit h a sprinkler head wrench.
low fo r the ambient air temperature, accidental alarms may
occur. Conversely, if the rating is too high, the system will be
slow to react to a fire, and the fire will be able to establish
itself and g row before the system act ivates.
Spare heads that match those used in the system should
always be available on site. Usually the spare heads are kept
in a c lear ly mar ked b o x n ear t h e main co n t ro l v a lv e C
A Figure 25-24 ). Having spare heads handy enables sprinkler
systems to be returned to fu ll service quickly, whether they
were set off by a fire or by accident.
Mounti ng Position
Sprinkler heads with different mounting positions are not
interchangeable. Each mounting position has deflectors
(Figure 25-25) Sprinkler head m ounting pos itions. A. Upright B. Pendant C. Sidewall.
P R I N C I P L E S AN D P R A C T I C E
specifically designed to produce an effective water stream
down or out toward the fire. Each automatic sprinkler
head is designed to be mounted in one of three positions (
Figure 25-25)
• Pendant sprinkler heads are designed to be mounted
on the underside of the sprin kler p iping, hanging
down toward the room. Pendant heads are common ly
marked SSP, which stands for Standard Spray Pendant.
• Upright s prinkler heads are designed to be mounted
on top of the supply p ip ing as the name suggests.
Upright heads are usually marked SSU, fo r Standard
Spray Upright.
• Sidewall sprin kler heads are designed for horizontal
mount ing, p roject ing out fro m a wall and are usually
marked "Sidewall."
Ol d Sty le Versus New Sty le Sp rin kler Heads
Up until the early 1950s, deflectors in both pendant and
upright sprinkler heads directed part of the water stream up
toward the ceiling. It was believed that this helped cool the area
up and around the ceiling as well as extinguish or control the
fire. Sprinkler heads with this design are called old style sprin-
klers. There are still many old style heads in service today.
Automatic sprinklers manufactured after the mid-1950s
deflect the entire water stream down to the fire. These types
of heads are referred to as new style heads or standard spray
heads. New style heads can replace old style heads but the
reverse is not true. Due to d ifferent coverage patterns, o ld
style heads should not be used to replace any new style heads .
Sprinkler Piping
Sprinkler piping, the network of pipes that delivers water to
the sprinkler heads, includes the main water supply lines, risers,
feeder lines, and branch lines. Sprinkler pipes are usually
 Fire Detecti on, Pr otec ti on, a nd S uppressi on Sys te ms 735

other, smaller valves used for testing and service. Many large
systems have zone valves so the water supply to d ifferent
areas can be shut down without turn ing off the entire
sys-tem. All of the valves play a critical role in the design and
function of the system,

Water Suppl y Control Val ves

Every sprin kler system must have at least one main control
valve that allows water to enter the system. This water sup
ply control valve must be of the " indicating" type, mean ing
that the posit ion of the valve itself indicates whether it is
open or closed. Four primary types of contro l valve; are
available:
• The outsi de stem and yoke val ve (OS&Y) has a
( Figure 25-26 ) Steel pipe is com monly used in industrial sprinkler stem that moves in and out as the valve is opened or
systems. closed ( < Figure 25-27 ). If the stem is out, the val ve is
open. OS&Y valves are often found in a mechan ical
roo m in the bu ild ing, where wat er to supp ly the
made of steel, but other metals can be used ( A Figure 25-26 ). sprin kler system enters the build ing. In warmer cli
Plastic pipe is sometimes used in residential sprinkler systems. mates, OS&Y valves may be found outside.
Sp rin kler system design ers use p ip ing schedu les o r • The post-indicator val ve (PIV) has an indicator that
hydraulic calculat ions to determine the size o f pipe and the reads either open o r shut depending on its position
layout of the "grid." Most new systems are designed using ( Figure 25-28 ). A PIV is usually located in an open area
computer software. Near the main contro l valve, p ipes have a outside the build ing and contro ls an underground
large d iameter; as the pipes approach the sprinkler heads, the
diameter generally decreases.

Valves
A sprinkler system includes several different valves such as
the main water supply cont ro l valve, the alarm valv e, and

( Figure 25 -27) An outside stem and yoke (OS&Y) valve is often used to ( Figure 25 -28 ) A post indicator valv e (PIV) is used to open or closed
control the flow of water into a sprinkler system. and underground valve.
73B I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 25-29) A wall post-indicator valv e controls the flow of water from an
underground pipe into a sprinkler system.
valve. Opening or closing a PIV requires a wrench,
which is usually attached to the side of the valve and
locked in the open position .
• The wall post-indicator val ve (WPIV) is similar to a
PIV but is d esigned to be mounted on the outside
wall of a building ( Figure 25-29 ).
• The indicating butterfl y val ve (IBV) is equipped with
a directional arrow to indicate the position of the valve.
A gear operator prevents the valve from being closed in
less than 5 seconds, preventing a water hammer.
The main contro l valve must be supervised in the open
position. Th is procedure ensures that the water supply to the
sprinkler system is never shut off unless the proper notifica-
tion is made that the system is out of service. It is crit ically
impo rtant that the sprin kler system is always charged with
water and ready to operate if needed .
Methods co mmon ly used to secu re the contro l valve
include the use of a lock, a lock and chain, or tamper seals.
When tamper seals are used, the system must be inspected
and documented weekly.
An alternative to locking the valves open is equipping
them with tamper switches ( Figure 25-30 ). These devices
mon ito r the posit ion o f the valves. If so meone closes the
v alv e, the t amper s witch sen ds a s ignal to th e fire alarm
P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E
( Figure 25-30 ) A tamper switch activ ates an alarm if someone attem;: close a
valve that should remain open.
contro l panel ind icat ing a change in v alve posit ion . If th is
change has not been authorized, the cause of the signal can
be investigat ed and the prob lem co rrected.
Mai n S prinkler System Val ves
The type of main sprinkler system valve used depends on the
type of sprinkler system installed. Options include an alarm
val ve, a dry -pipe val ve, or a deluge val ve. These valves are
usually installed on the main riser, above the water supply
control valve.
The primary functions of an alarm valve are to signal an
alarm when a sprin kler head is act ivated and to prevent nu i
sance alarms caused by pressure variations and surges in the
wat er supp ly to th e system. The alarm v alve has a clapper
mechan ism that remains in the closed position until a
sprin-kler head opens. The clos ed clapper p rev ents wat er
fro m flo wing ou t of t he system and back into th e pub lic
water mains when water pressure d rops.
When a sprin kler head is act ivated , the clapper opens
fully and allo ws water to flow freely through the system. The
open clapp er also allo ws water to flo w to the water- motor
g on g , s ou nd ing an alarm. Elect rical flo w o r
p ress u re switches activate connections to external alarm
systems.
Without a p roperly funct ioning alarm valve, s pri nkler
system flo w alarms wou ld o ccu r frequ ent ly . The no rmal
pressure chang es and surges in a pub lic wat er system wil
n ot op en t he clapper. Th is p reven ts wat er fro m fl owi ng
to t he wat er-mo to r go ng o r t ripp ing t he elect rical water
flo w s witches.
In dry-pipe and deluge systems, the main valve functions
both as an alarm valve and as a dam, holding back the water
until the sprinkler system is activated. When the system is
activated, the valve opens fully so water can enter the
sprin-kler pip ing. Both dry-pipe and deluge systems are
described later in th is chapter.
 Fire D ete cti on, Pr otec tion, a nd S uppres sion Sys te ms 737

