Fire Prevention & Safety

Interestingly, with the advent of large, densely populated cities the amount of water needed for domestic consumption was found to also be useful for fire fighting purposes. In the late 19th century, distinguished waterworks engineers began to explore the idea of providing waterworks systems that were capable of supplying the needs for domestic consumption, sanitary purposes, fire fighting, as well as other uses.

John R. Freeman's "The Arrangement of Hydrants and Water Pipes for the Protection of a City Against Fire," published in 1892, was arguably one of the most influential reports produced during that time. Freeman performed work and tests in order to determine a standard fire stream (flow and pressure rating) for a fire hose and nozzle. He also noted a critical difference in ordinary domestic water supply needs in comparison to those needed for fire protection. Fire demand required a concentration of water, whereas domestic usage relied on the distribution of water.

John R. Freeman concluded that the availability of concentrated water throughout portions of waterworks systems involved the strategic placement of fire hydrants at specific blocks or groups of buildings. His work brought about working rules for hydrant spacing in compact mercantile and manufacturing districts as well as in residential districts.

  Where any of the following conditions exist, an obstruction investigation shall be conducted for the piping:

• Defective intake for fire pumps taking suction from open bodies of water
• The discharge of obstructive material during routine water tests
• Foreign materials in fire pumps, in dry pipe valves, or in check valves
• Foreign material in water during drain tests or plugging of inspector’s test connection(s)
• Unknown material are heard in the system piping during draining, refilling, or otherwise flowing water through the system
• Plugged sprinklers
• The presence of sufficient foreign organic or inorganic material is found in the pipe
• Failure to flush yard piping or surrounding public mains following new installations or repairs
• A record of broken public mains in the vicinity
• Abnormally frequent false tripping of a dry pipe valve(s)
• A system that is returned to service after an extended shutdown (greater than 1 year)
• There is a reason to believe that the sprinkler contains sodium silicate or highly corrosive fluxes in copper systems
• A system has been supplied with raw water via the fire department connection
• Pinhole leaks
• A 50% increase in the time it takes water to travel to the inspector’s test connection from the inspector’s test connection from the time the valve trips during a full flow trip test of a dry pipe sprinkler system when compared to the original system acceptance test