FIRE FIGHTING AND EVACUATION IN HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

FIRE FIGHTING…..
 The protection of the occupants of an High –rise building must
be made under an total fire safety program which consists of
,fire detection, fire protection and fire fighting .A building can
be as People safe as much as the building owners , Managers ,
and tenants /occupiers want it to be .Panic of occupants during
early stages of fire is a danger and can contribute to high
casualty losses . Smoke , gasses and super heated air make
evacuation difficult .
 As per fire department – an high –rise bilding is that occupied
structure or building for which roof access level exceeds the
maximum height of rescue capability
FIRE FIGHTING…….

 A data sheet is provided in every building which recommends

the procedure of evacuation and fire safety systems operations
 Because of differences in design ,construction ,fire-resistant
qualities ,height ,floor layout, usage and occupancy each
building presents unique problems in emergency evacuation for
this reason Data sheet should be considered a guide to
evacuation
 Successful and efficient evacuation depends on complete
preplanning and organization and supervision.
 FIRE FIGHTING….
These include :
 Building evacuation organization

 Evacuation policy and plan

 Detection and reporting of fire and hazard

 Evacuation program coordination –movement and evacuation

 Communication to direct Movement and evacuation

 Inspection and Evaluation

FIRE FIGHTING

•As soon as the building a written plan of Fire and other

emergency procedures should be agreed upon by the
management and the tenant .This plan explains the duties and
responsibilities of the management and the Tennant.
•It does detection ,emergency warning system and reporting
procedure for fire and other hazards .
•Coordination of central building emergency evacuation control
with assigned floor emergency evacuation teams and should
provide orderly movement of persons .
FIRE FIGHTING -FIRE IN PROGRESS
 Each person /tenant should acknowledge and comply chain of
command of instructions .
 In additions of Fire detection systems a effective two way voice
communication should be provided for every floor .This will
direct the work assigned to floor evacuation team and assist in
communication between personnel's and tenants and help in
evacuation
 Building management and tenant should cooperate in
education and training program for all emergencies for floor
evacuations
 Time to time evacuation drill procedures should be established
that will include periodic practice of movement of occupant to
refuge area
FIRE FIGHTING…
EVACUATION ROUTES
Drawing ,diagrams evacuation routes and similar information
should be indicated on all floors and stairwells
DETECTION AND REPORT
Detection and emergency evacuation organization plan
including responsibilities of authorities should be clearly
defined .
The building emergency evacuation plan should indicate how
central control will function in the event of fire and the need to
move and evacuate persons .
 The World Trade Centre complex consisted of seven
buildings on an16- acre site. The110-story twin towers, One
(North Tower) and Two (South Tower), stood at the heart of
the complex to a height of 1,368 feet and 1,362 feet,
respectively. A hollow tube of closely spaced perimeter columns
formed the main structural component of each tower. Each tower
was supported primarily by a series of 61 rigid, closely spaced
steel columns built into the exteriors on each side. Lightweight,
steel trusses extended across to central core . These exterior
pillars supported their own weight and half the weight of the
floors The perimeter columns supported the floor trusses
The structural integrity of the World Trade Center depended
on the closely spaced columns around the perimeter. A cluster
of columns at the center of the structure supported half the
weight of the floors, their own weight, and all the elevators
and other mechanical systems. Steel trusses tied the two sets of
columns together, providing reinforcement. The central core of
the structure was not part of the main structural system of the
building due to the enormous structure was not part of the main
structural system of the building due to the enormous load they
bore in supporting the elevator system (each tower had 104
passenger elevators
FIRE FIGHTING

It is likely that the impact of the airliners destroyed a significant

number of perimeter columns on several floors of the building,
severely weakening the entire system The subsequent fires,
fueled by up to 20,000 gallons of aviation fuel, created
enormously high and prolonged temperatures affecting the
structural integrity of the building's structural components,
subsequently weakening the infrastructure of the building
leading to the collapse of the structure The South Tower
collapsed 56 minutes after the impact, and the North Tower
collapsed 1 hour and 40
minutes after it was struck by the airliner