Addi tional Val ves

Sprinkler systems are equipped with various other contro l
valves. Several s maller valves are usually located near the
main control valve, with others located elsewhere in the
building . These s maller valves include drain valves, test
valves, and connections to alarm devices. All of these valves
should be properly labeled .
In larger facilit ies, the sprin kler system may be d ivided
into zones. Each zone has a valve that controls the flo w o f
water to that particular zone. This design makes maintenance
easy and also is valuable when a fire occurs. After the fire is
extinguished, water flow to the affected area can be shut off so
that the activated heads can be replaced. Fire protection in the
rest of the build ing is unaffected by the shutdown.

Water Supplies
The water used in an auto matic sprinkler system may co me ( Figure 25-31) In large industrial sit es, a fire pum p may be needed t o
fro m a municipal water system, fro m on-site storage tanks, or maintain appropriate pressure in the sprinkler system.
fro m static water sources such as storage ponds or rivers.
Whatever the source, the water supply must be able to handle
the demand of the sprin kler system, as well as the needs of the
fire brigade in the event of a fire.
The preferred water source for a sprin kler system is a
mun icipal water supply, if one is availab le. If the municipal
supply can not meet the wat er p ressure an d vo lu me
requirements of the sprin kler system, alternative supplies
must be p rov ided .
Fire pu mps are often used on large facilit ies when the
water co mes fro m a static source. They may also be used to
boost the pressure in so me sprin kler systems, particu larly
for tall build ings (Figure 25-31 ). Fire pumps will usually turn
on auto mat ically when the sprin kler system act ivates or
when the p ressure drops to a p re -set level.
A large industrial co mp lex cou ld have more than one
water source, such as a mun icipal system and a back -up
storage tank (Figure 25-32 ). Multiple fire pumps can provide
water to the sprin kler and standpipe systems in d iffer ent
areas through underground p ipes. Private hydrants may also
be connected to the same underground system.
Each sprin kler system should also have a fire depart-
ment connecti on (FDC). Th is co nnect ion allo ws the
brig ade's eng ine to pu mp wat er into t he sp rin kler system
(Figure 25-33 ). The FDC is used as either a supplement or the
main source of water to the sprinkler system if the regu lar
supply is interrupted o r a fire pu mp fails.
The FDC usually has two or more 2 1/2" female couplings or
one large-diameter hose coupling mounted on an outside wall
( Figure 25-32 ) An elevated storage tank ensures that there will be sufficient
or placed near the building. It ties directly into the sprinkler
water and adequate pressure to fight a fire.
system after the main control valve or alarm valve. Each fire
brigade should have a standard procedure for first-arriving
companies. The procedure should specify how to connect to wat er fro m the FDC flo ws into the p rivate underg round
the FDC and when to charge the system. water mams instead of into each system. Water pumped into
In large facilities, a single FDC may be used to deliver this type of FDC should come fro m a source that does not
water t o all fire p rot ect ion systems in t he co mp lex. Th e service the co mp lex, such as a public hydrant on a different
738 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E

( Figure 25-34) A water-m otor gong sounds when water is flowing in a

sprinkler system.

in cases of accidental activation. Without these alarms, the

( Figure 25-33) A fire department connection delivers additional water and
boosts the pressure in a sprinkler system.
grid. Consider pu mping "fin ished foam" into your FDCs to
feed sprinkler and standby systems.
Water Flow Alarms
All sprinkler systems should be equipped with a method for
sounding an alarm whenever there is water flowing in the
pipes. This is impo rtant both in cases of an actual fire, and
occupants or the fire b rigade might not be aware of the
sprinkler activat ion. If a bu ilding is unoccupied, the sprin -
kler system cou ld cont inue to d ischarge water long after a
fire is ext ingu ished , resu lt ing in excessive wat er damag e.
Most systems incorporate a mechanical flow alarm called a
water-motor gong ( A Figure 25-34 ). When the sprinkler
system is activated and the main alarm valve opens, some
water is fed through a pipe to a water-powered gong located
on the outside of the building. Th is alerts people outside the
build ing that there is water flowing. This type of alarm will
function even if there is no elect ricity.
Accidental soundings of water-motor gongs are rare. If a
water-motor gong is sounding, water is p robably flo wing
fro m the sprinkler system so mewhere in the bu ilding. Fire
compan ies who arrive and hear the d istinctive sound of a
water-motor gong know that there is a fire o r that so mething
else is causing the sprin kler system to flow water.
Most modern sprinkler systems also are connected to the
building's fire alarm system by either an electric fl ow s witch
or a pressure switch. Th is connection will trigger the alarm to
alert the build ing's occupants. A mon itored system also will
notify the fire brigade. Unlike water-motor gongs, flo w and
pressure switches can be accidentally triggered by water
pressure surges in the system. To reduce the risk of acciden tal
activat ions, a retard chamber may be installed. The retard
chamber is a valve accessory that collects excess water
associated by pressure surges. In systems subject to pressure
surges, the retarding chamber collects excess water fro m the
alarm valve and feeds the water back into the main d rain
before activat ing the alarm.
Types of Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Automatic sprinkler systems are d ivided into four categories,
depending on what type of sprinkler head is used, and how
 Fi r e Detecti on, Pr otec tion, a nd S uppressi on Sys te ms 739

the system is designed to activate. The four categories of

sprinkler systems are:
• Wet sprinkler systems
• Dry sprinkler systems
• Preact ion sprinkler systems
• Deluge sprinkler systems
Many buildings may use the same type of system to protect
the entire facility; it is not uncommon, however, to see two or
three systems combined in one building. So me facilities use a
wet sprinkler system to protect most of the structure, but will
have a dry sprin kler or p reaction system in a specific area. In
many cases, a dry sprinkler or preaction system will branch
off fro m the wet sprin kler system.

