Fire Protection and Suppression
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Fire Protection and Suppression
Introduction
To understand the value of fire protection and suppression systems, one has to have basic knowledge of fire development and behavior. This knowledge leads to a better realization of a fire protection and suppression system. Fires arise when a chemical reaction involving a carbon-based material comes into contact with oxygen and heat to the point where flammable vapors are produced. The vapors come into contact with materials hot enough to cause vapor ignition, resulting in a fire. When fires occur, they lead to disasters such as collection damage, which is the burning valuables and artifacts that are of high regard to the occupancy involved. Secondly, fires cause operation and mission damage where facilities, products, catalogues and procedures involved in achieving results are adversely destroyed. Structure damage is also associated with fires where the occupancy’s structure is sometimes destroyed and even reduced to ashes as a result of the fire. Moreover, fires destroy important documents, photographs, manuscripts and instructions, causing knowledge loss. In worst case scenarios, fires cause injuries and loss of lives to persons both directly and indirectly when they occur in occupancies (Haynes, 2017). Fire detection and suppression systems therefore form a valuable part of occupancies and offer great assistance in preparedness for battling fires.
Discussion
Fires often result from the rapid oxidation of materials during the chemical process of combustion which is highly exothermic and releases lots of heat and light which in turn causes fire. The resulting fires cause burning which leads to property damage, destruction of buildings, causes civilian injuries and, in worst cases, death. Fires occur in different occupancies and establishments accidentally or deliberately, as shown.
source: https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/US-Fire-Problem/Fires-by-occupancy-or-property-type
In battling fires, basic procedures dictate immediate response with portable fire extinguishers before the fire reaches raging levels. Where the basic procedures fail and the fire grows rapidly, more powerful suppression methods become essential, bringing about the value of fire systems in occupancies. Primarily, the detection and suppression systems serve the purpose of protection and preservation of occupancies in the event of fires. The most important value in this purpose is its simplicity and reliability in executing its core function of detecting and preventing fires from growing. In addition, the systems also need to maintain low installation and maintenance expenses to the occupancies in which they serve. The low costs ensure value without inflicting deep financial implications on the occupancies. Furthermore, the systems should have easy modification which entails its ability to be flexible with regard to spares or adaptation to occupancies in which they are required for use. The systems should also have concise downtime periods when they need to be restored after use or after maintenance inspections (Bui, 2017). These values and features ensure that the system is on high alert and well prepared to serve its purpose of fire detection and suppression to the occupancy.
Once the system’s value and effectiveness is assured, its assistance in fire detection and prevention is excellent, most importantly, in identifying fire scenarios in a timely manner, resulting into swift action in dealing with it before growing. A valuable system will also assist in establishing parameters required in dealing with fires. These parameters include the type of occupancy, the number and type of occupants present and the criticality of contents and mission. These parameters are useful especially in occupancies where special attention is required, for instance occupancies with dangerous chemicals present or persons with disabilities (Gollner, 2016). Additionally, the system also assists in alarm outputs, issuing notification to authorities and fire departments, maintaining timely action in managing fires. In other forms of advanced systems, it also assists in battling fires where they are interlinked with operational executions such as sprinklers and smoke detectors that are activated therefore assisting in putting out fires. Where fire detection and suppression systems are well in check, their detection and assistance in battling fires is assured in their respective occupancies.
Conclusion
Fire detection and suppression systems form a valuable part in occupancies and offer great assistance in battling fires. Moreover, the systems also require a lot of attention depending with the different type of occupancy they are suited for to ensure high values are maintained and maximum assistance assured in the event of fires. However, fire detection and suppression systems create another avenue for comprehensive and objective fire protection principles in occupancies that can be further explored to minimize reliance on the systems as the leading agency.
References
Gollner, M. J. (2016). Detection and suppression of fires: a cornerstone of fire protection engineering.
Haynes, H. J., & Stein, G. P. (2017). US fire department profile 2015. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association.
Bui, D. P., Porter, K. P., Griffin, S., French, D. D., Jung, A. M., Crothers, S., & Burgess, J. L. (2017). Risk management of emergency service vehicle crashes in the United States fire service: process, outputs, and recommendations. BMC public health, 17(1), 885.