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Time waits for no one

Has this ever happened to You?

For internal training purposes only

You have trouble hooking up to the FDC?
You have low (or worse NO water pressure)?

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Sprinkler and standpipe systems are designed to:

protect occupants
assist firefighters with fire attack
protect property

The flow and pressure in sprinkler and standpipes systems are supplemented by fire department pumping apparatus.

You as Pump Operators must understand:

the principles of their use
how to supply them properly
how to correct common problems that may occur

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These systems are simple to use when functioning correctly, however, problems may arise that limit flow and pressure to fire attack teams.

Operators must be able to troubleshoot and solve supply issues to ensure firefighter safety.

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Objectives

To go through this online Standpipe module as a crew and to discuss the information presented.

After completing this online refresher module you will be able to:

Locate, identify and connect to the Fire Department Connection (FDC)
Connect the high-rise packs to the standpipe connections in high-rise buildings
Successfully troubleshoot possible FDC and Standpipe problems

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Main Teaching Points

Points to Note
Standpipe, Sprinkler and Combination Systems
Types of Standpipes
Hooking up to the Fire Department Connection as a Pump Operator
Hooking up to the Standpipe as the Fire Attack Sector
Understanding How to Troubleshoot Problems with the Standpipe System

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Points to Note

If there is more than one FDC it should be labelled indicating if it is a Standpipe, Sprinkler or Combination connection

If a building is newer than 15 years, it may have a combination FDC supplying both the Stand pipe and the Sprinkler Systems

The pictures to the right are FDC from local buildings

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Points to Note

The FDC should also indicate what zone it supplies - Sometimes it does not so you might have to figure out what zone each connection goes to or connect to all of them

The FDC should be located no closer than 3 meters and no further than 15 meters from the principal entrance to the building

High-rise buildings can have more than one main entrance. Each main entrance should have a FDC

These 4 FDCs are on located on the same building in Edmonton. The zones are not indicated.

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Points to Note

If the connection is not in the normal location (near the front entrance), a strobe MAY be installed to notify response personnel of its location.

Edmonton Fire Rescue defines a High Rise (residential or commercial) as having 5 or more floors above the ground.

Check out SOG #2-7.50 - Response to High Rise Emergency Events

High rise structures may pose difficult and challenging situations based on:

building occupancy size	design construction

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Standpipe System

...is a series of vertical and horizontal pipes that connected to a water supply making it easier & faster to get water onto a fire

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Sprinkler System

A series of combined devices designed to automatically deliver sufficient water (or extinguishing agent) to extinguish or hold the fire in check until outside resources arrive.

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Combination System

The standpipe and sprinkler systems share a common main riser and fire pump.
The Combination System is common in buildings that have been built in the last 15 years.

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Standpipe Systems: 5 Types

Automatic/ Wet system – Piping is filled with water at all times and an automatic available water supply, capable of supplying the water demand necessary for firefighting, is present.

Automatic/Dry system - Piping is normally filled with pressurized air and an automatic available water supply, capable of supplying the water demand necessary for firefighting, is present. These systems are set-up through the use of devices, such as a dry-pipe valve, to automatically admit water into the system piping when a hose valve is opened.

Semiautomatic/Dry system - Piping is normally filled with air that may or may not be pressurized and a preconnected water supply, capable of supplying the water demand necessary for firefighting, is present. Systems are set-up through the use of devices, such as deluge valves, to admit water into the system piping when a remote actuation device located at the hose station, such as a pull station, is activated.

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Standpipe Systems

Manual-dry system - Piping is normally filled with air. These systems do not have a preconnected water supply. A fire department connection must be used to manually supply water for fire firefighting.

Manual-wet system - Piping is normally filled with water thus avoiding “fill time” when the system is used. The water supply for these systems is typically provided by a small connection to domestic water piping. This means that it is not capable of supplying firefighting water demands. A fire department connection must be used to manually supply water for firefighting.

Pump operators will be faced with many challenges when tasked to hook up to the FDC’s. Site visits, Pre-incident Plans(PIP), and SOG’s are some of the tools the operators need to utilize.

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Standpipe Classes

Class I - provides 65mm hose line connections to supply water. These are usually found in the stairwells of the high rise structure or at dedicated areas within a warehouse.

