5.19 - Standpipe Operations
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS Check-valves on the FDC piping to the standpipe prevent fire engines from
pumping water into the standpipe while the building fire pump is working. (Standpipe system pressure holds the check-valve closed.)
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS The first priority is for the pumping engine to establish a water supply and initially connect
two 3" hose lines to the standpipe FDC, quickly supplying water to the fire attack crews. Then connect additional hose lines to all other FDC inlets to maximize the standpipe GPM flow potential. Supplying a separate sprinkler system FDC with another engine would be a secondary priority.
FDC PLACARDING A high-rise with multiple standpipes or zones will generally utilize a wall- mounted FDC plate due to the large number of inlets. A typical configuration should have each standpipe or sprinkler zone FDC inlets grouped together with an identifying placard.
Example: The Wells Fargo Building in downtown Portland includes a low-rise building across the street (Data Processing or DP Building) and the entire underground parking structure. A 3-zone combination standpipe system services the two buildings with an additional manual sprinkler system supplying the parking structure. The FDCs are remotely located on a sidewalk and are placarded as follows:
FDC PLACARDING In the event of a high-rise fire, the pumping engine operator must be able to quickly identify and make hose connections to the correct
FDC inlets for the standpipe or zone supplying water to the fire floor location.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS The combined GPM of all the hose lines in use should not exceed the
GPM capacity of the standpipe or the pressure and flow in the standpipe will drop below needed levels.
Stuck caps and female swivels can sometimes be loosened by
lightly tapping with a spanner.
OPERATING HOSELINES FROM STANDPIPE OUTLETS Connect an "inline pressure gauge" to the automatic standpipe outlet prior to connecting attack hose line. This allows a firefighter stationed at the outlet in the stairwell to
monitor and control pressure to the nozzle. With high pressures possible throughout these standpipe systems (especially lower floors), the firefighter stationed at the outlet will open the valve just enough to provide the needed residual (flowing) pressure to the nozzle while accounting for the length of line in use. This provides for a correct nozzle pressure and GPM with a safe and manageable nozzle reaction.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING An FDC with multiple sets of grouped inlets indicates
more than one standpipe or "zone". This means each standpipe services a specific part of the building. Before the water supply connections can be made to the correct set of FDC inlets, the fire location must be determined. A fire on the 21st floor would require water supply hose lines connected to the standpipe that supplies that floor.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS In a combination system the indicated GPM may meet the combined simultaneous flow design requirements of both the sprinkler system and the fire fighting standpipe, or it may reflect only the greater flow design requirement of either the sprinkler system or the standpipe, plus 100 GPM. This means that
not all of the potential system flow may be available for fire fighting operations.
OPERATING HOSELINES FROM STANDPIPE OUTLETS Prior to connecting a hose line to a standpipe outlet, it is good practice to
open the outlet valve, verifying there is water while clearing out any debris that may be present. The debris and sludge that is commonly found can easily foul nozzles and result in low pressures at the nozzle or complete blockage. Due to the mechanical design of the tip, combination (fog/straight stream) nozzles are the most susceptible to partial and complete blockage.
All discharge hose lines should be connected to the
opposite side of the apparatus from the driver's pump panel and tied off with rope or webbing to the FDC or standpipe to help prevent a burst hose from whipping dangerously. It is generally not necessary to tie off hose lines at the discharges of the engine connected to the FDC. Should a hose burst near the pump panel, the hose will lose all pressure and the water will be flowing out of the pump panel discharge. Shut down the discharge and replace the burst section of hose.
Every effort should be made to connect all hoses that will be under high pressure to discharges on the side of the engine
opposite the pump panel. This creates a safe working zone for the driver.
Dry manual standpipes are commonly found as
piping attached to the exterior of a building or near the fire escape. Dry standpipes may also be found inside structures or enclosed stairwells.
FDCs with female swivels that cannot be loosened can still be used by
pre- twisting the hose 3 or 4 revolutions counter-clockwise, allowing the hose to then be twisted into the stuck female coupling.
FDC PLACARDING In the event of a building fire pump failure, the fire engine needs to supply the FDC with
the correct "system demand" pressure in order for the automatic standpipe systems pressure controlling components to operate normally. The fire engine is duplicating the function of the building fire pump.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS Automatic standpipe systems with fire pumps are designed to operate at the designed maximum fire-flow capacity without
the fire department "supplementing" or "augmenting" additional pressure or volume.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS Building fire pumps are required to boost city water-main residual pressure (or draw water from gravity tanks) and provide the system with full rated fire-flow capacity and minimum standpipe outlet pressures without any assistance from the fire department. In the city of Portland, these fire pumps will typically be fixed speed and do not adjust the discharge pressure relative to the fire floor. This means
the fire pump discharge will be set to the highest pressure needed to supply the top of the standpipe. All other standpipe outlets will be incrementally over pressurized by approximately 6 PSI per floor below the highest standpipe outlet (based on average 14' floor heights in high-rise buildings).
