ABSTRACT

Fire protection systems cannot function effectively nor can firefighters fight fire without an adequate water supply. Several NFPA standards and model building codes provide requirements for water supplies to buildings as well as water mains, fire department connections, and fire hydrants. These include the International Building Code (IBC); NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code; the International Fire Code (IFC); NFPA 1, the Uniform Fire Code; NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code; NFPA 1142, Standard for Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Firefighting; NFPA 291, Standard for Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants; NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances; NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection; NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems; 13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies up to and Including Four Stories in Height; NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems; NFPA 15, Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection; NFPA 16, Standard for the Installation of Foam-Water Sprinkler and Foam-Water Spray Systems; NFPA 750, Standard on Water Mist Fire Protection Systems; NFPA 1963, the Standard for Fire Hose Connections; and NFPA 170, Standard for Fire Safety Symbols. Water supplies can be both public, through the local water department, and private, supplied by storage systems or water supplies at a facility. Water supplies for fighting fires most often comes from fire hydrants supplied from water mains hooked to the local water system. Many firefighters are familiar with the slang used for connecting to a fire hydrant. It is often referred to as catching a “plug.” Fire hydrants are sometimes referred to as “fireplugs.” Did you ever wonder where the term “fireplug” orginated? After all, it does not seem to make sense that you get water flow from a plug! Early water mains were made of wood in the 1700s and 1800s. Hollowed-out wooden logs were used to transport water through the community (figure 5.1) to meet the daily needs of its residents. Firefighters realized that the wooden water mains could be a source of water for fighting fire. When a fire occurred, firefighters would dig down to the wooden main and drill a hole through it. Water from the pipe would then fill the excavated area, providing a drafting pit for pumps or a source of water for bucket brigades. Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters would drive a wooden plug into the drilled hole. The spot of the plug would be noted so a new hole would not have to be drilled and the water source would be available for any future fires. In larger cities, wood plugs were installed in the wooden mains as they were constructed. Firefighters would then know ahead of time where the plugs were located. Thus the term fire plug, which carries over today as a term meaning fire hydrant (figure 5.2).