PATTON REPORT NO.
40
A FEW OPINIONS
©1975 Patton Life Safety Systems, Inc.
In this issue of the Patton Report I give opinions on several
important subjects.
THE NUMBER TWO HIGH RISE NEED
The number one high rise need, of course, is the Life Safety
Sprinkler System designed by engineering methods to meet
BOCA-100.*
The second most important need for the high rise building
is a fire safe elevator.
A few years ago a few people were killed on elevators in
fires. At the time this did not appear unduly significant
because elevator deaths represented an extremely small
percentage of the fire deaths in buildings. However, for reasons
unknown to me, while it's not considered unduly significant to
be killed on a stairway (and its almost fashionable to be killed
in a corridor on the way to a stairway), dying on an elevator is
considered to be totally intolerable.
It is alleged that there were two elevator characteristics that
were responsible for the deaths.
One was "call buttons" that presumably could be activated
by the smoke to bring the elevator to the fire floor.
The second was the electric eye in the door that, when
blocked by smoke, prevented the doors from closing.
*When sprinklers are installed, many of the old regulations that are structure oriented, and predicated on a non sprinklered
building, should be revised or eliminated.
Well, as scary as it sounds, the elevator faults really were'nt
all that serious. Why? Because the cures were so easy. Here's
the solution to these problems:
1. Install call buttons that don't respond to smoke,
2. Install electric eyes that will permit the doors to
close after the proper cycle.
But some people had what they thought was a better idea.
This "better idea" was no doubt prompted by the fact that
most codes do not consider an elevator to be an approved
"exit way" under fire conditions. Since the elevator was not
an "exit" why not bring it down and park in on the ground
floor, they reasoned. If it's taken out of service, nobody can
get hurt on it. Well, that's true enough!
There is one big problem associated with this solution,
however. It is that the cure is far worse than the disease. It
takes the only really practical way to get out of the building
away from the people at the very time when they need it the
most.
Oh, the elevators are safe enough now. They were parked
down at the ground well removed from the fire and smoke ...
But, the people, That's another matter.
Someday, hopefully before it is too late, we must stop
being illogical about elevators as fire exits. We must recognize
them as safe and approved exit ways for tall buildings.
A PRACTICAL LIFE SAFETY
SYSTEM FOR THE HOME
At present, high rise buildings and nursing homes are
getting the lions share of the attention on the fire front. But
nearly 90% of those who die from building fires die from
dwelling fires. So, if life safety is our goal, the dwelling must
be our primary target.
Most people believe that a life safety system is impractical
for the home. They're right. It is. But it would be practical —
if we had a practical life safety sprinkler system for the home.
Accordingly, I will now define a practical life safety system
for the home. This system could price out below $1,000.00 in
a $50,000.00 home.
As a first step I must explain that there are two fire types
that are of concern in the home.
One is the fast fire. The fast fire can achieve the killer stage
in as little as three minutes. But what really makes this fire a
killer is that during the early stage it can burn silently,
inconspicuously, and produce almost no smoke. Usually,
someone in the bedroom is not even aware of the fire in the
living room— that is not until it reaches flashover.
But once it hits flashover time — then it can be killing the
occupants in a matter of seconds.
The automatic sprinkler is the only practical solution to
this fire type. A smoke detector in the upstairs hall may not
sound until a fire in the living room reaches flashover — and
then it's probably too late.
The second fire type is the slow fire. The slow fire is a
smoldering fire that produces little heat. It might not open a
sprinkler. But over a period of an hour or two or three, it
could gradually produce carbon monoxide and kill everyone in
their sleep. The "product of combustion" detector is the
solution. Because this fire type is extremely slow, one smoke
detector in the upper hall or near the bedrooms will usually
give good protection. A smoke detector will cost between $50
and $100. If a life safety sprinkler system could be installed
for another $500 to $900 I believe this combined cost could
be justified in a dwelling.
To get a low cost system, here is what is needed:
Water Supply: Many homes have but a 3/4 inch water line.