Wet S prinkler Systems

A wet spri nkler system is the most co mmon and the least
expensive type of automat ic sprin kler system. As the name
imp lies, the pip ing in a wet system is always filled with
water. As a sprin kler head activates, water is immediately
discharged onto the fire. The major drawback to a wet sprin -
kler system is that it cannot be used in areas where temper-
atures drop below freezing. They will also flow water if a
sprin kler head is accid entally op ened o r a leak occu rs in
the piping .
If only a small, unheated area needs to be protected, two
options are available. A dry-pendant sprinkler head can be
u s ed in v ery s ma l l are as , s u ch as wa l k - in f ree zers
(Figure 25-35 ). The bottom part of a dry-pendant head, which
resembles a standard sprinkler head, is mounted inside the
freezer. The head has an elongated neck, usually 6" to 18" long,
that extends up and connects to the wet sprinkler piping in the
heated area above the freezer. The vertical neck section is filled
with air and capped at each end. The top cap prevents water
fro m entering the lower section where it would freeze. The
bottom cap acts just like the cap on a standard sprinkler head.
When the head is activated and the lower cap dro ps out, a
device inside the neck releases the upper cap, so water can flow
down. The entire dry-pendant head assembly must be replaced
after it has been activated.
Larger unheated areas, such as a load ing dock, can be
protected with an ant ifreeze loop. An ant ifreeze loop is a
small section of the wet sprinkler system that is filled with
glycol or g lycerin instead of water. A check valve separates
the antifreeze loop fro m the rest o f the sprin kler system.
When a sprinkler head in the unheated area is activated, the
antifreeze sprays out first, fo llowed by water.
Dry S pri nkler Systems
A dry s prinkler system operates much like a wet sprinkler
system, except that the p ipes are filled with pressurized air
instead of water. A dry-pipe valve keeps water from entering
the pipes until the air pressure is released. Dry systems are
used in large facilit ies that may experience below -freezing
temperatu res, such as unheated warehouses or garages.
( Figure 25-35 ) A dry-pendant sprinkler head can be used to protect a freezer
box.
The air pressure is set high enough to hold a clapper inside
the dry-pipe valve in the closed position (Figure 25-36 ). When
a sprinkler head opens, the air escapes. As the air pressure
drops, the water pressure on the other side of the clapper forces
it open and water flows into the pipes. When the water reaches
the open sprinkler head, it is discharged onto the fire.
Dry sprinkler systems do not eliminate the risk of water
damage from accidental activation. If a sprinkler head breaks,
the air pressure will drop and water will flow, just as in a wet
sprinkler system.
The clapper assembly inside most dry-pipe valves works
on a pressure differential. The system or air side of the clapper
has a larger surface area than the supply or wet side. In this
way, a lower air pressure can hold back a higher water pres -
sure. A small co mpressor is used to maintain the air pressure
in the system.
Dry sprinkler systems should have an air p ressure alarm
to alert build ing personnel if the air pressure drops. This
could mean that the air source is not wo rking , or that there is
an air leak in the system. If the air pressure in the system is
too low, the clapper will open, and the system will fill with
water. At that point, the system would essentially be a wet
sprinkler system, which cou ld freeze in low temperatures.
The system wou ld have to be d rained and reset to p revent
the pipes fro m freezing.
740 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 2 5-36 ~) Water pressure on one side of the dry-pipe valve is balanced by air pressure on the other side.
Dry sprinkler systems must be drained after every activa-
tion so the dry-pipe valve can be reset. The clapper also must
be reset, and the air p ressure must be restored befo re the
water is turned back on.
Accelerators and Exhausters
One prob lem encountered in dry sprinkler systems is the
delay bet ween the act ivat ion o f a sprin kler h ead and the
actual flow of water out of the head. The pressurized air that
fills the system must escape through the open head before the
water can flo w. For personal safety and property p rotection
reasons, any delay longer than 90 seconds is unacceptable.
Large systems, however, can take several minutes to empty of
air and refill with water. To co mpensate for this problem, two
additional devices are used: accelerators and exhausters.
An accel erator is installed at the d ry-p ipe valve. The
rapid d rop in air pressure caused by an open sprinkler head
triggers the accelerator, which allo ws air pressure to flow to
the supply side of the clapper valve. This quickly eliminates
the pressure different ial, open ing the dry -pipe valve and
allo wing the water pressure to force the remaining air out of
the piping .
An exhauster is installed on the system side o f the
dry-pipe valve, often at a remote location in the building. Like
an accelerator, the exh auster mon ito rs th e air p ressure in
the
P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E
piping. If it detects a drop in pressure, it opens a
large-diam-eter po rtal, so the air in the p ipes can escape. The
exhauster closes when it detects water, d ivert ing the flo w to
the open sprinkler heads. Large systems may have multip le
exhausters located in different sections of the piping.
Preaction S prinkler Systems
A preaction sprinkler system is similar to a dry sprinkler
sys-tem with one key difference. In a preaction sprinkler
system, a secondary device, such as a smoke detector or a
manual-pull alarm, must be activated before water is released
into the sprinkler p iping. When the system is filled with water,
it funcions as a wet sprinkler system.
A preaction system uses a deluge valve instead of a
dry-pipe valve. The deluge valve will not open until it
receives a
Brigade Member Tips
Some dry-pipe valves will not open if there is water above the clapper
valve, a mec hanical device that allows the water to flow in only one
direction. Unless the main valve is designed to operate as either a wet - or
dry-pipe valve, a dry system that has been filled with water should be
immediately drained and reset for dry-pipe operation.
 Fi r e Detecti on, Protecti on, and S uppressi on Syste ms 741

signal that the secondary device has been act ivated. Because
a detection system usually will act ivate more quickly than a
sprinkler system, water in a preact ion system will generally
reach the sprinklers before a head is act ivated.
The primary advantage of a preact ion sprin kler system is
in preventing accidental water discharges. If a sprinkler head
is accidentally bro ken or the p ipe is damaged, the deluge
valve will p revent water fro m entering the system. Th is
makes preaction sprinkler systems well-suited for locat ions
where water damage is a major concern , such as co mputer
roo ms, libraries, and museu ms.

