FIRE SAFETY:

Fire Detection And Fire Fighting

Installation
•Fire fighting pump and water requirements, storage – wet risers, Dry rises

•Heat smoke detectors – sprinkler systems

•Fire extinguishers & cabinets

•Fire protection system – CO2 & Halon system

•Fire alarm system, snorkel ladder

•Configuring, sizing and space requirements for fire fighting equipments

 Alarm
FIRE Sets Off Over Telephone Lines
Signal

To

Central Station
- Confirms Alarm
- Calls Police
- Contacts Owner
Fire Fighting Pumps . . . .

A fire pump is a part of a fire sprinkler system's water supply and can be

powered by electric, diesel or steam.

The pump intake is either connected to the public underground water

supply piping, or a static water source (e.g., tank, reservoir, lake).

The pump provides water flow at a higher pressure to the sprinkler

system risers and hose standpipes.

Water for Fire fighting . . . .

•Water is the most commonly used agent for controlling and fighting a fire,
by cooling adjacent equipment and for controlling or extinguishing the fire
either by itself or combined as a foam.
•It can also provide protection for fire fighters and other personnel in the
event of fire.
•Water shall therefore be readily available at all the appropriate locations,
at the proper pressure and in the required quantity.
•Fire water should not be used for any other purpose.
•Basically, the requirements consist of an independent fire grid main or ring
main fed by permanently installed fire pumps taking suction from a suitable
large capacity source of water such as storage tank, cooling tower basin,
river, sea, etc. The actual source will depend on local conditions.
Wet Riser & Dry Riser . . . .

•A wet riser is a system of pipes that are kept permanently filled with

pressurised water, supplied by a mains pump, a storage tank fitted with a

booster pump, or a direct connection to a town’s main water source.

•Generally, wet risers are installed in large buildings more than 60 metres

above ground level, though some smaller buildings are also often fitted with

wet risers.

•Inside the building, internal outlet valves can be found on staircase landings

or at each lift lobby and are clearly labelled; these outlets usually resemble

taps.
Wet Riser & Dry Riser . . . .

•Dry Riser systems comprise vertical mains normally fitted into staircase

enclosures with outlet valves on each floor ready to deliver a supply of water

to fire fighting hoses.

•An external inlet valve at ground level enables connection with a water

supply, normally from a fire appliance (fire engine).

•Dry risers are normally installed in buildings which are 18m high, although if a

building has more than 18 storeys then a wet riser (which is permanently

charged with water) will be installed

Why are fire detection & alarm systems installed?

•Notify building occupants to take evasive action to escape the dangers of

a hostile fire.

•Summon organized assistance to initiate or assist in fire control activities

•Initiate automatic fire control & suppression systems & to sound alarm

•Supervise fire control & suppression systems to assure operational status is

maintained

•Initiate auxiliary functions involving environmental, utility & process

controls
Types of fire alarm systems . . . .

Most basic type is designed to only be initiated manually – known as a

local system or protected premises (pull station & bell)

Typically, this system is expanded to include fire detection devices to

sense the presence of a fire and initiate a signal.

Fire system categories . . . .

Fire alarm systems have to protect both buildings and occupants.

Before a fire protection system can be designed, it is necessary to

define the main objectives of the system. This is normally determined

by a fire risk assessment, and should be provided as part of the fire

system specification.

The categories of fire alarm systems are

•"L" if they are designed to protect life,

•"P" to protect buildings and

•"M" if they are manual systems.

Category M (Manual)

This is the simplest form of fire protection coverage using break glass call
points and sounders only. There is no automatic fire detection device and
in the event of a fire the alarm has to be manually operated at a call
point.

Category P (Property)

Protection of property and its content. This classification allows for

automatic detection of fire, initiates alarm and indicates location of fire
within the premises. There are 2 levels of coverage in this category.

Category P2 - Partial coverage to high risk areas only may be

sufficient. This would be determined in consultation with occupants, fire
officers and insurers.

Category P1 - Total coverage. All areas being protected by smoke and

heat detectors.
There are 4 levels of coverage in “ L “ category:

Category L3/L4 - Smoke detectors or a mixture of smoke and combustion gas

detectors, should be provided in the following: All escape stairways, all
corridors and any other areas that form part of the common escape routes.

Category L3 - Provides for smoke detector coverage in all escape routes so

enough advance warning is given to allow people adequate time to
evacuate before escape routes become blocked by fire or smoke.

Category L2 - As per L3 system, but in addition, automatic fire detectors

should be installed in rooms in which the fire risk is high enough to warrant
individual protection.

Category L1 - Total coverage to protect the lives of all the occupants in the
building, including those in the room where a fire might start.
 Fire extinguishers

 A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device to

put out fires, often in emergency situations. Fire

extinguishers consist of pressurized containers of

chemicals that, when discharged, can put out fires.