.
High rise fire consideration

In the history of modern high-rise fires, there have been few

documented incidents of building collapses as a result of fire
alone High-rise structures are designed to withstand "content"
fires for a specific length of time. Building design features
(such as fire retardant materials) and building safety features
(such as sprinkler systems) help to contain fires or extinguish
fires and prevent features (such as sprinkler systems) help to
contain fires or extinguish fires and prevent the building
infrastructure from being exposed to excessively high
temperatures. Based on these factors, fire departments should
continue to implement standard operating on these factors, fire
departments should continue to implement standard operating
procedure for high rise fire
Standard operating procedures
• Use aggressive attack on fire as this is the most effective
means of saving lives and facilitating rescue
• Evaluate the location of Command post –It is normally 200
feet from the structure
• Locate a base also minimum distance of 200 feet not in close
proximity of Command post where personnel approaching and
entering the building can relate with it
• Evaluate and reevaluate the strategy as situation changes
• Pressurize the staircase and gain control of the stairwells with
the help of fire personnel
• Follow the department elevator policy that elevators
terminate five floors below the incident area .
•This policy is followed if Fire department does not feel that
the elevator lobbies and shafts are threatened
•Gain control of the evacuation and provide information to
the occupants through public address system
PRE INCIDENT PLANNING
The degree of fire fighting success may be measured not only
by the presence of fire safety features, but also the ability of
fire fighting personnel to take advantage of these features

MASONRY BEARING WALLS –HIGH RISE CONSTRUCTION

These older style high-rise buildings were constructed with
bearing walls made of masonry. Most of these buildings
were constructed of reinforced concrete. Due to the severe
weight of the construction materials, the walls at the bottom
were many feet (meters) thick. As the building rose and the
upper levels supported less weight, the walls were tapered.
These buildings are really the epitome of what fire-resistive
construction means.
 NEW STYLE HIGH RISE CONSTRUCTION
 The modern method involves the steel skeleton the column ,
beam and the girder .The elevator, stair shafts and utility
shafts are placed in the core areas .Most commonly this core is
found in the centre of the building and this is called Centre
Core construction in some buildings the core is also found on
the side and called Side Core construction .Sometimes the
stairways and elevators are located on the exterior walls Core
construction has less mass than "old-style" construction and is
more vulnerable to heat and fire Floors have been known to
sag nearly two feet under intense fire and heat .
 STRUCTURAL FRAMING SYSTEMS
The most common systems in high-rise buildings use either of
the following as the basis for forming the building skeleton:
Reinforced concrete ( old style )
Structural steel ( new style )
The structural components have a high degree of resistivenes
to heat.However there are a number of structural stability
concerns .
 Component failure is possible under prolonged exposure to
heat
 Failure of a floor beam is somewhat serious but localized
 Failure of a Girder would be far more critical than a beam
and would affect an larger area
 A column failure would result in structural instability and trigger