Deluge S prinkler Systems

A deluge s prinkler system is a type of dry sprinkler system
in which water flows fro m all o f the sprinkler heads as soon as
the system is activated ( ► Figure 25-37 ). A deluge system
does not have closed heads that open individually at the acti-
vation temperature; all of the heads in a deluge system are
always open.
Deluge systems can be activated in three ways. A detec-
tion system can release the deluge valve when a detector is
activated. The deluge system can also be connected to a sep -
arate p ilot system of air-filled p ipes with closed sprin kler
heads. When a head on the p ilot line is act ivated, the air
pressure d rops, o pen ing t he deluge v alve. Most d eluge
valves can be released manually as well.
Deluge systems are found in industry in areas such as air-
craft hangars or industrial processes, where rap id fire sup -
pression is critical. In some cases, foam concentrate added to ( Figure 25-37 ) Water flows from all of the heads in a deluge system as soon
the water will d ischarge a foam blanket over the hazard . as the system is activ ated.
Deluge systems are also used for special hazard applications,
such as liqu id p ropane gas loading stations. In these situa- down the sprin kler system cou ld make mo re water available
tions, a heavy deluge of water is needed to protect exposures to fight the fire manually.
fro m a large fire that occurs very rapid ly. When the system is shut down, a brigade member with a
portable rad io should stand by at the control valve, in case it
Shutting Down Sprinkler Systems has to be reopened quickly.
Responding fire brigades should know where and how to s hut In most cases, the ent ire sprin kler system can be shut
down any automatic sprinkler system if needed. If the system down by closing the main control valve. In a zoned syst em,
is accidentally activated, it should be shut down as soon as the affected zone can be shut down by closing the appropriate
possible to avoid excessive water damage. valve. The rest of the system can then remain operational wh ile
In an actual fire, the o rder to shut down the sprinkler the activated heads are being replaced .
system should co me on ly fro m the Incident Co mmander. Placing a wooden wedge or a co mmercial sprinkler stopper
Generally , the sp rinkler system should not be shut down into the sprinkler head can quickly stop the flow of water (V
until the fire is completely ext inguished. However, if the sys - Figure 25-38 ), although this will not work with all types of
tem is damaged and is wastefully discharging water, shutting heads. This shuts off the flo w of water until the control valve
can be located and shut down. After the main valve is closed,
opening the drain valve allows the system to drain so that the
Brigade Member Safety Tips activated head can be rep laced.
Do not shut dow n the w ater to a sprinkler system without orders from Standpipe Systems
the Incident Commander. The fire must be com pletely out and hos e
lines m ust be available should the fire re-ignite. A brigade mem ber A standpi pe s ystem is a net work of p ipes and out lets for
should be stationed at the v alve wit h a portable radio, ready to reopen fire hoses built into a structure to provide water for
the valve if necessary. fire-fighting purposes. Standpipe systems are usually used in
high-rise bu ildings, although they are found in many large
industrial facilit ies as well. At set intervals th roughout the
 742 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
Figure 25-38 ) A sprinkler stopper can be used to stop the flow of water from
a sprinkler head that has been activ ated.
build ing, there will be a valve where brigade members can
connect a hose to the standpipe (Figure 25-39 ).
Standpipes are found in buildings with and without sprin -
kler systems. In many newer build ings, sprinklers and
stand-pipes are co mb ined in one system. Older bu ild ings
mo re co mmon ly have separate sprin kler and standpipe
systems.
The three categories of standpipes —Class I, Class II, and
ClassIII—are defined by their intended use.
Class I Standpipe
A Class I standpi pe is designed for use by fire brigade per-
sonnel only. Each outlet has a 2 1/2" male coupling and a valve
t o op en t h e water su p p ly after t h e h os e is con n ect ed
(Figure 25-40 ). Often, the connection is located inside a
cabinet, wh ich may or may not be locked. Responding fire
personnel carry the hose into the building with them, usually
in so me sort of ro ll, bag, or backpack. A Class I standpipe
system must be able to supply an adequate volume o f water
with sufficient pressure to operate fire b rigade attack lines.
Class II Standpipes
A Class II standpi pe is designed for use by incipient brigades
or occupants. The outlets are generally equipped with a length
o f l 1/ 2" s in g le -jacket hos e p reco nn ect ed t o th e s yst em
(Figure 25-41). These systems are intended to enable occupants
to attack a fire before the municipal fire brigade arrives. Class II
standpipe outlets are frequently connected to the domestic
water pip ing system in the bu ild ing rather than an outside
main or a separate system. Instead of using equipment that may
not be reliable or adequate, municipal brigade mem bers
usually use their own issued equipment.
Class III Standpipes
A Cl ass III standpi pe has the features of both Class I and
Class II standpipes in a single system. They have 2 1/2" outlets
fo r t rain ed person nel us e as well as s maller out lets with
(Figure 25-39 ) Standpipe outlets allow fire hoses to be connected inside a
building.
attach ed hoses for occu pant use. The o ccupant hoses have
been removed, either intentionally or by vandalis m, in many
facilities, so the system basically beco mes a Class I system
Water Flow in Standpipe Systems
Standp ipes are des igned to deliv er a min imu m amoun o f
wat er at a part icu lar p ressu re t o each floo r. Th e d es in g
requ iremen ts d ep en d o n t he co de requ irements in effect
wh en th e b u ild ing was co nstruct ed . Th e actual flo w also
depends on the water supply, as well as on the condit ion o f
the pip ing system and fire pu mps.
Flo w-restriction devices (Figure 25-42 ) or
pressure-reducing valves (Figure 25-43) are often installed at the
outlets to limit the pressure and flow. A vertical column of
water such as the water in a standpipe riser, exerts a
backpressure (also called head pressure). In a tall building, this
backpressure can be hundreds of pounds per square inch (psi) at
lower floor levels. If a hose line is connected to an outlet
without a flow restricto r or a pressure -reducing valv e, the
water pressure co u ld rup tu re the hose and excessiv e no zzle
pressure cou ld make the line difficu lt or dangerous to
handle. Build ing and fire codes limit the height of a single riser
and may also require the installat ion o f p ressure-reducing
valves on lo wer floors
If th ey are not p roperly installed and maintained, these
d ev ices can cause p ro b lems fo r b rig ad e memb ers . An
 Fi r e Detec tion, Pr otecti on, and S uppres sion S yste ms
( Figure 25-40) A Class I standpipe provides water for structural fire brigade
hose lines.
( Figure 25-41 ) A Class II standpipe is intended to be used by building
occupants to attack incipient-stage fires.
improperly adjusted pressure-reducing valve could severely
restrict the flo w to a hose line. A flo w restrict ion dev ice
could also limit the flo w o f water to fight a fire.
The flo w and p ressure capabilit ies of a standpipe system
should b e det ermin ed du ring pre-incident p lann ing . Many
743
( Figure 25-42 ) A flow-restriction device on a standpipe outlet can cause
problems for brigade members if not properly installed.
( Figure 25-43 ) A pressure -reducing valve on a standpipe outlet may be
necessary on lower floors to avoid problems caused by backpressure.
standpipe systems deliver water at a p ressure of only 65 psi
at the top of the building. The co mbination
fog-and-straight-stream no zzles used by many fire brigades
are designed to operate at 100 psi. As a result, many fire
brigades use low-pressure combination nozzles for fighting
fires in mu lti-story buildings or requ ire the use of on ly
smooth-bo re no zzles when operat ing fro m a standpipe
system. Current standards requ ire 100 psi at the top outlets.
Pre-incident plans should include an evaluation of the
buildings standpipe system and a determination of the antici-
pated flows and pressures. This information should be used to
make decisions about the appropriate nozzles and tactics for
those buildings.
Fire b rigades that respond to buildings equipped with
standpipes should carry a kit that includes the appropriate
h os e an d no zzle, a s p ann er wren ch , and any req u ired
 VOICES OF EXPERIENCE
"Every one of those tough meetings with
management about installing these fixed sys-
tems was suddenly well worth the time and
effort of doing the research and sitting around
the table using every negotiation skill I had
ever lear ned."

