High-Rise Firefighting

FDC AND STANDPIPES OPERATIIONS

Thanks to LT Erik Baynard for this program

FDC and Standpipes

• Firefighting in high-rise buildings can be extremely challenging and success depends on both the condition of the fire suppression system and our skill and efficiency in using it.
• The two components of Fire Suppression System in this

training will focus on the FDC and standpipe.

• FDC and standpipes are found in both modern and legacy

buildings.

• Buildings over 30 feet tall or 3 stories are required by code to have standpipes (post 1993).
• As good practice engine companies should be familiar with the FDC and standpipe systems found in their response areas and any special characteristics or problems with these systems.

Penrose on Mass

FDC and Standpipes

The purpose of the FDC is to provide firefighters a connection point to the fire suppression system. Standpipes on the fire suppression system provide a connection inside the building, thus eliminates excessively long hose stretches from the apparatus to the fire. FDC and/or Standpipes can be found in most residential and commercial structures such as:

• High-rise Buildings
• Mid and Low-rise Buildings
• Apartments
• Hospital
• Strip Malls
• Warehouses
• Parking Garage
• Commercial Buildings

Cummins Building 301 Market St.

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Fire Suppression Systems

The FDC and standpipe is a component of the Fire suppression systems - designed to help extinguish, control, or prevent fires from spreading or occurring. These systems come in variety of applications, and there is different types of suppression systems for different applications.

• Most fire suppression system will have an FDC to supply

the fire suppression system, standpipe riser or both.

• The FDC connection in most building is Siamese and can flow 500gpm.
• Each individual FDC inlet connection can flow 250gpm.
• Depending a type of suppression system, an installed fire pump will provide water throughout the riser. This will need to be supported by the fire department in case of pump failure or lack pressure.

Pressure Valve

Sprinkler Head

FDC Connection

Valve Outlet

Standpipe Riser

Fire Pump

OS & Y Valve

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Types of Service

1. Standpipe.
2. Automatic Sprinkler.
3. Combination Standpipe and Sprinkler.
4. Non-Automatic or Perforated Pipe.
5. Test Connection

5 Massachusetts Avenue

4. Non-Automatic or Perforated Pipe

• Works like a deluge system with smalls holes in the pipe for extinguishment.
• This was an early design, so firefighters didn’t have

to enter a basement to extinguish a fire.

• Supplying this will NOT deliver water to a traditional standpipe system.

5. Fire Pump Test Connection

• Annual testing inlet to supply water to the fire pump. Will NOT deliver water to the standpipe without opening multiple valves inside the pump room.
• Male threads.

1.

Standpipe Connection

• Delivers water to the building’s interior standpipe.
• Female threads.

2. Automatic Sprinkler

• Supplies the sprinkler system via the fire pump and any activated sprinkler heads.
• Female threads.

3.

Combination Standpipe and Sprinkler

• Supplies both the standpipe and sprinkler system via the water pump.
• Female threads.

Standpipe at Riley Towers

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

System Identification

• FDC for standpipes and sprinklers systems look very similar, for the success of the operation its important to differentiate the types.
• A visible plate or ring around the FDC piping can identify the system.
• Raised or imprinted label can also identify type of system.
• Some FDC’s might have a missing

identification marking.

Missing Identification

Ring Identification

Raised Print Identification

Confusing Identification

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Identification & Service Types (Indianapolis)

• Combination Auto Sprinkler and Standpipe
• Standpipe
• Automatic Sprinkler
• Fire Pump Test

240 Delaware St.

Illinois and Michigan

918 Fort Wayne Ave

Athletic Club

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

• Auto Sprinkler FDC are sometimes WRONGLY

labeled for a standpipe equipped building.

• Known buildings with standpipes with a WRONG label should be reported to IFD Fire and Life Safety Division.
• Identifying the FDC system is extremely important. A miss identified system will NOT provide water to appropriate system.
• The wrong FDC was supplied during a parking garage fire which delayed water reaching the fire. This has the potential to be extremely dangerous during high-rise operations.

Parking Garage at Illinois and New York St.

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

FDC Location

• Fire Department Connection should be easily

accessible on the exterior of the building.

• Location of building FDC will vary, some buildings are located on the address side while others can be found on the street side, or rear of building and remote freestanding locations.
• Most FDC’s can be easily located by required signage but are often hidden by decorative landscape.

