2.0 INTRODUCTION

Fire fighting system is very important to the every building which is the

application to ensure the safety to the occupants in the building. The protection must be

provided in the building to protect the people and valuable assets against loss. The

building design should considering the fire protection system becomes integrally

involved with the design of other systems. The design of the building also should

consider the compartmentalization of the building, smoke control, type a fire control

system to be used. The fire fighting systems have 3 types included fire protection, fire

detection and fire fighting equipment. The fire protection system must provide the early

detection of a fire and it will give the adequate warning to the occupants or people

inside the building while the fire occurred.

2.1 Law and Regulation

Every country applied their own rules on the fire fighting systems including

Malaysia. The completed buildings are inspected by the Fire Authority which is

Fireman who will issue the certificate before issuing certificate of fitness for occupation

by the Local Authority as soon as the building has fulfilled the following conditions:

1. The satisfaction of the means of escape in case of fire.

2. Proper means of fire fighting by persons in the buildings are available.

3. Means of giving adequate warning in case of fire exist which is fire detection

system applied.

The fire certificate will specify these requirements and it also stated the

maximum number of person the building can accommodate, gives detail of emergency

lighting, direction signs, smoke stopping and maintenance of fire precautions.

According to the Fire Service (Act 341), 1988 (Amended from 1 st January

2006), explained the high rise building compulsory to takes fire certificate which is

issued by the Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia. The criteria for the building

should be as follows:

a) Functional of fire system must be function completely and safety.

b) They must do fire drill in every year.

c) Building must follow all the rules and legislation.

This act also makes the provision and regulating as the followings below:

a) Regulating the manufacture, sale, installation, testing, servicing, and

recharging of fire fighting equipment or fire safety installation;

b) Prescribe the types, locations, and testing of fire fighting equipment or fire

safety installation used in any premises;

c) Regulating the establishment of fire bridges and fire safety in the designated

buildings;

d) Regulating all matters relating to fire safety and fire precautions;

e) The material used and the provision in controlling and handling the

incombustible material.

3.0 THEORIES OF FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

3.1 FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM

Fire detection system should apply in a building for purpose to alert people and to

reduce incidents in case of fire. People can be aware with danger will happen if some

overheating that occur. The fire detection might to safeguard human life thus the

property also.

3.2 FIRE DETECTOR

Fire detector is a warning signal to inform for people in the building in case of fire.

People can leave the building at least four minutes when they get signal from fire

detector. There are few common the detecting devices install in the building such as the

smoke detector, heat detector, fire break glass, alarm bell and fire alarm panel system.

These devices can be achieved when people detect the fire and that person need give the

warning using fire break glass or alarm bell.

a) Smoke detector

A smoke detector is a device that detects smoke. Commercial, industrial, and mass

residential devices issue a signal to a fire alarm system. Smoke detectors are typically

housed in a disk-shaped plastic enclosure about 150 millimetres (6 in) in diameter and

25 millimetres (1 in) thick, but the shape can vary by manufacturer or product line.

Smoke detectors in large commercial, industrial, and residential buildings are usually

powered by a central fire alarm system, which is powered by the building power with a

battery backup. However, in many single family detached and smaller multiple family

housings, a smoke alarm is often powered only by a single disposable battery.

Position of the smoke alarm

Figure 1: Position of Smoke Alarms within the Circulation Area

The above figure shows the position of smoke alarms within the circulation area. There

are some guidelines to locate the smoke detector:

Smoke detectors should be positioned so that there is one within 7.5m of every

habitable room door and a minimum of 1 smoke detector in every storey of the

dwelling.

If your kitchen is not separated from the stairways or circulation routes by a

suitable door, then you must also install a compatible heat detector in the

kitchen, interlinked with the other smoke detectors positioned as above in the

circulation routes.

All heat and smoke detectors are to be interlinked so all operate an alarm if one

is triggered.