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS NFPA standards for automatic standpipes evolved around
the need to overcome extreme vertical head pressure in high-rises while providing high GPM flow rates and adequate nozzle pressures for fire attack crews operating in the uppermost areas of these structures.
Wet systems are required on any new construction utilizing manual standpipes. The standpipes are connected to city mains when
the residual pressure is sufficient to supply the sprinkler head flow. (There are no building fire pumps.)
If the hydrant is mid-block, consider parking the apparatus on
the side of the street away from the building with the driver's pump panels facing away from the standpipe or remotely located FDC. This creates the best safety zone for the drivers away from traffic, falling debris and high pressure hoses.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS Standing outside a high-rise building, it is virtually impossible to determine what the building system pressure should be for that automatic standpipe. Two identical buildings with the standpipe systems designed by different engineers can have
two completely different system pressures.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS To supply water to a manual standpipe,
use standard friction loss calculations and "pump to the fire floor" or the highest operating hose line location.
When a standpipe becomes unusable, laying hose lines up the stairwell is the primary method to replace the water supply to the fire floors. With all the supply hose inside the building, it is best protected against falling debris which can cause ruptured lines. When a standpipe is working normally, PF&R is in a backup water supply position. Once PF&R has to take over supplying water, there is no longer a backup water supply option in place. In this event, Incident command should consider
using greater alarm companies to pro-actively place sections of 3" hose line on every other landing. In the event the standpipe fails, the hose can be stretched downwards and connected at every other landing, providing a faster method of establishing a new water supply to the fire floors. Placing sections of 3" hose on every other landing helps keep the stairwell clear and accessible. Stretching pre-connected 3" supply lines from the ground floor to the fire floor is also an option but takes up valuable space in the stairwells and creates trip hazards next to the handrails.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS Pump operators must always keep in mind the FDC, piping and fittings often fail prior to reaching 175 PSI due to age, corrosion, damage and lack of maintenance or flow testing. It is important to take every precaution to avoid
water hammer when charging the standpipe. The pump should be at idle prior to opening the pumping engine discharges to the FDC. The engine operator should carefully bring up the pressure into the standpipe.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS Automatic standpipe systems are limited by NFPA standards to a maximum operating pressure of 350 PSI. This means that any high-rise requiring more than 350 PSI to reach the highest part of the building must use standpipe zones supplied by
water storage tanks at the top of the building or special high pressure risers called "express mains" (with no standpipe outlets on lower floors) to supply water to the upper zone. The express main moves water to the upper zone where a fire pump located in that upper zone then supplies pressure and flow to the standpipe that services that area of the building.
Due to the complex nature of automatic standpipes with specific operating pressures, internal fire pumps, combined sprinkler systems, zones, check-valves and pressure regulating devices, these systems are not
well understood.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS 100 PSI standpipe outlet pressures provide for an extra measure of safety when automatic systems are not delivering the designed pressure and flow. An example would be
when the building fire pumps are running yet the system pressure at the standpipe outlets is less than it should be. In this case, the standpipe outlet pressure is lower than the required 100 PSI, but may still provide adequate pressures and flow rates for practical hose line lengths in high- rise buildings.
During construction, sprinkler zones for individual floors
will normally be shut down while sprinkler piping is reconfigured. It may not be possible to put these zones back into service while conducting fire fighting operations.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING In the event of building fire pump failure after fire fighting operations are initiated, fire attack companies may need to
withdraw to a safe-zone while the transition to fire engine water supply is being initiated. Incident Command should plan for a significant delay in fire attack operations during this time and may need to adjust strategies accordingly. There may be no water pressure during this time, or there may be limited gravity fed water in the standpipe above the fire floor. The potential of 200-300 gallons of water in the piping above the fire floor is not an adequate volume or pressure for active fire fighting operations. PRVs used on sprinkler feeds are one-way valves and do not allow water to drain back into the standpipe.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS Firefighters preparing to operate from an exterior standpipe will ascend to the floor below the fire using the interior stairs or a "firefighter's ladder" and avoid
using the fire escape stairway. The fire escape stairway is to be used only as an escape route for occupants of the building. Firefighters may connect the fire attack hose line directly to the standpipe outlet or use the "standpipe pigtail" (a 10' section of 3" hose with a 2-1/2" gated-wye) to make a water manifold in a clear and accessible area inside the building, allowing the connection of multiple hose lines from the same standpipe outlet.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS NPFA defines a high-rise as
"a building where the floor of an occupiable story is greater than 75' (23 m) above the lowest level of fire department access". In general, this means buildings 8 stories and taller are considered high-rises due to the 8th floor being out of reach of ground operated aerial ladders. However, buildings shorter than 8 stories should be considered and treated as high-rises if physical features, access, setbacks and other restricting factors prohibit the fire department from using aerial apparatus in a normal manner. All high-rises are required to have automatic standpipe systems for additional life-safety and fire fighting purposes.
Automatic standpipes are typically
"wet" or full of water. Dry systems or zones are allowed in areas where the standpipes are subject to freezing. Examples; warehouse loading docks, unenclosed stairwells, cocklofts, attics, unheated storage and parking garages.
Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) has a long history of fire fighting experience utilizing manual standpipes. The strategies and tactics developed for manual standpipe operations are not appropriate for automatic standpipe systems when those systems incorporate fire pumps and pressure regulating components. The purpose of this document is to help differentiate between the two primary types of standpipes
(Manual and Automatic) and provide the correct methods of water supply and hose line operation from each type of standpipe.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS To achieve an effective stream at the nozzle, the pump discharge pressure must reflect the following friction loss components:
- NP-the 75 PSI required by a combination (fog/straight stream) nozzle or 50 PSI for a smooth bore nozzle. -FL-Fire attack hose line length. -Head pressure (5 PSI) for each floor above ground level. (Floors averaged at 10' per floor.) -FL-Supply lines to the FDC. When flowing over 350 GPM, an additional 25 PSI for the standpipe system connection (siamese, pipe casing and outlets) should be factored in. Example: Flowing two 2-1/2" hand lines equals 500 GPM, or flowing three 1-3/4" hand lines equals 450 GPM. The driver would add 25 PSI for the standpipe in these cases. For appliances (A), only add 10 PSI FL when the total GPM through that appliance is more than 350 GPM. Example: Flowing two 2-1/2" lines from a gated-wye on the standpipe pigtail equals 500 GPM and does indicate adding 10 PSI FL to the pump discharge pressure. Flowing two 1-3/4" hand lines from a gated-wye equals 300 GPM anddoes not indicate appliance friction loss.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS Pre-fire planning is the most effective method to become familiar with high-rise buildings in each station's FMA. Gathering important information and entering it in the Pre-Fire system is critical. Some important and mandatory pieces of information that should be included on any high-rise Pre- fire survey include
-The type, number and location of standpipes, -number of fire pumps and their locations -system operating pressure -mandatory placards at the FDC -building engineer contacts
EQUIPMENT hotel bundle (Cleveland Load)
1 - 100' section of orange 1-3/4" hose. 1 - Akron shutoff with an integrated 50 PSI, 185 GPM, 15/16" smooth-bore plug (nozzle). 1 - Akron 75 PSI, 150 GPM, combination fog/straight stream nozzle. 1 - 2-1/2" to 1-3/4" gated-wye. 1 - 1-1/2" to 2-1/2" increaser. The hotel bundle requires a minimum of 100 PSI outlet pressure to provide 25 PSI FL for the 100' of hose and 75 PSI to the nozzle in order to get the reach and rated flow of the nozzle. If connected to a 100 PSI standpipe outlet on the floor below the fire, this leaves approximately 75' of working line on the fire floor. Adding any additional hose line adds friction loss and decreases the GPM and reach of the nozzle to well below normal. When the 100' hotel bundle is connected to a 65 PSI outlet, the flow is reduced to less than 100 GPM. The 1-3/4" Hotel Bundle should not be used for the initial attack line from an automatic standpipe outlet. Per PF&R policies, commercial occupancies indicate the use of 2-1/2" attack lines. A Hotel Bundle in this scenario is more suited for smaller incipient fires, spot fires or overhaul when a lesser flow capacity is deemed appropriate. The Akron combination nozzle with the smooth bore plug installed in the shut-off was specifically selected to give us maximum flexibility and both nozzles maintain a usable stream when under-pressurized.
EQUIPMENT Standpipe Kit. (See attachment #1)
1 - Standpipe Kit bag with shoulder strap. 1 - 2-1/2" inline pressure gauge. 1 - 1-1/2" to 2-1/2" increaser. 1 - 2-1/2" elbow. 2 - Small spanner wrenches. Wooden door chocks. The elbow may be used if the standpipe outlet is positioned in such a way as to limit connections or accessibility. The inline pressure gauge is to be connected between the standpipe outlet and the hose line. The increaser attaches to the shutoff (remove the nozzle) and allows extending lines without shutting down the standpipe outlet. The Standpipe Hose Bundle and Standpipe Kit will always be deployed together.
Automatic standpipes are found in three basic configurations.
1) Sprinkler System only; no fire fighting standpipe, but may have building fire pump(s). 2) Firefighting Standpipe only; no sprinkler system, but will have building fire pump(s). 3) Combination Standpipe; fire fighting standpipe with integrated sprinklers, and will have building fire pump(s). In modern construction, the combination system is the most common.
When the fire engines (which were the backup water supply plan) are directed to take over supplying the standpipe system, the Incident Commander should consider implementing a new backup water supply plan in the event the standpipe should fail. There are two primary back up options.
1) Stretch dry lines up the stairwell or strategically position two sections of 3" hose on every other landing to be stretched downhill if needed. This proactively positions backup water supply lines inside the building in the event there is a catastrophic failure of the standpipe itself. 2) Utilize the aerial of a ladder truck as an exterior standpipe to get closer to the fire floor and stretch a 3" water supply hose line up to the fire floor ready to be used if the standpipe fails.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING For high-rises 16 stories and taller, both engines pre-assigned to the duties of water supply will be utilized in a tandem configuration best suited to supply higher pressures to avoid over-taxing a single engine pumping at high RPM for long periods. (Tandem pumping is two engines in series for generating high pressures while splitting the workload between two apparatus.) In the tandem configuration, the engine connected to the hydrant will be called the "Hydrant Engine" and the engine connected to the FDC will be called the "Tandem Engine".