O
n an ice cold day last December about midday, an alarm was received at our proprietary central
station from one of our large process buildings on the plant. This building houses large scale-up
labs that use large amounts of flammable liquids (H2 occupancy). The labs have sprinklers, and
the walk-in fume hoods have high-pressure water mist sprinkler heads and automatic total flooding dry
chemical systems. The page went out, "Attention all fire brigade members and plant EMS. We are
receiving an evacuation pull station from building 500, first floor, east wing." This building is an 80 X
740, four-story, fireproof building. As we pulled out of the firehouse, plant dispatch notified us that in
addition to the evacuation alarm, they just received an alarm for a "dry chemical system discharge." No
doubt in our minds we "had a job." As the responding incident commander, I told dispatch to notify the
municipal fire department.
Upon arrival, we found the building being evacuated. The first due engine ran a 5" foam line to the fire
department connection, our SOP for any large process building on site with large amounts of
flammable liquids. Command was established and we met with the building emergency coordinator, an
employee who volunteered to help with the evacuation and accountability in this building. He
confirmed a working fire in the lab and that all employees were accounted for and that there were no
injuries. The first interior crew started to stretch a line off of the standpipe (which now had foam in it)
from the safe side of a set of fire doors. The brigade leader made his way to the door of the lab and
reported that the fire was knocked down and appeared to be out. They donned their SCBA and made
entry with a charged hose line m order to protect themselves and mop up. The fire was in fact out,
extinguished by the dry chemical system. The hood sprinklers never discharged because the actuation
temperature was set lower for the dry chemical system than for the sprinkler heads.
As 1 reported to upper management at the scene that the fire was out, I also told them that the dry
chemical system had discharged and worked as designed, and that the cost of initial installation had just
paid for itself as well as the inconvenience they experienced semi-annually for maintenance of said
systems. They were ecstatic that there were no injuries, that the fire was contained, and that a one-day
clean-up would have the lab back in service.
Every one of those tough meetings with management about installing these fixed systems was suddenly
well worth the time and effort of doing the research and sitting around the table using every negotiation
skill I had ever learned. My 18 years in industrial fire protection and 13 years as chief of emergency
services had paid off again, as it had in the past at similar incidents.

Ronald E. Kanterman
Merck <5r Co., Inc.
Rahway, NJ
 Fire Detecti on, Pr otec ti on, a nd S uppressi on Sys te ms 745

adapters. This kit should also include tools to adjust the set -
tings o f pressure -reducing v alves o r to remove rest rictors
that are obstructing flows.

Water Supplies
Both standpipe systems and sprin kler systems are supplied
with water in essentially the same way. Many wet standpipe
systems in facilities are connected to the plant water supply
with an electric or d iesel fire pu mp to provide additional
pressure. Many of these systems also have water storage
tanks. In these systems the FDC on the outside of a bu ild ing
or process area can be used to increase the flow, boost the
pressure, or obtain water fro m an alternat ive source.
Dry standpipe systems are found in many older buildings.
If freezing weather is a problem, such as in open parking
structures, bridges, and tunnels, dry standpipe systems are
still acceptable. Most, dry standpipe systems do not have a
permanent connection to a water supply, so the FDC must be
used to pump water into the system. If there is a fire in a
building with dry standpipes, connecting the hose lines to the
FDC and charg ing the system with water is a h igh p riority.
So me dry standpipe systems are connected to a water
supply through a dry-pipe or deluge valve, similar to a sprin-
kler system. Opening an outlet valve or tripping a switch next
to the outlet releases water into the standpipes in these
(Figure 25-44 ) Special extinguishing systems are used in areas where water
systems.
would not be effective or desirable.
Multi-story buildings often have complex systems of ris-
ers, storage tanks, and fire pumps to deliver the needed flows these materials are stored or used may have a separate
to upper floors . The details of these systems should be
extin guishing system.
obtained during p reincident p lanning surveys. Brigade p ro -
cedures should dictate how responding units will supply the Dry Chemical and Wet Chemical
standpipes with water as well as how crews should use the Extinguishing Systems
standpipes inside. Dry chemical and wet chemical ext inguish ing systems are
Specialized Extinguishing Systems the most co mmon specialized agent systems. In co mmercial
kitchens, they are used to protect the cooking areas and
Auto mat ic sprin kler systems are used to p rotect who le exhaust systems. Many self-serv ice gas stations have dry
buildings, or at least major sections of buildings. But in cer tain chemical systems that protect the dispensing areas. These
situations, mo re specialized ext inguishing systems are systems are often installed inside build ings to protect areas
needed. Specialized ext inguishing systems are often used in where flammable liquids are stored or used. Both dry chem-
areas where water wou ld not be an acceptable extinguishing ical and wet chemical ext inguishing systems are similar in
agent (Figure 25-44 ). For example, water is not the agent of basic design and arrangement.
choice for areas containing sensitive electronic equip ment or Dry chemical extinguishing systems use the same
contents such as computers, valuab le books, o r docu ments. types of finely powdered agents as dry chemical fire ext in -
Water is also inco mpat ible with materials such as flammab le guishers (Figure 25-45). The agent is kept in self-pressurized
liquids or water-reactive chemicals. Areas where tanks or in tanks with an external cart ridge of carbon dio xide
or n it rogen that p rovides pressure when the system is
Brigade Member Safely Tips activated.
Wet chemical extinguishing systems are used in most
When using a Class III standpipe, always connect your hos e line to new commercial kitchens (Figure 25-46 ). These systems use a
the 2Y 2 " outlet to ensure t hat y ou get as muc h wat er as possible. T he proprietary liquid ext inguishing agent, which is much more
smaller 1V2 " outlet may be equipped wit h a pressure-reducing effective on vegetable oils than the dry chemicals used in older
device. kitchen systems. Wet chemical systems are also easier to clean
 746 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 25 -45 ) Dry chemical extinguishing systems are installed at many
self-service gasoline filling stations.
( Figure 25-46 ) Wet chemical extinguishing systems are used in most new
commercial kit chens.
up after a discharge, so the kitchen can resume operations
more quickly after the system has discharged.
Wet chemical ext ingu ishing agents are not co mpat ib le
with normal all-purpose dry chemical ext inguishing agents.
Only wet agents or B:C-rated dry chemical extingu ishers
should be used where these systems are installed .
Fusib le lin ks o r other auto mat ic in itiat ion dev ices are
placed above the target hazard to activate both dry chemical
and wet extinguishing agent systems (Figure 25-47 ). A manual
discharge button is also provided so that workers can activate
the system if they discover a fire ( Figure 25-48 ). Open nozzles
are located over the target areas to discharge the agent directly
onto a fire. When the system is activated, the extinguishing
agent flows out of all the nozzles.
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
( Figure 25-47 ) Fusible links can be used to activate a special agent
extinguishing system.
( Figure 25 -48 ) Most spec ial extinguis hing systems can also be manually
activ ated.
Many kitchen systems discharge agent into the ductwork
above the exhaust hood, as well as onto the cooking surface.
This helps prevent a fire fro m ignit ing any grease buildup
inside the ductwo rk and spread ing th roughout the system.
Although the ductwork should be cleaned regularly, it is not
unusual for a kitchen fire to extend into the exhaust system.
Most dry and wet chemical ext ingu ishing systems are
tied into the building's fire alarm system. Kitchen extin -
guishing systems should also shut down the gas or electric ity
to the cooking appliances and exhaust fans.
Clean Agent Extinguishing Systems
Clean agent ext inguishing systems are often installed in areas
where co mputers or sensitive electronic equip ment are used,
or where valuable documents are stored. These agents are
nonconduct iv e and leav e no residu e. Halogen ated agents
 Fire D ete cti on, Pr otec tion, a nd S uppres sion Sys te ms
Brigade Member Safely Tips
Halon and clean agents are considered nontoxic. How ever, you
must use self-contained breathing apparatus (SC BA) at all times
when working in rooms where these agents have discharged, as they
may displac e oxygen.
Brigade Member Safely Tips
Carbon dioxide displaces the oxygen in a room and creat es a
dangerous situation. Wear SCBA at all times when entering these
rooms!
or carbon dioxide are generally used because they will ext in -
guish a fire without caus ing sign ificant d amage to the
contents.
Clean agent systems operate by d ischarging a gaseous
agent into the at mosphere at a concentrat ion that will
extinguish a fire. Smoke detectors or heat detectors installed
in these areas activate the system. A manual d ischarge button
is also prov ided with most installat ions. Discharge is usually
delayed 30 to 60 seconds after the detector is activated to
allow workers in the area to evacuate.
During this delay (the pre-alarm period), an abort switch
can be used to stop the discharge. In some systems, the abort
button must be pressed until the detection system is reset;
releasing the abort button too soon cou ld cause the system to
discharge.
If there is a fire, the clean agent system should be com-
pletely discharged before brigade members arrive. Whether
the fire was successfully ext inguished or not, brigade mem-
bers entering the area should use SCBA until the area has
been properly ventilated. Although these agents are not con -
sidered immediately dangerous to life and health, it is better
to avoid any unnecessary exposure to them. To xic products or
by-products of co mbustion could be present in the at mos-
phere, or the o xygen level could be reduced.
Clean agent systems should be tied to the building's fire
alarm system and indicated as a zone on the contro l panel.
This alerts brigade members that they are responding to a
situation where a clean agent has discharged. If the system
has a preprogrammed delay , the p re-alarm should act ivate
the building's fire alarm system.
Until the 1990s, Halon 1301 was the agent of choice for
protecting areas such as enclosed petrochemical processing
747
( Figure 25-49) Carbon dioxide extinguis hes a fire by displacing the
oxygen in the room and smothering the fire.
facilities, co mputer roo ms, teleco mmunicat ions rooms, and
other sensitive areas. Halon 1301 is a non-to xic, odorless,
colorless gas that leaves no residue. It is very effective at
ext inguishing fires because it interrupts the chemical reac -
tion of co mbustion. Ho wever, this agent has been classified
as damaging to the environment and its production has been
termin ated. A lternat ive agents, such as hal ocarbons and
inert gas mixes, continue to be developed for use in new sys -
tems; they are also used as replacements to Halon 1301 in
many existing systems.
Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing Systems
Carbon dioxide extinguishing systems are similar in
design to clean agent systems. The primary difference is that
carbon dio xide ext inguishes a fire by displacing the o xygen
in the room and smothering the fire. Large quantities of car-
bon dio xide are required, because the area must be totally
flooded to extinguish a fire ( Figure 25-49 ).
Carbon dio xide systems are designed to protect a single
room or a series of rooms. They usually have the same series
of pre-alarms and abort buttons as Halon systems. Because
discharg e creates an o xygen -deficient at mosphere in the
room, it is immediately dangerous to life. Any occupant who
is still in the roo m when the agent is discharged is likely to be
rendered unconscious and asphyxiated. Brigade memb ers
responding to a carbon d io xide extingu ishing system d is -
charge must use SCBA protection until the area is fully vented.
Carbon dio xid e ext inguishing systems should be con -
nected to th e bu ild ing's fire alarm system. Responding
brigade members should see that a carbon dio xide system
discharg e h as been act ivated. Us ing this kno wledge, they
can deal with the situation safely.