747 N. College Ave.

4000 N. Meridian St.

225 N. New Jersey St.

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

• Building of significant height or square footage may have multiply inlets and in different locations which will vary depending on the type and demand of the system being served.
• Buildings with multiple FDC’s may serve different areas of the building and should be labeled as such.
• Buildings encountered with multiple towers or separated wings generally have a separate dedicated FDC.

Marott Hotel Apartments; 2625 N Meridian St

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Debris and Tampering

• FDC inlets have become a receptacle for trash, debris and contraband, inspecting the inlets prevents foreign material from entering the sprinkler/standpipe system.
• When debris is found remove with spanner

wrench or tool, do NOT use hand.

• If debris is removed it is likely there is more in the standpipe and will requiring flushing prior to hand-line operation, this should be communicated to the attack team.

Flapper Valve

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

• Security of FDC has become a growing concern with people placing trash and other items in them. To battle this behavior FDC’s will have a protective break-away cover or a Knox locking cap to prevent tampering.
• Knox Locking caps can also be found on building standpipes. Ex. Jails
• To unlock Knox lock turn key counter clockwise until stops, next attach opposite end to lock pins to unscrew cap.

Knox Key Wrench

Knox Locking Cap

Break-away Cover

• Example of FDC and Standpipe Debris

235 N Alabama; Old Fire

Headquarters

Indianapolis Parking Garage

Standpipe Unknown

Location

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Renovated Buildings

• Buildings often go through a modernization period and the renovation doesn’t always comply with local codes or acquire permits as a work around.
• These changes can impact the existing fire suppression system both positive and negatively.
• Building fire suppressions system are design for the original occupancy, changes to the building don’t always coincide with the original system.

Hilton Hotel, 120 W Market St. FDC

Hilton Hotel, Wabash St. Back Dock FDC

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Pumping the FDC

• Consider pumping in tandem with one engine at the hydrant sharing the total pump pressure with a second engine at the FDC.
• To achieve adequate hand-line pressure from the standpipe, it should be pumped based on building height and not location of fire floor.
• FDC connections should be supplied with a 3-inch high pressure supply hose.
• The engine company supplying the FDC should NOT supply any other hose lines, with the exception an overhaul handline.
• When a second FDC location is present, it MUST be supplied at the same water pressure as the first two engines.
• Situations where the FDC is missing or broken the engine company can pump directly into the standpipe. The exception is the presence of a pressure regulating device at the connection , which will act as check valve to prevent water flow and will have to be removed.
• Extreme caution shall be utilized when pressurizing systems, engineers must communicate with fire floor personnel to ensure that adequate pressures are achieved without over-pressurization.
• The FDC and standpipe should allows be flushed for debris.
• Note: IFD does not carry high pressure 3 or 5 inch supply hose for the FDC and the current hose in service may fail under pressure.

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Pumping the FDC

• Discipline in apparatus staging is critical at high-rise incidents to ensure fast deployment of water by the engine companies.
• Engine companies should consider staging

at designated pre-arrival areas.

• 1^st and 2^nd Engine should stage on the address side.
• 3^rd and 4^th Engine should consider staging near the back of building for a rear FDC.

800 Capitol Avenue Apartments

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Pumping the FDC

• Buildings with an indicating valve should be left in the open position, if found in closed should be place in open position.
• The indicating valves control a separate municipal water supply for the

fire sprinklers and wet standpipes.

• An indicating valve does NOT control water flow from the FDC, only the water supply from the street.
• Indicating Valve can be found free standing called Post Indicating Valve (PIV) or on a wall called Wall Indicating Valve (WIP).
• If a building collapse is suspected, turn the indicator valve to close. This will prevent loss of hydrant pressure from broken building pipes supplied by the municipal water system.
• Note: Water flowing from the drain is an indicator of sprinkler activation, presumed fire in the building.

Drain

918 Fort Wayne Avenue Apartments.

Wall Indicating Valve

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Pumping the FDC

• Considered adding a Siamese to the FDC as a redundancy if the primary pumper loses ability to flow water.
• This provides a additional connection for a second pumper without complete loss of water pressure.
• The damaged FDC can now be bypassed and the good connection can fulfill the required 2 supply lines.

