Equipment: PowerPoint Presentation: Sprinkler Systems: Review and Response Considerations

Transcription

1 Title: Sprinkler Systems: Review and Response Considerations Instructor: Danny Braitsch Time: 1.5 hours Equipment: PowerPoint Presentation: Sprinkler Systems: Review and Response Considerations Enabling Objectives: At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to review basic sprinkler systems and describethe differences between each system and their respective purposes and drawbacks. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able todescribe the various types of sprinkler valves and their classifications and functions. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to describe the types and functions of the various styles of sprinkler heads. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to discuss response considerations when dispatched to miscellaneous alarms involving sprinkler activation and understand safety considerations. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to determine important tactical considerations for firefighting operations in buildings containing a sprinkler system. Overview: I) Sprinkler Systems Review A) Wet System B) Dry System C) Pre-action D) Deluge System II) Sprinkler Valves III) Sprinkler Heads IV) Responding to Sprinkler Activation A) Firefighter Response to Accidental Activation B) Firefighting Considerations in a Sprinklered Building

2 Lesson Plan: I) Sprinkler Systems Review A) Wet System 1) Most common 2) Least expensive 3) Piping is always filled with water 4) Water begins to flow from system immediately if any sprinkler head is activated 5) Problematic if sprinkler head is broken or activated accidentally 6) Cannot be used in locations that may freeze B) Dry System 1) Pipes are filled with pressurized (by an installed compressor) air instead of water. The air pressure holds closed a clapper valve that holds back water on the other side 2) Upon activation of a sprinkler head, air escapes, pressure in piping drops, and water flows from the other end of the clapper valve into the system, reaching the activated sprinkler head 3) Good for locations that may freeze (unheated attics in winter) 4) Accelerators and exhausters can be installed to decrease time between air release and water arrival (which should be no more than 90 seconds) C) Pre-action 1) Dry system 2) Singular difference requires that a secondary device (e.g. smoke detector, manual pull alarm) must be activated before water is released into the system 3) Utilizes a deluge valve that will not release without the secondary device activation 4) More expensive 5) Meant to prevent accidental discharge of water D) Deluge System 1) Dry system 2) When the system is activated, the water will release and flow through ALL sprinkler heads all sprinkler heads are always open 3) Activation of deluge valve can occur by a detection system or manually II) Sprinkler Valves A) Valves in a sprinkler system allow for the system to be controlled and water to be shut-off or redirected. B) Valves can be classified by function and by type. 1) Function (a) Water Supply Valve/Shut-Off Valve (i) Main control valve responsible for controlling water flowing into the system (b) Alarm Valve (i) Activates alarm when sprinkler system is activated (c) Drain valves, test valves, various control valves 2) Type (a) Outside Stem & Yoke (OS&Y) (i) Stem moves in as valve is closed, stem is exposed if valve is open 3) Post-Indicator Valve (PIV) (a) Reads OPEN or SHUT if valve is open or shut 4) Wall PIV (a) Same as PIV, mounted to the wall of a building 5) Indicating Butterfly Valve (a) Open valve will show the yellow bar in line (parallel) with piping when open

3 III) Sprinkler Heads A) Sprinkler heads are the working end of the sprinkler system, responsible for applying water to the fire, and often responsible for activating the system altogether. B) Sprinkler heads are classified by mechanism of action and by mounting style. 1) Mechanism of Activation (a) Fusible-link sprinkler head (i) A metal alloy (e.g. solder) melts when it reaches a pre-rated temperature, breaking a link and releasing the cap that retains the water/air pressure in the system (b) Frangible-Bulb Sprinkler Head (i) A glass bulb filled with alcohol or glycerin and air breaks when heated to a pre-rated temperature, releasing the cap that retains the water/air pressure in the system (c) Chemical-Pellet Sprinkler Head (i) A chemical pellet holds a cap in place using a plunger mechanism. (ii) The pellet liquefies when heated to a specific temperature, releasing the cap that retains the water/air pressure in the system (d) Early-Suppression Fast-Response Sprinkler Head (i) Larger orifices meant for discharging larger amounts of water (e) Deluge Sprinkler Heads (i) No cap or releasing mechanism 2) Mounting Style (a) Pendant (i) Recessed and Concealed (b) Upright (c) Sidewall (i) Horizontal and Vertical IV) Responding to Sprinkler Activation A) Automatic Fire Alarms, Sprinkler Activation Alarms, Water Alarms, Miscellaneous Alarms 1) Response to the activation of a sprinkler system in a building could be the result of a number of factors 2) False alarm (a) Accidental activation (i) False alarms may occur as a result of any number of factors, including accidental/inadvertent activation by a citizen, or a broken sprinkler head or system component, ruptured pipes from freezing, defective alarm systems, and surges in water pressure. (ii) Error of a civilian (i.e. accidentally using sprinkler system instead of domestic water line, children engaging a sprinkler head) 3) Fire/smoke conditions B) Consider all alarms involving the activation of a sprinkler system to be a potential fire until proven otherwise 1) Train the way you fight 2) Always ensure that there was no fire V) Firefighter Response to Accidental Activation A) Control/stop the water flow 1) Shut down the system (a) Attempt to shut down only the portion of the system involved in the unwanted water discharge, if possible. Shut down entire system if necessary. Open main drain to divert water out of the system. (b) Contact the fire marshal building may be on fire watch until system is returned to service