damage to structure
To achieve fire protection steel frames in high rise building should
be fire proofed by encasing them in Concrete ,Sheetrock or
spraying them with Protective coating Concrete is the most
permanent type of fire proofing.
 WINDOWS
Ventilation complexities depend upon the type of windows
installed .Inoperable windows complicate ventilation procedure
Windows in high rise are often operable and made of plate
glass When broken plate glass produces large shards and can
injure people , so the alternative is tempered glass. Operable
windows are there on every floor and are located in each
corner of exterior wall Instead of tempered glass for
emergency ventilation, some buildings may be equipped with
special operable window panels that are secured from the
inside by a tool-operated locking device. This tool is required
to be kept on the premises.
 ROOFS
Roofs on high-rise buildings are required to have at least a two-
hour fire-resistive rating Pay particular attention Stair shaft exits
Machinery rooms Other obstructions that would limit certain types
of ventilation activities on the roof ,all stair shafts in the building
will not exit to the roof Knowing which stair shafts exit to the roof
can be critical when moving occupants to the roof for safe refuge
or evacuation . It is also important to know if it is possible to land
a helicopter on the roof for a top-down approach to fire
 SHAFT ENCLOSURES
Shaft enclosures in high-rise buildings are required to have a
minimum of a two-hour fire-resistive rating. Examples of shaft
enclosures are stair shafts and elevator shafts. Any vertical shaft
in a high-rise building, under fire conditions, can transfer heat
and smoke to other parts of the structure. It is critical that shaft
integrity be maintained. Any vertical shaft in a high-rise building,
under fire conditions, can transfer heat and
smoke to other parts of the structure. It can Impede the safe exit
of building occupants Greatly restrict the ability of fire personnel
to perform tactical operations Hence it is critical that shaft
integrity be maintained.
SHAFT SYSTEMS
High-rise building stair shafts are often built into the centre core.
Additional stair shafts may be on the structure's outer perimeter
or elsewhere, depending on the height and occupancy type of
the building Besides conventional stair shafts, there are other
special stair shaft types found in high-rise buildings. The building
may contain "pressurized" or "smoke-proof' stair shafts
in which a vestibule design or activation of special equipment is
designed to provide as smoke-free atmosphere within the stair
shaft. Some high-rise buildings feature stair shafts that are often
referred to as "smoke towers." These are either full or partially
open to the outside atmosphere to prevent smoke from filling the
stair shaft.
Stair shafts in high-rise buildings should be marked at each landing
with signs that provide specific information about the stair shaft. The
signs should identify the stair shaft by name or number (for example:
Stair #1, Stair #2, etc.). They should designate each floor, and list the
lower and upper terminal points of that stair shaft (for example: B-3 )
The sign should also indicate whether the stair shaft provides access to
the roof of the building.
ROOFS
Floors in high-rise buildings are also required to have a minimum of
a two-hour fire-resistive rating. Floors are normally concrete poured
over a metal deck that remains in place after the concrete has set.
After the concrete has set, holes are bored in the concrete to
allow for the passage of various utility lines or equipment
between the floors. This procedure is called "poke-through"
construction.
Poke-through, if not properly sealed around the bored holes, can
seriously diminish the floor's two-hour fire resistiveness. While
most recent codes require that poke-through openings be sealed
with a material that re-establishes the two-hour fire resistiveness