1) The drivers will work together to establish a water supply with the supply lines from the hydrant connected to the "eye of the pump" on the Hydrant Engine. Open the hydrant fully and charge the lines to the Hydrant Engine. 2) At least three 3" lines should be connected from the Hydrant Engine discharges to the "eye of the pump" on the Tandem Engine. Cap the "suction-side relief-valve" on the Tandem Engine and charge the lines from the Hydrant Engine to the Tandem Engine. 3) Connect as many lines from the Tandem engine to the FDC to fill all the inlets for that standpipe or zone. Tie off the hose lines to a solid part of the FDC. (An FDC with 4 inlets-indicating a 1000 GPM system-would require four lines to be connected to the FDC.)
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING Example scenario for a high-rise standpipe requiring 280 PSI: The building fire pumps are not functioning and the manual over-ride did not work. Incident Command orders the water supply engines to begin supplying the building. The drivers have previously determined the standpipe system demand pressure is 280 PSI.
1) The hydrant is providing 80 PSI to the Hydrant Engine, this reads as 80 PSI on the intake or compound gauge. The engines pump would add 60 PSI to the incoming hydrant pressure. The discharge gauge would read 140 PSI being sent to the Tandem Engine. This is 1⁄2 the total required system demand pressure. 2) The "suction-side relief valve" on the Tandem Engine is set to dump any pressures greater than 125 PSI under normal operations. Capping the relief valve in this situation allows the pump to accept the 140 PSI from the Hydrant Engine. 3) The intake or compound gauge on the Tandem Engine will now read 140 PSI. The engine pump will add 140 PSI to the incoming 140 PSI from the Hydrant Engine. The Tandem Engine discharge gauge will read 280 PSI being sent to the FDC.
SINGLE ENGINE PUMPING As a guideline, a single engine will be used to supply high-rises 15 stories or less, with the second engine nearby as a back up option.
1) The two drivers will work together to triple port the hydrant and connect all three supply lines to the "eye of the pump" (siamese connections on both sides of the pump). Open the hydrant fully and charge the lines to the engine. 2) For an FDC with 3 inlets, the drivers would connect three 3" lines from the pumping engine to the FDC and tie off the hose lines to a solid part of the FDC. This will help prevent a burst hose from whipping dangerously. 3) The drivers will then identify the standpipe system pressure from the placard at the FDC or from the building Pre-fire information contained in the apparatus MDC or Pre-fire Book. 4) In the event this information is not available, the drivers will refer to the "High-Rise Pump Card" guide on the back of the regular pump card. If one standpipe supplies the entire building, count windows to determine the building's overall height (not the fire floor) and use the pump card to determine the starting PDP for that same height standpipe. An FDC with multiple sets of grouped inlets indicates more than one standpipe or "zone". This means each standpipe services a specific part of the building. Before the water supply connections can be made to the correct set of FDC inlets, the fire location must be determined. Do not fill or charge the lines to the FDC at this time. Circulate water at idle and be ready to take over the system if the fire pumps fail. PF&R's function is a backup water supply option for the building's fire protection system.
FDC PLACARDING NFPA 14 Standards require signage at all sprinkler and standpipe FDCs identifying
1) type of system, 2) what part of the building or zone it supplies 3) and the designed "system demand" operating pressure. Example: a 45-story high-rise with a combination standpipe system supplying the entire building could have an FDC placard that reads: Combination Standpipe System Pressure 350 A similar 45-story high-rise with two standpipe zones should be placarded in the following manner. The first FDC supplying the lower zone would be labeled: Combination Standpipe Zone 1 Floors 1-25 System Pressure 235 PSI The second FDC supplying the upper zone would read: Combination Standpipe Zone 2 Floors 26-45/Roof System Pressure 350 PSI Zone 1 is a stand alone standpipe with a dedicated fire pump servicing only floors 1-25. Zone 2 is a stand alone standpipe with a dedicated fire pump servicing only floors 25-45 and the roof outlets.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS Standpipe systems with 100 PSI outlets are not suited for supplying
1-3/4" hotel bundles due to the significant friction loss in the hose line. 75 and 100 PSI nozzles are not an ideal equipment match for 100 PSI systems. Firefighters should keep in mind that anytime a hotel bundle is connected to an automatic standpipe outlet, the nozzle will most likely be under-pressurized and will not produce the expected GPM or stream reach. This is due to the 75 PSI nozzle combined with the 25 PSI per 100' friction loss in 1-3/4" hose line, while connected to a standpipe with a pre-set, fixed outlet pressure. When it is necessary to use 1-3/4" hose lines in high-rise buildings, removing the combination, fog/straight stream tip changes the nozzle to the 15/16" smooth bore configuration reducing the required nozzle pressure from 75 to 50 PSI, and may increase the available flow through the hose line.
