INTERNAL FIRE HYDRANTS AND HOSE REELS ON PREMISES

  • The internal hydrant outlet shall comprise single headed single outlet gunmetal landing valve conforming to type ‘A’ of I.S. 5290-1977. On the head shall form part of the landing valve construction.
  • Internal hydrants at each floor shall be located at about 1m above floor level.
  • Hose cabinet 900mm X600mm X 250mm suitable for indoor installation (on walls) made out of 16 SWG MS sheet, glass fronted doors including painting with two coat of PO red . The Hose Box shall be lockable.
  • Cabinet shall accommodate 2 Nos. 15 Mtrs. length 63 mm dia RRL hose with gun metal couplings on either end duly binded GI wires / rivets etc as required. and 1 No. 63 mm dia instantaneous type gun metal branch pipe and 16 mm dia nozzle as per IS 903.
  • External Yard Hydrants shall be of ‘Stand Post’ type conforming to IS-:908-1975 and comprise  of stand post for single  outlet, duck foot bend, flanged riser and single headed brass/gunmetal valve conforming to type A of IS. 5290-1977.
  • The stand post column shall be cast iron, cast in one piece, conforming to Grade 20 of IS:210-1970. The internal diameter at the top shall be at least 80mm.
    External (yard) hydrants shall be located to have the outlet at about 1m above ground level.
  • Where external hydrants below ground level are specifically indicated in tender specifications, there shall be enclosed  in masonry or casr iron structure  of size 75 cm square  and 8cm above ground level. The hydrant shall be within 8 cm from the top of the enclosure.
  • The outlet of yard hydrants shall be angled to the ground with an instantaneous spring lock type gunmetal female coupling of 63mm dia for connecting to the hose pipe.
Hose Cabinet (External)
  •  Hose cabinet 900mm X600mm X 250mm suitable for outdoor installation made out of 16 SWG MS sheet, glass fronted door, sloping canopy on top (with 150 mm extension on all sides) including painting with two coat PO red enamel paint over a coat of metal primer etc. The Hose Box shall be lockable.
  • Cabinet shall accommodate 2 Nos. 15 Mtrs. length 63 mm dia RRL hose with gun metal couplings on either end duly binded GI wires / rivets etc as required. and 1 No. 63 mm dia instantaneous type gun metal branch pipe and 16 mm dia nozzle as per IS 903.

Fire Hose Reel consists of 20 mm dia. High pressure rubber hose of 30 mtr. Length with Gun Metal nozzle of 5 mm bore. Rubber Hose is connected with wall mounted circular hose reel of heavy duty Mild Steel construction and Cast Iron brackets. Hose Reel shall conform to IS: 884 -1969. The Hose Reel shall be connected directly to the M.S. pipe riser through an independent connection with 25 mm dia. ball valve.

  • Landing valves shall be 63 mm dia. oblique female instantaneous pattern with caps and chains. Landing valves shall conform to IS: 5290 in all respects.
  • Double headed landing valves shall have separate control valves. Landing valves shall be gunmetal and fitted with instantaneous coupling conforming to IS: 901.
  • The valve body, stop valve, check valve, nut instantaneous female outlet and blank cap shall be of leaded-tin bronze conforming to Grade -II of IS: 318-1962.
  • The valve spindle shall be of brass rod conforming to IS; 320- 1962. The hand wheel shall be mild steel or cast iron washers gaskets shall be of rubber conforming to IS : 638-1965 or leather conforming to IS :581 :1969.

Hoses pipes shall be of non-percolating type 100 % synthetic Pyro protect as per IS : 636 Type B and or flax canvas ISI marked 4927, with nominal size of 63 mm and lengths of 15 meter or 7.5 meter, as per quantities specified for each. All hose pipes shall carry ISI marking on the body of the hose. The hose shall have instantaneous spring lock-type coupling on ends. The instantaneous coupling shall be as per IS: 901. It shall be fixed to each other by copper rivets and galvanized M.S. wires and leather bands. All coupling shall be interchangeable with each other, and shall bear ISI markings.