 Class A Extinguishers . . . .

 Put out fires in ordinary combustibles, such as

wood and paper.

 The numerical rating for this class of fire

extinguisher refers to the amount of water the
fire extinguisher holds and the amount of fire it
will extinguish.

Class B Extinguishers . . . .
•used on fires involving flammable liquids, such
as grease, gasoline, oil, etc.
•The numerical rating for this class of fire
extinguisher states the approximate number of
square feet of a flammable liquid fire that a non-
expert person can expect to extinguish.
 Class C Extinguishers . . . .

 are suitable for use on electrically

energized fires. This class of fire
extinguishers does not have a numerical
rating. The presence of the letter “C”
indicates that the extinguishing agent is
non-conductive.

Class D Extinguishers . . . .

 are designed for use on flammable metals and are

often specific for the type of metal in question. There is
no picture designator for Class D extinguishers. These
extinguishers generally have no rating nor are they given
a multi-purpose rating for use on other types of fires.
Types of Fire Extinguishers . . . .
 Dry Chemical extinguishers are usually rated for multiple
purpose use.

 They contain an extinguishing agent and use a

compressed, non-flammable gas as a propellant.

 BC powder is either sodium bicarbonate or potassium

bicarbonate, finely powdered and propelled by carbon
dioxide or nitrogen.

 Similarly to almost all extinguishing agents the powders

acts as a thermal ballast making the flames too cool for
the chemical reactions to continue.
Halon extinguishers . . . .

 contain a gas that interrupts the chemical reaction that takes place
when fuels burn.

 These types of extinguishers are often used to protect valuable electrical

equipment.

 Halon extinguishers have a limited range, usually 4 to 6 feet.

 The initial application of Halon should be made at the base of the fire,
even after the flames have been extinguished.

Halons are chlorofluorocarbons causing damage to the

ozone layer and are being phased out for more
environmentally-friendly alternatives
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) . . . .

 extinguishers are most effective on Class B and C

(liquids and electrical) fires. Since the gas
disperses quickly, these extinguishers are only
effective from 3 to 8 feet.

 The carbon dioxide is stored as a compressed

liquid in the extinguisher; as it expands, it cools
the surrounding air.

 The cooling will often cause ice to form around

the “horn” where the gas is expelled from the
extinguisher. Since the fire could re-ignite,
continue to apply the agent even after the fire
appears to be out.
CO2 . . . .
 Carbon dioxide (CO2) also works on classes B
and C/E and works by suffocating the fire.
Carbon dioxide will not burn and displaces air.

 Carbon dioxide can be used on electrical fires

because, being a gas, it does not leave residues
which might further harm the damaged
equipment.

 Carbon dioxide extinguishers have a horn on the

end of the hose. Due to the extreme cold of the
carbon dioxide that is expelled from an
extinguisher, it should not be touched.
How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

 P A S S -- Pull, Aim, Pull

Squeeze, and Sweep

Squeeze
Aim

Sweep
•Fire alarm strobe- LIGHTS are one of the most effective ways of grabbing
people's attention.

•At the same time, the system also turns on the siren alarms and the fire
alarm strobe. The fire alarm strobe flashes brightly, alerting the building
occupants of the fire and directing them to safety.

•Most of the time, the fire alarm strobes and siren alarms are used in
conjunction with each other. The combination of light and sound is very
effective in getting people to look and see what's going on, and alert
them of the fire emergency.
 FLAME DETECTORS
CEILING STROBES PROVIDE
AUDIBLE/VISIBLE NOTIFICATION 3 basic types of flame
detectors:

FIRE-GAS DETECTORS Ultraviolet light (UV)

Monitors levels of carbon dioxide and carbon Infrared (IR)
monoxide (common to all fires) Can detect both types
More discriminating than other detectors – can of light
be designed to be sensitive only to gases
produced by specific types of hostile fires and
ignores gases produced by friendly fires
Not many in use – very specialized applications

COMBINATION DETECTORS
Single device can be designed to have more
than 1 function e.g.. heat/smoke,
smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
Ultraviolet light
Flame Detector
AUTOMATIC ALARM INITIATING DEVICES

HEAT DETECTORS – FIXED TEMPERATURE & RATE-OF-RISE

Fixed-temperature devices
Oldest types in use
Relatively inexpensive
Least prone to false alarms
Activation temperature slightly above highest ceiling temperature.

Detect heat by one or more of 3 primary principles of physics:

Expansion of heated material

Melting of heated material
Changes in resistance of heated material.
SMOKE DETECTORS

Can initiate an alarm much quicker than a heat detector because it

responds to smoke generated very early in a fire’s development
(incipient stage) 2 basic types:

Photoelectric

Ionization