WHAT IS FIRE PROTECTION?

• FIRE PROTECTION IS THE STUDY AND PRACTICE OF

MITIGATING THE UNWANTED EFFECTS OF
POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE FIRES IT INVOLVES THE
STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOUR, COMPARTMENTALISATION,
SUPPRESSION AND INVESTIGATION OF FIRE AND ITS
RELATED EMERGENCIES, AS WELL AS THE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, TESTING AND APPLICATION
OF MITIGATING SYSTEMS.
UNDERSTANDING HOW A FIRE PROTECTION
SYSTEM FUNCTIONS

• IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE

FUNCTIONALITY OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS.
SYSTEMS WORK IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT ALL
HAVE A COMMON GOAL TO DETECT A FIRE AND
PROTECT THE BUILDING, ITS OCCUPANTS, AND
VALUABLES.
BENEFITS OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS

• ONE OF THE MAIN BENEFITS OF A FIRE PROTECTION

SYSTEM IS THAT IN THE LONG RUN, IT SAVES MONEY.
THINK OF A BUSINESS AND WHAT INVESTMENTS ARE
MADE IN MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT, INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
• FIRE RETARDANT - HAVING THE ABILITY OR TENDENCY TO SLOW UP OR HALT THE SPREAD OF FIRE.
• FIBERGLASS - GLASS IN FIBROUS FORM USED IN MAKING VARIOUS PRODUCTS (SUCH AS GLASS WOOL FOR INSULATION).
• KEVLAR - A SYNTHETIC FIBER OF HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH USED ESPECIALLY AS A REINFORCING AGENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF TIRES AND OTHER RUBBER PRODUCTS AND PROTECTIVE GEAR SUCH AS HELMETS AND VESTS.
• INCIPIENT STAGE FIRES - A FIRE WHICH IS IN THE INITIAL OR BEGINNING STAGE AND WHICH CAN BE CONTROLLED OR
EXTINGUISHED BY PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.
• MULTI-STOREY - (OF A BUILDING) HAVING SEVERAL STORIES.
• DRY SYSTEM - A SPRINKLER SYSTEM IN WHICH WATER IS ADMITTED TO THE SYSTEM UPON THE RELEASE OF AIR PRESSURE
THAT THE PIPES NORMALLY CONTAIN AND WHICH IS USED WHERE THERE IS DANGER OF FREEZING.
• WET SYSTEMS - IS A SPRINKLER SYSTEM EMPLOYING AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS ATTACHED TO A
PIPING SYSTEM CONTAINING WATER AND CONNECTED TO A WATER SUPPLY SO THAT WATER DISCHARGES IMMEDIATELY
FROM SPRINKLERS OPENED BY THE HEAT FROM A FIRE.
• ANTIFREEZE - A LIQUID, TYPICALLY ONE BASED ON ETHYLENE GLYCOL, THAT CAN BE ADDED TO WATER TO
LOWER THE FREEZING POINT.
• DRY PIPE VALVE - A VALVE ADMITTING WATER TO A DRY-PIPE SPRINKLER SYSTEM UPON THE RELEASE OF
AIR PRESSURE IN THE SYSTEM.
• CHECK VALVE - A VALVE THAT CLOSES TO PREVENT BACKWARD FLOW OF LIQUID.
• CLAPPER - ALLOW FIREFIGHTERS TO ADD OR REMOVE HOSES AS NEEDED.
• INCREASE COMPLEXITY - IS SHOWN TO BE A CONSEQUENCE OF THE PROCESS BY WHICH A SELF-
ORGANIZING SYSTEM OPTIMIZES ITS ORGANIZATION WITH RESPECT TO A LOCALLY DEFINED FITNESS
POTENTIAL.
• ORIFICES - AN OPENING, AS OF A PIPE OR TUBE, OR ONE IN THE BODY, SUCH AS A NOSTRIL OR THE ANUS.
• PRECEDING FIRE DETECTION - SENSE ONE OR MORE OF THE PRODUCTS OR PHENOMENA RESULTING
FROM FIRE, SUCH AS SMOKE, HEAT, INFRARED AND/OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT RADIATION, OR GAS.
• DELUGE SYSTEM - IS A WATER MIST SYSTEM USING OPEN SPRAY HEADS ATTACHED TO A
PIPING SYSTEM THAT IS CONNECTED TO A WATER SUPPLY THROUGH A VALVE THAT IS OPENED
BY MEANS OF A DETECTION SYSTEM INSTALLED IN THE SAME AREA AS THE SPRAY HEADS.
• SINGLE INTERLOCK – ACTIVATED BY THE RELEASE OF THE DETECTION SYSTEM.
• DOUBLE INTERLOCK - REQUIRES TWO EVENTS TO OCCUR BEFORE WATER IS ADMITTED TO THE SYSTEM.
• NON-INTERLOCK - IS ACTIVATED IF EITHER THE DETECTION SYSTEM OR A SPRINKLER OPERATES.
• FIRE RESISTANT - (ESPECIALLY OF A FABRIC) TREATED SO AS TO BE NON-FLAMMABLE.
• DELUGE VALVE - ARE ELASTOMERIC TYPE GLOBE VALVES THAT ACT WITH A ROLLING DIAPHRAGM, WITH A
SOLID INTEGRAL AND RESISTANT SEAL.
TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
• ACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION (AFP) IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF FIRE PROTECTION. AFP IS CHARACTERIZED BY
ITEMS AND/OR SYSTEMS, WHICH REQUIRE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MOTION AND RESPONSE IN ORDER TO
WORK, CONTRARY TO PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION.
TYPES OF ACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION
MANUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION
MANUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION INCLUDES
THE USE OF A FIRE BLANKET, FIRE EXTINGUISHER, OR
A STANDPIPE SYSTEM.
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION
AUTOMATIC CONTROL MEANS ARE ANY
FORM OF SUPPRESSION THAT REQUIRES NO
HUMAN INTERVENTION THESE CAN INCLUDE A FIRE
SPRINKLER SYSTEM, A GASEOUS CLEAN AGENT,
OR AUTOMATIC FOAM SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
 MANUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION
FIRE BLANKET
A FIRE BLANKET IS A SHEET OF FIRE RETARDANT
MATERIAL THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE PLACED OVER A FIRE TO
SMOTHER IT OUT. SMALL FIRE BLANKETS ARE MEANT FOR
INCEPTION STAGE FIRES.
MANUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION
FIRE EXTINGUISHER
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE ONE OF THE
MOST COMMON MANUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION
DEVICES AND ARE REQUIRED IN ALL
COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND VEHICLES.
MANUAL FIRE SUPPRESSION

