Fire protection

{{Short description|Measures that prevent or mitigate unwanted fire}} '''Fire protection''' is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially destructive fires.<ref>NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, pg. 2-19</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=RANA |first=JAGENDRA |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FkzIEAAAQBAJ&dq=Fire+protection+is+the+study+and+practice+of+mitigating+the+unwanted+effects+of+potentially+destructive+fires&pg=PA218 |title=RISK ENGINEERING |date=2023-06-29 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |pages=218 |language=en}}</ref> It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of mitigating systems. In structures, be they land-based, offshore or even ships, owners and operators may be responsible for maintaining their facilities in accordance with a design-basis rooted in law, including local building and fire codes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=RANA |first=JAGENDRA |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FkzIEAAAQBAJ&dq=In+structures,+be+they+land-based,+offshore+or+even+ships,+the+owners+and+operators+are+responsible+to+maintain+their+facilities+in+accordance+with+a+design-basis+that+is+rooted+in+laws,+including+the+local+building+code+and+fire+code,+which+are+enforced+by+the+authority+having+jurisdiction.&pg=PA215 |title=RISK ENGINEERING |date=2023-06-29 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |pages=215 |language=en}}</ref>

Buildings must be maintained in accordance with the current fire code, enforced by fire prevention officers of a local fire department.<ref>{{Cite book |last=BHUYAN |first=DEVAJIT |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PpQ3DwAAQBAJ&dq=Buildings+must+be+maintained+in+accordance+with+the+current+fire+code,+which+is+enforced+by+the+fire+prevention+officers+of+a+local+fire+department.&pg=PT238 |title=Complete Guide to Career Planning |date=2015-06-01 |publisher=V&S Publishers |isbn=978-93-5057-403-4 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhuyan |first=Devajit |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ql8tEg3xte4C&dq=%22Buildings%22+must+be+maintained+in+accordance+with+the+current+fire+code,+which+is+enforced+by+the+fire+prevention+officers+of+a+local+fire+department.&pg=PA209 |title=Multiple Career Choices |date=2004-12-01 |publisher=Pustak Mahal |isbn=978-81-223-0779-5 |pages=201 |language=en}}</ref> In the event of fire emergencies, Firefighters, fire investigators, and other fire prevention personnel are called to mitigate, investigate and learn from the damage of a fire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=BHUYAN |first=DEVAJIT |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PpQ3DwAAQBAJ&dq=In+the+event+of+fire+emergencies,+Firefighters,+fire+investigators,+and+other+fire+prevention+personnel+are+called+to+mitigate,+investigate+and+learn+from+the+damage+of+a+fire.&pg=PT238 |title=Complete Guide to Career Planning |date=2015-06-01 |publisher=V&S Publishers |isbn=978-93-5057-403-4 |language=de}}</ref>

==Classifying fires== {{Main|Fire classification}} When deciding on what fire protection is appropriate for any given situation, it is important to assess the types of fire hazards that may be faced.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Michael J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G33ADwAAQBAJ&dq=When+deciding+on+what+fire+protection+is+appropriate+for+any+given+situation,+it+is+important+to+assess+the+types+of+fire+hazards+that+may+be+faced.&pg=PA405 |title=Fire Officer: Principles and Practice includes Navigate Advantage Access: Principles and Practice |date=2019-12-18 |publisher=Jones & Bartlett Learning |isbn=978-1-284-17239-3 |pages=405 |language=en}}</ref> Some jurisdictions operate systems of classifying fires using letter codes.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jr |first1=A. Maurice Jones |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9x6VAgAAQBAJ&dq=Some+jurisdictions+operate+systems+of+classifying+fires+using+code+letters&pg=PA29 |title=Fire Protection Systems |last2=Jones |date=2013-12-27 |publisher=Jones & Bartlett Publishers |isbn=978-1-284-03538-4 |pages=29 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Binggeli |first=Corky |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XgbguEkYT_0C&dq=Some+jurisdictions+operate+systems+of+classifying+fires+using+code+letters&pg=PA3 |title=Materials for Interior Environments |date=2008 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-11428-5 |pages=3 |language=en}}</ref>