FLOORS CONFIGURATION
There are two general floor layouts in high-rise buildings. They
are referred to as"compartmentatized" and "open space." The
compartmentation in high-rise buildings is based on the concept
that smaller areas are separated from other areas and can slow
down the spread of the fire. An example of this
compartmentation would be a typical high-rise
apartment building.
 Examples of the "open space" concept are high-rise office
buildings where floors are virtually wide open. This openness is
designed to allow unrestricted movement of employees
throughout the floor. the lack of physical barriers will allow the
fire to spread quickly throughout the floor. Compartment
separations must offer adequate fire resistivity and must divide
plenum areas They must also prevent vertical fire travel by
protective construction features around vertical shafts and above
windows. Proper compartmentation also requires all "poke-
through" openings between floors to be properly fire-stopped.
CEILING ASSEMBELIES
Ceiling assemblies in high-rise buildings are usually suspended
from the floor assembly by steel wires attached to a grid of
metal channels. The open space between the suspended ceiling
and the floor above is normally used for horizontal distribution of
utility services (air-conditioning ducts, electrical conduits, plumbing
lines, etc.). It often serves as a common exhaust plenum for the
heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system (WAC).
 ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
Much of the electrical equipment is likely to be located in the
basement of the building. This makes it susceptible to flooding
from broken pipes or water used to control a fire. The danger of
working near electrical equipment when water is present is well
known if power must be terminated on the floor or floors involved
in the fire, it can usually be done through sub-panels that control
the electrical supply to specific floors. Because of the high
voltages and power in electrical vaults, a sudden shutdown by
unknowing personnel can cause an electrical surge that can injure
personnel doing the shutdown An emergency power supply,
usually provided by an motor-driven generator ,the emergency
power may supply only exit lighting in the stair shafts.
Elevators
Under normal conditions, elevators are the only practical method
of moving between floors in a high-rise building. Under fire
conditions, elevator operation can become very erratic and
extremely dangerous. Hoist ways are the vertical shafts in which
elevator cars travel. In buildings with multiple elevators, all the
elevator cars in a bank are usually in a common hoist way. Some
high-rise buildings are equipped with low-, medium-, and high-
rise bank elevators, also known as split bank, that are configured
so that some elevators serve only lower floors of the building
while others serve the upper floors. It is important to know what
type of elevator
The hoist way is separated from each floor by a hoist way door
that is opened by movement of the elevator car door when the
car is level with the floor landing. Smoke and heat under pressure
at the fire floor can enter the hoist way, even though the hoist
way doors are closed and travel up or down the hoist way. If a
large volume of fire enters the hoist way shaft, the shaft acts like
a chimney and draws the fire upward where the heat may be
sufficient to ignite materials on upper floors next to the hoist way.
As heat and smoke rise within the hoist way, pressure will force it
out the hoist way doors onto the upper floors.
Almost every high-rise building is required to be equipped with
elevator emergency service features that will automatically move
the elevator cars to specific locations under fire conditions. The
feature also allows fire fighting personnel to place the elevator
cars in a "Fire-fighter Service" mode that provides specific safety
features. Automatic recall may be initiated whenever an alarm
device is activated. Automatic or manual recall of elevators is
important for several reasons:. It prevents smoke from entering
the hoistway because it keeps the car from being
held at the fire floor. It reduces the possibility of occupants being
trapped in an elevator car. It provides fire department access to
the elevator cars if a decision is made to use them
The decision to use elevators during a fire in a high-rise building
is one that must be tempered with good judgment. While it is true
that using the elevators will speed up initial investigation and fire
control efforts, an elevator malfunction that causes response to a
non-selected floor can result in fire fighting personnel losing their
lives. Therefore, using stair shafts is the safest method of
ascending to the fire floor.
SMOKE CONTROL SYSTEMS
Smoke and its toxic products account for more than 80% of the
fire deaths The forces that affect smoke movement in a high-rise
building include the stack effect, expansion, wind, and HVAC
systems.
Passive smoke control measures have been in use for many years. They
consist of:
Barriers
Curtains
Gravity venting
Smoke-proof towers