Restoring a wet manual system or an automatic standpipe to operational service can be a more complicated process. The building engineer or head maintenance person will most likely need to be involved.
1. A standpipe that performed as it should and is still operational is the best case scenario. Replacing sprinkler heads may be the only maintenance required. Until this is done, Fire Watch may be necessary depending on the building and occupancy type. 2. It would be a good practice to write a short narrative describing operations involving any standpipe activation and forward to the FMO. They can follow up with the building RP to make sure the system is returned to service. 3. A standpipe that is non-functional at the end of a fire operation needs to have any necessary Fire Watch in place and the FMO notified. If after hours, be sure to notify an on-duty Fire Investigator and follow their direction.
To restore a dry manual standpipe to operational readiness, it must first be drained, discharge outlets closed on all floors and the FDC inlet caps or covers replaced.
1. When draining a dry standpipe, care must be taken to avoid further water damage to the building. 2. Connecting a hose line to the lowest standpipe outlet will allow the water to be directed into a drain or the street away from the building. Opening the top outlet and letting air into the standpipe will provide the quickest method of draining most of the water. 3. Opening a drain valve or plug will drain water from the standpipe. It may be necessary to open a siamese clapper valve in the absence of a drain valve. Always use an appropriate tool. Never use your hand, even if gloved. 4. If there are any issues encountered while using the standpipe, fill out an FMO referral detailing the issues and make every effort to contact the responsible party (RP). It is always good practice to follow up with the FMO and stay informed until the building is returned to normal status.
AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM OPERATIONS When pumping into an automatic sprinkler system FDC, an initial pump pressure of ______PSI should be maintained until conditions require a higher pressure.
100 PSI
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS New construction (post 1993) or buildings required to upgrade the standpipe systems are required to provide a minimum residual pressure of
100 PSI at the highest standpipe outlet, typically the roof. The additional 35 PSI of residual pressure (65 + 35 = 100) provides 50 PSI for a 2-1/2" smooth bore nozzle and 50 PSI for 500' of 2-1/2" fire attack hose line when connected to a standpipe outlet. From the standpipe outlet on the floor below the fire, this equates into a potential of 475' of hose line stretched onto the fire floor while providing proper nozzle pressure (50 psi), flow rate (250 gym) and stream reach. High-rises can easily exceed 20,000 square feet per floor, and may have a combination of open and compartmentalized floor plans.
NFPA 14 requires manual standpipes to be able to provide __________PSI at the top outlet.
100PSI
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS Standpipe components are typically rated at
175 PSI maximum operating pressures, adequate for firefighting operations in buildings up to 75' tall.
When working from an exterior manual standpipe, connecting the 10' standpipe pigtail to the outlet allows the
2-1/2" gated-wye to be located inside the building where two or more hose lines can be supplied by a single outlet.
EQUIPMENT Standpipe Hose Bundle. (See attachment #2)
3 - 50' sections of 2-1/2" hose line. 1 - Akron 2-1/2" to 1-1/2" light-weight shutoff. 1 - 50 PSI, 260-GPM, 1-1/8" smooth-bore tip. Used as a 150' hose line, a 65 PSI standpipe outlet can provide enough pressure for the nozzle, hose line and head from the floor below to obtain the nozzles reach and a flow of at least 250 GPM onto the fire floor. This places approximately 125' of working line on the fire floor. When connected to a 100 PSI standpipe outlet, up to 500 feet of 2-1/2" hose line can be deployed from the floor below. This places approximately 475' of working hose line on the fire floor.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS High-rises built prior to 1993 were designed to provide _______PSI residual pressure to the highest standpipe outlets (while flowing 500 GPM through the standpipe).
65. 65 PSI is the minimum pressure needed to provide 50 PSI for a 2-1/2" smoothbore nozzle and 15 PSI for 150' of 2-1/2" fire attack hose line connected to the standpipe outlet. From the floor below the fire, this equates into roughly 125' of hose stretched onto the fire floor. Adding any additional hose line increases the friction loss component thereby decreasing the nozzle flow-rate and stream reach onto the fire floor. A large majority of Portland's approximately 300 high-rise buildings can be expected have 65 PSI automatic standpipe systems.
NFPA 14 standards limit the height of manual standpipes to
7 stories.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS Each FDC inlet is representative of 250 GPM of the systems designed flow rate. For example, an FDC with 3 inlets would indicate a
750 GPM standpipe system supplied by a 750 GPM fire pump. A 750 GPM system will support three 2-1/2" hose lines operating simultaneously. A large number of sprinkler heads flowing will decrease the number of hose lines the system can support. To maximize the standpipe water supply potential, it is standard practice to connect supply lines to fill all the FDC inlets for that standpipe or zone.
An FDC inlet that is out of round or missing the female coupling cannot be used.
Connecting a hose line to the lowest standpipe outlet using a double female connector is an alternative method for supplying limited water into the standpipe.