4 (c) Ensure property owners are aware that they must contact their respective sprinkler company to have system repaired/replaced B) Utilize wedges to reduce or stop the leak at the broken sprinkler head C) Replace the discharged sprinkler head 1) Some departments discourage installation of new sprinkler heads by fire department personnel due to liability 2) Be aware of SOPs in your jurisdiction D) Salvage 1) Move or cover expensive/valuable equipment and furniture 2) Attempt to collect water in large basin if system cannot be shut down E) Safety considerations 1) If water flow has flooded an area, control utilities to ensure no electrical hazards F) Make necessary notifications when putting a building s sprinkler system out of service 1) Fire Marshal 2) Fire watch 3) Ensure building owners/managers understand to contact respective sprinkler company to schedule repairs as necessary G) Maintain reasonable suspicion of fire until proven otherwise VI) Firefighting Considerations in a Sprinklered Building A) Support sprinkler operations by connecting to and pumping through Fire Department Connection (FDC) 1) Understand system requirements and demands with regard to pumping and pressure B) Pre-plan sprinklered buildings in first-due area prior to emergency response to understand the demands and requirements of the system 1) Know where FDC and Sprinkler Maintenance Room are located 2) Know which portions of the building are and are not protected by the system 3) Some buildings do not have sprinklered attics C) Be aware of pressure reducing valves (PRVs) 1) One Meridian Plaza, Philadelphia D) Do not assume the situation is mitigated by the sprinkler system 1) Continue the box assignment 2) Check for extension (a) Sprinkler systems subdue fire spread but cannot readily access all areas in which fire may have spread E) Do not prematurely shut the sprinkler system down prior to extinguishment of fire 1) Continue fire suppression operations as though the fire were not subdued by the sprinkler system 2) Do not be complacent 3) Train the way you fight 4) Ensure adequate water supply to fully extinguish the fire and its extension F) Safety Considerations 1) Never assume that the sprinkler system in a sprinklered building is functioning properly or at all (a) Building owners and occupants may have illegal shut down sprinkler systems (b) Not all dysfunctional systems are reported right away to sprinkler companies for repair (c) Not all sprinkler systems are well maintained 2) Many sprinklered buildings are often sprinklered for a reason (a) Life safety hazard (b) Construction type (c) Fuel load

5 Enabling Objectives: At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to review basic sprinkler systems and understand the differences between each system and their respective purposes and drawbacks. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to recall the various types of sprinkler valves and their classifications and functions. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to review the types and functions of the various styles of sprinkler heads. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to discuss response considerations when dispatched to miscellaneous alarms involving sprinkler activation and understand safety considerations. At the conclusion of instruction, the student should be able to determine important tactical considerations for firefighting operations in buildings containing a sprinkler system. References Gustin, Bill (2018). What firefighters must know about fire protection systems, part 1, Fire Engineering, Vol. 117, Iss. 4. Retrieved from: 171/issue-4/features/what-firefighters-must-know-about-fire-protection-systems-part-1.html. International Fire Service Training Association (2008). Essentials of fire fighter and fire department operations, Pearson, Fifth Edition. Jakubowski, Greg (2012). Firefighting tactics for sprinklered buildings, Fire Rescue Magazine, Vol. 7, Iss. 11. Retrieved from: 11/strategy-and-tactics/firefighting-tactics-for-sprinklered-buildings.html. National Fire Protection Agency (2006). NFPA 13R: Standard for the installation of sprinkler systems in residential occupancies up to and including four stories in height, National Fire Protection Agency, 2007 edition. Retrieved from: