1. Fundamental Concepts for Design of Special Hazard and Fire Alarm Systems
Chapter 1

2. Fire Protection as a Profession
Fire professionals are dedicated to saving lives
Serious errors or less than minimal fire protection can lead to death
Application of technical knowledge is fundamental
Ethical behavior on the same level as technical knowledge

3. Fire Protection Engineers and Technicians
Licensed professional engineer
Can apply science and engineering to protect the public from the impacts of fire
Fire protection technician:
Achieved NICET Level III of IV certification in the appropriate subfield
Knowledge, experience and skills necessary to lay out fire protection systems

4. Fire Protection Engineers and Technicians (con’t.)
Functions of a fire protection engineer
Fire protection analysis
Fire protection management
Fire science and human behavior
Fire protection systems
Passive building systems

5. Fire Protection Engineers and Technicians (con’t.)
Functions of a fire protection engineer (con’t.)
Evaluation of the hazards and protection schemes required to develop a workable, integrated solution to a fire safety problem
Preparation of design documents
Layout of fire protection systems

6. Fire Protection Engineers and Technicians (con’t.)
Functions of a fire protection engineer (con’t.)
Affixing a professional seal to documents
Review fire protection installation shop drawings for compliance with engineer’s design
Monitor installation of fire protection systems
Responsibility for designing and maintaining competency through continued education

7. Fire Protection Engineers and Technicians (con’t.)
Functions of a fire protection technician
The system layout in accordance with the engineer’s design
Shop drawings in accordance with the engineer’s design or as otherwise permitted by state regulations
Supplemental calculations based on the engineer’s design

8. Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)
Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ): individual or agency who reviews and approves drawings and completed installations
Examples of AHJs
Municipal permitting organization
Fire prevention officer of the municipality
Insurance company
Governmental organization
Code official

9. The National Fire Protection Association
Publishes more than 290 codes, standards, recommended practices, and guides for fire safety and design of fire protection systems
Codes: mandatory requirement suitable for adoption into law
Standards: mandatory NFPA requirements that may be used to approve a fire protection system
Recommended practices: NFPA documents that provide nonmandatory advice
Guides: informative NFPA documents

10. Site (Underground) Drawings
Civil drawings: coordinate underground utilities entering and leaving a building or group of buildings
Profile plan: shows reference elevations with respect to finished grade
Invert elevation: references the bottom of a pipe with respect to the reference elevation

11. Architectural Plans
Architectural drawings: drawings that show dimensions of walls, floors, ceilings, and other building features
Plan job: design performed using new architectural plans as the basis for design
Survey job: a project involving an existing building for which plans cannot be obtained

12. Structural Drawings
Structural drawings: provide details related to the floors, roof, and structural elements of a building
Foundation plans: show floor and wall structural details and sectional views
Framing plans: show beam and joist size and elevation

13. HVAC Drawings
HVAC drawings: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning drawings
Supply diffuser: ceiling element used to distribute fresh air to a room
Return diffuser: ceiling element used to draw stale air from a room
Plenum space: space above a suspended ceiling that is kept under negative pressure for return air

14. Plumbing Drawings Designated in the contract set with a “P” prefix
May show fire protection system piping layout or schematic
Water supply and other fire protection-related information may be in the plumbing general notes

15. Fire Protection Contract Drawings
Strong preference in the profession to display all fire protection and detection requirements on a separate set of contract drawings

16. Electrical Drawings Contract drawing set has an “E” prefix
Useful to special hazard and fire alarm system designers
Provide the location and power requirements of lighting and other electrical devices
Locations of other electrical devices may also be shown on electrical drawings

17. Specifications Developed by architects and engineers from
Standardized computer specification database
Revisions to specifications for a project that may conflict with the contract drawings
Performance specification: a general specification that provides the minimum information necessary to estimate, design, and install a fire protection system

18. Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Historically successful in protecting life and protecting hazards that are capable of being protected by water
Fall into three categories
Light hazard (churches, hospitals, schools)
Ordinary hazards (parking garages, laundries, shopping centers)
Extra hazard (saw mills, textile operations, paint dipping)

19. Special Hazard Suppression Systems
Protects hazards not amenable for protection by an automatic sprinkler system
Special hazard categories
Large quantities of flammable liquids
Facilities containing valuable or irreplaceable commodities
Facilities where water may pose a danger

20. Special Hazard Suppression Systems (con’t.)
Special hazard categories (con’t.)
Automatic sprinkler systems are not always fast enough for effective suppression
Mobile facilities where the transport of water is unfeasible
Facilities where service loss is intrinsically linked to facility loss or water damage
Facilities where high-tech research lost by fire or water damage could be significantly more than the dollar loss

21. Design Approaches for Special Hazard Design
Requires evaluation of design objectives and design concepts, and implementation of design methodology
Design objectives
Property protection and preservation
Life safety and preservation
Business continuity
Protection of the environment