Terin Hopkins

Manager of Public Fire Protection

For decades, Class II standpipe systems have occupied an uncomfortable middle ground in fire protection codes. Intended for occupant use and equipped with 1½-inch “hose stations”, Class II systems were regulated under NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, the standard historically associated with fire department standpipe infrastructure. This overlap created confusion, inconsistent enforcement, and design requirements that often failed to reflect how buildings and fire departments actually operate.

The NFPA 14 (2026) First Draft addresses this long-standing issue directly by clarifying the intent of Class II standpipe systems and introducing a distinct definition for “hose systems.” This change is not an expansion of requirements, nor does it introduce new mandates. Instead, it corrects decades of ambiguity by clearly separating occupant-use hose equipment from fire department standpipe systems.

The Historical Problem with Class II Systems

Class II standpipe systems were originally conceived at a time when building occupants were expected to take a more active role in early fire containment and the materials burning (primarily wood and paper) were much less toxic and volatile than today’s modern building contents. These systems typically consisted of 1½-inch hose connection, 100 feet of 1½-inch hose with a nozzle, located in hose cabinets, intended to allow occupants or trained building staff to control small fires prior to fire department arrival.

Over time, however, fire service tactics, building design, and life safety philosophy evolved:

• Fire departments do not use occupant hose stations as they do not supply the required flow for interior or exterior structural firefighting
• Building occupants are not trained, equipped, or expected to fight fires
• Modern life safety emphasizes early evacuation and automatic suppression

Despite these changes, Class II systems remained embedded in NFPA 14 alongside Class I (fire department) and Class III (combined Class I & II) standpipe systems. This created several recurring problems.

Confusion in Design and Enforcement

Because Class II standpipe systems were regulated under the same standard as fire department standpipes, they were often mistakenly treated as equivalent or required infrastructure. This led to confusion over:

• Required flow and pressure
• Fire department connection (FDC) performance
• Fire pump sizing
• Acceptance testing criteria

In some jurisdictions, AHJs required Class II hose stations to meet standpipe flow or pressure expectations, even though those criteria were developed specifically for fire department hose operations, not occupant use. In others, Class II systems were installed, abandoned, locked, or removed entirely because neither building owners nor fire departments viewed them as useful.

The result was inconsistent enforcement, unnecessary cost, and systems that existed on paper but provided little real-world benefit.

Recognizing Operational Reality

One of the most important aspects of the NFPA 14 (2026) First Draft is its recognition of how buildings and fire departments actually operate today.

Modern fire service operations rely on:

• Class I standpipes with 2½-inch outlets
• Fire department hose, nozzles, and operating pressures
• Engine companies supplying Class I standpipes through FDCs as needed

Conversely, occupant hose stations are:

• Rarely used
• Often removed or rendered inoperable
• Not part of standard fire department tactics

The First Draft acknowledges this reality by decoupling occupant hose equipment from standpipe system performance expectations.

Introducing the “Hose System” Definition

At the heart of the 2026 changes is the introduction of a clear definition for a “hose system.”

This definition establishes that:

• A hose system is equipment intended for occupant or trained staff use
• A standpipe system is infrastructure intended for fire department operations

This distinction may appear subtle, but its implications are significant. By defining hose systems separately, NFPA 14 eliminates the assumption that all hose outlets fall under fire department standpipe criteria.

What This Means for Class II Systems

Class II is No Longer Treated Like a Fire Department Standpipe

Under the First Draft, Class II systems are clearly identified as hose systems, not fire department standpipe. This means they are no longer implicitly expected to meet the same hydraulic performance requirements as Class I systems.

This clarification resolves long-standing debates over whether Class II outlets must:

• Be supplied by fire pumps sized for fire department flows
• Be supported by FDCs capable of delivering standpipe demand
• Be evaluated using fire department pressure and flow criteria

The answer is now clear: those expectations apply to standpipe systems, not hose systems.

Eliminating Implicit Fire Department Expectations

Previous editions of NFPA 14 left room for interpretation regarding whether Class II outlets were part of the fire department’s operational water supply. The First Draft removes this ambiguity.