Smoke detectors should preferably be fitted to the ceiling in a central position

and at least 300mm from any wall or light fitting. Particularly if you are going to

mount them on the wall. Wall mounted detectors should generally be fixed

between 150mm and 300mm below the ceiling.

Smoke detectors should not be fixed directly above heaters, air conditioning

units, ducted heat outlets, or in bathrooms, showers, cooking areas or garages,

where steam, condensation or fumes could cause false alarms to occur.

b) Heat detector

A heat detector is a fire alarm device designed to respond when the thermal energy

changes from normal temperature of room to over limited of temperature so, fire

warning alarm will sound. Heat detectors have two main classifications of operation,

"rate-of-rise" and "fixed temperature."

Fixed temperature detectors: operate when the heat sensitive element reaches a set

operating temperature. The most common fixed temperature point for electrically

connected heat detectors is that activate at a temperature of 117°F (47°C) without the

use of batteries or electricity.

Rate-of-Rise (ROR) heat detectors operate on a rapid rise in element temperature of 12°

to 15°F (6.7° to 8.3°C). The temperature can increase per minute irrespective of the

starting temperature. Heat detector can operate at a lower temperature fire condition.

c) Fire Alarm Panel

Fire alarm panel is to control all the fire mode condition to all the other mechanical

services as required by JABATAN BOMBA. It is an electric panel that is the

controlling component of a fire alarm system. The panel receives information from

environmental sensors designed to detect changes associated with fire, monitors their

operational integrity and provides for automatic control of equipment, and transmission

of information necessary to prepare the facility for fire based on a predetermined

sequence.

It is housed in a signal red colored mild steel panel located outside the ground floor.

The alarm indication is both audible (bell ringing) and visible (alarm indicator light

flashing at mimic diagram). Fault and other indicator are also both audible and visible.

3.1 FIRE PROTECTION

Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects

of fires. 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, 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. Buildings must be constructed in accordance with the version of

the building code that is in effect when an application for a building permit is made.

Building inspectors check on compliance of a building under construction with the

building code. Once construction is complete, a building must be maintained in

accordance with the current fire code, which is enforced by the fire prevention officers

of a local fire department. In the event of fire emergencies, Firefighters, fire

investigators, and other fire prevention personnel called to mitigate, investigate and

learn from the damage of a fire. Lessons learned from fires are applied to the authoring

of both building codes and fire codes.

3.1.1 ESCAPE STAIRCASE

Fire escape stairs is an interior or exterior stair, required by law, which provides an

escape route in the event of fire. Staircase must be fully enclosed and constructed with a

fire resistance not less than half an hour. The purpose is to escape when there is a fire

and prevent smoke and heat from obstructing the staircase and rendering it impossible

for escape purposes. They also prevent a fire from spreading into a staircase from any

storey and out again into another storey.

There are three types of fire staircases:

a) Lobby Approach

b) Ventilated Lobby Approach

c) Isolated Tower Staircase

3.1.2 WALLS AND CEILINGS

The walls and ceilings must be able to withstand to affect the fire for at least 30 minutes

and prevent the passage of smoke into the escape route. For the building that separated

into different purpose groups, there must be at least 60 minutes or 1 hour fire separation

between the different uses. The two uses must no communicating door but must

completely separate. It is advisable to check to ensure that is no damage or holes which

will allow fire and smoke to leak through even though most walls and ceilings of

normal construction are already 30 minutes fire resisting.

3.1.3 MEANS OF ESCAPE

Means of escape is structural means, whereby a safe route is provided for persons to

escape in case of fire, from any point in a building to a place of safety, clear of the

building, without outside assistance. It is relates to the principle of well planned

circulation within a building, which is basic function of sound design such as fire door

and escape staircase. To ensure that tenants are protected as far as possible against fire,

the regular check on the operation of the alarm, emergency lighting system and

maintenance of the escape route must be carried out. Fire safety depends on both

manager and tenants taking for the responsibility for the effectiveness of the means of

escape of fire. There are steps taken as a mean of escape:-

Occupants should escape towards staircase upon hearing of fire alarms.

