Rapid Transit Station Fire Protection

Rapid transit stations like subways in busy cities serve millions of commuters on a daily basis. If a fire breaks out in any of these underground mass transit systems, the consequences could be catastrophic. Fire alarm regulations exist like NFPA 130, the Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems Scope.

Catastrophe in Mexico City Subway Station

According to a recent article in NFPA today on January 13, 2021, a fire at a Mexico City Metro A substation raised a lot of questions about fire safety for rapid transit stations. The fire damaged six service lines, three of the busiest that could take up to three months to repair. One police officer perished and several people were treated for smoke inhalation.  It was revealed that this subway station had not been properly maintained and obsolete systems were not replaced. As is true with all commercial fire alarm systems, fire alarm preventive maintenance is critical in mass transit systems to mitigate risk to all passengers.

NFPA 130 for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems

So what are the fire alarm regulations for rapid transit stations? The National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, has issued NFPA 130 Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems, with the scope to cover life safety and fire protection requirements for fixed guideway transit and passenger rail systems. This includes trainways, stations, emergency ventilation systems, emergency procedures, communications, and control systems.

NFPA 130 was first adopted by the NFPA in 1983, which has seen several revisions since with the most recent being the 2020 Edition. In 1975, a Fixed Guideway Transit Systems Technical Committee was formed and began development of NFPA 130, with the main concern centered on the potential for large numbers of people to become entrapped in these types of mass transportation facilities.  Several revision were made over the years with the 1997 Edition including a new chapter on emergency ventilation systems and the 2000 Edition addressing passenger rail systems, thus the change to the title of NFPA 130 to the Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems.

Any type of commercial fire alarm system requires fire alarm preventive maintenance with internal, visual inspections and regular inspections from qualified fire alarm providers.

Commercial Fire Alarm System Maintenance and Inspections

All commercial properties must maintain fire alarm systems according to their state and local fire alarm regulations. The city of Chicago has specific commercial fire alarm regulations which all commercial properties are required to adhere to as well as the International Building Code (IBC), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable NFPA standards.  High-Rise Security Systems is a leading provider of fire and life safety systems in and around Chicago, with decades of experience and expertise in providing code compliant commercial fire alarm systems. We ensure that your commercial property meets all code regulations and first and foremost, provides protection and mitigates risk to the public.

HRSS is a leading fire alarm and life safety system provider in and around Chicago, Illinois. We offer fire alarm system design, UL listed equipment, testing, inspection, maintenance, repairs, and monitoring 24/7/365.  Contact us to learn more about maintaining your commercial fire alarm system and to ensure compliance with all fire alarm regulations.

This article was originally published at: https://hrsschicago.com/fire-alarm-systems/rapid-transit-station-fire-protection/

 

 

Fire Safety Tips for Unoccupied Commercial Buildings

Before businesses or commercial property owners decide to vacate a building, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted and a plan put in place for long-term protection of the property.  Building owners should consider how long the property will be vacant, if they plan to occupy the building again or sell it. A plan to vacate a building should include at the very least, notification to local law enforcement and fire protection agencies and how to secure the perimeter.

Vacant Building Fire Statistics

According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, Fires in Vacant Buildings, fire departments in the United States responded to an estimated 30,200 fires on vacant properties, every year from 2011 to 2015. These fires resulted in an estimated $710 million of property damage, 160 civilian injuries and 60 civilian deaths per year.  An estimated 50% of all vacant building fires are started intentionally, compared to 10% of occupied structure fires.

Worth noting is the disproportionate ratio of firefighter injuries that occur from vacant property fires. It is estimated that 3,310 firefighters each year were injured when responding to vacant building fires during the same time from 2011 o 2015.  During the 10-year period from 2007 to 2016, 20 firefighters lost their lives fighting fires in buildings that were vacant, under renovation or demolition.

Fire Safety Tips for Vacant Commercial Building

Some commercial buildings are only vacant temporarily, during a change in ownership a sale or a move.  Some tips for creating a safe plan to vacate a commercial building include the following:

Notify Local Authorities

Property owners should notify local authorities when vacating a building and make sure they are aware of any issues regarding accessing the property, any security measures and keyholders to contact in case of an emergency. Local authorities should know if sprinklers have been disconnected and be informed about any fire water supplies.

Secure the Perimeter

Building owners vacating property should take steps to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access, although it is critical that firefighters and law enforcement have access without impairment. Preventive measures may include:

●       Ensuring that all doors, windows and openings are locked

●       Limiting access points to the facility

●       Install security fencing or barriers

●       Block parking lot entrances

●       Install video cameras

●       Maintain an intrusion and fire alarm system that includes motion detection

 Maintain Utilities if Possible

Maintaining the electricity in a vacant building is important to provide continual protection with lighting and fire alarm systems in place. A well-lit building will deter crime, automatic exterior lighting can help to save money on electricity and provide reliable lighting when needed. Maintaining electricity for an alarm system will help to ensure that authorities are notified quickly and help minimize damages.

