Print this pageBest Practices for Designing Fire Service Features
Lawrence R. Eichner, P.E.
Course Outline
The more rapidly the fire service can respond, enter, and safely operate in a building, the sooner they can mitigate a fire in a safe manner. How fire services features, such as access roads, hydrants and connections, signage, and fire alarm, protection, and communication systems are designed can significantly affect safety and operational efficiency. Although codes and standards governing buildings and fire protection systems are well understood by building design professionals, many portions of these codes and standards allow design variations or contain only general performance language. The resulting flexibility permits designers to employ various design options that can enhance fire service operations. This online course provides a comprehensive review of fire service operations and features (both on-site and building), explains how fire service operations can be influenced, and offers best practices and considerations for designing fire service features. The course materials are based entirely on Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA 3256-07N 2006. The course is intended to give engineers and architects an understanding of the needs of the fire service as well as allied design options for fire service features that will help streamline and support their safe operations.
This course requires the completion of a multiple-choice quiz at its conclusion in order to obtain the necessary certification.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be aware of:
- OSHA’s primary purpose; to increase safety and efficiency by tailoring the design of fire service features;
- The general flexibility afforded designers in the selection of various design options for fire protection features;
- The voluntary application of design options as a companion to codes and regulations;
- The classifications and categories of fire service organizations;
- Typical operational practices and types of fire service apparatus;
- The challenges and dangers of fire service operations;
- Terminology generally employed;
- Design considerations for building site layout, such as fire apparatus access and premises identification;
- Optimal positioning, location, and marking of fire hydrants;
- Considerations for firefighter access including key boxes, interior layout signage, equipment and utility identification, elevators, and stairs;
- Building construction features that present unique hazards to the fire service;
- Design options for fire sprinkler systems;
- The location and marking of water supply control valves;
- Special considerations for fire pumps;
- Exterior signage for partial sprinkler systems installed under NFPA 13D and 13R;
- Design options for standpipe system features such as fire hose connections and isolations valves;
- Considerations for the quantity, location, and identification of fire department connections;
- Design options for fire alarm systems and fire service notification;
- Considerations for voice alarm systems and fire service communication systems;
- Flexibility in equipment requirements for fire command centers;
- Specifications for firefighter emergency power systems, breathing air systems, and radio signal retransmission systems; and
- Design options for smoke control panels.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for engineers and architects.
Benefit to Attendees
Attendee will understand the specific needs of the fire service as well as allied design options for fire service features that will help facilitate and support their safe operations.
Course Introduction
According to NFPA fire statistics, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds. How fire service features are designed can improve safety and help facilitate these fire suppression operations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a manual that is intended to be used voluntarily, as a companion to mandatory and advisory provisions in codes and regulations, to assist building design professionals in understanding the needs of the fire service and aid in the selection of beneficial design options. The course provides a comprehensive review of OSHA’s Manual, which provides architects and engineers with recommended best practices and design considerations for fire service features that can promote safe and timely operations.
Course Content
In this lesson, you are required to download and study the following document:
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Course Summary
Based on OSHA Manual - Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems, this course reviews fire service operations and features (both on-site and building), explains how fire service operations can be influenced, and offers best practices and considerations for designing fire service features. The Manual covers the following fire service features in seven chapters:
- Introduction
- Building and Site Design
- Sprinkler Systems
- Standpipe Systems
- Fire Department Connections
- Fire Alarm and Communication Systems
- Other Systems
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following website:
Chapter 5 - Fire Service Features – International Fire Code (ICC)
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
