If they don't see this on an inspection...what else could they be missing??

What is that, you ask?

It's a concealed type fire sprinkler that has been caulked and painted over...multiple times. 

What's the big deal right?

The big deal is that...this sprinkler will never work. Period.

The caulk is like glue, and won't allow the concealer plate to drop away (to expose the sprinkler). The paint just assures that the cover can't ever drop off. Just like a painted window can't be opened.

Except this will aid in death and destruction.

The worst part, for me as an inspector, is that this sprinkler head is in the main entrance to a building that we were trying to get the inspection for. I mean....THE VERY FIRST SPRINKLER HEAD I SAW!!!!

Turns out we lost the bid, because we weren't the lowest bidder. Hmmmmm. 

Your get what you pay for....lowest bidder. The funny part is that you have the lowest bidder doing an inspection on a building that was built with the lowest bidders. I'm not sure if that is irony or not. I'll have to think about that one. 

While taking a pre-bid tour of this building, I noticed quite a lot of deficiencies; some non-critical, some critical. 

I also noticed A LOT of issues that won't come up on an inspection because the issues are "outside the scope of an NFPA 25 inspection". I put that in quotes because that is what sub-par companies love to say. They will completely look past critical design issues, or sprinkler coverage issues, because it isn't outlined good enough in the inspection code. 

Seriously. 

It makes me sick. 

I said it isn't outlined "good enough". Yes...because design and coverage issues actually are covered in NFPA 25....but it is very easy to skate around. Especially if you are an unknowing client. 

And most (I can't say "all"....but almost "all") inspection contractors take complete advantage of their clients not knowing what they arebsupposedbyo be getting when they pay for an inspection. 

One of the design issues that I noticed, while doing my walk through, could very easily render the buildings entire fire sprinkler and standpipe system useless....like it wasn't even there. Except it is there. And the firefighters might not get any water out of the hose valves that they hook up to in the stairway. Oh, and the building will keep burning because the sprinklers wouldn't work either. That's a "Level 10 Pucker Factor". Just ask any firefighter that worked the night of the One Meridian Plaza fire in Philadelphia (Feb. 21, 1991). 

I also had the opportunity to review some previous inspection reports for this building. And no, nothing that I saw was addressed. 

Go.....figure. 

Low.....bid. 

But, because I want to make sure that this future client of ours has a properly operating system, I'll be setting up a meeting with the building manager, to go over some issues that really need to be taken care of. 

484-321-FIRE

321FireProtection.com

Earth Day - Help protect the environment with Fire Sprinklers

Seriously? You bet!

Fire sprinklers are "green". 

Why? Numerous reasons actually. 

Let's start with water conservation. Most fires that grow big enough to activate a fire sprinkler system, are controlled or extinguished by just two fire sprinklers. For easy math, we will say that each sprinkler is discharging 50 gallons of water every minute (50 GPM) [side note: these numbers will vary depending on water supply and sprinkler selection...like I said....for easy math]. 

So two sprinklers would be dischargibg around 100 GPM. That sounds like a lot of water....but it's not.....especially relative to the next part of our comparison. 

The fire is put out by the sprinklers.....it takes ten minutes from when the sprinkler first activated (and subsequently notified the fire department) until the fire department was on scene and shut the sprinkler system off. 1000 gallons to douse the fire. One maybe two fire trucks hit the road for a total of 2 hours of diesel fuel burning. Everyone goes home. Water damage is taken care of. The business that had the fire stays closes for a few hours....then it is business as usual....but they have an awesome story to tell about how the sprinkler system saved the day. 

Here's the comparison. Same fire, yet no fire sprinklers. Fire burns past the incipient (beginning) phase, and starts to get really hot. It burned for about five minutes before anyone noticed and called the fire department. The chief gets there, sees the smoke, and calls for a second alarm. Now you're going to have anywhere from 6-10 fire trucks there, all burning plenty of diesel fuel. Oh, and they are going to be there for quite a while....it's turning out to be one big fire. Let's say, for easy math, they have 10 trucks there for 10 hours. That's 100 hours of engines running. 

Let's look at water usage now. The fire department, on a big working fire, may dump 1000-2000 GPM for a few hours....maybe even more. This could put water usage over the 20,000 gallon mark.

Let's keep going.....when the place burns down, it will need to be demolished. Then rebuilt. That's a lot of vehicle exhaust, and raw material....

So yeah. Sprinklers are green. 

More than you might think. 

321FireProtection.com

Codes are there to protect you, not to be a nuisance

70 people dead. Since 2012, 70 people have died in fires and/or explosions at one Mexican petroleum company. Thee people were killed just yesterday, and another 100+ were injured. 

Here's a link:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0XH2N2

Where's the outrage?

Imagine if this were to happen in the United States. Would there be outrage? Maybe not to the extent that some of us would expect to see. But I'm sure that some politicians would jump on the "fire safety" band wagon for a short time. 

So why doesn't this type of thing seem to happen too often in the United States? Not saying it doesn't happen. But it doesn't happen too often. And it certainly doesn't happen repeatedly at the same company. 

The reason is that we have regulations, standards, codes, and oversight. All the things that people complain about and tend to think is put in place to make their lives difficult. 

So many codes and standards have been created BECAUSE OF horrible tragedies. That's how we roll in the United States. Somewhat reactive. But hey....at least we do something about it. 

