Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially
destructive fires.
It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and
its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application
of mitigating systems.
In structures, be they land-based, offshore or even ships, the owners and operators are
responsible to maintain their facilities in accordance with a design-basis that is rooted
in laws, including the local building code and fire code, which are enforced by the Authority
Having Jurisdiction.
Buildings must be constructed in accordance with the version of the building code that
is in effect when an application for a building permit is made.
Building inspectors check on compliance of a building under construction with the building
code.
Once construction is complete, a building must be maintained in accordance with the
current fire code, which is enforced by the fire prevention officers of a local fire department.
In the event of fire emergencies, Firefighters, fire investigators, and other fire prevention
personnel called to mitigate, investigate and learn from the damage of a fire.
Lessons learned from fires are applied to the authoring of both building codes and fire
codes.
Classifying fires When deciding on what fire protection is appropriate
for any given situation, it is important to assess the types of fire hazard that may be
faced.
Some jurisdictions operate systems of classifying fires using code letters.
Whilst these may agree on some classifications, they also vary.
Below is a table showing the standard operated in Europe and Australia against the system
used in the United States.
1 Technically there is no such thing as a "Class E" fire, as electricity itself does
not burn.
However it is considered a dangerous and very deadly complication to a fire, therefore using
the incorrect extinguishing method can result in serious injury or death.
Class E, however generally refers to fires involving electricity, therefore a bracketed
E, "(E)" denoted on various types of extinguishers.
Fires are sometimes categorized as "one alarm", "two alarm", "three alarm" fires.
There is no standard definition for what this means quantifiably, though it always refers
to the level response by the local authorities.
In some cities, the numeric rating refers to the number of fire stations that have been
summoned to the fire.
In others, the number counts the number of "dispatches" for additional personnel and
equipment.
Components Structural fire protection is typically achieved
via three means: Passive fire protection
Active fire protection and/or extinguishing it)
Education Balanced Approach
Passive fire protection in the form of compartmentalisation was developed prior to the invention of or
widespread use of active fire protection, mainly in the form of automatic fire sprinkler
systems.
During this time, PFP was the dominant mode of protection provided in facility designs.
With the widespread installation of fire sprinklers in the past 50 years, the reliance on PFP
as the only approach was reduced.
Lobby groups are typically divided into two camps favouring active or passive fire protection.
Each camp tries to garner more business for itself through its influence in establishing
or changing local and national building and fire codes.
At present, the camp favouring AFP appears to be leading, because of the factors mentioned
above.
The relatively recent inclusion of performance based or objective based codes, which have
a greater emphasis on life safety than property protection, tend to support AFP initiatives,
and can lead to the justification for a lesser degree of fire resistant rated construction.
At times it works the other way around, as firewalls that protrude through the roof structure
are used to "sub-divide" buildings such that the separated parts are of smaller area and
contain smaller fire hazards, and do not necessarily require sprinklers.
The decision to favour AFP versus PFP in the design of a new building may be affected by
the lifecycle costs.
Lifecycle costs can be shifted from capital to operational budgets and vice versa.
Building Operation in conformance with Design The building is designed in compliance with
the local building code and fire code by the architect and other consultants.
A building permit is issued after review by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Deviations from that original plan should be made known to the AHJ to make sure that
the change is still in compliance with the law to prevent any unsafe conditions that
may violate the law and put people at risk.
For example, if the firestop systems in a structure were inoperable, a significant part
of the fire safety plan would not work in the event of a fire because the walls and
floors that contain the firestops are intended to have a fire-resistance rating, which has
been achieved through passing a fire test and, often, product certification of the components
involved in the construction of those walls and floors.
Likewise, if the sprinkler system or fire alarm system is inoperable for lack of knowledgeable
maintenance, or if the building occupants prop open a fire door and then run a carpet
through, the likelihood of damage and casualties is increased.
It is vital for everyone to realise that fire protection within a structure is a system
that relies on all of its components.
See also
Notes
Further reading Huang, Kai. 2009.
Population and Building Factors That Impact Residential Fire Rates in Large U.S. Cities.
Applied Research Project.
Texas State University.
http:ecommons.txstate.edu287/.
External links Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment and
Control National Fire Protection Association
National Fire Sprinkler Association Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association
A UK based website with authoritative fire safety information
Fire Protection News - Fire Engineering Magazine