• All brigade m em bers, not just brigade leaders and ins pectors,
need to hav e a general underst anding of how fire alarm, detection,
and s uppres sion sy stems function.
• Brigade m em bers w ill res pond to m ore f als e alarms t han act ual
fires; k nowing how to handle f als e alarms is critic al f or providing
cust om er s erv ic e and prev enting f ut ure fals e alarms.
• Alt hough it is not t he brigade m em ber's job t o m aint ain f ire
protection syst em s, brigade m em bers s hould be able to assist
the plant t o rest ore syst ems to service.
• Regardless of how s ophist icat ed a fire prot ection syst em is, a
serious fire c an still oc cur.
• It is every brigade m ember's job to t ry to limit w at er dam age f rom
the act iv ation of a s prink ler syst em.
• Brigade mem bers m ust underst and t he potential s hortcomings of
using a standpipe syst em t o prev ent injuries and fat alities.
• Specializ ed extinguis hing systems are often used in areas where
wat er w ould not be an acc ept able extinguis hing agent.
Acceler ator A dev ic e t hat acc elerat es t he rem ov al of t he air f rom a
dry-pipe or preaction s prinkler syst em.
Ai r sa mp li n g d etect o r A s y st em t hat c apt ures a s am ple of
air from a room or enclosed s pac e and pass es it through a s mok e
detect ion or gas analysis devic e.
A la r m i nit iat i o n de vic e A n aut om at ic or m anually op erat e d
devic e in a fire alarm sy stem that, w hen activ ated, c aus es the syst em
to indic at e an alarm c ondition.
A la r m n o ti fi cat i o n de vi ce An a udi ble a nd/ or v is ual dev ic e in
a fire alarm sy stem t hat m ak es occ upants or ot her pers ons aw are of
an alarm c ondition.
Ala r m val ve T his v alv e signals an alarm w hen a s prinkler head is
activat ed and prevents nuis anc e alarms c aus ed by pres sure v ariations.
A u t o ma t ic s p r i nk l e r h ea d s T h e w ork i ng e nds of a s pri n kler
system. T hey s erv e t o activ ate t he syst em and to apply w at er t o
the fire.
A u t o mat i c s p ri n kl e r sy st e m A s y s t em of pip es f illed w it h
wat er under press ure t hat disc harges w ater imm ediat ely when a
sprinkler head opens.
Bea m detect or A s m ok e det ect ion devic e t hat project s a narrow
beam of light ac ross a large open area from a s ending unit t o a
rec eiving unit. W hen t he beam is interrupted by s m ok e, the rec eiv er
detect s a reduction in light transmission and activ at es the fire alarm.
Bi metallic str ip A dev ic e w it h c om ponent s m ade f rom t w o
distinct met als that respond differently to heat. When heated, the
m etals will bend or c hange s hape.
Carbon dioxide extinguishing system A system
designed t o protect a single room or s eries of room s by flooding the
area w ith c arbon dioxide.
Ce nt ral stati o n An off -prem is es f ac ilit y t hat m onit ors alarm
systems and is res ponsible for notify ing t he fire brigade of an alarm.
Thes e fac ilities m ay be geographic ally locat ed som e dist ance from the
prot ect ed building(s).
Cla p pe r val ve A m ec hanic al devic e ins t alled w it hin a piping
syst em t hat allows wat er to f low in only one direction.
Cl ass I st an d pi pe A s t andpipe s ys t em des igned f or us e by f ire
brigade pers onnel only. Eac h outlet should hav e a v alv e to c ontrol the
flow of w at er and a 2V 2 " m ale c oupling for fire hos e.
Cl ass I I st a nd p i pe A st and pipe s y st em des igne d f or us e by
occ upants of a building only. Eac h outlet is generally equipped w ith a
lengt h of VI " s ingle-jac k et hos e and a noz zle, prec onnect ed t o the
system.
Cl ass I II sta n d pi pe A c om bin at ion sy st em t hat has f eat ures of
both Class I and C lass II standpipes.
Clea n a gent An electric ally nonc onducting, rapidly ev aporating, or
gas eous fire ext inguis hant that does not leave a res idue.
C ode d s yste m A f ire alarm s yst em design t hat divides a build ing
or f ac ilit y into z ones and has audible notific ation devic es t hat c an be
us ed to identify the area w here an alarm originat ed.
Cr oss- zo ne d syste m A f ir e alarm s ys t em t hat requires act iv a tion
of two s eparate det ection devices before initiating an alarm c ondition. If
a single det ection dev ic e is activ at ed, t he alarm control panel w ill
us ually s how a problem or t rouble c ondit ion.
Del uge hea d A s prinkler head t hat has no releas e m ec hanis m :
the orific e is alw ays open.
D el u g e s p r i nk le r s ys te m A s p rink l er s y s t em in w hic h all
sprinkler heads are open. W hen an initiating dev ic e, such as a sm ok e
det ector or heat det ector, is activat ed, the deluge valv e opens and w ater
disc harges from all of the open s prinkler heads s im ult ane ously.
Del uge valve A v alv e ass em bly designed t o releas e w at er int o i
sprinkler sy stem w hen an ext ernal initiation devic e is activ at ed.
D o u b l e-a ct i o n p ul l- stat i o n A m a nu al f ire alar m ac t iv at io n
devic e t hat t ak es tw o st eps to activ at e the alarm. T he pers on m ust
push in a flap, lift a cov er, or break a piec e of glass bef ore activ ating the
alarm.
Dr y chem ical extinguishing s ystem An au tomatic
f ire extinguis hing s ystem that discharges a dry chemic al agent.
D ry- pi pe v alv e T h e v alv e as s em bly on a dry s prink ler
system that prev ents w ater from ent ering the system until t he air
pressure is released.
D r y s p ri n kl e r sy st e m A s pri nk ler s y s t em in w hic h t he
pipes are norm ally filled w ith c om press ed air. W hen a s prinkler
head is activ at ed, it releas es the air from the syst em, whic h opens
a v alv e s o the pipes c an fill w ith w ater.
Ear ly suppres sion fa st res ponse (ESFR) sp ri nkle r
hea d A s prink ler head des igned t o react quick ly and suppres s
a fire in its early stages.
Exhauster A dev ic e t hat acc elerat es t he rem ov al of t he air
from a dry -pipe or preact ion sprink ler s yst em.
False alar m T he ac tiv ation of a f ire alarm sy st em w hen t here is
no fire or em ergenc y c ondition.
F ir e a la r m c o n tr o l pa n el T hat c om po ne nt in a f i r e alarm
system that c ontrols t he functions of the entire syst em.
Fir e de par tme nt c onnection (FDC) Afi re h ose
connection t hrough w hic h the fire brigade c an pum p w ater into a
sprinkler sy stem or st andpipe sy stem.
Fixed-temperature heat detector A sensing device
that responds w hen its operating elem ent is heated to a prede-
termined t em perat ure.
Fla me d etector A s ensing devic e t hat det ect s t he radiant
energy emitted by a flam e.
Flo w s witch An elect ric al s wit c h t hat is act iv at ed by w at er
m oving t hrough a pipe on a s prinkler syst em.
Fra ngible bulb spr inkler head A sprinkler head that
us es a glass bulb f illed wit h glyc erin or alc ohol t o hold t he c ap in
plac e. T he bulb als o c ontains an air bubbl e. As the bulb is heated,
liquid absorbs the air bubble and ex pands until it breaks the glass,
releas ing t he cap.
Frangible-pellet sprinkler head A sprinkler head that