Class II – provides 38mm hose cabinets (our 44mm hoses have a 38mm connector) that may be used by either occupants or firefighters. Hose cabinets are installed in buildings that are not sprinklered but can be installed in sprinklered builds also. Never rely on hoses in the cabinet, use our own hoses.

Class III – provides both a Class I (65mm) and Class II (38mm) standpipe system connection. The 65mm connection may be in the stairwell or found in the hose cabinet.

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When to Connect To The FDC?

You can’t charge the FDC until you are connected to at least 1 hydrant.

If the building shows signs of SMOKE:

Where the Fire Department Connection (FDC) supplies both systems (Combination System), hook up to and pressurize the entire system to provide water for tactical crews entering the building.

If the systems are separate, connect to and pressurize the standpipe system. Connect dry 65mm hose to the sprinkler FDC and wait direction from the 1st entering crews.

Heatherridge 2012 - See Post-Incident Review

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When to Connect To The FDC?

When the building shows visible signs of FLAMES:

Connect to, and pressurize both individual systems immediately (if the building has both a Standpipe connection and a Sprinkler connection).

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Hooking up to the FDC as Pump Operator

Hook to FDC with two 65mm lines to ensure sufficient flow and pressure is supplied.

There may be only a sprinkler connection or only a standpipe connection or both.

Read the identification plate when hooking up supply lines.

Buildings newer than 15 years may have a combination FDC system in place.

Some newer buildings may have a red strobe to indicate the location of the FDC (if the FDC is not close to the main entrance) or the room with the Fire Alarm Control Panel .

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Hooking up to the FDC

When responding to building fires equipped with Standpipes, we must complete some critical tasks in order to ensure the call goes as smooth as possible:

Supplying adequate amount of water to the standpipe system and ensuring Fire Attack has the correct pressure on the fire floor

Transporting the hoses, nozzles and other equipment to the standpipe connection selected for use and

Hooking up the hose line, advancing the hose and extinguishing the fire

Vallhala 2010 - See Post-Incident Review

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Standpipe - Initial pressure set at 1000 kPa – sufficient to operate 44mm attack hose up to the 5^thfloor. Use the same Rule of Thumb pressures for Combination Systems (the standpipe and sprinkler systems use the same FDC).

Note: Standpipe Maximum Pressure Change (March 2016)

The Pump Operators course teaches you can go up to 1400 kPa if needed.
Our 65mm hose is tested to 2100 kPa.
Building Standpipes are tested and the maximum working is supposed to be stamped on the FDC.

Pump Discharge Pressure

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Add Head Pressure for floors above the 5th floor (10 kPa per meter or 35 kPa per floor).

Keep a close eye on residual pressure, especially if there are multiple hand lines being utilized.

For FDC that are ONLY Sprinkler system:

Sprinkler FDC - use 1050 kPa as Maximum pressure
Separate Sprinkler FDC - Most Sprinkler systems are designed for a maximum working pressure of 175 psi or 1206 kPa

Pump Discharge Pressure

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Panel Indicators:

Upon charging the standpipe

Residual pressure (master intake gauge) will drop significantly
Pressure is being used to fill the pipe

Once the standpipe is fully charged, the residual pressure will recover

Pipe is full and pressure can be built upon the walls of the pipe

Increasing pump pressure (master discharge gauge) will result in a minimal loss of residual pressure

Pipe is sealed and watertight

Pump Discharge Pressure

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City of Edmonton

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Before entering ANY stairwell you NEED to obtain keys from lobby control.
Check to see if you can get back onto the floors for the stairwells using the keys provided.
Floors that are Crossover floors are indicated in the stairwell. Watch for these.
Fire Command MUST be notified of the stairwell type and which stairwell is used for FIRE ATTACK and EVACUATION
Fire Command MUST also be told what type of floor plan the building has:

Centre Core Construction or
Centre Hallway Construction

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City of Edmonton

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

From a firefighting point, the stairwell is much more than a ‘people mover’:

the stairwell is a means of establishing:

fire attack,
ventilation and
evacuation.

The stairwell system must provide safe egress for occupants and access for firefighters to fulfill their duties:

be it evacuation,
fire attack, etc.

It is imperative that fire departments have a working knowledge of the locations of, design style of, access to and exit area for all stairwells in the high rise structures in their area – not an easy task but an important one.

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Stairwells can be classified into:

Protected:

A protected stairwell is a critical component in the life safety concerns of a high rise structure.
These are enclosed fire rated shafts that serve primarily for emergency egress paths for the occupants.

Unprotected:

An unprotected stairwell is not considered part of the emergency egress system for the building but more a convenience system between floors that are occupied by the same tenant.
The stairway does not exit to the outside of the building

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City of Edmonton

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Types of Stairs

Scissor stairs - scissor stairs incorporate 2 stairwells into same area.

When looked at from the side, you see an "X" pattern.

You enter the stairwell from one side and exit the floor above or below on the opposite side.

If you walk up 1 flight of stairs and reach a door without making a turn to walk up another flight of stairs, it is a scissor stairway.

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Types of Stairs

Return stairs - stairs incorporate a landing at midpoint that then "returns" to the same area of the other floor.

In other words, the top and bottom of the stairwell is located at the same point on each floor.

Common to centre hall construction – especially walk-up apartments or most high rise apartment buildings.

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

There are basically two styles of high rise construction designs:

Centre Core design and

Centre Hall design

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City of Edmonton

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Centre core:

structures have a concrete continuum design (extends upward floor to floor) that contains the stairwells, elevator shafts, utility and HVAC systems.
Usually these features are found in the “CORE” of the building or “CENTRE” but may be found in the front, rear or side of the structure.

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Centre Hall Construction:

Centre Hall structures as the name implies have offices or apartments that are found on either side of a centre hall.

Stairwells are found at the end of the hallways BUT the elevators and utility shafts are centrally located with the building.

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Centre Core Construction

A concern for Fire Command is that windows in an office-style centre core structure typically DO NOT OPEN.
The ventilation sector must be conscious of the design feature.
At least one stairwell will provide roof access.

Centre Hall Construction

For ventilation purposes, the windows of a centre hall structure usually open, offering the option of horizontal or vertical ventilation.
A centre hall building may allow for exterior balconies.
Standpipes systems are located either in the stairwell or just inside the hallway next to the stairwell exits.
Depending upon the size of the building – two standpipe systems or more may be utilized.

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City of Edmonton

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Enter building with red and green high rise kits. Arrive 2 floors below the fire floor if using the elevator.
Locate standpipe connection one floor below the fire floor.
Flush standpipe prior to connecting hose (red high rise kit) to remove debris if possible and close valve.
Attach pony length of 65mm hose from red kit to standpipe.
Attach 44mm hose with preconnected nozzle from green kit to hose from red kit. Flake out uncharged hose line to the fire floor and up the stairs if possible.
Open valve on standpipe, bleed air from line and advance hose to fire floor.

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City of Edmonton

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Hooking up to the Standpipe as Fire Attack

Hose Management

Hose management is very important:

The Fire Attack Crew has to correctly flake out their hose line in order to make hose advancement quick and easy. It is even more important with multiple Fire Attack crews in the stairway

The better organized the hose is in the stairwell the more effective you will be in advancing to and extinguishing the fire

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Troubleshooting

Standpipes systems are not fool-proof systems. With any building system, problems or failures may exist.

*Standpipe operations involve time and planning*.

If a problem occurs with the standpipe, Fire Command MUST be made aware of it immediately.

Fire Command may need to review and change the strategies and tactics for the incident.*

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Troubleshooting FDC

Possible FDC Problems

Outside the Building:

Clogged FDC
FDC Cap is Damaged
FDC Female connector does not Swivel
FDC is missing the Clapper

Inside the Building:

No Pressure

Open Standpipe Valves
Broken Pipes

No Water Flow

Plugged Standpipe Connector

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City of Edmonton

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Troubleshooting: Outside Building

FDC is Clogged

Try cleaning out the debris with pliers or a similar tool.

DO NOT stick your fingers into the pipe to clean it, there could be needles or biohazardous material inside

FDC - Cap is Damaged

Use a double male 65mm connector and a Siamese and run the two 65mm hoses into the wye connector or
Go inside and connect to the standpipe system instead

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City of Edmonton

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Troubleshooting: Outside Building

FDC - Female Connector does not Swivel

Turn the hose counterclockwise several times before connecting it to the FDC or
Go inside and connect to the standpipe system instead

FDC is Missing the Clapper (on Y Type connections)

The Clapper valve blocks the water from coming out the other side of a Y Type connection

Make sure you connect both 65mm lines to the FDC before charging the system.
If only one 65mm hose is hooked up to the FDC and charged the water will come out of the 2nd FDC because the internal clapper valve is missing

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Inoperable Fire Department Connection

The FDC is not usable so you have to go inside the building and connect to the Standpipe. What do you need?