All you have to do is look south towards Mexico to see what happens when a country lacks regulation. Death and destruction? Yeah. Seems to be about right. 

Cheap labor + lack of regulation = Bad. 

Yet this is the exact reason companies like Carrier and Kraft are moving operations south of the border. But that's another story. 

70 dead at one company. And nothing seems to happen....seem legit? 

484-321-FIRE

Got recalls?

Recalled sprinkler heads. They are out there. All over the place actually. 

Why are sprinklers recalled? The biggest reason is that they have been found to NOT WORK. Yes. That's correct. There are NUMEROUS sprinkler heads that have been subject to a recall in the past decade or so. 

You're sprinkler inspection company may have mentioned it to you. Maybe they didn't. Maybe they didn't notice. 

They may have given you a line something like ..."they were voluntarily recalled, it's not required to change them."

That is wrong. If your facility is in an area governed by the International Building Code (most areas are), then you are required to change any parts that have been recalled, voluntarily or not. 

Unfortunately, too many inspectors and inspection companies won't look past the watered down inspection code referred to as NFPA 25.

Don't worry. We at 321 Fire Protection Co. got your back. 

We are more concerned than most companies, when it comes to performing thorough inspections. We will also explain everything that we find. We don't just send you an invoice and then not talk to you for a year. 

We actually want to know that your system is going to work when tibia needed. 

Not sure if you have recalled sprinklers?

Call your current sprinkler company and ask them. Ask them if they need to be changed. See what they say. 

If you don't like their answer, or you feel like you are being talked down to, or they just leave a bad taste in your mouth....hang up....and call 321 Fire Protection Co. 

484-321-FIRE

321FireProtection.com

Be honest--Are you running your fire pump 30 minutes every week?

(30 minutes every week) X (52 weeks per year)=26 Hours. 

Your diesel fire pump is required to be run 26 hours every year. This is not "recommended"....this is "required".

I am amazed at how many buildings that I go into, and I see pumps that are 2, 5, 15 years old.....and they only have 4 hours....8 hours....10 hours....

"I guess you don't run your pump weekly?", is my usual question. 

"Am I supposed to be?", is the usual response. 

Analogy time!!!

Would you leave your car sitting in your garage all year, and then depend on it saving your life when you turn the key on a random night in the middle of the winter....?

And if it doesn't start....bad bad things will happen? Like death and destruction!

"I never thought of it like that!" - Another usual response. 

Unfortunately, most people don't think of it like that. Your current contractor may not even think of it like that. 

From the pictures above. This pump was manufactured in 2011....there is a date code on the data plate. 

This pump, albeit 5 years old, it only has 14.9 hours of run time. 

If you follow our little math lesson at the start of this post, there should be somewhere around 130 hours on this pump. 

Who cares right? It gets tested....obviously....because it has almost 15 hours. 

Well...I'll tell you who cares. Your insurance company cares. The people in the apartment building that this pump protects....they care.  The fire department cares....321 Fire Protection Co. cares. 

You'll really understand how much your insurance company cares when the pump doesn't start when there is a fire. First thing....the very first thing they will ask for is your run log. They will send out their lawyers and consultants....they will see 15 hours on a pump that is 5 years old.....and pretty much deny your claim on the spot. 

Think about that. 

Oh yeah....if anyone dies or gets hurt....their lawyers and their insurance companies lawyers will show how much they care too. Hey, even if someone loses  something....anything of material or personal value.....lawsuit city!!!

The list goes on and on. 

The good news is that you won't be alone. Your fire protection contractor will be right there with you because they didn't provide guidance in the maintenance of your systems. They will be party to the suit. 

A qualified contractor will provide you with the training that you need to keep your systems operating properly. And they will also provide you with peace of mind in knowing that you are doing everything right. 

Do you have that peace of mind now?

By the way....if you have an electric fire pump.....that needs to be run every month....for 10 minutes. There is probably not a run time meter on your electric fire pump, but you still need to keep a log, showing that you run it. 

Believe me. It's easier and cheaper to take care of these things on their prescribed maintenance interval....rather than the alternative of the systems not working when they are needed. 

321FireProtection.com

A disaster waiting to happen.

Would you as a building owner, property manager, facilities director, want to know if an incorrect pressure rated welded fitting was used in your building or facility?

This pipe is for a "high zone" supply of a sprinkler/standpipe; it has a normal operating pressure of nearly 600 psi. 

The welded fitting is only rated at 300 psi.

This is a disaster waiting to happen. 

Here's the kicker folks. This is not something that is addressed during your annual fire sprinkler inspection. 

Here's some more food for thought. The company who installed this is probably the same company who does the annual inspection. Think that they are going to tell you that they screwed up and installed the wrong welded fitting? 

But like I said, by code, this doesn't even need to be mentioned...AT ALL!!!

The other kicker is that most inspectors wouldn't even pick this up. 

I happened to notice it as I was walking by. I saw some markings on the pipe that it was the "high zone" supply. I struck up a conversation with a building engineer to find out what the operating pressure was, and voila.....we gained a new client. 

Unfortunately, people only hire "low bidder" for fire sprinkler and other life safety inspections. I've said it before....you get what you pay for. 

Curious to know if you have any "disasters waiting to happen"?