A two way fire brigade inlet connection with a non-return valve as per IS 904-1983 shall be provided to facilitate the fire brigade to pump water into the system by the use of their own equipment. This shall be housed in a M.S. cabinet with glass fronted door as per drawing.

a. Inlet connection – a four way gun metal inlet connection as per IS 904-1983 shall be provided at the Fire Storage Tank for filling of the tank by the fire Brigade, through a 150mm dia. inlet Pipe. The connection will have the option to pressurize the building Fire System (by the Fire Brigade directly) by provision of sluice valves, tee and bend as per drawings.

b. Draw off connection – a draw off connection for drawing the water from the Fire Tank would be provided next to the inlet connection to enable Fire Brigade to draw water from the Fire Tank. This shall consist of a gun metal stand draw off connection with a gunmetal  blank cap and a chain. A 150mm suction pipe with a foot valve and strainer shall be provided as per drawings.

c. M.S. cabinet, for enclosing both inlet and outlet connection shall be provided as per drawings.

A fire sprinkler system is a fire protection mechanism that automatically sprays water when a fire is detected. It consists of a network of pipes connected to sprinkler heads, which are activated by heat. When a fire causes a sprinkler head to reach a specific temperature, it opens, releasing water to control or extinguish the fire. The system is designed to provide timely response to fires, minimizing damage and enhancing safety.

Sprinklers form an integral part of an automatic sprinklers system. It is designed to detect an outbreak of fire, to control of extinguish, by automatically spraying water over the appropriate area. The glass bulb is made from transparent, corrosion free material (Gun Metal) strong enough to withstand any water pressure likely to occur in the system but the bulb shatters when the temperature of the surrounding air reaches to 68 degree C. The bulb contains a highly expansible liquid which exerts a disruptive force when heated to rated temperature of 68 degree C in this case. During manufacture a small amount of vapour is trapped when the bulb is hermetically sealed. When the liquid expands under the influence of heat, the vapour is gradually absorbed until the liquid completely fills the bulb. Any further increase in temperature is accompanied by a rapid rise of internal pressure, which is sufficient to shatter the bulb in small pieces ensuring prompt and free opening of sprinklers, causing the water blocked by the glass bulb to be released and spraying it over the seat of fire. Sprinkler head shall be provided at approximate spacing so as to cover 9 sq. mtr. In this case sprinkler head shall be of Pendant and Upright type.

Alarm Valve acts as a check valve by trapping pressurized water above the clapper and preventing reverse flow from sprinkler piping. It is used to actuate a fire alarm during flow of water from the sprinkler system

Flow switches are used to monitor and control the flow rate of fluid within an industrial process system. Automated industrial systems that process fluid media rely heavily on flow switches to ensure safe and optimal flow rates.

All piping in the system shall be tested to a hydrostatic pressure of 14 Kg/ sq.cm without drop in pressure for 24 hours. If any leakage is observed during testing process the same has to be rectified and retest as required and directed.

An internal hydrant, installation comprise the following elements:

  1. Static or terrace tank for storing water for fire fighting purpose;
  2. Rise mains, down-comer mains or external mains to feed water from the source to the required point under pressure;
  3. Fire fighting pump/pumps with all fitments and components and pump control panel, housed in a pump house; and
  4. All necessary components like internal hydrants (landing valves) and external hydrants, hose reels, hoses and branch pipes, suitably housed.

Key Components

Landing Valve

A landing valve is a manual stop valve that is installed on a building’s wet risers or hydrants for fire fighting purposes. It’s a key part of a building’s hose system that allows firefighters to control the water supply and extinguish fires on any level of the building.

Hose Reel

A fire hose reel is a piece of firefighting equipment that provides a controlled supply of water to fight fires. It’s a quick-response tool that’s ideal for large, high-risk areas like schools, hotels, and factories. Fire hose reels are also recommended for large industrial complexes and places of work that cover large areas.

Air Release Valve

An air release valve is a device used to expel trapped air or gases from pipelines or tanks. It ensures smooth operation by preventing air pockets that can disrupt flow or cause pressure problems. Commonly used in water, heating, and sewage systems, it helps maintain system efficiency.

Air Vessel

In firefighting, an air vessel tank uses compressed air chambers to maintain a steady water pressure and flow during operations. The air vessel minimizes pressure fluctuations, which helps to optimize water distribution and maximize firefighting efficiency.

Pressure Switch

A switch connected on delivery line of fire pump, or in the body of hydro-pneumatic tank at pre-set pressure level so designed to automatically start the fire pump or jockey pump, as the case may be, when the pressure in the system falls below the pre-set level.

Fire Service Inlet

A 2- or 3-way collecting head with non-return valves fitted to the down-comer/wet-riser main, so that in case of need, fire service can directly pressurize the system with their pump.