The occupants shouldn’t use lift.

They descend via staircase to ground floor lobby.

Run out towards open space.

3.2 TYPES OF PROTECTION

There are many types of protection that has been used in building for fire protection.

For an example such as :-

Fireman intercom

Fire door

Roller shutter

Exit sign

Emergency light

3.2.1 Fireman intercom

The FICOM Fireman Intercom System, conventional (FI-8xx series) or microprocessor

based (FI-8xxM Series) version, provides firefighters with one-to-one or five-parties-

conference two-way communication between remote points in a building and the Master

Control Centre located at the Control Room.

3.2.2 Fire door

A fire door is a door with a fire-resistance rating (sometimes referred to as a fire

protection rating for closures) used as part of a passive fire protection system to reduce

the spread of fire or smoke between compartments and to enable safe egress from

a building or structure or ship. In North American building codes, it, along with fire

dampers, is often referred to as a closure, which can be derated compared against the

fire separation that contains it, provided that this barrier is not a firewall or

an occupancy separation.

3.2.3 Roller shutter

A roller shutter is a type of door or window shutter consisting of many horizontal slats

(or sometimes bars or web systems) hinged together. The door is raised to open it and

lowered to close it. On large doors, the action may be motorized. It provides protection

against the fire.

3.2.4 Exit sign

An exit sign is a device in a public facility (such as a building, aircraft or boat) that

displays where the emergency exit is, guiding people to the closest exit in case of fire or

other emergency. Most relevant codes (fire, building, health or safety) require exit signs

to be permanently lit. Exit signs are designed to be absolutely unmistakable and

universally understandable to anyone who sees them.

Most exit signs around the world are in pictogram form, with or without text

supplement. There has been a shift towards the adoption of such exit signs in the recent

decade. A small minority of nations adhered to the exit signs that show the word

"EXIT" (or similar in another language). The English word "exit" comes directly from

the Latin word meaning "(he or she) goes out."

3.2.5 Emergency light

An emergency light is a battery-backed lighting device that comes on automatically

when a building experiences a power outage. Emergency lights are standard in new

commercial and high occupancy residential buildings, such as college dormitories.

Most building codes require that they be installed in older buildings as well.

4.0 FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT

The fire fighting equipment is very important to each building which is every

building must contained or installed the fire fighting equipment. Every new building

must provided with means of detecting and extinguishing the fire with the fire alarms

together with illuminating exit sign. The fire fighting equipment has been designed to

rescue people and protect valuable good and natural resources from fire. There have

many fire fighting equipments such as Fire Extinguisher, Fire Hydrant, Portable Fire

Extinguisher, Wet Riser, Automatic Sprinkle, Fire Hose Reel and others.

4.1 Portable Fire Extinguishers

The portable fire extinguisher is required for any type of buildings which is the

fire extinguishers are an important part of an overall fire safety program. These are

valuable for immediate use on small fires only and it contained a limited amount of

extinguishing material which needs to be used properly. The efficient uses are required

in handle it and these should have proper maintenance depends on the following:

a) The portable fire extinguishers are properly located and in working order.

b) The portable fire extinguishers are of the correct type.

c) The fire is discovered while still small enough for use of the portable fire

extinguishers to be effective.

d) The fire is discovered by persons who are ready, willing, and able to use the

portable fire extinguishers.

There are 5 groups of portable fire extinguishers, each used for certain applications.

The following table categorizes only their application.

Group Type Application (type of fire)

1 Water Class A

2 Dry powder Class B and C

3 Foam Class B

4 Carbon dioxide Class B and C

5 Vaporising Class C

Each of the extinguisher types is effective against one or more classes of fires. Fires

can be classed as follows:

A- Fire resulting by a solid fuel, such as wood, paper, textiles, plastic, rubber or

other non liquid combustibles. This class used water extinguishers.