Give us a call at 484-321-FIRE

Or contact us through our website at

321FireProtection.com

We would love to help you with your fire protection questions and concerns.  

Inside of you fire sprinkler pipes. Don't just hope everything will be okay.

We were called for a pin hole leak in a dry system at this facilities parking garage. 

This debris was removed from a section of branch piping (the pipe that sprinkler heads are directly attached). 

If there was a fire, this debris would clog the sprinkler heads; rendering the sprinkler system useless. 

This was found in the city of Philadelphia. Where a 5 year internal pipe inspection was required last year (2015).

Is your fire sprinkler contractor doing what they are charging you for? Or are they collecting a check, sending you a basic inspection form that shows your system is okay, and that's the last time you hear from them until next year?

This finding here (the debris in the pipe) requires further actions (as per NFPA 25 - the inspections, testing, and maintenance code).

Because of this, we will recommend flushing the system. We will also explain what has happened; what caused this; how it can be mitigated; how the flushing process works; the possible results of flushing the system (it could lead to replacing more pipe); and the possible consequences of not flushing. 

It's not a cheap. But it costs a lot less than the lives that could be lost, or the building that could be destroyed, combined with the legal bills you will be faced with when your insurance company brings suit against you for failing to perform the necessary inspections and maintenance.

Don't forget; it is the building owner and/or property manager that is responsible to maintain these systems. 

Fire protection systems cost tens of thousands of dollars (or more) to install. They need to be maintained. Would you buy a $50,000 car and then never maintain it? It's an associated cost of owning or managing a property with a fire protection system. 321 Fire Protection Co will help you do this. 

Make sure you call a qualified contractor. 

Call 321 Fire Protection Co at 484-321-FIRE. We will help you maintain, inspect, and test your fire sprinkler systems. 

321FireProtection.com

$6 per square foot would have saved 100 people.

$6/sq ft. 

Whoah. 

We can't justify spending THAT kind of money for a sprinkler system. We probably won't ever even need it. F**k that!

13 years today 100 people died a horrible death. Knocked over, trampled, suffocated, choked, lungs burnt, burned alive.....don't look at the picture at the bottom of this post if you can't handle seeing dead bodies laying where they took their last breath. Straight from the photo archives of the Station Nightclub fire in Warwick, RI. 

A lot of things went wrong that night, as is the case with catastrophes. It's never just one thing. 

A lot of codes had been violated. But nobody cares until it's too late. 

People that know me, or know of me, might think I'm a little over the top when it comes to life safety codes. I don't really care. Because when it comes down to it, codes are there for your protection. I like to bring things to light. I like to open people's eyes. 

Back to $6/ sq ft. That's about what it would cost to have had a fire sprinkler system installed at The Station Nightclub. 

Yeah. Maybe more, depending on some variables. The sky is the limit, depending on what you want....bells and whistles. 

Don't forget about my previous post regarding the nightclub fire in a Minneapolis nightclub three days before The Station....where nobody died, in a very similar event. (Ridiculously similar actually).

Let me tell you this. You CAN afford it. You can't afford NOT to install fire sprinklers.

Plain and simple. 

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

The nightclub fire that didn't kill anyone.

Thirteen years ago today (2/17/2003) there was a fire in a nightclub that almost nobody knows about. 

Flash forward......The Station Nightclub burned down and killed 100 people, injuring hundreds more (physically and emotionally) 13 years ago this Saturday, Feb. 20 (2003).

Three days before that, there was a fire, in a nightclub, caused by pyrotechnics inside, that lit the combustible sound foam on fire (EXACT SAME SITUATION as the Station fire) in Minneapolis, MN. 

Here is a link to the story:

http://firesprinklerassoc.org/Night%20Club%20Occupancies.htm

Nobody died. 

Why?

Because the fire sprinkler system DID IT'S JOB!

You've probably never even heard about it. I can almost guarantee that. 

Because when fire sprinklers do their job....buildings don't burn down. And when buildings don't burn down, and people don't die, it doesn't make a good news story. 

A properly designed, installed, serviced, inspected, and maintained fire sprinkler system has ONE job....to save lives and property. 

Don't be part of the next big news story about a fire that kills someone. 

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

Ignorance is bliss

I met a guy yesterday whose house burned down over six years ago.

He had no working smoke detectors. No sprinkler system. He had a cat. A cat that woke him up in the middle of the night when his house started to fill with smoke. His dishwasher, that unknowingly to him had been recalled because it had a risk of catching fire, had caught fire. 

Six years later, he is living in a trailer, in front of his home. His burned out house has been torn down, and a new home erected in its place. 

Wait. Did you say he is living in a trailer in front of his home? Yes. Yes I did. 

Why you ask?

Because for the last six years, he has been in a court fight with his insurance company, and his bank, and probably some other parties that are usually involved in cases like this. He has lawyer bills in excess of $150,000. He has a brand new home, waiting to be finished so that he can move in. He has a temporary trailer that he has been living in, seemingly permanently.  

Just an all around disaster.

So, being in the fire protection industry, what's the first thing I ask him about his new home? Of course! 

"Are you installing fire sprinklers in your new home?"

"No. They are too expensive!"

I didn't say anything. I wasn't surprised. It's not the first time that I have heard someone who has been burned out of their house give that response to that very same question. 

Ignorance is bliss. 

