#383 – Maintaining or

Replacing Fire Hose Reels

and Racks
April 27, 2021

When should you maintain a fire hose

cabinet, and when should you replace
it?
Fire hose reels and racks are interesting pieces of fire protection
equipment. The idea is this: in the event of a fire, building occupants can
quickly reach the hose cabinet, extend the hose, and turn on the water to
extinguish the fire. It’s a pretty simple concept that’s gotten a bit more
complicated in recent years.

Once upon a time, these fire hose stations featured in many buildings,
but now they see far more limited use. After reflecting on their safety,
effectiveness, and the training needed to fight a fire, the fire protection
industry now relies less on occupant-use fire hoses.

Documents like NFPA 14: Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and

Hose Systems  (2019 edition), the International Fire Code  (IFC, 2021
edition), and the International Building Code  (IBC, 2021 edition) still
include references to firehose racks and reels but mandate them less
often and include provisions for their removal.

To be clear: occupant-use fire hoses are still required in some

situations. And if your building has these tools installed, it’s essential that
you maintain them in working order. This article examines:

 When occupant-use fire hose stations are required by codes

and standards
 What you need to do to maintain fire hose racks or reels
 Why you might choose to remove fire hose racks or reels, and
when you are allowed to do so
Shop our selection  of fire hose rack and reel supplies  to keep your hose
stations in working order. If you’re removing or altering hose stations, shop
our selection of the  hose valves, reducers, and caps  you’ll need. But don’t
modify your standpipe system without proper approval and code
compliance. 

Fire hose racks and reels may still be

required in specific circumstances
The list of situations where occupant-use fire hoses are needed is
actually very short. You need hose racks or reels if, according to local
code, you have a Class II standpipe system not modified with
firefighter hose connections or a Class III standpipe system in a
building without a full sprinkler system and reducers and caps.

A standpipe system is a system of pipes that helps firefighters (and

sometimes other personnel) extinguish a fire using connected hoses. It’s
essentially like a network of internal fire hydrants that provides hose
connections to facilitate deploying hoses and water close to blazes.
There are three classes of standpipe systems: Class I, Class II, and Class
III. Depending on the classification, a standpipe system provides 2-1/2”
hose connections for firefighters, 1-1/2″ hose stations for occupant use,
or both.

You’ll only ever find hose stations in Class II or Class III standpipe
systems—Class I systems are just for firefighter use. Class II systems only
have 1-1/2” occupant-use hose stations, though many have now been
converted to firefighter use.
 In
a Class III system, the fire hose station includes a 1-1/2” connection for
the fire hose rack (top), plus a 2-1/2” connection for firefighter hose
(bottom left). Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Class III standpipe systems often have both 2-1/2” hose connections
for firefighters and 1-1/2″ hose stations for occupant use. However,
the hose station requirement only applies when the building is
unsprinklered.  NFPA 14 removes the need for hose stations if the
building is sprinklered and some hardware conditions are met:

5.3.3.2 Where the building is protected throughout by an approved automatic

sprinkler system, Class II hose stations for use by trained personnel shall not be
required, subject to the approval of the AHJ, provided that each Class I hose
connection is 2 1/2 in. (65 mm) and is equipped with a 2 1/2 in. x 1 1/2 in. (65 mm x
40 mm) reducer and a cap attached with a chain.

The logic behind this rule is straightforward: host stations are for early-
stage firefighting, and fire sprinklers fill that role more reliably than
building occupants. Thus, you don’t need hose stations when the
building is sprinklered, as long as each fire hose connection has a 2 1/2″
by 1 1/2″ reducer, allowing it to serve as a connection for either size
hose.

Cl
ass III standpipe systems in fully-sprinklered buildings don’t need hose
connections as long as the 2-1/2” firefighter hose connections are
equipped with 2-1/2” x 1-1/2” reducers and a cap.
Since no new building under the 2015, 2018, or 2021 editions of the IBC
needs a Class II standpipe system, the only new construction
that may need  occupant-use hose stations is a building that is not fully
sprinklered with a Class III standpipe. And as we’ll discuss later, hose
stations may only still be useful where the building plans to train
occupants as part of an onsite fire brigade.

Staying compliant with occupant-use

hose stations
Whether you’re installing or maintaining fire hose stations, there are a
few rules you must follow. In this section, we’ll cover the requirements
for:

 The sizing of hoses and hose connections

  The spacing and accessibility of hose stations
 The storage of hoses
 Signage
 Occupant training
Fire protection experts are skeptical of occupant-use hose stations, in
part, because building owners often fail to maintain their stations and
don’t train staff adequately (or at all) in their usage. This combination
could be disastrous in the event of a fire. If you have fire hose
stations, maintain them and train your staff properly.

Connection, hose, and nozzle requirements

For occupant-use hose stations, it’s essential to size the hose connection
and the hose itself correctly.

NFPA 14’s requirements for hoses are found in section 4.6.2. Almost all
hose used at fire hose stations has a diameter of 1 1/2″—the same as the
hose connection. Non-professionals don’t have the training to handle
the flow from larger hoses. Besides being the proper diameter,
occupant-use hoses should be:

 Listed
 Lined
 Ready for use
 No longer than 100 feet
As long as they are 1 1/2″ in diameter, hoses may be collapsible (able to
lay flat) or non-collapsible (maintaining their shape when stored).
 O
ur 1-1/2” diameter pre-racked hose is just what you need for your hose
stations. Shop our racks with 50 feet, 75 feet, or 100 feet of firehose.
Protect your hoses from mildew and other damage with a rack cover.
Smaller hoses are allowed in some circumstances. Specifically, hoses that
are at least 1″ in diameter may be used in light-hazard occupancies when
they are listed and meet the approval of the AHJ. These small hoses must
be non-collapsible.