B- Fire fed by flammable liquids such as petrol, grease, cooking oils, gasoline

and paints solvents. This class used foam, dry powder and carbon dioxide

extinguishers.

C- Fire in a live from electrical wires. This class must use dry powder and

carbon dioxide extinguishers.

D- Fire in combustible metals, such as magnesium. This class will only use

sodium chloride extinguishers.

K-Fire in liquid cooking media. This class will be used Halon replacement.

4.2 Fire Hydrant

A fire hydrant is an active fire protection measure, and it is a source of water

provided at nearest building with municipal service to enable fire fighters to tap into the

municipal water supply to assist in extinguishing a fire. The fire hydrant connected to

water main buried in the street which is outside the building as in the case of hydrants

connected nearby the ponds and cisterns. Every hydrant has one or more outlets to

connect the fire hose reel. The fire hydrant also has one or more valves to regulate the

water flow and the sized to provide a minimum flow rate about 250 gallon per minute

(945 litres per minute), although most of hydrants can provide much more. The need for

fire hydrants developed with the advent of underground water systems.

There are 2 type hydrants which are public and private hydrant. The public hydrant

usually located in housing estate, new town, villages while the private hydrants located

individually at factories and it is private properties. The fire hydrant location shall be

determined by the fireman, in coordination with the main water supply and it should not

be hidden by building materials such as sand, wood, cement, and others. The parking in

front of the fire hydrant should be let empty without a thing or vehicles which because

the parking is served to the fire protection purposes.

4.3 Wet Riser

A Building above 30.5 metres in height should be provided with a wet rising

main. A wet riser is similar to the dry rising main except that it may be connected

directly to the local authority or as is more likely connected to the pumps which draw

water from a storage tank. The wet riser system is designed to local fire authority

requirements. Because of the very high pressures involved, water hammer can take

place and relief lines may install to cushion the effect.

In wet dry system, the risers should be sited within the ventilated lobbies of a

lobby approach staircase or in staircase enclosures. Usually in the high rise building

installed the wet rise system which is to supply water from the wet riser water tank,

through wet riser pipes and it will distributed to each floor ended at the canvas hoses

and hose reels. The pipes supplying water to the hoses are pressurized all the time.

There are three pumps that will supply the water from the tank to the hoses. The pumps

are consisting with the duty pump, the stand-by pump, and the jockey pump. Pressure

switches along the pipe control the starting of each pump.

a) Jockey Pump

The Jockey Pump will be start at beginning. The controlling pressure switch is

set to start the pump at a pressure of 150 psi and stop it when the pressure

reaches 230 psi. If a small problem exists in the wet riser piping, either on the

wet riser or hose reel, the pump will start in order to compensate for the

problem. The pump will start and stop automatically.

b) Duty Pump

If the pressure drops below 125 psi, this means a wet riser landing valve or a

hose reel gate valve has been opened. The pressure switch that senses this set

pressure activates and starts the duty pump.

c) Stand-by Pump

If for any reason the pressure continues to drop below 125 psi, it means either

the duty pump has not started or is not available such as under repairing or

others. The stand-by pump then takes over the function that is not performed by

the duty pump. The stand-by pump is set to cut-in at 95 psi. Once the water flow

is not needed any more the pressure builds up in the piping network. The duty or

stand-by pumps stops after the cut out pressure is reached at 220 psi. The jockey

pump continues to run until the system pressure reaches its cutout pressure of

230 psi. For a low building, the system will be less complicated. However, the

purpose of supplying water to the fire fighting hoses is maintained.

4.4 Automatic Sprinkle

The sprinkler system is designed to the to Local Fire Authority Requirements. A

water supply from the city water system or the main water supply used for an automatic

fire suppression sprinkler system. Automatic sprinkler is also the part of fire sprinkler

system that it will discharges water whenever the fire have been detected. There are

have many type of sprinkler system which included wet pipe, dry pipe, deluge, pre-

action and various types of water fog and liquid foams. These use some type of

sprinkler head or nozzle. When sprinkler heads are activated by heat from a fire, the

water from wet pipe system immediately released. The high rise building requires a

backup supply, such as a storage tank on the roof and the inflow is controlled by a

valve.