STANDPIPE
STANDPIPES ARE INSTALLED
IN MOST LARGE, MULTI-STOREY
BUILDINGS. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF
STANDPIPES DRY AND WET.
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ARE
INSTALLED IN ALL TYPES OF BUILDINGS,
COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL. THEY ARE
USUALLY LOCATED AT CEILING LEVEL AND ARE
CONNECTED TO A RELIABLE WATER SOURCE,
MOST COMMONLY CITY WATER.
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION

GASEOUS CLEAN AGENT

GASEOUS CLEAN AGENTS ARE INSTALLED
IN PLACES WHERE WATER OR DRY CHEMICAL
EXTINGUISHING AGENTS WILL DO MORE HARM
THAN GOOD.
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION
FOAM SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
AUTOMATIC FOAM SUPPRESSION
SYSTEMS COME IN THREE MAIN FORMS LOW
EXPANSION, MEDIUM EXPANSION, AND HIGH
EXPANSION.
TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION
SYSTEM
IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THE
COMPONENTS OF STRUCTURAL FIRE
PROTECTION AND FIRE SAFETY IN A BUILDING.
PFP ATTEMPTS TO CONTAIN FIRES OR SLOW
THE SPREAD, SUCH AS BY FIRE-RESISTANT
WALLS, FLOORS, AND DOORS.
 WET PIPE
WET PIPE DRY PIPE DELUGE
ANTIFREEZE
SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM

TYPES OF SPRINKLER SYSTEM

FOAM WATER
PRE-ACTION WATER SPRAY WATER MIST
SPRINKLER
SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM
WET PIPE SYSTEMS

• BY A WIDE MARGIN, WET PIPE SPRINKLER

SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED MORE OFTEN THAN
ALL OTHER TYPES OF FIRE SPRINKLER
SYSTEMS.
WET PIPE ANTIFREEZE