Smoke removal shafts
HVAC SYSTEMS
Information about the air handling system in a high-rise building should
be a critical part of pre-fire planning inspections. This includes how the
system operates under fire and how it can be deactivated incase of
fire
The air handling system in most new high-rise buildings is required
by code to have dampers in the system. These dampers are
smoke activated and control the spread of fire products from the
area of origin to other parts of the building.
FIRE CONTROL ROOMS AND STATIONS
Most current codes require that newly constructed high-rise
buildings contain a fire control room or station within the
buildingThe room should provide, Specific information on alarms
that have been activated. The status of fire protection systems
within the building. These rooms or stations frequently have
communications systems that allow the transmission of emergency
alarms or instructions to building occupants and firefighters alike.
If it is in a basement level, radio communication will
probably be difficult. Monitoring the information that is
displayed in these locations or accessing the various systems
that they contain requires some prior knowledge that can
only be gained by pre-incident planning
LIFE SAFETY
Large numbers of people can be exposed to potential
danger during a high-rise fire. This requires that immediate
attention be given to the issue of life safety. The following
life safety issues must be taken into consideration by fire
personnel when responding to a high-rise fire
Life safety can be enhanced by timely control of the HVAC
system. Failure to control smoke movement within the building can
put in any lives at great risk. Evacuation takes time. Command
staff must anticipate this time, and sufficient personnel must be
assigned to perform the task. The behaviour of occupants during
a high-rise fire is largely unpredictable. If occupants are going to
be evacuated from the building, it is critical that they use stair
shafts that are not contaminated with smoke and heat
FIRE BEHAVIOR AND FIRE SPREAD
At high-rise fires, command officers and operating forces must
consider the following fire behavior and fire spread phenomena:
. Stack Effect
. Negative stack effect
.Vertical extension
. Fire loading
. Heat build-up
Stack Effect: we perceive smoke as being heated and, therefore,
lighter than the air surrounding it. Thus, when we cut a hole in the
roof of a small structure that is on fire, the hot smoke and gases
easily exit the structure.
Vertical shafts in a tall building tend to act as a chimney or
smokestack by channelling heat, smoke, and other products of
combustion upward because of convection. As this process
occurs, a stratification process also occurs in which hotter smoke
moves toward the roof and the cooler smoke stays lower. As
long as the air inside the building is hotter than the
atmospheric air outside the building, ventilation will occur by
having fresh air drawn in through lower building openings and
discharged through the top. This is considered the "normal"
stack”
NEGATIVE STACK EFFECT
When the outside air temperature is higher than the inside air
temperature at the building's upper levels, a negative stack
effect may take place. As the smoke leaves the fire area, usually
by way of the stair shafts and other vertical openings, it cools.
This effect pushes the smoke down the vertical shafts, or it settles
to floors BELOW the fire. This situation may cause Staging to be
relocated farther from the fire
VERTICAL EXTENSION
Typical construction methods for high-rise buildings provide
common avenues through which fire may extend vertically
common methods of fire extension in high-rise buildings include
the following:
. Auto extension
. Curtain wall extension
. Vertical shaft extension
Auto extension occurs when the fire generates enough heat to
breakout windows and then fire "rolls out" of the fire floor and
up the outside of the building. The following features are
incorporated into high-rise design and construction that contribute
to vertical fire extension: Stair shafts,Elevator shafts , Electrical
chase ways , Plumbing, Electrical data poke throughs,Mail chutes
Trash chutes ,Air-conditioning supply and return chutes and stairways .
HEAT BUILD UP
Fire in high-rise buildings generates large quantities of heat.
Unfortunately for fire-fighters, this heat cannot be dissipated easily
from the building This high heat also takes its toll on the fire-fighter. The
higher the heat, the more one perspires. Perspiration dehydrates the
fire-fighter and removes energy
FIRE LOADING
The quantity of fuel that is available to a fire on any given floor
directly affects firefighters' ability to gain fire control. Where fuel is
limited, such as on a vacant floor, it is easier to gain control on the fire
FIRE SAFETY SYSTEM
Service shafts, ducts and chases, while essential elements of the
building, also provide flues through which a fire may spread.
Maintenance of the integrity of these is vital if the building’s fire
defences are to be provided.
National Codes require the provision of –
 Passive fire protection such as doors,

