Fire Detection and Suppression Primer

Protecting the security of the people and the building from fire is often overlooked. Sprinkler systems are installed and polices written but these can become stale if proper fire drills are not performed on a regular basis or unsightly fire extinguishers are “hidden” out of site.

The most basic approach to fire safety is asking one question:
"Hey I smell smoke! How do I get out of here?"

But a better question would be:
"Is everyone out?"

Fires start for many reasons including failure of an electronic device, improperly stored combustible materials and arson.

To extinguish a fire, one of its four components (heat, fuel, oxygen, or chemical reaction) must be suppressed. The heat must be reduced, the fuel and oxygen removed, or the chemical reaction disrupted.

It is important that people are alerted about a fire as quickly as possible so people can evacuate and the damage can be reduced by a quick reaction of suppression techniques.

FM 200

FM 200 is a replacement for Halon gas systems. The biggest issue with Halon is safety. Halon replaces the oxygen in a room. If you where trapped in a location that used Halon as a fire suppressant you might be killed by suffocating instead of the fire or smoke. FM 200 does not remove the oxygen from the air and has also been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Halon contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer.

FM 200 extinguishes fires quickly through a combination of chemical interaction and heat removal. It does not smother flames by removing oxygen, it removes the heat energy from fire. Stored as a liquid in pressurized cylinders, FM-200 flows through pipes to a discharge nozzle where it is deployed as a gas.

Fire Extinguishing Locations

Fire extinguishers are labeled with what type of fires they fight and what chemicals are inside. Portable fire extinguishers should be located within 50 feet of electrical equipment, hazardous materials and near exits. Fire extinguishers should be marked clearly and in plain site. They should be easily reachable and inspected quarterly. Do not place them in closets, behind doors and other places where no one can find them.

Water Sprinklers

The pet peeve of many firefighters is when people complain about how much damage water causes. Fire causes damage, not water. Many people are afraid of putting in a sprinkler system because of the damage it could do. Water damage is caused by the presence of fire, which is much more dangerous then water.

There are three major types of water sprinklers:

Wet Pipe
Wet pipes are always full of water and discharged by a temperature sensor. This is the most common type of water sprinklers. In colder climates these pipes can freeze and break.

Dry Pipe
Dry pipes do not hold water in the pipes. This causes a delay of the water reaching the water sprinklers. This type of system will not freeze in a cold climate.

Pre-Action
These are the coolest type of water sprinklers. When the temperature reaches a certain level the water pipes fill. Then when the temperature gets to the next level then they sprinkle. This delay is also helpful during a false alarm as it gives time to get to the shut-off valve.

Emergency Response

Emergence response needs to be part of your continuity plan but is worth mentioning in this article. Think back when you were in grade school conducting fire drills. Fire drills are a very important method of protecting your employees so they know how to get out of the building incase of fire.

The following items need to be determined to ensure a safe emergency response in case of fire:

• Fire Drill – How long does it take to clear the building?
• Local Authorities – How long does it take for local fire and police to get to your building?
• Fire Suppression – How long does it take for fire suppression to trigger and what are the temperature thresholds?
• Floor Marshal – Similar to the Security Floor Marshal, someone needs make sure their floor is clear during a fire or a fire drill.

Five Types of Fire and Their Suppression Methods