As we pass the halfway point of 2017, we stop to take a look at major fire events of 2017 that have captured headlines and impacted ongoing discussions of fire protection and life safety around the world. 1. Chile Wildfires January 20, 2017 | Central and Southern Chile Major fires in Chile destroyed roughly 385,000 acres in central and southern Chile where strong winds, hot temperatures and a lack of rain prolonged a firefight that lasted over two weeks [1]. The blaze has claimed over 1,000 homes, 11 lives, and has led to a state of emergency with some international firefighting aid [2]. President Michelle Bachelet: "We have never seen anything on this scale, never in the history of Chile" [3]. More Reading: Al Jazeera, CNN, The Telegraph
5. Portuguese Wildfires June 18, 2017 | Central Portugal An apparent lighting strike is believed to have started a blaze that has reportedly killed as many as 70 people in Portugal [1]. Many of the victims were found fleeing the fires in vehicles as a result of 'dry thunderstorms', where water evaporates before reaching the ground due to high temperatures [2]. Although wildfires are not necessarily unusual, the death toll and spread of the fire was unique and likely aided by high temperatures and lack of precipitation in the area [3]. More Reading: BBC, CNN, Independent, NBC
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As always, you can subscribe to updates and receive these free weekly posts straight to your inbox. I have heard several times (often from those outside fire protection) that sprinkler pipe should be located "wherever it can fit around everything else," or something to the effect of "the sprinkler contractor will figure it out." It is under that same mentality that mechanical and electrical engineers will complain when the fire sprinkler contractor is first to installation and they now have to redesign portions of their ductwork or conduit runs. Is it really the sprinkler contractor's fault if no one allocates space for sprinkler pipe in the first place? Coordination often comprises the most difficult and commonly the most overlooked part of building systems design. Ideally, where should sprinkler pipe be located above a ceiling? I've asked a handful of designers, engineers and installers for their take on what the ideal height of sprinkler pipe is to effectively coordinate with other systems while minimizing extra pipe. While each project will vary in detail, much of the consistent thought has been to locate fire sprinkler pipe above the top plane of lay-in lights and underneath ductwork while routing to avoid can lights and slot diffusers (which tend to be deeper than lay-in light fixtures). The lower the sprinkler pipe, the less pipe required to create the drops down to each sprinkler. In my experience (and as others have concurred), locating the pipe centerline 8-inches above the finished ceiling often works well. Under this location it is still important to avoid routing over the centerline of light fixtures, or over diffuers, deep can lights, and slot diffusers. While LED lights have helped keep the depth of lay-in fixtures to less than older fluorescents, it is still important to avoid the centerline of lights as to avoid the fixture hangers. Greater depths or conflicts with any of these elements can of course raise the centerline up to 10 or 12-inches above the finished ceiling. That being said, the ideal height of sprinkler pipe can be impacted by two other concepts: concealed space protection and seismic bracing. Where concealed spaces need to be protected (such as in combustible construction applications), it may be worthwhile to raise the pipe closer to the underside of the wood structure.
Another important consideration is when seismic bracing is required. Where there is a significant distance between the buildings' structure and the pipe, seismic bracing begins to lengthen and as a result must have greater reinforcement (larger pipe diameters for lower slenderness ratios). In these scenarios, it can be easier to shorten the bracing lengths by raising the system closer to the height of structure. Regardless of where pipe is to be located, establishing space for sprinkler pipe early in a project is a benefit to both upfront engineers and contractors on the back end. What is your routing preference? Have you found any height to be more ideal than others? Feel free to comment if so. If you've found this helpful, please consider forwarding to others who might be interested. Anyone can subscribe to these weekly posts, for free, here.
One of the most common and basic issues many of us encounter in fire sprinkler design or during on-site review is whether a sprinkler is considered to be obstructed. While the premise of the obstruction tables within NFPA 13 is fairly straightforward, there are a handful of variations in the tables that are dependent upon the edition of 13 being used, the sprinkler type, and in some cases the orientation of the sprinkler.
This reference tool below was built to quickly determine whether a ceiling-mounted element is considered an obstruction. It can be especially helpful during sprinkler layout or during site review where lugging the entire code volume might not be practical
Common examples of where obstructions are considered are with sprinklers adjacent to surface-mounted lights, soffits (not against a wall), mechanical equipment in walk-in coolers and freezers, signage, banners, lowered ceilings, thresholds above large openings, raised ceiling pockets, or exit lighting.