Clean Up

It is important to remove flammable and hazardous material from vacant property.  This includes chemicals, pollutants or combustible material that could leak, cause contamination or an explosion.

By following these tips, property owners can reduce the risk of damage to their vacant buildings and injuries to civilians and firefighters. Consult with an experienced fire and life safety system provider for more tips on protecting vacant buildings. High-Rise Security Systems offers commercial fire alarm systems to businesses in and around the Chicago, Illinois area and assistance to building owners wishing to vacate property. We help building owners across a broad range of industries to protect what matters most, with saving lives our number one concern.

HRSS is recognized as a leading authority on fire alarm systems and commercial building fire alarm regulations.  We custom design the perfect fire alarm system for your property and your business whether a high occupancy high-rise building, college campuses or a vacant warehouse. Contact us to learn more about protecting your property during transition and fire safety tips for unoccupied commercial buildings.

This article was originally published at: https://hrsschicago.com/fire-safety-consultants/fire-safety-tips-for-unoccupied-commercial-buildings/

 

What Components Complete a Fire Alarm System?

 

A commercial fire alarm system is an essential part of total life safety for commercial and industrial properties.  Commercial building fire alarm systems can be quite complex such as high-rise buildings with multiple levels or sprawling campuses with many buildings and facilities that must be connected for mass notification. Commercial fire alarm system providers must keep up with the latest advancements in life safety technology and ensure that all fire alarm system components are working together.

The Five Basic Parts of a Fire Alarm System

Commercial and industrial fire alarm and life safety systems consist of five basic parts that make up a complete fire alarm system and include the following:

 

1. Fire alarm control panel
2. Initiating devices
3. Notification devices
4. Primary power supply
5. Backup power supply

 Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP

The fire alarm control panel is the brains of the whole operation, the system hub that monitors system integrity, inputs, outputs and relays all information. When an initiating device is triggered, it sends a signal to the fire alarm control panel, which then triggers the notification devices or the alarm. Conventional fire alarm control panels might contain standard branch circuit wiring with replaceable circuit cards, with one for each designated zone. More advanced systems might contain digital circuits to transmit data to all devices that can be programmed for zones. All FACPs will display the status of your system with troubleshooting codes that may allow you to make manual adjustments like disabling an alarm or resetting the system after an issue. Always check with your fire alarm system provider with any questions on status alerts.

Initiating Devices

Initiating devices activate the system in an emergency situation and can be either manual or automatic.

Manual - a manual pull station is an example of a manual initiating device that requires someone to actually pull the lever, push a button or break glass to manually initiate the alarm.

Automatic - automatic initiation devices include detection devices for smoke, gas, flame, and heat. Initiation devices can be either addressable or not addressable, with addressable devices signaling the exact location of the emergency. There are different types of smoke detectors like air aspirating detectors or beam detectors which is different technology to detect smoke but send a signal to the control panel to signal an alarm just the same.

Your fire alarm system provider can help you determine which type of initiation devices are best for your building and exactly where they should be located for maximum safety and code compliance.

Notification Devices

Notification devices notify all occupants of a building when a fire or emergency situation exists. They include strobe lights, horns, sirens, bells, or combination strobe and horns. They may also include audible notification such as specific instructions on how to safely evacuate a building. Mass notification systems can be programmed to deliver different messages for different events or custom audible alerts.

Primary Power Supply

The primary power supply for fire alarm system is typically either on a 120- or 240- Volt AC power source supplied by your power company.

Backup Power Supply

A backup power supply is an important part of fire alarm systems as your fire and life safety system must still operate in the event of a power outage.  Your backup power supply is powered by 6- or 12- Volt batteries to keep your system operational if a power failure occurs.

These are the five most basic parts of a commercial fire alarm system.  High-Rise Security Systems is a leading fire and life safety system provider in the Chicago, IL area offering comprehensive commercial fire alarm system services. We help contractors and building owners to determine the best type of commercial fire alarm system for your property and business activities.

HRSS offers complete system design and CAD drawings for proper placement of all initiating and notification devices. We provide UL listed equipment, fire alarm system maintenance, testing, inspection, and monitoring 24/7/365.  Contact us to learn more about commercial fire alarm system solutions and ensuring that all of your basic system components are working together for maximum safety.

This article was originally published at: https://hrsschicago.com/fire-detection-system-design/what-components-complete-a-fire-alarm-system/