Firefighting operations in large, complex buildings always presents significant challenges. The building configuration, extreme height or sheer size will often preclude the use of aerial apparatus and hose-line advancement from the beds of fire engines in the street. Building designs and configurations that limit fire apparatus access, placement and function are very common and may require additional fire and life safety measures such as the use of sprinkler systems and for fire fighting operations. Examples:
Large-area buildings such as hospitals, terminals, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and industrial warehouses. Enclosed shopping malls. Theaters, stadiums and arenas. Above and below-grade parking structures. Bridges and tunnels. Limited-access roadways. Piers, docks and wharves. Floating structures and large ocean-going vessels. Large square footage residential houses. Structures located on steep side hills. Urban, wildland areas. (West Hills, Station-3 FMA)
Water cannot be pumped into a lower floor standpipe outlet if it is equipped with a
PRV (pressure reducing valve). PRVs typically function as one-way check valves.
Low nozzle pressures may be due to a 65 PSI standpipe design. Attempting to operate 75 PSI nozzles or 50 PSI nozzles with hose line lengths requiring more pressure than the system is designed to deliver will not produce adequate nozzle pressure or GPM. Taking over the system and adding more pressure is not a recommended option.
Standpipes may be protected at their designed system pressure by relief valves which will blow off any extra pressure. If more pressure could be pumped into the standpipe and the system did not rupture, the PRVs at the standpipe outlets will normally restrict additional pressure from reaching the hose lines. The best option is to use a nozzle and hose line configuration with the lowest operating pressure, best suited for the standpipes designed operating pressure.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING When two pumping engines are in close proximity, as in tandem pumping, it is good practice to have only one governor in PSI mode adjusting for pressure fluctuations.
The Hydrant Engine driver will put the pump transfer-valve in volume-mode, and place the engine governor in PSI-mode. The Tandem Engine driver will put the pump transfer-valve in volume-mode, and place the engine governor in RPM-mode. Note: The current model Pierce engine governor in PSI-mode limits the maximum discharge pressure to 300 PSI. The governor must be turned off or placed in RPM-mode in order to discharge pressures over 300 PSI in any pumping scenario.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING When directed to take over and begin pumping into the standpipe system, the hose lines to the FDC must be slowly charged to avoid water hammer. The pumping engines must slowly increase pressure into the standpipe over a period of up to 10 minutes. A standpipe that has bled down needs to refill with water before the system is brought up to pressure. A pressure drop from the hydrant static pressure (on the hydrant engines intake gauge) will indicate when water begins flowing past the FDC check-valve and into the standpipe.
The following is an example of how to fill and pressurize a standpipe. Each step should be completed before starting the next step. 1) Tandem Engine slowly opens the discharges to the FDC and fills the 3" hose lines and FDC piping to the standpipe. 2) The Hydrant Engine slowly throttles up to 1⁄2 of the required system demand pressure. 3) The Tandem Engine slowly throttles up until the discharge gauge reads the required standpipe system demand pressure. Stay in communication with fire crews to ensure adequate pressure is reaching the fire floors. This operation must be done slowly over a period of up to 10 minutes to avoid damaging piping and components in the standpipe system. In the event of a standpipe failure while fire crews are in the IDLH, the Incident Commander should withdraw fire attack companies out of the IDLH until a water supply to the standpipe has been re-established.
Removing the PRV is not an option as the system is
already under pressure and the PRV is usually incorporated into the standpipe shutoff valve or located between the standpipe and the shutoff valve. Even if the PRV was removable the pipe threads would not be compatible with fire hose threads. Removing a PRV under any circumstances is not practical or safe, and is generally not even possible.
Low system pressures can also be caused by partially closed OS&Y valves feeding the building systems.
Verify these are fully opened.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS When there is fire on an upper floor of a building (usually four floors and above), standard operating procedures dictate
an existing manual standpipe shall be used. The standpipe FDC will be supplied by the first available engine or by a later arriving engine at the direction of the Incident Commander.
Lobby control personnel sent to the pump room should verify the building fire pump is running and make sure the system pressure is normal by looking at the gauge on the discharge side of the pump. A standpipe pressure lower than normal can indicate
a burst standpipe or zone, or a low pressure coming into the pump from the city mains. Having a building engineer on scene as quickly as possible will help to facilitate locating the proper isolation valves for burst piping to restore system pressure.
The term "automatic standpipe" is used to identify
a more complex type of system that is permanently attached to a water supply or city main. These systems utilize fire pumps integrated into the standpipe to supply the required minimum operating pressure and water flow capacity to all outlets in the building. The standpipes designed pressure and flow requirement is called "System Demand". Opening a standpipe outlet valve is the only action required to provide water to the hose line. A drop in water pressure in the standpipe causes the fire pump to turn on. No assistance from fire department engines pumping into the FDC is necessary for these systems to function at their designed capacity.
Low system pressures may also be due to
a ruptured standpipe, sprinkler feed or zone. Isolating that section may restore pressure to the standpipe. OS&Y valves for individual standpipes should be located near the bottom of the standpipe, often in the pump room. Having a building engineer on scene as quickly as possible will help facilitate troubleshooting.
