Fire Fighting

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Fire-Fighting General considerations for fire-fighting Precautions for fire safety in building involve o Alarms o Fire-fighting equipment o Access o Mechanical ventilation o Building form o Material of construction o Internal planning Many parties will be concerned in the conception and development of the firefighting design o Building owner o Architect o Structural & services engineer o The Health & Safety Executives o Manufacturers and installers of equipment o Local authorities and Fire services o The insurer of building In one and two storey dwellings, fire precautions includes: o Each room must open directly into a hall or landing given access to an external door o Escape must be possible through a window o At least one self-contained, mains-operated smoke alarm on each floor o Alarm mounted on the ceiling of the corridor forming the escape route within 7m of kitchen and living room doors and within 3m of bedroom doors For large and more populated buildings: o Protected escape routes to provide safe exits from building o Escape lighting o Fire detector o Fire extinguishers o Automatic sprinklers o Hose reels and fire mains o Escape routes with sign-posted and emergency lighting o Special mechanical ventilation (so smoke can’t penetrate) o Fire-fighters’ lift o Fire hydrants o Building may be divided into separate compartments that can be sealed to prevent fire spread

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Types of fire-fighting equipment Examples: o Fire detectors o Fire alarms o Hand fire extinguishers o Emergency lighting and signs o Fire-fighters’ lifts o Mechanical ventilations to pressurized escape routes o Emergency power supplies o Special water storage for fire-fighting o Hose reels o Sprinkler systems o Fire hydrants Fire detectors o Two main systems are employed: Smoke detector and Heat detector o Smoke detector is preferred and widely used. o Heat detector is used in area produce dust or smoke without risk of fire. o Detectors should be located at...