I made sure to mention, as the evening went on, the benefits of fire sprinklers, and how they work, and how they prevent disasters, and how they save lives, and how they.....have many many benefits. 

I didn't direct my attention to him though. It was simply general discussion with everyone at the gathering. 

I did say something along the line of "$2.25 per square foot to install a fire sprinkler system when you are having a house built is the best money you could spend."

I don't blame people for being ignorant when it comes to fire sprinklers. I have been in the industry for over 20 years, so yes, I know about them. 

When I talk about sprinklers to people, they are usually amazed when I start throwing out statistics....like how fire sprinklers are "green" because the minimal water flowing form a few sprinklers that extinguish or control a fire PALES IN COMPARISON to the water that a fire department will flow.....plus the man hours that it takes to put a fire out using multiple fire departments, and the diesel fuel that is burned while the 20+ fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, etc are running for hours upon hours. 

Or the environmental effect of the water runoff from the firefighting operation....etc. etc. etc. 

"No. They are too expensive."

Dry System Inspection Issues

Don't have your dry pipe sprinkler systems inspected during the winter months. It's a pretty simple concept, yet your current sprinkler contractor may not tell you this. Have them inspected between April and October. 

Although there is no code saying that it is wrong to have these systems inspected during winter, there is a part of the code that says something along the lines of ~"if it's too cold to do a proper test/inspection, come back when it's not too cold." Yeah. That doesn't happen. 

So why not do a dry sprinkler system inspection in sub-freezing weather?

There are many reasons. For example:

-Every third year, you are required to do a "full flow trip test", meaning that you have to fill the entire system with water. And then drain it completely, before it freezes. 

Contractors aren't going to "take that chance"; and they shouldn't. It's just stupid to even consider doing this. 

- Low point drains are supposed to be drained/maintained during the annual inspection. These drains are also supposed to be drained periodically throughout the year (the frequency of draining these points varies from system to system). If you or your maintenance team is not performing the required maintenance (draining the low points), then they can and will fill with water and freeze. An inspector who has integrity, will  attempt to drain these, and take the required steps to get your system drained as best as possible, even when it is frozen solid. Sadly though, most  inspectors will just write it on their report, that they "could not drain".

- The pipe network is sub-freezing (filled with air at the same temperature), and it will have that air depleted (drained) during the inspection, then the sub-freezing pipes will be recharged with warm air from the air compressor. This will create condensation inside of the pipe, that will then freeze, and will quite possibly break, causing a whole lot of damage. 

- If there is an issue with resetting your dry pipe valve after it has been tested (maybe a gasket is torn, or the air compressor died, etc), the system has to be put "out of service" until it can be fixed, and you will be required to enlist a fire watch. If this happens during mild weather months, the system can be temporarily converted to a "wet system", and you will still have the benefits of an operational sprinkler system. 

They are the biggest reasons. There are others, but they aren't as exciting. 

There are other inspections that should be postponed, or adjusted, until they can be performed properly as well. Any system that drains to the outside, and can create an icy mess in a parking lot, sidewalk, entrance area, etc, should be pushed back (or forward) until the tests can be conducted properly. Fire pump tests should also be considered as a big ice headache. And it will be YOUR headache. Your inspection contractor has this covered by means of their inspection agreement, to limit their liability during the inspection. It's in the fine print. (Side note : 321 Fire Protection Co explains this, outright, in our agreement and in person, along with any other limitations, or exclusions that we have. We like to be upfront and transparent from the very start.)

This doesn't mean that, on a random warm day in January, it is okay to do these inspections. That's not going to be any better. You will still have the same condensation issues as listed above. 

As the building owner, or property manager, etc, it is your responsibility to know all of this. This is another thing that a lot of unscrupulous contractors will point out AFTER somethings happens. "It says it right in the code book. It is the owners or owners representatives responsibility." I've seen it in action before. It's a shame. 

321 Fire Protection Co will help guide you in your responsibilities, being that you hire us, because we are experts in our field. 

April through October. That's when you should schedule these inspections. That's it. Period.  

If you have a system that is scheduled between October and April, please consider changing the inspection time frame. This will help protect you in more ways than one. 

Feel free to call 321 Fire Protection Co if you have concerns regarding your current situation. 

Stay warm!

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

Sprinkler vs No Sprinkler

Most fires are controlled by one to two fire sprinklers, that discharge anywhere from 15-75 gallons of water per minute (GPM) each. With an average discharge at approximately 50 GPM. (There are many variables involved, but take my word for it...50 GPM is a good average). Those numbers are for a commercial fire sprinkler system. In a house, or an apartment, that number may drop down to as low as 8 GPM per sprinkler.

Most of the time, the sprinklers actually extinguish the fire completely, before the fire department even arrives.

If you DON'T have a fire sprinkler system, when the fire department arrives, they WILL BE discharging AT THE VERY LEAST, 100 GPM from every fire hose that they are using. That's minimum. Per hose.

When you see water being sprayed from an elevated ladder truck, that will be discharging anywhere from 250-1,000 GPM of water onto the fire and building. And your building, and all of its contents, will be completely destroyed. Forever.

Lets go through two scenarios.