Twin 65mm lines hooked to Siamese that is attached with double female 65mm adapter to the standpipe outlet.

*Consider using a ladder platform to create a standpipe with the above Siamese and double female 65mm adapter.*

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City of Edmonton

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Troubleshooting: Inside Building

No Pressure at Fire Attacks Nozzle

Pump Panel Indicators

Residual pressure (Pump Intake) will not recover (gauge needle dips down and does not go back up: water is flowing)
Pump pressure increase results in loss of residual pressure and no increase in discharge pressure

Open Discharges / broken pipe

Actions

Inform Command and Fire attack
Command can send a runner to each floor to look for water flow and report the cause back
Check for open discharges and close them
If a pipe is broken, use the Ladder as a Standpipe

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Troubleshooting: Inside Building

No Water Flow at Fire Attacks Nozzle

Possible Causes:

Plugged Inlets or Plugged Discharges

Panel indicators

Minimal residual pressure loss and immediate recovery (Pump Intake Gauge: Needle dips down then recovers - The standpipe is full of water and it is not flowing)
Pump pressure increases with little to no drop of residual pressure

Actions

Inform Command and Fire attack

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City of Edmonton

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Troubleshooting: Inside Building

No Water Flow at Fire Attacks Nozzle

Actions Continued

Pipe is charged and Fire attack is calling for water and increasing the pump pressure results in no change of condition
Command can send a runner to each floor to open each outlet to find which floor the blockage may be on
Supply the connection 1 floor above the last flowing outlet
Fire attack can move their connection to a flowing outlet, this may require much more hose
Set up a ladder / aerial as a water tower to the standpipe above the blockage

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City of Edmonton

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What would you do?

Command assigns you to supply the standpipes at a high rise condo fire. You attempt to remove the caps from the Fire Department Connection but they have seized up. What would you do?

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City of Edmonton

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What would you do?

Caps from the Fire Department Connection have seized up. What would you do?

The FDC is not usable so you have to go inside the building and connect to the Standpipe. What do you need?

Twin 65mm lines hooked to Siamese that is attached with double female 65mm adapter to the standpipe outlet.

Consider using a ladder platform to create a standpipe with the above Siamese and double female 65mm adapter.*

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City of Edmonton

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What would you do?

You are assigned to fire attack on the 15th floor of a highrise and have to connected to the standpipe. The pump operator radios that the standpipes are charged, but when you open the nozzle, no water comes out. What are some possible causes and their solutions?

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City of Edmonton

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What would you do?

No Water Flow at Fire Attacks Nozzle

Possible Causes:

Plugged Inlets or Plugged Discharges

Actions

Inform Command and Fire attack
Command can send a runner to each floor to open each outlet to find which floor the blockage may be on
Supply the connection 1 floor above the last flowing outlet
Fire attack can move their connection to a flowing outlet, this may require much more hose
Set up a ladder / aerial as a water tower to the standpipe above the blockage

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City of Edmonton

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And What’s Next?

How about a road trip?

Brainstorm with your crew high buildings in your area and choose one that interests you.
Claim it to do a Pre-Incident Plan visit and check out the standpipes and all other aspects of the building.

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References

Title Page Picture

http://commandsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2011/07/standpipe.jpg

Page 3 - The Fire Truck Hooked up to the Fire Department Connections

http://www.fireengineering.com/content/dam/fe/online-articles/2011/11/Shapiro/shapiro_highrise_2.jpg

Blocked FDC photo

http://flameandmettle.blogspot.ca/2013/11/standpipe-and-sprinkler-connections-do.html

Standpipe Debris photo

http://traditionstraining.com/standpipe-obstructions/

Leaking Pipes photo

http://www.balkanplumbing.com/water-valve-replacement-repair-guide/

Fire Cadet Training Module - High-Rise Fire Suppression Water Systems

http://www.calgaryfirecadets.com/uploads/6/3/9/2/6392296/high-rise_standpipe_systems.pdf

IFSTA Second Edition - Structural Fire Fighting: High-rise Fire Fighting Book

Edmonton Fire Department Photo Library

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107476358780996078115/albums

Edmonton Fire Rescue Precis

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City of Edmonton

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