If you have responsibility for safety in any type of medium to large establishment, fire protection will be part of your duties. While the likes of chemical extinguishers and blanketing gases have their specialized roles to play (especially in electrical fires), it is water that is the main extinguisher of the majority of larger fires. Sometimes, the local piped water supply has sufficient capacity and pressure to be used to fight a blaze through hydrants and sprinkler systems. However, this is by no means always the case.
Using Your Own Water For Fighting Conflagrations
Whether your intention is to augment local supply pressure/velocity or, you need to hold your own supply in a tank or pond ready to feed to hydrant hose points and sprinkler valves throughout the premises that you are defending – you will need at least one pump. Most likely this will be of the split casing type (horizontal or vertical) but vertical in line or turbine can also be used. Apart from regular testing, it is to be hoped that this equipment will never be used. But, when it is needed, it is 100% essential that it starts operating immediately.
Monitoring
Sprinkler systems start spraying the moment they detect flame below them but that water must be immediately replaced in the main running throughout the premises, in other words, new water must be fed in. Jockey pumps provide pressure at the sprinkler and monitoring their pressure automatically actuates the main fire pump.
Insurance
Insurance is taken out by everyone sensible but you may find that you are not covered if any of your fire protection systems do not meet the strict requirements of UL testing, approval and listing. UL was previously known as Underwriters Laboratory.
Flow-Tech Industries is the distributer of UL listed fire pumps for Houston, TX. They supply the full line of approved Aurora Pumps which have an 80 year record of excellent service. Follow them on Facebook.
