Fire Safety Systems Overview

Course Information

• Course Title: Electrical and Mechanical Systems
• Course Code: AE 475
• Instructor: Dr. Muna M. Alibrahim
• Institution: Yarmouk University
• Department: Architectural Engineering
• Semester: First Semester 2024/2025

Topic 7: Fire Fighting System

• Fire is a destructive force causing property damage and endangering lives.
• A fire fighting system detects, controls, and extinguishes fires swiftly and efficiently, preventing losses, safeguarding lives, and preserving property.

Main Components of a Fire Fighting System

• Fire detection systems (smoke detectors, heat detectors)
• Fire suppression systems (sprinklers, gaseous suppression systems)
• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency lighting and exit signs
• Fire alarm systems
• Fire doors and fire-rated partitions
• Fire safety signage
• Fire hose reels and standpipes and fire pump

Fire Detection Systems

• Designed to identify fire or smoke presence in a building.
• Components typically include smoke detectors, heat detectors, flame detectors, and fire alarm control panels.
• Smoke detectors: Use optical or ionization sensors to detect smoke, triggering an alarm.
• Heat detectors: Activate alarms when a predetermined temperature threshold is exceeded.
• Flame detectors: Employ sensors to detect flames and activate alarms.
• Fire alarm control panels: Receive signals from detectors, activating audible and visual alarms to alert occupants for evacuation.

Fire Suppression Systems

• Designed to extinguish or control fires once detected.
• Sprinkler systems: Consist of a network of pipes with sprinkler heads strategically positioned throughout the building. When heat from a fire activates a sprinkler head, it releases water to suppress the fire.
• Gaseous suppression systems: Use inert gases or chemical agents to extinguish fires by displacing oxygen or inhibiting chemical reactions sustaining combustion.
• Foam systems: Combine foam concentrate with water to create a foam blanket that smothers flammable liquid fires, suppressing flames and cooling the fuel surface.

Fire Extinguishers

• Portable devices used to extinguish small fires or control fires in their early stages.
• Available in various types, including water, dry chemical, CO2, and foam extinguishers, each suitable for different fire types.

Emergency Lighting and Exit Signs

• Essential for guiding occupants to safety during a fire emergency.
• Provide illumination along escape routes, such as corridors, stairwells, and exits, ensuring visibility in low-light conditions or power outages.

Fire Alarm System

• Serves as the central control unit for fire detection and alarm components of the fire fighting system.
• Receives signals from detectors and activates audible and visual alarms, alerting occupants and emergency responders to the presence of a fire.

Fire Doors and Fire-rated Partitions

• Designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within a building.
• Constructed of fire-resistant materials and equipped with self-closing mechanisms to seal off compartments and contain fires.

Fire Safety Signage and Instructions

• Vital information for occupants during a fire emergency.
• Includes evacuation route signs, fire assembly point signs, fire extinguisher locations, clear instructions, and signage facilitating safe and orderly evacuation procedures.

Fire Hose Reels and Standpipes and Fire Pump

• Provide a ready source of water for firefighting.
• Typically installed in strategic locations, allowing firefighters to quickly and efficiently access water to combat fires.

Types of Fire Fighting Systems

• Active systems designed to put out fires.
• Passive systems designed to prevent fires from starting.
• Examples include Sprinkler Systems, Dry Pipe Sprinkler Systems, Deluge Sprinkler Systems, and Carbon Dioxide Systems (active).
• Fire-rated glazing materials and fire retardants (passive).

Operation of Fire Fighting Systems

• System aims to automatically respond to fire events.
• Typically involves detection, alarm and notification, fire suppression, and monitoring and control steps.

Importance of Fire Fighting Systems

• Life safety: Protect human lives by detecting fires early, allowing for rapid evacuation and response.
• Property protection: Minimize damage to property by controlling or extinguishing fires before growth.
• Compliance with regulations: Meets building and fire safety regulations for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings.
• Minimizing business disruption: Avoid prolonged closures, maintain operations, and reduce downtime.
• Insurance benefits: Some insurance providers offer reduced premiums to buildings equipped with modern fire fighting systems.