When a fire occurs in a building that is protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system, the Fire Department Connection (FDC) is one of the most important features for the responding fire department. That is because the fire department connects their
hoses to the FDC to supplement the water supply to the sprinklers and standpipes within the building. The result is that building occupants and firefighters are safer and fire losses are dramatically reduced. The FDC is so important to fire
departments that every FDC is required to have a sign identifying its location so that the firefighters arriving on-scene can quickly find them and connect hoses. But problems occur if the FDC is not secure. Here is the information you need
to improve safety for firefighters and building occupants by installing FDC locking caps and plugs.
Why the FDC is Important
Although there is no requirement that an FDC deliver a specific volume of water, the FDC is intended to supplement the water supply coming into the building from the domestic supply piping. The normal domestic supply may be inadequate for many reasons.
Here are four common reasons that a supplemental water supply is needed.
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Someone may have inadvertently closed the supply valve from the domestic water line leading to the sprinkler system.
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There may be another fire in the area with a heavy demand on the domestic water supply.
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A break in the water main nearby can cause a drop in the water supply and pressure.
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A change to the occupancy of the building can represent a greater hazard than the sprinkler system was designed to handle.
Firefighters do not attempt to guess whether any of these conditions or others might adversely affect the water supply to sprinklers and standpipes, they are trained to immediately hook hoses up to the building FDC and provide supplemental water to the
sprinkler system. The water they provide is not intended for the sprinkler system demand— that is why it is called “supplemental water”.
The combination of water coming from the normal domestic supply, combined with the supplemental water from the FDC, is intended to compensate for a closed supply valve to the fire main, heavy water demand in the area of the fire, water main breaks, or
an inadequate sprinkler system design (e. g. sprinkler system designed to handle a lesser hazard). Firefighter safety is enhanced, since they do not enter the building until the sprinkler system has had a chance to control fire intensity and
spread. Firefighter injuries and fatalities are greatly reduced when the FDC is employed as intended and fire ground protocols are followed.
FDC Caps and Plugs
The FDC is simply the open end of a building’s fire line. It is typically a 4 inch pipe with two inlets for connecting hose. The FDC is on the outside of a building and is easily identified with a sign that says “FDC”. Every FDC is provided with caps
or plugs when the building is constructed. But since the FDC is on the outside of the building, and exposed to the public, the caps or plugs often are missing, due to vandalism. But the real problem for firefighters is the stuff that ends
up in the pipe without the cap. Debris, trash, and even animal nests are most often found in FDCs without caps, which inhibits and slows down hose connection and allows fire growth.
A Secure FDC Ensures Safety
To ensure that only the fire department has access to the FDC, a locking cap or plug is provided. This ensures the safety of firefighters as they do not enter the building until the fire sprinkler system has gained control of the fire. If building occupants
are still evacuating upon fire department arrival, the safety of those evacuees is enhanced with the supplemental water provided through the FDC. Additionally, property damage is limited and the dollar loss per fire event is much lower where
supplemental water is needed and provided through the FDC.
Can the AHJ Mandate FDC Locking Caps?
Although FDC caps and plugs are required to be installed (NFPA 13), and periodically checked (quarterly) to see if they are still installed (NFPA 25), they often go missing right after installation or inspection. That is why the fire codes (IFC or NFPA
1) allow the AHJ to mandate the installation of locking caps. Your state fire code is based on the International Fire Code (IFC) or NFPA 1, Fire Code. Here are the specific paragraphs to help you locate them in your state fire code.
Fire Department Connection Locking Caps
International Fire Code (IFC), Section 912.4.1, Locking Fire Department Connection Caps. The fire code official is authorized to require locking caps on fire department connections for water-based fire protection systems where the responding fire department carries appropriate key wrenches for removal.
NFPA 1, Fire Code, Chapter 13, Fire Protection Systems, Section 13.1.13, the AHJ shall have the authority to require locking fire department connection (FDC) plugs or caps on all water-based fire protection systems.
Building Owners Increase Safety with FDC Locking Caps
In locations where the AHJ does not mandate locking FDC caps and plugs, the building owner or property manager has the option of having them installed. Here is the paragraph from NFPA 13 which mandates FDC caps and plugs.
Fire Department Connection Caps and Plugs
NFPA 13, Sprinkler Systems, Chapter 16, Section 16.12.3.2 Fire department connections shall be equipped with approved plugs or caps, properly secured and arranged for easy removal by the fire departments.
A building owner has the option to have locking caps and plugs on the FDC, provided the fire department has the key for removal of the caps and plugs. Make sure your customers understand that they can have these locking caps and plugs installed by you, where their FDC has a history of vandalism. The only caveat is that the fire department must have the key to unlock them.
Cities Approved for FDC Locking Caps
Brooks and Knox have compiled a list of cities where the fire department has the Knox® Key Wrench and either allows or mandates the installation of Knox Locking Caps. To improve safety for the public and fire departments, Knox Locking Caps are pre-approved
in over 1,000 cities in the US. To download the list of cities go to
https://brooksequipment.com/files/KnoxExpressCities.pdf.
NASFM Endorses Secure FDCs
The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) recently developed a campaign to push for the installation of FDC locking caps. The campaign is called “READY. SET. FLOW.” and is designed to increase education for the fire service, businesses,
fire sprinkler contractors, and fire equipment distributors on the importance of FDC locking caps. Visit
https://www.securefdc.com/ to learn more.
According to NASFM, “Compromised FDC connections threaten the sprinkler system, firefighters, and the structure’s occupants!” The NAFM bulletin goes on to say “…uncapped Fire Department Connections (FDCs) can compromise the effectiveness of the sprinkler
system and pose risks to firefighters. Without water, their lives, the lives of occupants, and continuity of the impacted businesses, are put at risk.”
It is no wonder that NASFM, fire officials, firefighters, building owners, and the fire industry are now endorsing secure FDCs…the lives of all people in sprinklered buildings, and firefighters who must enter them during a fire, are at risk without them.