Basically, an area will be protected by a sprinkler head and there have many

varieties of patterns. The head maybe contain a glass phial, which has an expanding

liquid inside, or a soldered strut, each keeping the sprinkler head closed against the

water pressure. When the liquid expands and breaks the phial, or the soldered strut

melts, water is released and comes into contract with deflector. Then it will creates a

spray over the protected area. The sprinkler valve will activate to make adequate alarm

sound. Automatic sprinkler systems consist of a network of piping, water supply,

sprinkler heads, and alarm and detection devices that sense heat from a fire and

automatically distribute water to extinguish the fire or control its growth. Automatic

sprinkler systems are installed to protect property and the occupants in the building.

4.5 Fire Hose Reel

Generally, fire hose reel are required in places of public entertainment and in

buildings exceeding at certain size. The requirements can vary from area to area and the

local authority and Fire Officer must be consulted when designing for such installation.

Hose reels may be obtained in varying patterns and length. It may be fixed to the wall,

or swing away from the wall. The horse reel also must be controlled and connected

separately to the external water main supply, it also to fight of potential of fire risk. A

pressure switch sense the drop in pressure within the pipeline and start the duty pump

whenever a hose reel is used. Most hose reels are automatically turned on when a

certain length of tube has been pulled out. All equipment has to be clearly indicated as

to location and usage. It also must be tested weekly and the result of all tests shall be

recorded.

4.6 CO2 System

The CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) is contained in the seamless high pressured cylinder

and pressurized to 1000psi. Extra precaution should be taken to avoid exposing to

Carbon Dioxide gas for extended periods of time in the event of discharge. The design

concentration is based on 50% by volume and 60 second of discharge time. Automatic

actuating is obtained by means of heat detectors and smoke detectors and also manual

operation is by means of electrically actuated key switch. The CO2 system is

maintained and control on the control panel. The panel consists of dual circuit system

with volt meter, ammeter and indicators of A.C supply, supply failure, fuses, heat and

smoke detector zone indicators, bell, buzzer silences and CO2 discharge indicator. This

panel is designed and conforms to the requirements of the Chief Inspectorate of Fire

Services. The zone consists of alarm indicator, fault indicator and selector witch with

indication of test alarm (T/A), test fault (T/F), normal (N) and circuit isolator (ISO).

a) Test Alarm (T/A)

The CO2 isolate shall be switched on before the test is carried out. The CO2

discharge condition will simulate by firstly switching on in 1st zone to the

test alarm position, particular CO2 will be illuminated and the alarm bell will

ring intermittently. When the 2nd CO2 zone is switched to test alarm bell will

rings continuously and after a time delay of about 30 seconds.

b) Testing Fault (T/F)

Turning the selector switch position to T/F, this internal buzzer will demand

and fault indicator will illuminate. This is simulation of situation of any

break in the external wiring.

c) Circuit Isolator (ISO)

In the event of alarm been actuated accidentally or due to faulty detectors,

turn selector switch to position ISO and press the alarm reset button. The

alarm will be silenced but the internal buzzer will sound continuously until

the system is rectified and then set rotary switch to normal (N) position.

d) Normal (N)

The position of the selector switch must always be in the normal position;

otherwise the system is not in operational condition.

e) System Healthy

The system is healthy when the monitoring system incorporates in the CO2

control panel is not sensing any faults or detects in the detector wiring. The

only indicating bulbs illuminated on the panel during normal operation are:-

i) Main On

ii) System On

All other indication light or alarms are off

f) System Faulty

The system is faulty when the monitoring system incorporated in the CO2

control panel is sensing fault or defect in the detector wiring, failure of main

power supply, battery supply and fault in internal panel components. If any

faults occur, the panel will indicate the following:-

i) Fault buzzer is sounded

ii) Fault indicator light is indicated