This will deliver 10 to 20 gallons per minute. This is the
water supply we must work with.
Density: A density of 0.025 GPM/Sq. Ft. is satisfactory
for dwelling fires. Our tests at Newton, New Jersey proved
this. In our Life Safety System (BOCA-100) we applied a
4 to 1 safety factor on density, but in the dwelling we will
have to reduce the safety factor.
2
Nozzles: While existing conventional sprinklers are
tolerable, they actually have very uneven water
distribution characteristics. Improved designs are
desirable. Also, it will often be necessary to use small
orifice sprinklers (often listed as "spray nozzles") in the
following sizes: 1/4" (K = 1.3), 5/16" (K=1.9), 3/8"
(K = 3.0), and 7/16" (K=4.1).
Pipe: In order to obtain a low cost installation, low cost
plastic pipe (solvent welded) must be permitted. A pipe
satisfactory for 100 psi at 100 0 F will be fine if piping is
run concealed in the ceiling. The modest temperature
below the ceiling needed to operate the sprinkler (say
2500 F) will be no problem to the concealed pipe. Pipe
sizes of 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch and 3/4 inch will be
permissible depending on the hydraulic needs.
Baths and Closets: For economy the elimination of
sprinklers in baths and closets must be permitted. The
sprinkler will contain the fire to the closet. The smoke
detector will also operate long before serious toxic
conditions develop.
Attic and Unheated Areas: If there is an unheated attic
or porch, one of these options will be permitted:
a. No protection provided if justified (evaluate the
life hazard).
b. Smoke detector installed only.
c. Antifreeze system installed only.
d. Pre-action dry sprinklers installed — smoke
detector may be set to open solenoid in line.
Hydraulic Design Parameters: Design for the following:
a. One open sprinkler — average density of 0.04
GPM/Sq. Ft. over one plat.
b. Two open sprinklers — average density of 0.025
GPM/Sq. Ft. over 2 plats.
Standard Loop System: Use 3/4 inch riser and a 1/2 inch
loop on each floor. Install sprinkler on loop, or on one
sprinkler branch lines on 3/8 inch pipe (10' maximum) or
1/2 inch pipe (20' maximum).
 --- WATER SUPPLIES FOR COMBINED SYSTEMS
The codes now permit combined systems involving:
a. Standpipes
b. Sprinklers.
c. Domestic water.
Two NFPA Codes, 13 (sprinklers) and 14 (standpipes) are
involved.
Making sense of one NFPA Standard usually is problem
enough, but combine two and the problems multiply. This is
especially the case with No's 13 and 14.
We will try to make sense out of the confusions, not so
much by trying to make a "lawyers" interpretation of the
meaning of the words, but by making an engineer's analysis of
the needs and intents of the codes.
System No. 1 Sprinklers
As a first step we will define the systems, and the supply
needs, and also consider the time frames of the needs.
The sprinkler system of course, must have water to feed a
reasonable number of open sprinklers. If the sprinkler system
has been designed to produce 0.1 GPM over 1500 Sq. Ft., then
clearly at least 150 GPM is necessary. This will be an
--- "AUTOMATIC" supply at a calculated "DESIGN
PRESSURE."
System No. 2 Interior Hose (For Occupants)
Small hose often are installed for use by building
occupants. The amount of water required for small hose is not
clearly defined by either NFPA-13 or 14. No. 13 requires 100
GPM as a minimum supply for "hose streams" but his includes
the water necessary for fire department hose streams as well as
interior hose.
From a practical engineering viewpoint, a reasonable
allowance for interior hose to be used by a building occupant
is:
a. If 1 1/2 inch hose is installed, figure on 25 GPM. This is
a reasonable discharge for a 1 1/2 inch line in a sprin-
klered building. A greater discharge is getting difficult for
an amateur fire fighter to handle.
b. If a "garden type" hose is installed, figure on 10 GPM.
This may sound like a very modest supply, but it is
fantastically superior to the 2 1/2 gallon extinguisher.