Scenario #1 - You Do Not Have a Fire Sprinkler System
1:00 am - Your entire family is sleeping.  A fire starts in your basement (BTW-worst place to have a fire).
1:02 am - The fire starts to grow, burning all of the plastic storage bins full of papers and clothes that you have surrounding your heater, where the fire started.
1:05 am - The smoke from the fire reaches the old battery operated smoke detector at the top of the basement stairs, but does not signal, because you took the battery out of it.
1:10 am - The fire is growing bigger, and has started to penetrate into the first floor, when smoke from the fire finally reaches a smoke detector that operates.

*** TEN MINUTES HAVE PASSED SINCE THE FIRE HAS STARTED ***

1:11 am - You get out of bed to see why the smoke detector is going off only to find your family room filling with smoke.
1:12 am - You run back upstairs and wake your spouse and children screaming that the house is on fire and you all need to get out.
1:13 am - You collect your family and run out the front door, leaving it wide open (which inadvertently provides a whole lot of draft and fresh oxygen to feed the fire).
1:14 am - You realize that you haven't called 911 yet, so you call them (thankfully you remembered your cell phone).
1:16 am - The 911 center starts to dispatch the first fire department.  Because of the alarm in your voice, they automatically send a "Full Response" for a working fire.
1:19 am - The first chief goes on radio responding from his house (Volunteer Fire Company).
1:20 am - You see flames inside your first floor windows.  The fire has been burning for 20 minutes.
1:25 am - The first fire engine goes on radio, as they are leaving the fire house.
1:26 am - The chief arrives on scene. He makes sure that everyone is out of the house. Then calls for a second alarm, because there are flames breaking through every window on the first floor, and there is now smoke puffing out of the second floor windows.
1:30 am - The fire engine arrives on scene.  You can hear many more sirens in the distance.
1:31 am - The chief declares that this is going to be a defensive operation, and that no firefighter is going inside the house, since all of the occupants are out.  The fire has had too much burn time.  The house will be a complete loss, no matter what the efforts are.
1:33 am - The first water is being put on your house. The fire is now coming out of every window that you can see. Your house, your pictures, your most precious belongings....gone.....forever.

Less than an hour ago, you were sleeping comfortably in your bed.  Your family safe and sound. Life was good.

Now, there are 35 firefighters in your front yard, back yard, in your driveway, on your street.  You count five streams of water being sprayed onto your house. Three are from hoses, two are from elevated ladders.

Lets do some math.  Each hose is flowing 100 gallons of water every minute, for a total of 300 GPM.  Each ladder is flowing 500 gallons of water per minute, for a total of 1,000 GPM. For a GRAND TOTAL of 1,300 gallons of water being dumped onto your fire engulfed house.  Every minute. This could go on for 30...45....60 minutes!! 30,000 to 70,000 gallons of water over that time period.  

Scenario #2 - You DO have a Fire Sprinkler System
1:00 am - Your entire family is sleeping.  A fire starts in your basement (BTW-still the worst place to have a fire).
1:02 am - The fire starts to grow, burning all of the plastic storage bins full of papers and clothes that you have surrounding your heater, where the fire started.
1:03 am - The sprinkler head that is in the vicinity of the origin of the fire, actuates.  Just one.  Not every sprinkler head (that's only in Hollywood)
1:04 am - The smoke from the fire reaches the old battery operated smoke detector at the top of the basement stairs, but does not signal, because you took the battery out of it.
1:04 am - Your fire alarm signals, because there is a device that actuates when water is flowing from one sprinkler (this is called a water flow alarm switch)
1:05 am - You wake up, and go downstairs to investigate why your sprinkler bell is going off. You open the door to the basement, and you see smoke (yes - there is still smoke- sprinklers aren't magic)
1:06 am - You run back upstairs and wake your spouse and children telling them that the sprinkler system is going off, and there is smoke in the basement.
1:07 am - You collect your family and run out the front door, leaving it wide open (which inadvertently provides a whole lot of draft and fresh oxygen to feed the fire, if the fire was still burning).
1:08 am - You realize that you haven't called 911 yet, so you call them (thankfully you remembered your cell phone).

*** ONLY EIGHT MINUTES HAVE PASSED SINCE THE FIRE HAS STARTED ***

The fire company gets dispatched, comes out, and they don't even need to fill their hoses with any water.  They bring a small, 2 1/2 gallon fire extinguisher with them into the basement.  But they don't need it, because the sprinkler system extinguished the fire.  The Chief and the first crew of firefighters already turned the sprinkler system off.  They turned it off at 1:20 am.  Twenty minutes after the fire had started.

Lets do some math.  One sprinkler head actuated.  It was discharging 10 gallons of water per minute.  It flowed water for twenty minutes.  20 minutes x 10 gallons per minute equals 200 gallons.  The sprinkler discharged 200 gallons of water from the time it first operated, until it was shut off by the fire department.

Scenario #1 - Your life is pretty much ruined.  For a long time anyway.
Scenario #2 - You are going to be inconvenienced for the night.  And you have some leg work to do...get the water and smoke removal experts in.  Get the sprinkler contractor out to fix the sprinkler head that saved your house, and possibly your life. Get through your insurance claim.  But you'll get through it.  Rather easily.

This is not hyperbole.  This is not an exaggeration by any means.  This is the truth.  100% true.

Don't wait until it's too late.

321FireProtection.com
(484)321-FIRE

The fire company is right next door. We have nothing to worry about.

People's perception of fire is not usually consistent with reality. 

What do I mean by that?

Simply put. People don't understand fire. 