Spacing and accessibility of hose stations

Where they are used, hose stations provide an initial line of defense
against fires—so they should be easy to reach and use in an emergency.
If you have standard 1 1/2″ hoses, hose stations have to be within 130 ft.
of any location in the building. If the hoses are smaller, they have to be
closer—within 120 ft.

NFPA 14 also has rules for the accessibility of hose stations. In general,
stations should be free from clutter, provide plenty of
clearance around the hose connection, and be easy to open. Section
4.6.1 lists these requirements:
  Only fire protection equipment should be stored in cabinets
and closets
 2” of clearance must be provided between any part of the
cabinet (excluding the door) and a hose connection at all
times—even when the valve is fully opened
 Devices used to open “break glass” panels must be attached
“in the immediate area” of the panel and “arranged so that
the device cannot be used to break other glass panels in the
cabinet door”
 Safety glazing must consist of tempered safety glass or plastic
glazing conforming with ANSI Z97.1, a standard designed to
reduce the likelihood of injury if glass breaks
Clear markings
You need to mark occupant-use hose stations clearly. If hoses are kept in
cabinets or closets, these containers should have signage that indicates
their content.

D
urable and high-visibility signs are essential for fire hose stations,
especially if the hoses are kept in cabinets or closets.
A photoluminescent fire hose sign with an arrow (left) or
a photoluminescent three-way sign (right) would be a good choice.
Additionally, per NFPA 14 section 4.6.5, the hose station should have
hose operating instructions and the words “FIRE HOSE FOR USE BY
TRAINED PERSONNEL.” These labels are often provided on the hose rack
or reel, but you might have to affix them yourself.

Keeping staff trained—NFPA 600

Class II hose stations are meant for use by only trained personnel who
typically aren’t firefighters. One reason that AHJs and fire protection
experts often dislike hose stations is that employers and building owners
too frequently neglect their training responsibilities. It could be
disastrous to have complete novices fussing with a hose station in the
event of a fire, especially if the building is unsprinklered.

Needless to say, you could be in trouble if an AHJ discovers your staff

isn’t trained to use your hose stations. So how can individuals become
qualified?

Aaron Johnson at The Code Coach  explains that dedicated onsite fire

brigades should be trained to the standards of NFPA 600: Standard on
Facility Fire Brigades.  Alternatively, staff expected to use a Class II station
but who aren’t part of a dedicated fire brigade may be trained to the
standards of the Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA). Note
that your local AHJ may have their own definitions of what constitutes
“training” and which records you need to keep.

If training is too onerous for your operation, you need to look into the
process for removing occupant-use hose stations while remaining
compliant.
When you don’t need hose stations—
and when you can replace them
As we’ve explained, fire hose stations are used less and less because they
are often poorly maintained and the intended users are poorly trained—
if at all. It’s often better to leave a fire to the professionals, instruct
occupants to escape safely, and allow automatic sprinkler systems to do
their job.

For this reason, there are situations where, subject to local code and
approval from the AHJ, you can remove existing hose stations. IFC
allows fire code officials to remove hose stations’ fire hoses if:

 The hose line won’t be used by trained staff or

firefighters and
 The included hose outlets are compatible with the local fire
department’s hoses
Additionally, NFPA 1: Fire Code  authorizes local fire code officials to
remove existing occupant-use hoses when all of the following conditions
are met:

 NFPA 1 or current building codes don’t require their

installation
 The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) determines that the
hose won’t be used by trained personnel or the fire
department
So, when could you conceivably remove hose stations? Here are some
example situations:

 A sprinklered building has a Class III standpipe with reducers

and caps
  An unsprinklered building with a Class III standpipe is
retrofitted with a complete sprinkler system, and reducers
and caps are added to the standpipe system
 A Class II standpipe is modified to be a compliant Class I or
Class III system
There is a cost-benefit analysis to be made here—do you maintain your
hose stations and adequately train your staff, or do you perform
renovations to install a sprinkler system or change the standpipe system?
In historical buildings, such work could be very destructive. Also, hose
stations have their place in certain settings. For instance, if hot work is a
regular part of your operations, having hose stations nearby might be
very useful.

But note this: since the 2018 edition, NFPA 1 gives AHJs a lot more
latitude in forcing building owners to “remove Class II standpipes from
buildings.” So, you might not have a choice.
 Sp
rinklers can remove the need for occupant-use hoses in buildings, as
long as other requirements are met.
Fire hose racks and reels help trained,
onsite personnel perform “first-aid”
firefighting
In the right hands, occupant-use hose stations can be great tools. They
let trained individuals precisely apply water to fire before professional
firefighters arrive to use their much-bigger hoses. However, these hose
stations are only needed in limited situations: uncommon Class II
standpipe systems and Class III standpipe systems without full sprinkler
systems.

If you have fire hose racks and reels in your building, it’s crucial to
maintain them properly. This includes maintenance of the hoses
themselves, plus staff education. However, given that different standards
and codes make provisions to remove hose stations, altering the system
may be an option. Check your local laws to find out what’s allowed.