Above the Level of Fire Department Pumping Capabilities
We are entering a new era where the height of a building is being redefined and are moving from performance-based design into the regulated world of prescriptive codes and standards. For many decades, we have classified the height of a building based on fire department access limitations.
Read MoreProtecting the Future of Parking
How do we protect mechanically accessed parking? This is the big question. All this technology is for naught if it cannot be protected correctly. Mechanically accessed parking provides a unique and difficult protection problem. It contains all the fire hazards of a normal parking garage in addition to the mechanical systems that are used to park the vehicles. While the threat to occupant life and safety is almost negligible, the ability to appropriately protect property is a challenge.
Read MoreTo Cite or Not to Cite – Evaluating Installation in NFPA 25
Conducting an evaluation of a sprinkler system design or installation is outside the scope of NFPA 25, The Standard for Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. In this blog we will explore what NFPA 25 says about testing of components and devices through the owner’s evaluation section (4.6.1).When a main drain test cannot be conducted because the drain will not handle the full flow, does this qualify as an installation issue or can it be cited on an inspection and testing report? It is commonly not cited because it was approved or accepted by an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Does this mean it shouldn’t be cited? This question is also the same for testing flow switches when there is not a proper inspector’s test connection.
Read MoreThe Story Not Told
We have known for years that news events must contain key elements to allow them to be considered newsworthy. Stories that are considered significant and prominent take headlines, while others are postponed or even lost on the cutting room floor. What is often missed from the headlines are the significant stories that fail to meet editors’ earmarks. Automatic fire sprinkler success stories often fall in this category and go widely unrecognized. Sometimes the important story is that non-event which failed to meet significant criteria and simply goes unnoticed or unreported.
Read More