Through the years, many times I have heard people say things along the lines of.... "The (volunteer) fire station is just down the street. If we have a fire, they will be here before the fire gets out of control."

Or

"We have employees here from 6 AM until 10 PM. If anything happens, they'll call the fire department right away!"

Or

"The building is all concrete and metal. There's nothing to burn!"

This blog post came to me today, as I was walking past a (soon to be developed) lot on the SW corner of 3rd & Market Streets in Philadelphia. There used to be a building there. It burned down two years ago, this coming April. 

My point?

There is a fire house less than two blocks away. And another one less than one mile away. Both staffed with full time fire fighting crews. The building burned down on a Wednesday; mid morning. When the building was occupied by employees, and the streets were full of passers by. 

Proximity to a firehouse (paid company or volunteer), time of day, and occupancy load have zero bearing on your home, or your place of employment, being safe from the devastation that a fire can bring. 

ZERO. 

So again, I say that people's perception of fire is not usually consistent with reality. 

Fires can burn quietly, sometimes for hours, before they are discovered. Fires can move lightening fast when conditions allow them to. Fire is a relentless beast. 

Once they start, the only way you are going to stop them is to put water on them. 

If this building at 300 Market Street had a fire sprinkler system, it would still be standing today. And the business that was there wouldn't have missed much of a beat. 

A fire sprinkler system is designed to control a fire during its incipient phase, it's beginning phase, before it can gain momentum. More often than not, the fire is not only controlled by the sprinkler system; it is suppressed....put out by the sprinkler system. Most fires only get hot enough to operate two fire sprinklers. Two sprinkler can control a fire that may otherwise turn into an inferno. 

When a fire starts, it's too late to "wish" you had fire sprinklers. 

321FireProtection.com

(484)321-FIRE

And the job goes to...the lowest bidder?

"Low Bid". You're probably getting LESS THAN you are paying for. 

The machine operator and contractor involved in the 2013 building collapse in Philadelphia, were sentenced to prison yesterday. 

The building owner, who is probably guilty of looking for the lowest bid, is still being sued for his part. 

When you hire professionals, they should be up to par with doing professional work. 

Make sure that they are qualified.

Make sure they have training. 

Make sure they have OSHA training. 

Make sure they have experience. 

Get references. 

Due diligence goes a long way. 

Selecting a fire protection contractor is no different. Everyday, we see the aftermath of "low bid" while performing inspections, and service work. 

Unfortunately, nothing will be done about the unprofessional contractors out there UNTIL some people get killed. That's just the way it works. 

3 firefighters were killed and a $50MM building was torn down in Philadelphia following the aftermath of the Meridian Plaza fire in 1991. It took a catastrophe like this to have codes changed, and implemented. Almost 25 years later, and we are getting ready for history to repeat itself; with so many unqualified and untrained people installing, servicing, inspecting, and maintaining fire protection systems in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Nationwide actually. 

That next disaster may not be in Philadelphia. But it's going to happen somewhere. And only then, will the "authorities" start to come down on the unqualified....unprofessional contractors out there. 

You heard it here first. 

Not sure your contractor is up to par? Think maybe you picked the wrong guy? Maybe you went "lowest bidder" because he was 30% cheaper than the next closest.....btw...that's a huge red flag. 

Give us a call and we can help get you on the right path. 

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

Just trying to rip you off.

I walked into the fire pump room, in the basement of a 14 story high-rise apartment building.  I was with the property manager, a potential new client.  They were shopping around for a new fire protection contractor.

Before we even opened the door, I knew things weren't good.  There was a small stream of water coming from under the door to the pump room.  "Is that normal?", I asked.

"Yeah. The pump leaks a lot. It's okay."

When we passed through the door, I saw a fire pump that was only 7 years old, that looked like it hadn't been maintained in 25 years.  Does that even make sense?

There was water pouring out of the pump packing and the pump sleeve. The packing glands were cranked in WAY too tight and completely out of alignment, and water was still pouring right through.  The stuffing box drains were clogged, so the water was overflowing, and dripping down the side of the pump casing, causing a slimy, rusty trail to show the exact route of the water.

The entire pipe network in the fire pump room was completely wrong:

-Valves were in the wrong spot.

-Pump sensing lines were not installed in the correct part of the system.

-The test header assembly was in the wrong spot.

-The pressure relief valve was in the wrong spot.

-The pump controller was not where it should be.

-The diesel engine batteries were between the pump and the far, inside wall...making it nearly impossible to service and replace them.

-The pipe that attached directly to the suction side of the pump was arranged wrong.

-The oil filter hadn't been changed in 6 years.

And that was just at my first glance.  All I could say was "Wow. You have some serious issues here."

After explaining some of the things that I saw, the potential client was very happy that I had pointed these things out to him.  He told me that he thought there were some things wrong, but his previous contractors (plural) never told him any of this. They would come in once a year, and do their test & inspection, and he would see them the next year.  No questions asked.

I explained to him the importance of maintaining his fire pump.  A diesel fire pump is required to be run once every week, for 30 minutes.  The pump at this location only had 2.6 hours on the hour-meter.  Just over 2 1/2 hours in over seven years.  And that includes the original commissioning/startup.  That was probably 2/3 of the registered hours.  Do the math: this pump should have, at minimum, 182 hours, just with a weekly pump run. "Wow. You have some serious issues here."

