Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially destructive fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of mitigating

system A system is a group of interacting or interrelated elements that act according to a set of rules to form a unified whole. A system, surrounded and influenced by its open system (systems theory), environment, is described by its boundaries, str ...

s. 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 A building or edifice is an enclosed Structure#Load-bearing, structure with a roof, walls and window, windows, usually standing permanently in one place, such as a house or factory. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, a ...

and

codes. Buildings must be maintained in accordance with the current fire code, enforced by fire prevention officers of a local fire department. In the event of fire emergencies,

Firefighter A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical in ...

s, fire investigators, and other fire prevention personnel are called to mitigate, investigate and learn from the damage of a fire.

Classifying fires

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. Some jurisdictions operate systems of classifying fires using letter codes. Fires are sometimes categorized as "one alarm", "two alarm", "three alarm" (or higher) fires. 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.

Components

Fire protection in land-based

offshore construction Offshore construction is the installation of structures and facilities in a marine environment, usually for the production and transmission of electricity, oil, gas and other resources. It is also called maritime engineering. Construction a ...

or on board

ship A ship is a large watercraft, vessel that travels the world's oceans and other Waterway, navigable waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research and fishing. Ships are generally disti ...

s is typically achieved via all of the following: *

Passive fire protection Passive fire protection (PFP) is components or systems of a building or structure that slows or impedes the spread of the effects of fire or smoke without system activation, and usually without movement. Examples of passive systems include floor- ...

(PFP) — the installation of firewalls and fire rated floor assemblies to form fire compartments intended to limit the spread of

, high temperatures, and

smoke Smoke is an aerosol (a suspension of airborne particulates and gases) emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwante ...

. *

Active fire protection Active fire protection (AFP) is an integral part of fire protection. AFP is characterized by items and/or systems, which require a certain amount of motion and response in order to work, contrary to passive fire protection. Categories Manual f ...

(AFP) — manual and automatic detection and suppression of fires, such as

fire sprinkler A fire sprinkler or sprinkler head is the component of a fire sprinkler system that discharges water when the effects of a fire have been detected, such as when a predetermined temperature has been exceeded. Fire sprinklers are extensively used ...

systems and (

fire alarm A fire alarm system is a building system designed to detect, alert occupants, and alert emergency forces of the presence of fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, or other fire-related emergencies. Fire alarm systems are required in most commercial buil ...

) systems. *

Education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

— 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, 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

INDIA

USA

UAE

EUROPE

UK

Notes

External links

National Fire Protection Association (US)

National Fire Sprinkler Association (US)

Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association (US)
{{Authority control Building engineering