• WET SYSTEMS MAY BE CHARGED WITH AN

ANTIFREEZE CHEMICAL, FOR USE WHERE PIPES
CAN'T RELIABLY BE KEPT ABOVE 40 °F (4 °C).
DRY PIPE SYSTEMS

• DRY PIPE SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED IN SPACES

IN WHICH THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE MAY
BE COLD ENOUGH TO FREEZE THE WATER IN A
WET PIPE SYSTEM, RENDERING THE SYSTEM
INOPERABLE.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING DRY PIPE FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
INCLUDE:
• IF THE SPRINKLERS SHARE THE SAME STANDPIPE SYSTEM AS THE STANDPIPE SYSTEM WHICH SUPPLIES FIRE HOSES, THEN THE
WATER SUPPLY TO THE FIRE HOSES WOULD BE SEVERELY REDUCED OR EVEN CURTAILED ALTOGETHER.
• INCREASED COMPLEXITY: DRY PIPE SYSTEMS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL CONTROL EQUIPMENT AND AIR PRESSURE SUPPLY
COMPONENTS WHICH INCREASES SYSTEM COMPLEXITY. THIS PUTS A PREMIUM ON PROPER MAINTENANCE, AS THIS INCREASE IN
SYSTEM COMPLEXITY RESULTS IN AN INHERENTLY LESS RELIABLE OVERALL SYSTEM (I.E. MORE SINGLE FAILURE POINTS) AS
COMPARED TO A WET PIPE SYSTEM.
• HIGHER INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS: THE ADDED COMPLEXITY IMPACTS THE OVERALL DRY-PIPE INSTALLATION COST,
AND INCREASES MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE PRIMARILY DUE TO ADDED SERVICE LABOR COSTS.
• LOWER DESIGN FLEXIBILITY: REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS LIMIT THE MAXIMUM PERMITTED SIZE (I.E. 750 GALLONS) OF
INDIVIDUAL DRY-PIPE SYSTEMS, UNLESS ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS AND DESIGN EFFORTS ARE PROVIDED TO LIMIT THE TIME
FROM SPRINKLER ACTIVATION TO WATER DISCHARGE TO UNDER ONE MINUTE.
• INCREASED FIRE RESPONSE TIME: BECAUSE THE PIPING IS EMPTY AT THE TIME THE SPRINKLER OPERATES, THERE IS AN INHERENT
TIME DELAY IN DELIVERING WATER TO THE SPRINKLERS WHICH HAVE OPERATED WHILE THE WATER TRAVELS FROM THE RISER TO
THE SPRINKLER, PARTIALLY FILLING THE PIPING IN THE PROCESS.
DELUGE SYSTEMS
• "DELUGE" SYSTEMS ARE SYSTEMS IN WHICH ALL
SPRINKLERS CONNECTED TO THE WATER PIPING SYSTEM
ARE OPEN, IN THAT THE HEAT SENSING OPERATING ELEMENT
IS REMOVED, OR SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS SUCH. THESE
SYSTEMS ARE USED FOR SPECIAL HAZARDS WHERE RAPID
FIRE SPREAD IS A CONCERN, AS THEY PROVIDE A
SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF WATER OVER THE ENTIRE
HAZARD. THEY ARE SOMETIMES INSTALLED IN PERSONNEL
EGRESS PATHS OR BUILDING OPENINGS TO SLOW TRAVEL
OF FIRE (E.G. OPENINGS IN A FIRE-RATED WALL).
PRE-ACTION SYSTEMS
• PRE-ACTION SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ARE
SPECIALIZED FOR USE IN LOCATIONS
WHERE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION IS
ESPECIALLY UNDESIRABLE, SUCH AS
IN MUSEUMS WITH RARE ART WORKS,
MANUSCRIPTS, OR BOOKS; AND DATA
CENTERS, FOR PROTECTION OF COMPUTER
EQUIPMENT FROM ACCIDENTAL WATER
DISCHARGE.
FOAM WATER
SPRINKLER
SYSTEMS
• A FOAM WATER FIRE SPRINKLER
SYSTEM IS A SPECIAL APPLICATION
SYSTEM, DISCHARGING A MIXTURE OF
WATER AND LOW
EXPANSION FOAM CONCENTRATE,
RESULTING IN A FOAM SPRAY FROM
THE SPRINKLER.
WATER SPRAY
• "WATER SPRAY" SYSTEMS ARE
OPERATIONALLY IDENTICAL TO A
DELUGE SYSTEM, BUT THE PIPING
AND DISCHARGE NOZZLE SPRAY
PATTERNS ARE DESIGNED TO
PROTECT A UNIQUELY CONFIGURED
HAZARD, USUALLY BEING THREE-
DIMENSIONAL COMPONENTS OR
EQUIPMENT.
WATER MIST SYSTEMS

• WATER MIST SYSTEMS ARE USED

FOR SPECIAL APPLICATIONS IN
WHICH IT IS DECIDED THAT
CREATING A HEAT ABSORBENT
VAPOR IS THE PRIMARY
OBJECTIVE.
PLAN LAYOUTS OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM

Schematic Riser Diagram

FLOOR PLAN
PUMP ROOM
WHAT IS FDAS?

• FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEMS OPERATE ON THE SAME BASIC PRINCIPLES. IF A FIRE IS DETECTED,
THEN AN ALARM IS TRIGGERED. THIS WARNS BUILDING MANAGERS AND OCCUPANTS THAT THERE MAY
BE A FIRE AND THAT EVACUATION MAY BE NECESSARY. SOME SYSTEMS INCLUDE REMOTE
SIGNALLING EQUIPMENT WHICH CAN ALERT THE FIRE BRIGADE OR A REMOTE MONITORING CENTRE.
PLAN LAYOUT OF FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM
FIRE EXIT DESIGN
PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM