Municipal Fire Protection

Requirements
The basic method for controlling building fires
by fire departments is through the use of water,
which is typically applied with manual hose
lines or water monitors. This water can come
from a municipal water supply, a private water
supply, or from the fire department itself. In
order to effectively fight a fire, the water supply
available must be adequate for the threat from
the building and contents.
The water requirements for firefighting include
the rate of flow, the residual pressure required
at that flow, the flow duration, and the total
quantity of water required. As described in the
NFPA Handbook, the American Water Works
Association (AWWA) defines the required fire
flow as the rate of water flow, at a residual
pressure of 20 psi and for a specified duration
that is necessary to control a major fire in a
specific structure.
 Fire Flow formula

F = 18C(A)^0.5
Where:
A= the total floor area in ft^2 excluding the
basement
C = 1.5 for wood frame construction
1.0 for ordinary construction
0.8 for non-combustible construction
0.6 for fire-resistive construction
- The total for all purposes for a single fore is not
exceed 45,360 L/min nor be less than 1890
L/min. Additional flow may be required to protect
nearby buildings.
Fire protection water supplies consist of
single or multiple water sources. They are
connected to fire mains sized and arranged to
deliver the required water demands to
sprinkler systems, fire hydrants and fixed
monitors.
Primary water supplies - consist of
those that did not require a mechanical
device to move the water such as a
gravity tank, a public water connection,
or a pressure tank.
Secondary water supplies - required
using mechanical devices, most
commonly fire pumps.
Sprinkler system - is an active fire protection
method, consisting of a water supply system,
providing adequate pressure and flow rate to a
water distribution piping system, onto which
fire sprinklers are connected.
Fire hydrant - also called fireplug, is a
connection point by which firefighters can tap into
a water supply. It is a component of active fire
protection