I told him the truth.  Just by looking at the condition of the pump, we would have to pull it all apart to see what was going on inside of the pump.  And experience tells me that we are going to have to replace some of the parts inside of the pump.  Plus we will have a qualified diesel mechanic perform the proper maintenance on the Diesel engine; and a qualified fire pump control technician overhaul the fire pump controller (which also was never maintained, cleaned, or serviced).

The total bill would be anywhere from $5,000 to upwards of $25,000, depending on what we find.

We didn't get the job.  I was told that we were trying to rip them off.

In reality, we were just being honest.  Maintaining a diesel fire pump isn't cheap.  When you wait, and let things get out of hand, it's down right expensive.  If this potential client hadn't waited until it was too late, then these costs could have been spread out over the years.  If it is properly maintained from day one, then some of the issues could be avoided completely.

I wouldn't want to be an apartment dweller, thinking that I am protected by a fire sprinkler system, not knowing that the systems main piece of equipment might not work.

Pay me now or pay me later.  But paying later might come in the form of settling lawsuits.  

321FireProtection.com

What is an expert?

According to Merriam-Webster, an expert is someone "...having or showing special skill or knowledge because of what you have been taught or what you have experienced."

Great. 

According to social media, everyone is an expert....pick a subject-it doesn't matter....everyone is an expert. 

According to the real world, an expert is someone who knows more about a subject than you do. Yes. To you, someone that speaks with authority in a subject that you don't know too much about.....is an expert. 

That's ok if you're discussing flowering plants, or craft beers, or shoe polish. But NOT when the subject matter is fire protection. 

A true expert in the fire protection industry is highly trained, with tens of thousands of hours in the field. The true expert hasn't "seen it all" or "done it all".

The true expert is always learning; always training, always asking questions. Always bettering themselves. 

If you are hiring a fire protection contractor, they SHOULD be an expert. That's why you are paying them to do the job. You wouldn't want someone working on your system if they only had a few years of experience under their belt. 

Would you let someone with minimal experience put a new engine in your car? Or let them install a new brake system in your car? I'm guessing "no".

So don't let that same lack of experience into your world of fire protection.

Believe me. 

Don't be afraid to interview potential vendors. Ask them about their experience. Their training. Their continuing education. Their certifications. And verify with them that everyone that works for their company has these qualifications....not just the guy who holds the business license. 

Don't be afraid to ask these same questions to the technician who comes to work on your system. A true expert will be happy to answer all of your questions. 

When it comes to fire protection systems....you only get one chance to do it right.

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

3 1/2 minutes of life, death, and attempted suicide

Rob Feeney survived The Station Nightclub fire, in Warwick, RI in 2003. 

He is the newest blogger for The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA).

His inaugural blog gives details on his experiences that night. The link is at the end of this post. I encourage you to read it in full. 

3 1/2 minutes. That's how long it took him to get out of the nightclub after the fire was started.

In those 210 +/- seconds, he saw the fire start; saw there were no fire sprinklers; saw the fire extinguisher was missing; was turned away from the closest fire exit by an untrained & ignorant bouncer; experienced a fire flashing over top of him (called flashover- and is usually fatal); was knocked to the ground by a person on fire; kicked the burning person off of himself; was knocked in the head by metal scaffolding; became temporarily paralyzed; attempted to commit suicide by swallowing a breath of superheated, thick, black smoke; lost his fiancé in the chaos; found that he had regained the use of his legs; crawled out the door. 

That's a lot of stuff going bad in a short amount of time. 

The point? You better be ready when things go wrong. Rob wasn't ready for all of this. But luckiky, he survived. 100 other people didn't. 

See his entire post here:

http://sprinkler.blog.nfpa.org/fire-incidents/

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

Fire extinguishers - Your first line of defense

Fire extinguishers. You have them. You get them inspected. At home, you have had that same one under your kitchen sink since you bought your home 18 years ago. Never had to use it though. 

But... What if you did. Would you know what to do? Have you ever thought about it? Other than the one under your sink; do you even know where the fire extinguishers, that may help get you out of a building alive, are located in your office...or your warehouse....or your store?

When you grab it off of the wall....will it work? What do you do now? "Holy cow, I never thought I would need to do this....what do I do???? What do I do???? Why isn't this thing working??? Wow that fire is getting so big.....and so hot!!!! Someone help!!!!"

That's not the time that you want to start thinking about what to do if there is a fire.

Fire extinguishers just might save your life one day. 

Make sure they are inspected. 

Make sure that they are accessible. 

Make sure you know where they are.

Make sure that you know how to use them. 

Whether at home, work, or play.....

Oh. You wanted us to inspect that too?

Imagine hiring a company to perform a fire sprinkler inspection. You call them and ask for a price. They give you a price over the phone; sight unseen (or any other information unseen).

Seems like a reasonable price. Definitely cheaper than the last company you had out. Your boss will be happy that you're saving a few bucks.

They come out to do the inspection. They are there for a whopping 35 minutes. The other guys were always a few hours. Weird.

All is good. Obviously. The inspection company did the inspection. 

Fire marshal comes out a few weeks later and slaps you with a "30 DAYS TO COMPLY" notice to get your dry system inspected. "But (insert cheap sprinkler company name here) just did our inspection?!?!"

