Fire Protection Systems: Standpipe Overview

Study Notes

Standpipe: A vertical piping system supplying water for hoses and sprinklers across multiple floors. It can also refer to horizontal sections for multiple hose connections on the same level.
Fire Vehicle: Specially designed apparatus used by Civil Defence firefighters, equipped with water, pumps, extinguishing agents, and rescue tools for firefighting.
Fire Boat: A vessel used for firefighting on water, staffed by Civil Defence firefighters. Functions include rescue operations and providing a fire fighting platform, along with capabilities to pump water to shore.

Purpose of Fire Access: Ensures swift firefighter arrival to fire scenes, especially critical in high-rise buildings to allow timely response and safeguard lives.
Fire Access Road Specifications:
- Designed with concrete or asphalt for solid surfaces.
- Must accommodate significant vehicle loads based on a table outlining specific requirements, including width, grade, and clearance.
Bridges for Fire Access: Should adhere to Municipality and Road Transport Authority standards, designed to support heavy fire vehicles.

Access Road:
- Minimum unobstructed width of 6m.
- A requirement for unobstructed vertical clearance of 4.5m and a maximum road grade of 10%.
Fire Access Roadway Gate:
- Required width of 4500 mm.
- Gates may be swinging, sliding, or lifting, equipped with manual overriding features for emergencies.

Signage: Fire access areas must be free from parking obstructions, with clear signage indicating "NO PARKING, FIRE LANE" to maintain access for emergency vehicles.

Width & Maneuverability: Accessway should maintain a minimum width of 6m to allow entry and maneuvering of firefighting and rescue equipment.
Distance from Building: Accessway should be 2m to 10m from the building’s edge for effective firefighting operations.

Low-rise buildings (< 15m): Accessway not mandated; however, a fire engine access road is needed within 45m of any building point.
Mid-rise buildings (15m to <23m without sprinklers): Accessway required based on building footprint area, with specific access extent outlined by size.
High-rise buildings (≥ 15m): Must have access defined by the footprint area and whether sprinkler systems are installed.

For mid-rise buildings without sprinklers, access is defined by the building's footprint and categorized into specified perimeter ratios based on area size.
Fire access requirements escalate with building height, with comprehensive access needed for both mid-rise and high-rise structures based on the corresponding floor area, especially where sprinklers are present.