Advantages to Supplying the FDC

• Ensures adequate pressure is being delivered to the fire protective system.
• Ensures that the system has an adequate water supply for activated sprinkler

heads.

• Ensures that firefighters will have an adequate water supply to the standpipe.
• Supports the fire suppression system until handlines are in place.
• Eliminates long hose stretches from the apparatus to the fire.

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

800 Capitol Avenue Apartments

Standpipe Operation

• The use of standpipes will provide a quick and convenient means of stretching attack lines on various floors of buildings.
• Standpipes are located inside the building at stair landings or hallways of older buildings.
• Connection to standpipe MUST be one floor below the fire floor to provide a safe egress point away from the IDHL environment.
• Two different types of outlet valves on standpipes.
1. Conventional Valve.
2. Pressure Reducing Valve.

Millikan on Mass 560 N East St.

Conventional Valve

• A non-pressure reducing valve

commonly found on standpipes.

• A separate outlet device attached to the standpipe riser.
• Typically found in legacy and mid- rise buildings.
• The valve can be operated fully open or regulated down for desired pressure during fire operations.

Marott Hotel Apartments; 2

Conventional Valve

Riley Towers; 225 E North St.

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Public Safety Medical; 6612 E 75^th St. Millikan on Mass; 630 N East St.

USA Gymnastics; 130 E Washington St.

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

• Fire pumps are designed to deliver water to highest floor within the building. This occurrence will create higher pressures lower in the building, because of this increase, pressure reducing valves are installed on standpipe outlets for firefighting.
• Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) are designed to reduce, restrict, or otherwise control the pressure available at the hose outlet.
• These devices are not favored due to many incidences of improperly adjusted and severely hampering firefighting efforts.
• PRV act like one way check valves and can NOT be back fed.

Non-Adjustable / Factory-Set Valve

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

• NFPA 14 says the PRV can be set to any pressure as long as it’s above the minimum 100 psi (65 psi pre 1993) and below the maximum 175 psi (100 psi pre 1993) residual pressure.
• When a PRV is properly set, operation of one hand line should receive it’s required nozzle pressure. This is often not the case for multiple hands lines operating.
• For multiple handlines in operation the PRV pressure will need to be increased.

URFA Adjustable Valve; 335 West 9^th St.

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

• Improperly set pressure reducing valves was a contributing factor at the One Meridian Plaza Fire in Philadelphia 1991 that killed 3 firefighters.

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

• To differentiate a PRV from a conventional valve, remove the dust cap and look inside the appliance.
• A non-pressure reducing valve will have a

Threaded Stem.

• A pressure reducing valve will have a Smooth Stem. These are sometimes factory set and are NOT field adjustable.
• PRV’s come in two forms:

1. Non-adjustable.
2. Adjustable.

Pressure Reducing

Non-Pressure Reducing

Threaded

Smooth

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

Non-Adjustable Pressure Reducing Valve

• Set by the factory and can NOT be adjusted in the field
• Any attempt to increase engine pump pressure

through ANY PRV appliance will NOT increase outlet pressure.

• Some PRVs allow only a small percentage of an

increase; most have a maximum outlet pressure.

Note: The only way to adjust these valves is to

expose the inner parts and turn the spring

retaining nut with a deep socket set.

Non-Adjustable \ Factory-Set Valve

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

Field Adjustable Valve

• Modern pressure reducing valve with inner hydraulic controls.
• Firefighter friendly easy to adjust.
• Features a manual valve open and close as well as pressure adjustment in the field.
• Requires a 3/8 rod to adjust the pressure.
• Adjustable under pressure.

Elkhart Brass URFA

Adjustable Stem

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

Some conventional valves will have pressure restricting device or external limiter to perform like a PRV. Removing the restrictor will allow for an increase in pressure.

1. Adjustable Stem

3. Limiter Clip

2. Vane Restrictor

4. Removable Ring

Vane Restrictor

Pressure Reducing

Valve (PRV)

Types in Indianapolis

Limiter Clip; John J Barton Apt 555 Mass. Ave.

Adjustable Stem; Athletic Club 350 N Meridian St.

Field Adjustable Valve; 9 on Canal 335 W 9^th St.

Pressure Reducing

Valve (PRV)

Types in Indianapolis

Factory Set Valve; Lake City Bank

101 N Illinois

Factory Set Valve ; Capitol Center

201 N Illinois

Field Adjustable Valve ; The Block Apts.