is activ ated w hen the solder pellet m elts at a pres et tem perat ure.
Fusible link spr inkler head A sprinkler head with an
activ ation mec hanis m that inc orporat es two piec es of met al held
together by low -m elting-point s older. W hen t he s older m elt s, it
releas es t he link and wat er begins t o flow.
Ga s detect or A devic e t hat det ect s and/ or m eas ures t he
concentration of dangerous gases.
Hal oc ar b on A c om pound, s uc h as a f luoroc arbon, t hat is
m ade up of c arbon c om bined wit h one or m ore halogens (e. g.,
fluorine, c hlorine, bromine, or iodine).
Heat d etector A f ire alarm dev ic e t hat det ect s eit her abnor-
m ally high tem peratures or rat e-of-ris e in tem perat ure, or bot h.
Indica ting butterfly valve (IBV) A sprinkler con trol
valv e that is equipped w it h a directional arrow to indic at e the
position of t he valv e and a gear operator to prevent the v alve
from being clos ed in less t han 5 s econds, prev ent ing a w ater
hammer.
Ionization smoke detector A device containing a
sm all am ount of radioactiv e m at erial that ioniz es t he air
bet ween tw o charged electrodes to s ense t he pres ence of
sm oke particles.
Line d etector W ire or t ubing t hat c an be st rung along t he
ceiling of large open areas to detect an inc reas e in heat.
L ocal ala r m syste m A f ire alarm s ys t em t hat s ounds an
alarm only in t he building w here it w as activ at ed. N o signal is
sent out of t he building.
M al ic i o us f als e al a r m A f ire alarm s ignal w h en t her e is
no fire, us ually init iated by individuals w ho wis h to cause a
disturbance.
Ma n ua l p ul l-stati o n A dev ic e w it h a s witc h t hat eit her
opens or c los es a circ uit, activat ing t he fire alarm.
M aste r-c o de d al ar m An alarm s y st em in w hic h audi ble
notificat ion dev ic es c an be us ed f or m ult iple purpos es, not just
for t he fire alarm.
N o n-c o de d ala r m A n alarm s y st em t hat prov ides no
inform ation at t he alarm c ont rol panel indic ating w here the
activ ated alarm is loc at ed.
N uisa nce ala r m A f ire alarm signal c aus ed by m alf unc tion
or im proper operation of a fire alarm system or c om ponent.
Obs cu rati o n r ate A m eas ure of t he perc ent age of light
trans miss ion t hat is block ed betw een a sender and a rec eiv er
unit.
Outs ide ste m a nd yoke (OS& Y) va lve A sp rin-
kler c ontrol valv e wit h a valve stem that moves in and out as
the valv e is opened or clos ed.
Pe n da nt s p ri n kle r hea d A s prink ler hea d des ign ed t o
be m ount ed on the underside of s prinkler piping s o the w ater
stream is directed dow n.
Photoelectric smoke detector A device to detect
visible products of com bustion using a light s ource and a
phot os ens itiv e sens or.
Post indicator valve (PIV) A sprinkler control valve
with an indic ator t hat reads eit her open or s hut depending on
its pos ition.
Preaction sprinkler system A dry sprinkler system
that us es a deluge v alve inst ead of a dry-pipe valv e and requires
activat ion of a s econdary dev ice bef ore t he pipes f il l with wat er.
Pr o pri etar y syste m A f ir e alarm sy st em t hat t rans m its a
signal to a m onit oring loc ation owned and operat ed by the
facility's ow ner.
Rate- of-r ise heat detect o r A dev ic e t hat res ponds w hen t he
tem perature rises at a rat e that exc eeds a predet ermined v alue.
Re mo te a n n u nci ato r A s ec ondary f ir e alarm c ontrol panel in a
different loc ation than the m ain alarm panel, us ually near t he front
door of a building.
Re mo t e st ati o n s yste m A f ire alarm s y st em t hat s oun ds an
alarm in t he building and trans mits a signal t o t he f ire brigade or an
off-premis e m onit oring loc ation.
Retar d c ha mber A v alv e ac c es s ory t hat is us ed t o prev ent a
sprinkler flow alarm c aus ed by syst em wat er press ure s urges.
Si de wa ll s pr i nkl er he a d A s prink ler t hat is m ou nt ed on a
w all and disc harges w at er horiz ontally int o a room.
Si ng le-act io n p u ll-stati o n A m anu al f ir e alarm ac tiv ation
devic e that tak es a single step, suc h as m oving a lev er, toggle, or
handle, t o activat e t he alarm.
S moke det ect or A dev ic e t hat det ect s s m ok e and s ends a signal
to a f ir e alarm c ontrol panel.
Sp ot detecto r Single heat-det ect or dev ic es, s pac ed t hroughout
an area.
Sp ri nk ler p ip i ng T he net w ork of piping in a s prink ler sy st em
that deliv ers w at er to t he s prinkler heads.
Stan dp ipe syste m A s yst em of pipes and hos e outlet v alv es
us ed t o deliv er w at er t o v arious parts of a building f or fight ing fires.
Ta mp er s witc h A s wit c h on a s prinkler v alv e t hat t rans m it s a
signal t o t he fire alarm c ont rol panel if t he norm al posit ion of t he
valv e is c hanged.
Te mp o ra l-3 p atter n A st andard f ire alarm audible s ignal f or
alerting oc cupant s of a building.
U n wante d al ar m A fire alarm s ignal c aus ed by a devic e react ing
properly t o a condition t hat is not a true fire em ergency.
U p ri g h t s pr i nk le r he a d A s prink ler h ea d des ig ne d t o be
inst alled on t op of t he s upply piping and us ually m ark ed SSU
(St andard Spray U pright).
Ver ificati o n syste m A fire alarm s ys t em t hat does not im m e -
diately initiat e an alarm c ondit ion when a sm ok e detect or activat es.
The s yst em will w ait a pres et interv al, generally 30 t o 60 s ec onds,
before c heck ing t he det ector again. If t he c ondition is clear, the
syst em ret urns to normal stat us. If the det ect or is still s ensing s moke,
the s ystem activ at es the fire alarm.
Wall post indicator va lve (WPIV) A sprin kler control
valv e t hat is m ount ed on t he outs ide w all of a building. T he position of
the indic at or t ells w het her t he v alv e is open or s hut.
W ater- mot or g o n g A n audible alarm not if ic ation dev ic e t hat is
pow ered by w at er m oving t hrough the s prinkler syst em.
Wet chemical extinguis hing systems An e xtinguishing
syst em t hat disc harges a propriet ary liquid extinguis hing agent.
W et s pr i nkl er sy ste m A s prink ler s y s t em in w hic h t he pip es
are norm ally filled wit h w at er.
Z o ne d c o de d ala r m A f ire alarm s y st em t hat indic at es w hic h
zone w as activ at ed bot h on the alarm c ont rol panel and t hrough a
coded audio signal.
Z o ne d n o n-c o d ed al ar m A f ire alarm sy st em t hat indic at es
the activat ed z one on the alarm c ont rol panel.
Z on ed s ys t em A fire alarm s ys t em des ign t hat div ides a build ing
or f acility int o z ones s o the area w here an alarm originat ed c an be
identified.
 As part of y o ur bri gad e d uties, y o u are aske d t o assist the facility fire
preve nti on i nsp ecto r i n c on d ucti ng he r rev ie ws of k ey fire detecti o n
and s u pp ressi on sy ste ms. The day yo u are pai red with the i ns pector,
you assist in the ins pecti o n of seve ral s pri n k ler sy ste ms, stan d pi pe
syste ms, an d fi re detectio n s yste ms .