This supply (25 GPM or 10 GPM), like the sprinkler supply,
must be AUTOMATIC.
Thus, the total AUTOMATIC supply required by NFPA-13
and NFPA-14 in light hazard occupancies is the sprinkler
demand (calculated) plus 25 or 10 GPM.
3
System No. 3 Fire Department Hose Lines
When the sprinkler riser is combined with the standpipe
riser, the combined riser must be capable of delivering
si multaneously:
a. The sprinkler demand.
b. The interior hose (to be used by the occupants).
c. The fire department hose stream demand.
But here is where some confusion occurs. NFPA-14 states a
pressure and a flow for the standpipe system. NFPA-13 states
a pressure and flow for combined systems. The two do not
agree.
The one key factor that must be considered in order to
bring sense out of chaos is the time of the water demand, and
the distinction between an AUTOMATIC supply and a
NON-AUTOMATIC supply (neither are defined clearly by the
codes).
Often, two or more supplies make up the TOTAL SUPPLY.
Where an AUTOMATIC supply is required, this doesn't
necessarily mean the TOTAL SUPPLY shall be automatic'.
We have already agreed that both the INTERIOR HOSE
and the SPRINKLER SUPPLY must be "AUTOMATIC". But
the NFPA-14 code for standpipes does not require that any or
all of the water supply for standpipes be "AUTOMATIC".
Here is the proof of this.
1. NFPA permits a DRY STANDPIPE. A dry standpipe will
not have any water in the system at all. When the fire
department arrives, the pumps on their vehicles are connected
to hydrants (sometimes they draft from a lake or other body
of water). Then these fire department pumpers pump into the
standpipe. The standpipe is a DELIVERY system from ground
to upper floors. The required SUPPLY may sometimes be only
a static supply.
2. Even when the system is WET (contains water under
pressure) NFPA-14 has by tradition not required a given
pressure and flow at the top of the riser AUTOMATICALLY.
The proof is that a WET STANDPIPE is often simply
connected to the city mains taking whatever flow and pressure
is available. There are many thousands of examples of such
installations throughout the nation — and by tradition these
installations have always been considered to be in compliance
with NFPA-14.
The Time Frame
To understand the intent of NFPA-13 and 14 combined,
the requirements must be related to the time frame. The
sprinklers are AUTOMATIC and require an AUTOMATIC
supply. But this AUTOMATIC sprinkler supply need not
represent the TOTAL required supply of the standpipe.
The fire department hose streams are not customarily used
until after the engines have already been connected to the
standpipe. Thus, reliance on mobil pumpers for part or all of
the "hose line demand" is customary.
The distinction between AUTOMATIC SUPPLY and
TOTAL SUPPLY is a reflection of the time frame.

Understanding The 65 PSI Rule
NFPA-14 makes reference to the required standpipe water
supply being delivered to the top of the standpipe system at
65 psi. (Call this rule 1).
NFPA-14 also sets the quantity of the supply (GPM) on the
number of standpipes. The first standpipe should have a 500
GPM supply, all additional standpipes 250 GPM. (Call this rule
2.)
When the standpipe is combined with the sprinkler riser,
NFPA-13 requires the water supply to be AUTOMATIC. (Call
this rule 3).
PATTON LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
6075 Cleveland Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43229
Now, for a combined standpipe sprinkler system, should
these three rules be combined. That is, do the two standards
combined require that an AUTOMATIC supply be provided
capable (all by itself) of delivering 2750 GPM at 65 psi at the
roof, if the building has 10 standpipes?
The truth is the NFPA-14 will allow some or all of the
required supply to be a NON-AUTOMATIC Supply. It is only
when the fire department pumpers are hooked up and
pumping into the standpipe that the requirement of 65 psi at
the top of the riser must be met.
The change where sprinklers were allowed to be combined
with standpipes was intended to make sprinklers less costly
and more practical — it was not intended to double the cost of
installing standpipes.