Firefighters should avoid using the fire escape stairway for
access to the fire floor. This keeps the fire escape stairway open for civilian use.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING An important consideration is how to address water supply when fire on multiple floors spans two standpipe zones. The Incident Commander will have to
assign an additional pair of water supply engines to the second standpipe FDC. Both standpipes will need to be supported in this situation. When using the high-rise pump card to determine the starting system pressure for a standpipe that serves specific floors, use the standpipe height, not the overall building height to determine the pump card pressure bracket. Example: A 40-story building with two standpipe zones may have standpipe #1 serving floors 1-20, and standpipe #2 serving floors 21-40. Standpipe #1 starting pressure would be from the 20-story bracket on the high-rise pump card, while standpipe #2 (which runs the full height of the building) would require a starting pressure from the 40-story bracket. As long as the building fire pumps are working, do not pump into the FDC. It is possible that a fire pump may fail in one zone, while a different zone's fire pump continues to operate normally. PF&R would only take over and begin pumping into the FDC for the non-working zone in this scenario.
If the hydrant is at the end of a block, consider parking
at the intersection just off the street next to the building. This keeps the streets adjacent to the building open for needed apparatus access.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS The 3rd and 4th due engines are pre-assigned to water supply on all high-rise boxes and should attempt to park together near a hydrant on the far side of the street from the FDC location. Where possible, position the drivers pump panels facing
away from the FDC. This helps create a safe zone away from high- pressure lines connected to the FDC.
FDC PLACARDING A high-rise fire on multiple floors spanning two standpipes or zones requires
both standpipes or zones be supported simultaneously. The Incident Commander should assign additional water supply engines in this event. One engine or set of tandem pumping engines will support each standpipe, preparing to pump the "system demand" for each standpipe, only in the event that standpipe's fire pump should fail.
An FDC inlet with a stuck or missing clapper valve can still be used by
connecting the first hose line to that inlet.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS To regulate excessive pressures on floors below the highest standpipe outlet, automatic systems are
designed with: standpipe zones check valves pressure reducing valves (PRV) pressure reducing devices (PRD) pilot controlled valves.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS Supplying an automatic standpipe is a process of
determining the designed building system operating pressure, or "system demand", and supplying the standpipe as close to that pressure as possible. In this manner the fire engine pump mimics the function of the building fire pump when it is not operating and keeps the entire system working as designed. Sprinklers and standpipe outlets will be functional throughout the building. Fire attack operations can be initiated on any floor or simultaneously on multiple floors with a properly supplied automatic standpipe.
The term "manual" has traditionally been used to denote a
dry standpipe system not connected to a water supply that is supplied solely by a fire department engine pumping into the FDC. Manual systems are now found in both dry and wet configurations.
Modern engineering and construction methods have enabled the design of taller, larger and more complex buildings known as high-rises. These buildings require more sophisticated fire protection systems such as automatic standpipes with integrated building fire pumps. Automatic systems found in high-rise buildings will typically combine
fire fighting standpipes and sprinkler systems into either one standpipe or a system with multiple standpipe zones servicing different parts of the building. These systems may utilize building fire pumps and pressure regulating components to supply and regulate pressure and water flow throughout the building. These automated systems may also have complex electronic control systems.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS The location of the fire floor has no bearing whatsoever on the water supply operations with these types of automatic standpipe systems. The order of priority is to
first determine whether the building fire pump is functioning. Lobby control personnel should be sent to the pump room or control room as soon as possible. In the event the fire pumps have not automatically turned on when there is a drop in standpipe pressure (water is flowing), the lobby control personnel should consider using the manual override switch to engage the fire pump. In the even the manual over- ride does not work, the Incident Commander should be immediately notified and PF&R engines should then begin supplying the automatic standpipe at the "system demand" pressure..
When supplying an FDC with multiple hose lines, connections should be made
from left to right or bottom to top. In this manner, the first hose lines connected do not block or hinder the following connections from being made or spanner tightened.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS Pre-fire planning is essential for having a working knowledge of buildings equipped with manual standpipes that pose a high risk of failure or operational challenges. If there is any concern regarding the integrity of a standpipe (or a fire escape used to access the exterior standpipe outlets) the company officer will
generate an FMO referral and follow up to make sure the issue gets resolved.
PRDs (pressure restricting devices) such as standpipe shutoff valves with pins or clips that physically limit how far the valve can be opened should
have the limiting device removed and the valve fully opened.
The fire department must supply water into all manual systems (wet or dry) to provide water for interior hose lines. ' The standpipe must be pumped to the
highest involved fire floor or flowing hose line location using standard hydraulic calculations.
When presented with a standpipe outlet or PRV that has restricted flow due to blockage from debris, the best option is to
immediately connect the hose line to another available outlet. Attempt to flag the defective outlet to prevent other hose lines from being connected at a later time.
Wet manual standpipes will typically be located
inside heated areas of the building to prevent freezing.