50 N Illinois.

Valve Adjustment

Video Link URFA Field Adjustable Pressure Reducing Standpipe Valve Note: Vane type PRD are easily defeated by unscrewing device from valve.

Break plastic cover, Insert 3/8 rod, turn nut to adjust setting.

Break base of adjustable stem with tool.

Remove metal clip

Standpipe Operation

Considered adding an additional gated control valve to gain full control of the standpipe in the event of valve failure.

1. Buildings are only required to have their suppression system tested once every five years.
2. The valves don’t always get tested and can seize open when flushing the system or not open at all.
3. Allows for one person to control both the attack line and backup line pressures on the same floor.
4. When utilizing an exterior hose stretch in a non-standpipe building, the gated valve allows for pressure control at the designated floor.

Standpipe Operation

• The standpipe should be flushed to

remove any debris from the system.

• Debris will cause poor stream quality and reduced water flow capabilities at the nozzle.
• Proactively flushing the standpipes prevents unnecessary need to shut down the hose line to remove any debris that may be logged.
• This process also confirms water flow in

the standpipe system.

• In a dry standpipe system, air will release first as water is introduced.

Standpipe Operation

Hose Cabinet

• Found in hallways for building occupant use and NOT intended for fire dept operation.
• The provided water hose will NOT provide

adequate water pressure to fight the fire.

• Hose threads will NOT match fire department threads.
• Provided nozzle DOES NOT produce an

adequate stream.

Standpipe Operation

• Hose cabinet was a contributing factor at the Athletic Club Fire 1992 that killed two IFD firefighters.
• This tragic event led to the city removing the occupant hose and NFPA changing the standpipe standards.

Elwood M. Gelenius.

John J. Lorenzano

Standpipe Operation

Standpipe Cabinet

• Found in legacy buildings prior to newer code.
• Hose and standpipe cabinets have been phased out to accompany new standpipe standards.
• These are NOT favored because located in areas that DO NOT lead to safe egress.
• If stairwell standpipe is unavailable, communicate to command use of hallway cabinet.
• Use of a hallway standpipe should

NEVER be operated on the fire floor.

• These connections sometimes require an adapter to increase from 1 ½ to 2 ½ coupling.

City View Apartments; 3801 N Meridian St.

Trouble Shooting

Poor / No water pressure in standpipe

• Ensure proper FDC connection is supplied.
• Check for presence of a pressure

reducing valve.

• Check the standpipe and hand line for potential debris.
• Check for open outlets which can

reduce water pressure.

Bad / No FDC

Option 1

• In a known standpipe building, supply the interior standpipe with a 3-inch supply hose with an attached Siamese.
• Remove PRD if present, will need NPT thread adapter to complete connection.

Option 2

• Internal hose stretch
• External hose stretch

First floor standpipe connected to 3-inch supply hose

Summary

• Firefighting in these buildings can be extremely challenging and success depends on both the condition of the fire suppression system and our skill and efficiency in using it.
• Proper recognition of a FDC and standpipes will greatly enhance the success of the fire operation.
• Pre-planning is critical, nearly all IFD alarm responses have an FDC and/or a building with standpipes; this includes 5^th due box responses.
• Companies should be familiar with the FDC and standpipe systems found in their response areas and any special characteristics or challenges with these systems.
• FDC and standpipes can be found in various residential and commercial structures.
• Pressure reducing devices are not favored because many incidences of improperly adjusted and severely hampering firefighting efforts.
• Quick trouble shooting can fix common FDC and standpipe problems.

J Barton Annex Apts. ; 501 N East St.

• Course/ Activity: August Monthly Training # 1 Standpipe Training
• ISO Code: Should Populate to Company Level Training
• Location of Training: Location you trained, typically your firehouse
• Date/Hours: Date you completed the training and 2.5 hours
• Instructors: Person or Persons providing the training for the company
• Attendees: Enter everyone’s name, including those listed as the instructor, yes people can be listed as both attendee and instructor.
• Description: Tell us what you did!

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• If you have a prepared training program that would benefit the department, send an email to Chief Steve Clegg steven.clegg@indy.gov the training will be reviewed and sent out department wide via monthly training if approved.��

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