The LWF Blog

Fire Safety for Facilities Management Personnel – Fire Service Facilities – Part 266

August 19, 2024 10:53 am

Lawrence Webster Forrest (LWF) is a specialist fire engineering and fire risk management consultancy whose aim is to give information on best practice in fire safety for facilities management personnel through this blog series. In part 265, LWF looked at the design and provision of access and facilities for firefighters. In part 266, we continue discussing the facilities that should be provided in a building design for the fire service.

It is important that liaison takes place with the enforcing authority so that arrangements for access to any large building or site can be discussed. In particular, any potential clashes between building security measures and the need for access by the fire service can be ascertained and overcome.

In a large building, there may be a need for many more fire exits than normal access doors. For security reasons, it is likely that these will be only openable from the inside of the building. Advance liaison with the enforcing authority means that instead of the fire service potentially having to gain access by forcing one of these doors, the doors may be fitted with locks that are openable from the outside with keys held on the premises. This approach can save valuable time in a fire situation, while also minimising building damage.

Rising and falling mains

In a high building with many stories, it can be extremely time-consuming to carry a hose from a hydrant on the ground floor to the upper floors. The same issue would occur in a building with deep basement levels and any building where access by a fire appliance is not possible. In these circumstances, a fire main will be an essential part of the fire protection design.

A dry fire main comprises an inlet, located externally, to which the fire service attach a line of hose from the fire appliance. Also, outlets, known as landing valves, on each floor of the building. The fire service may then take lengths of hose into the building to connect to the landing valves, and are then able to source the necessary water for firefighting without having to run hose from the street to the seat of the fire.

In part 267 of this series, LWF will continue talking about rising and falling mains and the main differences between wet and dry fire mains. In the meantime, if you have any queries about your own facilities or wish to discuss this blog series, please contact LWF on freephone 0800 410 1130.

Lawrence Webster Forrest is a fire engineering consultancy based in Surrey with over 35 years’ experience, which provides a wide range of consultancy services to professionals involved in the design, development and construction and operation of buildings.

 

While care has been taken to ensure that information contained in LWF’s publications is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of this information.