Triple port all hydrants and bring the 3"supply lines into the "eye of the pump" or siamese inlets to maximize water flow potential. This avoids any
internal plumbing friction loss in the fire engine pump that may be present when connecting to an auxiliary suction port.
Making sure there are no kinks in the fire attack hose line will ensure the nozzle has the needed pressure and flow. When using a hotel bundle with the 50 PSI smooth bore plug option, the 1-3/4" hose line will tend to
kink much more easily than when used with a 75 PSI nozzle or a 50 PSI nozzle on a 2-1/2" hose line.
AUTOMATIC STANDPIPE SYSTEMS Standpipe outlets with pressures exceeding 175 PSI are required to have a
pressure regulating valve (PRV) to reduce the discharge pressure. PRVs are set to the minimum pressure required by fire codes at the time they were built. With all new construction in the city of Portland, anytime a PRV is used, the FMO requires the PRV discharge to be set at 125 - 150 PSI. The extra pressure provides an additional measure of safety for firefighters in the event the standpipe does not function at 100% of its designed operating capacity. This equates to a general expectation that any normally functioning standpipe outlet, whether an older or newer design, should provide at least a minimum of 65 PSI and no more than 175 PSI at any point in the building. With a large majority of 65 PSI systems present in the city of Portland, we need to plan around the worst case scenario, which is an older 65 PSI system functioning at less than rated capacity.
PRDs (pressure restricting devices) such as flow restrictor valves, plates or washers should be
removed prior to connecting hose lines to maximize flow and pressure to the nozzle. These are typically attached on the discharge side of the standpipe valve which allows them to be removed.
If a nozzle or hose line becomes fouled or plugged with debris from the standpipe,
removing the shutoff and nozzle may allow the debris to be blown out and the hose line placed back in service. Otherwise, disconnect the plugged hose line at the outlet, open the outlet attempting to clear any further debris and then reconnect a usable hose line.
Should just the combination nozzle (fog/straight stream) become plugged,
removing the tip and flowing water through the shutoff may be adequate. Hotel bundles have 1-3/4" Akron shutoffs fitted with 50 PSI, 185 GPM smoothbore plugs. Note the 1-3/4" smooth bore plug option is not a substitute when a 250- 260 GPM 2-1/2" hose line is called for.
AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM OPERATIONS When a fire engine is supporting an activated sprinkler system in an area where access cannot be gained or when firefighting operations cannot be conducted safely, a key component to maximizing the effectiveness of the sprinkler system is to
restrict all ventilation to that area.
All hose connections should be
spanner tight.
TANDEM ENGINE PUMPING The drivers will determine the building system operating pressure in the same manner as before. Read the placard at the FDC, if not available, go to the Pre-fire plan. As a last resort use the high-rise pump card. Count windows to determine the approximate height of the standpipe (not the fire floor location) and refer to the "High-Rise Pump Card" for a starting system pressure. The drivers will then
split the system pressure between the two pumping engines to even out the work load. Example: The standpipe system demand pressure is 340 PSI per the placard on the FDC. (This is a residual system operating pressure while the standpipe is flowing at least 500 GPM.) Each engine would need to provide 170 PSI. The Hydrant Engine discharge gauge would be set to 170 PSI. The Tandem Engine discharge gauge would be set to 340 PSI. The Hydrant Engine will be operating at a lower RPM than the Tandem Engine because residual hydrant pressure is providing some of the Hydrant Engines work load. When pumping at higher pressures above 300 PSI, balancing out the RPMs after the "system demand" pressure to the FDC has been achieved would be appropriate. Until it has been determined that PF&R needs to take over supplying water into the automatic standpipe FDC, both water supply engines should to be at idle, circulating water, and have dry hose lines connected to the FDC.
FDC PLACARDING Identifying placards and posted standpipe system pressures are critical to
successful water supply operations.
Utilizing a ladder truck as an emergency standpipe is a good option when the fire floor is within reach of the aerial. Crews can quickly attach hose lines to the aerial and stretch to the fire. A single 2-1/2" hose line can be connected directly to the ladder pipe by simply removing the nozzle. Bypassing the ladder pipe and connecting the 10' standpipe pigtail directly to the 3" aerial supply line or pre-plumbed water way allows
the 2-1/2" gated-wye to be placed inside the building for better access and allows multiple fire attack lines to be supplied by each aerial water supply.
MANUAL STANDPIPE OPERATIONS There are exceptions to every rule. It is common to find older buildings with manual standpipes well in excess of 7 stories. For example,
the PSU Goose Hollow dormitory in Station-03's FMA is 16 stories and has a dry manual standpipe. Pumping to the top floor or roof of this building will require pressures that exceed normal manual standpipe pressure design limitations.
No pressure in the standpipe is most commonly caused by
the building fire pumps being manually shut down for maintenance or construction. Lobby control should prioritize verifying the pumps have not been manually shut down. If the pumps are shut down, turn them on. If they still do not function, attempt the manual over-ride. If none of these steps work, PF&R will need to supply the building. Clear communication to the Incident Commander is required throughout this process.