The following facilities/arrangements should be applicable to wet-riser systems:

a) A fire service inlet at ground level fitted with a non-return valve should also be provided to the rising main of each zone for charging it by fire service pumps, in case of failure of fire pump. If two rising mains: are within a distance of 30 m horizontally a single fire service inlet will be sufficient.

b) The fire service Inlet should be located and arranged on street side of the building, preferably near main entrance, prominently marked and without any obstruction so that fire service can connect hose lines without difficulty.

c)The inlet should be located inside a box made of 1.6 mm mild steel plate with openable 4 mm thick glass frontage with locking arrangements. The words ‘Fire Service Inlet’ should be written in letters at least 75 mm in height and 12 mm in width in fluorescent fire red colour ( see IS 5 : 1978 ).

  • The wet-riser-cum-down-comer system is designed for fire fighting within a building. It consists of vertical rising mains with a minimum internal diameter of 100 mm, equipped with landing valves on each floor. This system connects to a terrace tank for fire fighting purposes via a terrace pump, including gate and non-return valves near the tank, as well as a fire pump with gate and non-return valves over the static tank.
  • The system is permanently charged with water from a pressurized supply, ensuring that the rising mains are always ready for use.
  • A wet-riser system must be installed in the types of buildings listed in Table 1. This system includes one or more pipes, depending on the building’s area and height, which are continuously charged with water under pressure. Each floor should have landing valves, hose reels, hoses, and branch pipes. A pressure differential switch should be included to automatically start the pump when water is drawn from the landing valves, ensuring that water is available for hydrants and hose reels. Additionally, a standby pump must activate automatically if the main power supply fails.
  • The distribution of the wet-riser system should ensure that no point within the area covered by the hydrant is more than 30 meters away from the nearest riser. The risers should be positioned between 0.75 meters and 1 meter above the floor, and should not be spaced more than 50 meters apart horizontally.
  • A fire service inlet with a gate and non-return valve must be provided on the wet-riser system to allow for charging from a mobile fire service pump in case of failure of the static pump. For a 100 mm diameter rising main, the fire service inlet should include a collecting head with two 63 mm inlets. For a 150 mm diameter rising main, it should have a collecting head with four 63 mm inlets.
  • The wet-riser-cum-down-comer system should be installed in buildings as specified in Table 1. Alternatively, a wet-riser system with suitable modifications, as outlined in section 4.2.6, may be used.
  • The positioning and spacing of wet-riser-cum-down-comers should follow the guidelines for the wet-riser system (see 5.2).
  • A down-comer system should be installed in the types of buildings indicated in Table 1.
  • Each floor or landing should be equipped with a single-headed landing valve connected to a 100 mm diameter pipe from the terrace pump delivery. Additionally, each floor or landing should have a hose reel that conforms to IS 884:1985 and is directly tapped from the down-comer pipe.
Underground Static Water/Terrace Tanks

The capacity should be as given in Table 1. The tank should not be more than 3’5 m deep having a slope( 1 : 100) and lm deep sump of 1x2m at the lowest end. The side with sump should preferably be at the front and should have an easily removable manhole cover through which fire engine suction hose can be lowered into the sump for direct pimping. Static water tank should be designed and constructed in conjunction with domestic tank wherever feasible.

Underground tanks should be provided with compartments with external interconnection at bottom levels having gate valves at both the ends for periodical maintenance/cleaning purpose.

At least two manholes each of adequate size with cover conforming to IS 1726 (Part 1 ) : 1974 should be provided on the tanks ( outside the pump house ) so as to facilitate fire appliances to draw water from tank when necessary.

Access road to the tank where located outside the building should be tit least 6 m in width and the same should be designed suitably to bear a load of fire appliances weighing up to 18 tonnes. The access road should be kept free from encroachment and obstructions at all times.

These should be mounted on suitable girders and plates for equal distribution of load and should be structurally stable and the capacity should be as given in Table I.

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Fire Hydrant System

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the necessary steps to ensure the fire hydrant system operates effectively during an emergency. The following provides a detailed breakdown of the procedure.

The purpose of this SOP is to ensure that the fire hydrant system is operational, reliable, and ready to support firefighting efforts during an emergency.

This SOP applies to all personnel responsible for the operation, inspection, testing, and maintenance of the fire hydrant system.

