Along with fire alarms, extinguishers, and sprinkler systems, standpipes safeguard lives and property during fire incidents. Learn why standpipes are integral to fire safety and how they complement other fire safety systems.
Rapid Water Supply
Standpipes are rigid piping that run vertically through multi-story buildings. They are strategically placed to quickly supply fire hoses with water.
Standpipes are permanently installed and convenient for firefighters to access. Standpipes make it easier for firefighters to respond quickly, helping to prevent fires from spreading and causing more damage.
Easy Use
Another reason why standpipes are integral to fire safety is that they’re easy to use for manual firefighting. Firefighters can connect their hoses directly to the standpipe outlet rather than dragging lengthy hoses up stairwells or through narrow hallways.
Tall buildings require extended evacuation times for occupants, and standpipes allow for keeping stairwells clear for faster escape. Standpipes make it less cumbersome for firefighters to navigate structures and stop fires.
Fire Safety Improvement for Buildings’ Upper Stories
Standpipe systems improve fire safety for upper floors in multi-story buildings. In high-rise buildings especially, fighting fires solely from the ground level is typically impractical or impossible.
Using standpipes, firefighters can combat fires on higher floors with less reliance on external ladders or aerial appliances. This way, firefighters can control and extinguish fires on upper floors more efficiently.
Comprehensive Fire Protection Systems
Standpipes are integral in creating a comprehensive fire protection system in commercial, residential, and public buildings. The New York City building code specifies requirements for standpipes based on factors such as building type, occupancy rate, and the presence of sprinklers.
There are several types of standpipe systems, with wet and dry systems being the two prominent types. Wet standpipe systems always contain a permanent supply of water. Dry standpipe systems only contain water during use.
Call Harris Water Main and Sewer for fire suppression system installation in New York City. We install and repair standpipes to create safer environments for building occupants and firefighters.
