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I have a rather basic question about fire flow . I'm a site/civil engineer working to validate a municipality's capacity for fire flow demand at a townhome development.
According to the New York State Building Code, townhomes do not required sprinkler systems. My next approach was to use the ISO Guide to determine Needed Fire Flow which is based on a few different architectural components. What I'm confused about is where is ISO used versus the NFPA 1142 standard? Are both of the standards meant to consider the large individual unit or building's area? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
8 Comments
Danial Bartle
4/19/2022 08:26:42 am
In our state when I was in the fire service, ISO was used to rate the department for insurance rates. Certain buildings were rated by them (Insurance Services Office) to determine that particular building's risk. They used several factors and water availability and total fire flow were just part of those. Insurance companies in Florida did not seem to care much about the ISO Rating until 2004 after several hurricanes and then used the rating to cancel policies on mostly residential properties.
Michael Mann
1/11/2023 03:26:24 pm
I have had to make the same decisions on past projects and I decided to apply IFC Appendix B to any new developments served by a central water system and to apply NFPA-1142 (not ISO) to new developments located outside the boundaries of a central water system.
sean
1/11/2023 03:37:01 pm
The IFC does not direct you to use appendix B, it just says approved method.
Dan Wilder
4/19/2022 08:39:45 am
I don't deal with it much beyond the IFC Appendix B charts, however we recently had a client approach us about what size pump and tank they would need on a new remote site for a MFG facility. We used the below link to come up with some options to present to their insurance and 3rd party reviewers and let them decide what route to take (still in process so I don't have an update).
Jesse
4/19/2022 09:37:40 am
Having been a chief fire officer, insurance loss control engineer, and now fire protection company guy I've been on both sides of this fence.
Dave
4/19/2022 10:20:16 am
Good question and replies. See also:
Richard
4/20/2022 08:18:05 am
Since the adoption of the ICC codes back in 2002, NYS has left it up to the AHJ to determine what they will accept for adequate water supply in order to meet Section (507) of the FCNYS. NYS included appendix B "For Informational Purposes" giving latitude to the AHJ in determining the acceptable method of calculating fire flow. The Code Official can approve the use of 1142 for areas were a adequate/reliable water supply is not available.
sean
4/20/2022 08:26:57 pm
If the fire code does not indicate a method then you need to reach out the fire offical. IFC 50 and 507 covers hydrants and fire flow. There are over a dozen methods out there Leave a Reply. |
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