The fire hydrant system consists of the following components:
– Fire Pumps (Main, Jockey, Standby – Diesel/Electric)
–Hydrant Valves (Internal/External)
–Pipe Network (Delivery pipes)
–Water Storage Tanks (Fire reservoir)
–Hose Pipes and Nozzles
–Control Panel

A. Pre-Operation Checklist

Before initiating the fire hydrant system, ensure the following:
1. Verify that the power supply to the fire pump system is ON.
2. Check the water level in the fire reservoir or tank.
3. Inspect pressure gauges on both the main pump and jockey pump.
4. Ensure that all hydrant valves and pipelines are intact and free of leaks.
5. Confirm that hoses and nozzles are available at the hydrant points.

B. During Operation

1. Manual Activation of the Pump:
– Switch ON the main pump via the control panel.
– If the main pump fails, activate the standby pump (diesel engine-driven).

2.Automatic Activation:
– The jockey pump maintains system pressure. If pressure drops:
– The main pump will activate automatically.
– Monitor flow pressure and ensure proper discharge through the hydrant.

3. Firefighting Process:
– Open the nearest hydrant valve.
– Connect the hose pipe to the valve.
– Direct the nozzle toward the fire and open the nozzle valve.
– Ensure all personnel are wearing appropriate safety gear.

4.Monitoring:
– Continuously monitor water flow, pressure, and pump performance during firefighting operations.
– Ensure there are no abnormal vibrations or noises coming from the pump.

C. Post-Operation Checklist
Once the fire is controlled, complete the following:
1. Turn OFF the pumps.
2. Drain and roll up the hoses.
3. Inspect and reset all hydrant valves and pumps.
4. Check the water level in the reservoir or tank and refill if necessary.
5. Record any issues or malfunctions in the logbook for future maintenance.

Regular testing and maintenance ensure the fire hydrant system remains functional at all times.

1. Weekly Testing:
– Run the main pump for at least 10 minutes.
– Verify system pressure and check for leaks.

2. Monthly Inspection:
– Check water levels in the storage tanks.
– Test the operation of the jockey pump and standby pump.
– Inspect hoses, nozzles, and valves for signs of wear and tear.

3. Quarterly Maintenance:
– Clean strainers and valves.
– Lubricate pump and motor components.
– Check fuel levels for diesel-driven pumps.

4. Annual Inspection:
– Conduct a full load test of the pumps.
– Flush the pipe network to remove any sediment.
– Ensure all components comply with relevant standards (e.g., NBC, NFPA, IS).

To ensure readiness during an emergency:
– Maintain clear access to the fire hydrant system at all times.
– Regularly train staff in system operation and firefighting techniques.
– Conduct periodic mock drills to test response times and effectiveness.

Maintain detailed logs for the following:
– Pump operation and testing.
– Water reservoir levels.
– Inspection reports and maintenance schedules.
– Faults and their resolutions.

This SOP is designed to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the fire hydrant system, thereby supporting effective firefighting efforts during an emergency.

1. GM Branch Pipe
–Description: The GM (Gun Metal) branch pipe is a basic firefighting nozzle attached to fire hoses, designed to control and direct the flow of water.
–Components: It typically features a cylindrical body with threaded inlet and outlet connections for attaching hoses.
– Use: Primarily used to deliver a high-pressure, focused water stream for effective fire suppression.
–Applications: Commonly found in hydrant systems, fire stations, industrial facilities, and other areas requiring efficient firefighting tools.

2. Sprinkler
–Description: A fire sprinkler is an automatic firefighting device that releases water when it detects a specified temperature caused by a fire.
–How it Works: Sprinklers are equipped with a heat-sensitive glass bulb or fusible link. When exposed to heat from a fire, the bulb bursts, triggering the release of water to suppress the fire.
Applications:
– Installed in fire sprinkler systems in buildings, warehouses, hotels, and other facilities.
– Provides early suppression to control fire spread before it escalates.
Types:
–Pendant Sprinkler: Installed from the ceiling, dispensing water downwards.
–Upright Sprinkler: Installed with the nozzle facing upwards to direct water downwards.
–Sidewall Sprinkler: Mounted on the wall, typically used in hallways or rooms with limited ceiling space.

3. Hose Reel
–Description: A fire hose reel consists of a mounted reel drum with a semi-rigid fire hose, providing a continuous water supply for firefighting.
–Features:
– Wall-mounted and connected to a water supply.
– Allows quick and easy deployment of the hose for immediate use.
–Use: Primarily used for combating smaller fires during their initial stages by providing a steady flow of water through a manually controlled nozzle.
–Applications: Commonly installed in hotels, offices, shopping malls, residential buildings, and other public or commercial spaces.
–Advantages: Simple to operate and deploy, making it ideal for quick response during fire emergencies.