Give this a try and let us know what you think in the comment section below (the red highlighted cells are input values). Having trouble viewing? Click here to see the full tool. ![]() We are very excited to announce that the MeyerFire 2017 PE Prep Guide is now available in our Store or on Amazon! The 2017 Edition improves upon the highly-rated 2016 PE Prep Guide with all internal references updated to the 2017 PE Exam specifications (including the 5th Edition of the SFPE Handbooks), has our top exam-passing strategies based on interviews of past examinees, and has one-hundred additional peer-reviewed practice problems alongside the full-length practice exam. Read more about the 2017 PE Prep Guide including feedback received from buyers of the 2016 Edition. On Wednesday, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (organization who handles PE Exam development and test writing), released the required references and editions for the 2017 P.E. Exam.
Items in question since last year's exam included whether the 4th Edition of the SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering and 2014 Edition of NFPA 25 would still be utilized. Both were removed, as well as NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code) altogether. Here's the required references for the 2017 Fire Protection PE Exam: NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, 20th Edition (Amazon, NFPA) NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2016 Edition (Amazon, Free Access) NFPA 25: Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2017 Edition (Amazon | Free Access) NFPA 30: Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, 2015 Edition (Amazon | Free Access) NFPA 101: Life Safety Code, 2015 Edition (Amazon | Free Access) SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 5th Edition (Amazon) In recent years developers of the Fire Protection PE Exam have stressed the importance of moving the exam away from code and standard recitation and instead towards fundamentals of the fire protection engineering as outlined primarily in the NFPA and SFPE Handbooks. That appears to certainly be the case in this year's update with the removal of NFPA 72 as part of the requirement materials. Here at MeyerFire we're keeping busy with just a month left before our launch of the 2017 MeyerFire PE Prep Guide. The new edition of the guide will match all of the required references for this year's exam with a full-length peer-reviewed practice exam and 100 additional practice questions. You can Pre-Order the Guide now for our best price and for arrival before the end of May. This week's breakout is a summary of fire protection requirements for elevators under the International Building Code, NFPA 13, and ASME A17.1. While there are some staples across all elevator types, there's also a number of exceptions and opportunities for flexible design approach, depending upon which edition of NFPA 13 and 72 are applicable. Sprinkler Elevator Requirements
Sprinkler at the Top of Shaft Provide when:
Sprinkler near the Bottom of Shaft (Pit) Provide when:
Want to see more like this? Subscribe to our Blog. Today we're breaking into floor control assemblies. The following is a full arrangement for a combination standpipe/sprinkler riser where high pressures necessitate a pressure reducing valve at each level. While every element in this specific arrangement is certainly not a necessity on every project, here's some considerations that go into the requirements and considerations for a layout like this: Auxiliary Drain Valve
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I had a great conversation yesterday with a young undergraduate student who is nearing entry in the fire protection industry. In many ways the questions he asked reminded me of my own uncertainty about my future and eagerness to gather advice when I was at that point in my career.
We spoke at length about transitioning into the field, graduate school, career tips, areas to keep growing, experience, having passion for the work, technical components of fire protection engineering, and finding satisfaction in a quality role on a regular basis. This blog, while in its infancy, already has a strong handful followers from throughout the U.S. (…and world, I see you South Korea!) with professionals ranging from firefighters to plan review to contractors to engineers. Today I want to ask you to share one insight that has helped your career in fire protection. All I ask is you note (1) a helpful book, (2) a favorite quote or piece of advice, or (3) a valuable lesson that has helped you in your journey. While I would love to consider myself worthy of providing savvy career advice, I am much more interested in reading and sharing what you have to offer. Share your one insight in the comments of the post here at www.meyerfire.com/blog. Two weeks ago we covered Benefits and drawbacks of flexible sprinkler drops, and last week we covered Considerations with flexible sprinkler drops. This week we offer a summary of industry leaders in the U.S. market with flexible drop technology. Know someone we're missing? Contact us so we can be sure to provide a thorough summary. Summary of Leaders in Flexible Drop Technology in the U.S. Market Having trouble viewing? This table best appears on www.meyerfire.com. Click the link to view.
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Last week we covered Benefits and Drawbacks of Flexible Sprinkler Drops, and this week's post covers things to consider when using the technology. Maximum Bends
Maximum K-Factors
Minimum Bend Radius
Bending Near Mounting Nut
Hanging
Pressure Loss
Types Braided
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+ Unsubscribe anytime AUTHORJoe Meyer, PE, is a Fire Protection Engineer out of St. Louis, Missouri who writes & develops resources for Fire Protection Professionals. See bio here: About FILTERS
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