The fire marshal didn't see any inspection tags on the dry system; you couldn't provide him with the dry system inspection paperwork either (because you didn't have any). So I guess it wasn't done. 

"30 DAYS. Or I'm shutting you down and fining you!"

What gives? You call the inspection company (that was cheaper; and your boss was happy about....for those few passing moments) and they tell you that "you didn't ask us to inspect the dry system specifically. If you would like, we can send a crew out within the next few weeks. There will be additional charges, of course.....that will be (3X what the first inspection cost). Would you like to schedule now? If you wait, we can't guarantee an inspection within 30 days....."

Seem ridiculous. Think I'm making this stuff up?

Nope. Not making it up. Yup. Ridiculous.

Some of the "leading fire protection companies in this nation"....blah, blah, blah.....do this. They inspect systems "reactively"....not "proactively". Some of these companies are YOUR fire protection contractor. 

So that little bit of cash you saved, and your boss already forgot about, is now coming back and kicking you in the rear end.  And your boss isn't going to forget about this.  Funny how that works. 

If this sounds familiar in any way. Or when dealing with your current fire protection contractor you just want to bash your head through a cinder block wall.....stop the nonsense. Give us a call. 

We are "fire protection built on integrity."

321FireProtection.com

484-321-FIRE

 

Got corrosion?

Corrosion in fire sprinkler systems is a big problem. It is costing the end user a whole lot of money. And it is very misunderstood by many people. Especially that end user. And this misunderstanding is exactly what unscrupulous contractors love. 

What do I mean?  Look at the picture - and let me explain. 

I took this picture the other night while in a "big box store". This kind of thing DRIVES ME NUTS!!! They apparently had a leak at one point. I'll make the assumption that it was a "pin hole" leak somewhere in the bottom third of the pipe. Just a guess. So the big box store needed it fixed. 

It's a "dry system"....so the end user often gets sold on having galvanized pipe installed. "Because galvanized pipe won't corrode!"  Well. That's what the unscrupulous, or uneducated contractor tells them. (Unscrupulous or untrained - I wouldn't want either working on my life safety systems). They can/will then charge more money, because galvanized pipe is more expensive. A good way to help boost revenue and profits. But better yet....a GREAT way to increase the number of service calls in the (near) future.

What?

Yes. Galvanized pipe is not the answer. Sure, the galvanized coating protects the pipe from corroding on the outside surface. The aforementioned unscrupulous/untrained contractor will tell you that the code says that the pipe is required to be galvanized. Which is almost correct. What it says in fact, is that the pipe needs to have a coating that will protect it. Which would be better achieved by painting the pipe with a weather resistant paint. 

Ok. Still. What's the difference?

The difference is what happens INSIDE of the pipe. Look at the picture again. You will see other sections of pipe that were not replaced. These other sections of pipe are galvanized and also have a protective coating of paint (I know they are galvanized because I know this big box store's sprinkler pipe specifications-and they need to be revised). So if the galvanized pipe also had a protective coating applied, then how in the world could it corrode, right? 

It rots away from the inside. 

Here's the deal. Galvanized pipe is nothing more than regular (black) steel pipe, that has been coated with zinc by a process called "hot dipping".  They literally dip the pipe into molten zinc and coat the pipe, more or less. So if there are ANY imperfections on the inside of the pipe (and there are) then that "black" carbon steel will be exposed at the imperfection. Maybe not right away.  But believe me when I say...it will be exposed. 

When it is finally exposed....even if the exposed area is only as big as the head of a pin....that tiny area of exposed carbon steel will then be attacked by oxidation...better known as corrosion. And because every other area around that "pin head sized area" of exposed carbon steel is still protected by zinc....it ends up taking the brunt of the oxidation. Until the oxidation eats through the wall of the pipe, forming.....yes....a "pin" hole. 

The "painted" pipe in the picture is corroding on the inside as well. Believe me. Once corrosion has started....it just won't stop itself.  In fact, adjacent to the pipe in this picture, there were a few more sections of pipe that were (not so) "randomly" replaced. They were undoubtedly sections with exposed carbon steel inside. 

Corrosion is a huge problem. HUGE. 

The example above is only a very tiny glimpse into the reality of corrosion. 

And this is not just an "opinion" as many of the untrained/unscrupulous contractors might argue when confronted. There have been numerous independent studies conducted on this very topic. If you would like more information on the independent studies, go to our website and fill out the contact form, and just ask. We would be happy to forward you some reports.

One more thing....if you have a contractor that refers to "M.I.C." when they are talking to you about corrosion....or they tell you that your pipe has "M.I.C."....it's time to change contractors. Microbial Influenced Corrosion (M.I.C.) is a real thing. But it is only found in less than 10% of corrosion issues. Also, you can not just look at corrosion or sediment buildup, and say "it's MIC!!!"  A sample has to be tested, and confirmed in a lab. Which seemingly, almost nobody does. They just like to say "you have MIC". Because it sounds good. And they can get you to spend a lot of money that you don't need to spend. No kidding. 

Corrosion can be mitigated. Stopped in its tracks. It's not always an easy or inexpensive process. But neither is replacing your sprinkler system....one piece at a time. 

We have real solutions to your problems. We don't just have a bunch of band-aids that keep falling off. 

Get in touch with us if you think that you may have a corrosion issue in your fire sprinkler pipes. 

321FireProtection.com

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