Sprinklers Required for Ambulance Overhang?

11/20/2020

I'm working on a project with an overhang that has patient rooms above. The ceiling of the overhang serves as a "canopy" for ambulances, which will back in under the overhang to protect patients from the elements when unloading the ambulances.

The design and completed construction do not include any fire suppression including sprinklers.

Are sprinklers required for this canopy?

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8 Comments

Henry

11/20/2020 10:08:30 am

Per the 2015 IBC the canopy would require sprinklers per an I-2 occupancy (hospital) above (patient rooms) since the building (and attached canopies) contain an I-2 fire area.

Kelsey

11/20/2020 10:12:12 am

The appendix of NFPA 13 suggests sprinklers under canopies that have sprinklered areas above.
Different building codes can be vague on the subject, and a ruling may need to be done by the code consultant.

I'm at Work

11/20/2020 10:48:01 am

Good question, one of those things I wish NFPA 13 would finally come out and say (like ignoring walls in density/area) . Ken Isman addressed this in a 2012 NFSA informal interpretation, saying NFPA 13 does not answer it directly, and that (I am paraphrasing) while the non-enforceable Annex implies that protection should be considered, one would be hard pressed to enforce it. But the specifying engineer should consider for each situation. I have a large local jurisdiction that enforces that requirement, even though it isn’t written anywhere. Another larger local jurisdiction has an amendment that requires protection once it exceeds 2 ft.

James

11/22/2020 08:21:35 pm

To Kelsey's point, the Annex of NFPA 13 is the only place that suggests occupancy above should have protection below. This comes up regularly with ambulance overhangs, bank drive-throughs, and some first-floor open parking garages. I do wish the committee would come out and say it so that contractors are able to play on a level playing field - and so that these spaces would always get protection that they (in my opinion) should have.

Ian

11/20/2020 10:23:52 am

Is that not considered a Porta Cochere?
there is a nifty flow chart on here
https://www.meyerfire.com/blog/are-sprinklers-required-for-a-porte-cochere

Steve

11/20/2020 10:33:01 am

If not required probably a smart and safe level of protection to add since there are running ambulances and occupancy above

Fred

11/20/2020 01:10:14 pm

18.15.1.2.18.2 Covers Overhangs larger than 4'. Not sure if that would apply, but there are exceptions.

Felipe Pedraza

11/20/2020 10:51:50 pm

As mentioned, NFPA does not really provide a direct answer. NFPA covers the installation and what is required for a specific occupancy and hazard to be protected. The IBC, IFC and the Life Safty Code break down the type of occupancy and if fire protection will be required. Remember that the IBC and IFC CODES are just minimum requirements and both require fire protection for I-2 occupancy as classified in their fire protection chapter 9. We need to also consider the rated material of the overhang and the size of it. The door opening needs also consideration of its fire rating. Depending on the size of the overhang and how many vehicles or ambulance park underneath will also determine the type of installation. A small overhang may just require some dry sidewall heads and others may require a small dry system, but this depends on the size of overhang. And to answer this, fire protection would be highly recommended.

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