Question: Standpipe systems are wet or dry arrangements of pipes found in large single-story or multistory buildings that are designed to supply water to aid in firefighting. Occupants of the building or firefighting personnel will deploy hoses from outlets located on different levels of the standpipe system in order to deliver water needed to control the fire.
There are many components that are common to standpipe systems. Among these components are fire department connections, pressure-regulating devices, risers, water-flow control valves, hose stations, and a water supply. Fire department connections (FDC) are located on the exterior of the structure and allow fire apparatus to supply supplemental water to a standpipe system. Pressure regulating devices will prevent the over pressurization of the system or hoses that may be attached, the pressure can typically be adjusted using special tools. The riser is the actual piping system that is used to transfer the water from the supply to the discharge. The hose station refers to the hose that is used to connect to the discharge of the riser, the diameter and type of hose will be dictated by the classification of the standpipe system (Sturzenbecker, Adams, & Burnside, 2012).
For a 40-story residential high rise building, I would recommend the installation of a Class III standpipe system. This would allow for trained occupants to utilize the provided 1.5" hose to control a potential fire and possibly prevent it from growing. The class III system also allows for fire service personnel to use larger diameter attack lines in cases of heavier fire conditions. By removing the 1.5" reducer, they will be able to connect their 2.5" hoses to the discharges.
Preforming preplans on this system will be beneficial to all of the personnel that could potentially be involved in fire suppression operations at this location. It is important for crews to be able to quickly locate the FDC and water supply. Being familiar with the procedures for utilizing the high-rise packs and what tools ae include within them as well as how to make the proper connections to the discharge is also something that can be reviewed during a preplan. There are many things that can be learned while conducting pre-fire plans that can be applied to other calls that you may run, paying close attention to the operation of a standpipe system will likely teach us something that will come in handy at a later date (Sturzenbecker, Adams, & Burnside, 2012).
References: Sturzenbecker, M. J., Adams, B., & Burnside, E. (2012). Fire detection and suppression systems. Oklahoma State University: Fire Protection Publications.
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