 fire resisting walls, floors and shafts,

 Fire detection and alarms,

 Means of escape in case of fire,

 Emergency lighting,
 Rising mains and fire service outlets,
 Emergency power supplies to services

essential for life safety,

 Sprinklers

Some of the basic steps to be taken for fire safety

 Smoke detectors are installed in the on

 every floor above and below.

 Sprinklers can be installed in every

 room, corridors and other spaces.

 Portable fire extinguishers are placed at various places for

FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS
Manual control of fire fighting
 In the basement, automated fire fighting system is installed, as
soon as it detects fire in the building, a red light blinks and alarm
goes on.
 There are pump rooms, in the basement for storage of water,
needed in case of fire
BUILDING SAFETY SYSTEMS
Building should be safe from natural calamities and fire. The
systems include:
Fire detection and fire fighting
Detection and safety from natural calamity like earthquakes
 FIRE DETECTION AND FIRE FIGHTING
The early detection of fire is vital for fire-fighting operation.
Smoke and heat detectors capable of detecting fire in their
incipient stages therefore play a vital role. Well-designed
detection systems should be provided in buildings for all the
floors and at all ceiling voids. If overall cost is the over-riding
criteria, then detectors must be located at least in the ‘return air’
areas where smoke can be sensed. The control panel in the fire
alarm system plays an extremely important role
Typically, a building also has its own air-conditioning system and
proper inter-linking must be maintained between these two
systems to prevent fire spreading to other areas. Closing the
dampers located at strategic points within the air-conditioning
system prevents the spread of combustible particles.
Arrangements should also be made to activate fire signals by the
provision of alarm control panels, which start up the exhaust fans.
The control panel must also be provided with a suitable public-
address system so that instructions can be given to the occupants
of the various floors. For this purpose, control panels must have
the feature of indicating and highlighting zones, which were in
operation first.
A suitable ‘mimic diagram’ should also
be provide along with each control
panel to enable fire-fighting
personnel to reach this zone in
shortest possible time. The layout for
this must be clear in every respect
and must take into account the fact
that the fire-fighting personnel may
be operating in the building for
the first time. The control panels, often
referred to as the ‘nerve centres' of
the fire fighting systems of buildings,
are therefore of crucial importance
FIRE FIGHTING
FIRE PROTECTION AND SIGNALLING
• Construction and occupancy type;
• Geometry and thermal aspects of the space, including air
movement patterns; • Assessed fuel load; kind, amount and
location;
• Flame spread characteristics;
• Detector speed and reliability
 HEAT SENSTIVE EMISSIVE PRODUCTS
New wall covering products are being developed from special
materials and treatments which, when heated, emit colourless,
odourless and harmless gases that are sensed by ionization type
smoke detectors.
SMOKE AND HEAT DETECTORS
Smoke detectors are more sensitive to sensing smoke; heat
detectors are more sensitive to changes in temperature.
SMOKE DETECTORS - warn of fire when it senses the products of
combustion in the atmosphere. Smoke detectors work by sensing
the rising smoke from a fire and sounding a piercing alarm.
Smoke detectors also differ by power source. The batteries in
battery-powered smoke detectors last approximately one year
Smoke detectors that operate on household electric current
operate as long as there is current in the circuit to which they are
connected.
Heat detectors are also available, sometimes as part of a smoke
detector and sometimes as separate products. These use a special
metal that melts or distorts when heat enters the air surrounding
it.
HEAT DETECTORS warn of fire when the temperature in the area
around the smoke detector reaches a certain level.
Heat detectors should compliment, not replace, the smoke
detectors. Heat detectors do not notice smoke. Heat detectors
add protection, but by themselves are not effective early warning
devices. They must be very close to a fire to be set off.
There are two categories that distinguish smoke detectors –
Type of Power, and
Method of Detection.
Type of power –
9 Volt battery powered smoke detector system
Lithium battery powered smoke detector system
Electric Smoke detector System These are hard-wired into the
home and are connected into the electrical wiring systems.
Consider purchasing an electric smoke detector with a battery
backup in case of power failure .
FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS
Safe and fast fire detection is an essential component of a
reliable fire protection concept. The earlier a fire is detected, the
smaller are the dangers and damages caused by the fire. Ideally
by automatic activation of an extinguishing system should be
preferred
A fire detection and alarm system should:
(a) Detect quickly enough to fulfil its intended functions.
(b) Reliably transmit the detection signal.
(c) Translate this signal into clear alarm signal
(d) Signal any fault that might jeopardize the performance of the
system
AUTOMATIC FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS
Fire authorities agree that most fires pass through four stages, the
last of which is the visible, flaming fire. These four stages are:
Incipient Stage: invisible particulate matter given off, no visible
flame, smoke or appreciable heat not present.
Smoldering Stage: large particles now visible as smoke. Flame or
appreciable heat is still not present.
Flame Stage: actual fire now exists; appreciable heat still not
present but follows almost instantaneously.
Heat Stage: uncontrolled heat and rapidly expanding air.
Incipient Stage
In the incipient stage, the combustion products comprise a
significant quantity of microscopic particles, which are best
detected by Ionization type of detectors. Ionization type smoke
detectors respond to smoke particles that interrupt the flow of
ionized air molecules moving between two electrodes within the
detector. These detectors contain a small amount of radioactive
material that serves to ionize the air between two charged
surfaces, causing a current to flow. Smoke particles entering the
chamber break this flow disrupting the current between the two
electrodes .
Because these detectors react to minute particles of combustion,
they should not be applied in or close to areas where normal
activities produce such particles as the obvious result will be
nuisance alarms.

Smoldering Stage
The smouldering stage is characterized by particles
which are small and visible to eye and are detected by
Photometric means –Photoelectric type smoke detectors
These are most effective when we have slow
smouldering fire .The smoke is detected due to
obstruction of light beam or the sensors receive the
reflected /scattered light beam .
Beam-type detectors having an effective throw (transmitter to receiver)
ranging from 30 to 330 ft (depending on ambient conditions), and can
be spaced 30 to 60 ft apart. The alarm photocell is shielded and
normally receives no light. When smoke enters the unit, light is reflected
from (scattered by) the smoke particles and strikes the alarm cell. This
changes the cell's resistance and the resultant signal is amplified
electronically, causing an alarm.-Alarm Photocell
Flame Stage
The appearance of flame is followed almost instantaneously by
heat build-up and the rapid spread of flame. Detection of an
flame as an early warning is the prime requirement of an
detector .There are two types of Flame detectors :
 Those that detect ultraviolet radiations, and

 Those that detect infrared radiation.