1. During t he ins pection of a dry sprink ler s yst em, 4. W hic h of the follow ing are c onsidered alarm
you are ask ed t o look at the air pres sure and notific ation dev ic es ?
wat er press ure gauges on the dry pipe v alv e. A. Bells.
W hic h of t he following w ould y ou ex pect t o find?
B. Horns.
A. The air press ure gauge reads higher than the
C. Strobe lights.
water press ure gauge.
D. All of the abov e.
B. The wat er pressure gauge reads higher than
the air press ure gauge.
C. The air press ure gauge and the w ater gauge 5. W hat is the most com mon m ethod of identify ing
bot h read t he s ame positiv e press ure. the t emperature rating of a sprink ler head?

D. The air press ure gauge and the w ater gauge A. A paper stick er att ac hed t o the s prinkler hat.
both read zero. B. A st am p on t he s upply piping.
C. An inspection tag att ached to each head.
2. The st andpipe sy stem in t he multist ory offic e D. Color c oding of t he heads.
building has VI " dis c harge v alv es and s ingle -
jack et f ire hos e. W hic h kind of standpipe syst em
is this ?
A. Type I standpipe.
B. Type II standpipe.
C. Type II standpipe.
D. Hos e line standpipe.

All of t he f ire det ection syst ems w ithin t he facility

sound at a c ent ral alarm panel loc ated in the
on-sit e s ec urity office. W hic h ty pe of fire det ection
system is t his ?
A. Local alarm syst em.
B. Rem ote station.
C. Proprietary syst em.
D. Central alarm station.