By explicitly separating hose systems from standpipe systems:

• Fire departments are no longer assumed to rely on Class II outlets
• AHJs can enforce requirements based on actual intent, not legacy assumptions
• Designers are no longer forced to oversize pumps or pipes to support equipment that firefighters should never use

Implications for Existing Buildings and Retrofits

The clarification of Class II systems is especially important for existing and high-rise buildings, where retrofit decisions carry significant cost and policy implications.

Many older buildings contain Class II hose stations that are:

• In disrepair
• Locked or removed
• Non-conforming to required flow for structural firefighting
• Noncompliant with modern expectations

The First Draft changes support AHJs who determine that:

• Class II systems are obsolete
• Removal or decommissioning is appropriate
• Class I standpipes provide the necessary fire department infrastructure

By clearly defining hose systems separately, NFPA 14 provides technical justification for decisions that were previously made on an ad-hoc basis.

Aligning with Modern Life Safety Philosophy

The separation of hose systems from standpipe systems also aligns NFPA 14 with modern life safety principles:

• Occupants are expected to evacuate, not fight fires
• Automatic fire sprinklers provide early suppression
• Fire departments arrive with trained personnel and equipment

In this context, occupant hose stations no longer serve the role they once did. The 2026 First Draft reflects this evolution without banning or mandating removal of Class II systems. Instead, it provides clarity so that AHJs and designers can make informed, consistent decisions.

What the NFPA 14 Change Is — and Is Not

It is important to emphasize that the NFPA 14 (2026) First Draft:

• Does not prohibit Class II systems
• Does not mandate removal
• Does not expand standpipe requirements

Two negative comments submitted on First Revision suggest that the new Class II “hose system” undermines or effectively removes, complicates the intended use of Class II standpipes. This interpretation misunderstands both the structure of NFPA 14 and the intent of the revision. By definition, a Class II standpipe system includes a “hose station”, and that remains true under the 2026 First Draft. Nothing in the revision eliminates Class II systems, restricts their installation, or changes the technical requirements governing hose stations. Instead, the revision corrects a conceptual error that has persisted for decades, namely, the assumption that all standpipe outlets are part of the fire department’s operational infrastructure. The separation of Class II systems as hose systems does not alter where they are required, how they are installed, or how they function for occupant or trained staff use. It simply clarifies that fire department performance criteria, hydraulic demand assumptions, and operational expectations apply to Class I standpipe systems, not to occupant hose stations. This distinction aligns the standard with modern fire service practice while preserving Class II systems exactly as they have always been intended to function.

What it does is clarify intent, resolve ambiguity, and align the standard with real-world practice.

Conclusion: A Long-Overdue Clarification

The changes to Class II systems and the introduction of a distinct hose system definition represent one of the most meaningful clarifications coming in the NFPA 14 (2026). By separating occupant hose equipment from fire department standpipe infrastructure, the Technical Committee has addressed decades of confusion that affected design, enforcement, and retrofit decisions.

This change improves:

• Code clarity
• Enforcement consistency
• Firefighter safety
• Cost-effective retrofit planning

Most importantly, it brings NFPA 14 into closer alignment with how buildings are protected and fires are fought today.

More about the Author:

Terin Hopkins brings over four decades of fire service and public safety experience to his current role as Manager of Public Fire Protection for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA). Beginning his career in 1981 as a Volunteer Firefighter/EMT, Terin went on to serve 25 years with the Prince George’s County (MD) Fire/EMS Department, retiring as station officer in 2010. He then continued his commitment to protecting communities with the Howard County Department of Fire Rescue Services, Office of the Fire Marshal. In 2018, Terin joined NFSA and now serves as a national resource for fire departments, code officials, and policymakers. He represents NFSA on several key NFPA and UL committees, including NFPA 1, NFPA 14, UL 47, and NFPA 13E, shaping the standards firefighters depend on. Terin remains dedicated to bridging the gap between the fireground and the codebook. His mission is to ensure that the voices of firefighters are heard in the standards-making process, while advancing fire protection systems that improve both firefighter safety and civilian survivability.