Fires are sometimes categorized as "one alarm", "two alarm", "three alarm" (or higher) fires.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MMEiAQAAMAAJ&q=Fires+are+sometimes+categorized+as+%22one+alarm%22,+%22two+alarm%22,+%22three+alarm%22+(or+higher)+fires |title=Paper Industry |date=1965 |publisher=Paper Industry Management Association |pages=53 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Paine |first=Whiton Stewart |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eHnZAAAAMAAJ&q=Fires+are+sometimes+categorized+as+%22one+alarm%22,+%22two+alarm%22,+%22three+alarm%22+(or+higher)+fires |title=Proceedings, First National Conference on Burnout, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2-4, 1981 |date=1981 |publisher=Gwynedd Mercy College/Mercy Catholic Medical Center |pages=117 |language=en}}</ref> There is no standard definition for what this means, though it always refers to the level of response by local authorities. In some cities the numeric rating refers to the number of fire stations that have been summoned to the fire. In others, the number counts the number of "dispatches" for additional personnel and equipment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbc4.com/money/9208480/detail.html |title=Paying for Donated Blood, Ethanol in Lawn Mowers, Numbered Alarm Fires: 5/12/06 - Money News Story - WRC | Washington |access-date=2007-11-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123185444/http://www.nbc4.com/money/9208480/detail.html |archive-date=2007-11-23 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thevillager.com/villager_39/fouralarmfire.html|title=Four-alarm fire on Avenue B|website=www.thevillager.com|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-date=29 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229154104/http://thevillager.com/villager_39/fouralarmfire.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Components== [[File:Fire training alarm in KarRC RAS 2018.ogg|thumb|Personnel training and fire training alarm in Karelian Research Centre of RAS, 2018.]]

Fire protection in land-based buildings, offshore construction or on board ships is typically achieved via all of the following: * Passive fire protection (PFP) — the installation of firewalls and fire rated floor assemblies to form fire compartments intended to limit the spread of fire, high temperatures, and smoke. * Active fire protection (AFP) — manual and automatic detection and suppression of fires, such as fire sprinkler systems and (fire alarm) systems. * Education — the provision of information regarding passive and active fire protection systems to building owners, operators, occupants, and emergency personnel so that they have a working understanding of the intent of these systems and how they perform in the fire safety plan.

==Balanced approach== Passive fire protection in the form of compartmentalisation was developed prior to the invention of or widespread use of active fire protection, mainly in the form of automatic fire sprinkler systems. During this time, PFP was the dominant mode of protection provided in facility designs. With the widespread installation of fire sprinklers in the past 50 years, the reliance on PFP as the only approach was reduced.

==Building operation in conformance with design== Effective fire protection within a structure relies upon careful and expert design, including compliance with local building and fire codes, by the architect and other building design consultants,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ballast |first=David Kent |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dBs-EAAAQBAJ&dq=The+building+is+designed+in+compliance+with+the+local+building+code+and+fire+code+by+the+architect+and+other+consultants.&pg=SA28-PA18 |title=PPI NCIDQ Interior Design Reference Manual, 7th Edition—Includes Complete Coverage of Content Areas for All Three Sections of the NCIDQ Exam |date=2021-07-20 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-59126-842-0 |pages=28–18 |language=en}}</ref> and installation in turn being done in compliance with the agreed upon design. Deviations from the original design during installation should be made known to the appropriate authority for review. After installation the system may require testing, and a building permit may then be issued after review by an appropriate authority.

The system may require periodic inspection and testing throughout the lifetime of the structure to identify and repair any faulty components or other defects. Modifications to a structure through its lifetime may require expert consideration of the fire protection system, to ensure that any modifications to the structure do not compromise the safety system.

== Government Guidelines of Fire Protection and Fire Safety ==

* [https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Chap-7.pdf INDIA] * [https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2019-03/fireprotection.pdf USA] * [https://www.dcd.gov.ae/portal/eng/UAEFIRECODE_ENG.pdf UAE] * [https://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/civil_protection/civil/prote/pdfdocs/fire_prevention.pdf EUROPE] * [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022 UK]

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * Huang, Kai. 2009. Population and Building Factors That Impact Residential Fire Rates in Large U.S. Cities. Applied Research Project. Texas State University. http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/287/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308201531/http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/287/ |date=2012-03-08 }}.

==External links== {{Commons category|Fire_protection|Fire Protection}} * [https://www.nfpa.org/ National Fire Protection Association (US)] * [https://www.nfsa.org National Fire Sprinkler Association (US)] * [https://www.femalifesafety.org Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association (US)]

{{Authority control}} Category:Fire protection Category:Building engineering