Infrared Detectors – They use light filter and lens over an

photocell .They must be shielded from sun and solar radiation as
that wills set them off .They react in seconds and are used in
closed spaces as sealed storages or vaults
Ultraviolet detectors –These are not commonly activated by
sunlight or artificial light They are best applied in highly
flammable or explosive storage and work areas, either indoor or
outdoor. UV detectors are best applied to detect hydrocarbon
fuelled fires such as burning alcohol. Their principle disadvantage
is that they are “blinded "by thick black smoke .
Heat Stage- The heat stage is the last and the most dangerous
stage by now the fire is burning openly and producing heat
Detectors intended for use at this stage respond to heat and
are referred to as heat-actuated, thermal, thermostatic or simply
temperature detectors.
They act much like the fusible link in a sprinkler head. Heat
detectors are thermal sensors used to detect the heat of stage III
or IV fires. They are the oldest, least accident prone types of
detectors. They may respond to a specific predetermined air
temperature or to a specific rate of temperature increase.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS
When a fire is detected an alarm is communicated to the
occupants. Alarm systems are designed to facilitate the most
immediate response by integrating the following components
 A control unit with one or more initiating device circuits; Multi-
circuit units use
 enunciators to indicate locations of activated detectors.
 Primary (main) and secondary (standby) power supplies.
Heat, smoke and/or flame detectors tied to the control unit.
Signal or voice/intercom alarm devices to alert occupants.
Communication link with local fire fighters.
The type of alarm system is defined by the extent of
communications:
 Local systems alert only the occupants, who must contact the

fire department.
 Proprietary systems alert a central control panel, initiating
action by building safety personnel.
 Central station systems alert the building occupants and a central
control panel. Personnel at the central control panel often supervise
several buildings, notifying the fire department when alarms are
activated.
Remote station systems alert the fire department by means of
direct line communications and simultaneously alert the local
system. This type is frequently required in hotels; high rise buildings
and buildings in high-density areas.
Signal alarms use only a continuous or coded tone to direct the
occupants in a space in the case of an emergency. They are
located in hallways or workspaces such that everyone on each floor
can readily hear them.
The signal may alert the entire building (master code system); it
may identify the location where the fire was detected (selective
code system); or it may identify the floor or area where the fire
was detected (zone code system). To be properly heard, signal
alarms must exceed the ambient noise level by about 15 decibels
so that all occupants may hear the alarm
SPRINKLER SYSTEM
These can be manual or automatic . Automatic sprinkler systems
usually consist of a horizontal pattern of pipes placed just below
or within the ceilings.These pipes are provided with outlets and
sprinkler heads constructed such that abnormally high
temperatures will cause them to open automatically and emit an
WET PIPE SYSTEM
series of fine water spray
Wet-Pipe Systems- These are
filled with water under
pressure and the temp is never
Less than 40 F.The sprinkler
heads are pendant type .
The pipes are suspended above
the ceiling in an coordinated
Modular grid
DRY PIPE SYSTEM
These systems are filled with air
or nitrogen rather than water as
soon as sprinkler heads open
allowing water to enter the
Dry pipe system through a dry
Pipe valve now it functions
Like a wet pipe system the
Dry pipe valve must be in an
Enclosure since water under
Pressure is on side of this
Valve 750 capacity gallon l
To avoid delay in delivering
Water thro the system
 STANDPIPES AND HOSES

Standpipes And Hoses

A standpipe system in a high-rise building is
a pipe structure designed to vertically
transfer water to upper floors of the
building so that the water can be used to
fight fires manually using fire hoses. The
major differences are whether the system is
for first-aid or for full-scale fire fighting,
and whether the system has an automatic
water supply or a manual one.
PRE ACTION SYSTEM
recommended .The air in the pipes in the system should be kept
under pressure with the help of compressor .
PRE ACTION SYSTEM
In this system, the pipes are filled with air that may or may not be
under pressure. In addition to the sprinkler heads, either a heat-
or a smoke-detection system is installed, more sensitive than the
sprinkler head. Water is held back by the pre-action valve.
When the heat - or smoke - detectors are activated, they open
the pre-action valve, an alarm is sounded, and the water fills the
pipes. It then functions as does a wet-pipe system, with further
water flow only on the opening of a sprinkler head.